Sam Brownback links(Brownfield) Agriculture important to immigration debate, says Brownback: The immigration issue is center stage in Washington this week as the U.S. Senate continues to debate reform legislation. Agriculture is an important part of any immigration discussion, according to Kansas Senator Sam Brownback. “We see the need for about half a million farm workers, the vast majority of that coming internationally,” he said. “Our numbers at 40,000 a year for agriculture workers is clearly insufficient as a legal number, that’s why you’ve got to get that number up.” The Republican Senator believes farmers are suffering because they can’t find enough legal immigrant workers.(AP) Senate committee OKs agriculture disaster aid: Farm-state members successfully attached an estimated $4 billion in agricultural disaster money Tuesday to a massive spending bill designed to pay for the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina. The bill would pay farmers and ranchers around the country for recent losses due to drought, flooding, disease and other disasters. It would also give many farmers an increase on their current federal subsidy check because of higher energy expenses. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, also praised the bill, saying it provides much-needed relief to farmers who have seen a significant drop in income. “Some farmers have seen their energy bills double in recent years, which is especially debilitating because they are already operating on tight profit margins,” Brownback said. “These increases in overhead costs can have a devastating effect on our farmers and food supply.”(Cascfen.org) 54 Congressmen Urges Niyazov to release a prisoner of concience: Fifty-four members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives wrote the President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, urging the immediate and unconditional release of prisoner of conscience, Gurbandurdy Durdykuliyev (CSCE). “This bipartisan initiative sends a clear message to President Niyazov on congressional concern over the plight of Mr. Durdykuliev, an individual who has languished in a psychiatric hospital for two years simply for attempting to exercise his right to freedom of expression,” said Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS). “We urge Mr. Niyazov to set this gentleman free without further delay and cease imprisoning dissidents in psychiatric hospitals.”Pat Roberts links(Washington Post) For Wisconsin Napoleons, Just Add Cheese: Put aprons on members of Congress, and you can be certain that their recipes will showcase home-state products. That’s true even if the state connection is somewhat obscure, an outright stretch or involves fruit, like Michigan apples this time of year, that is not available. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) explained the relevance of his Kansas Quesadillas this way: First, Hispanics make up 55 percent of the population of Dodge City, his home town. If that’s not enough, remember the old “Gunsmoke” TV series, which was set in Dodge City? “Whenever you see them ride out of town,” Roberts said, “Miss Kitty would say, ‘Matt, where are you going now? You be careful.’ He’d have his knapsack full of quesadillas.” Pause. “Well-known fact.” (Also references Dennis Moore and Todd Tiahrt)How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][5] [1]: hhttp://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=66E118F7-B9D2-E060-95681D3818B2C104