Here are today’s headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:Rep. Nancy Boyda (D) !(Politico) Two Democrats Refuse Party Cash: Despite Democratic successes in last November’s midterm, two rookie Democratic congresswomen already are rejecting financial assistance from their leadership, a striking move aimed at cultivating an independent image for voters back home. Reps. Nancy Boyda of Kansas and Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire have declined to participate in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Frontline” program, which helps vulnerable members raise money early and receive logistical support for their re-election bids. Twenty-nine members, including 24 freshmen, qualified for the program in mid-February. DCCC officials were not immediately available for comment. The DCCC official blog noted, however, that the campaign committee was not “writing off” Boyda and Shea-Porter and left open the possibility of helping both if they were subjected to GOP attacks. Boyda would have been a prime candidate for assistance. She represents a solidly Republican district where President Bush received 59 percent of the vote against Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., in the 2004 presidential election. Boyda spokeswoman Shanan Guinn said the congresswoman wants to position herself as an independent heading into 2008. “She’s making her own decisions based on what people want her to focus on,” Guinn said. “She ran an independent campaign in 2006, and her constituents want to see her run an independent campaign again.”(CQ Politics) Two 2006 House Upset Winners Pass Up Democrats’ Frontline Aid:What makes the Frontline opt-outs by New Hampshire’s Carol Shea-Porter and Nancy Boyda of Kansas even more interesting is that they both are regarded as among the biggest upset winners of last year’s big Democratic upsurge — and both already know they’ll be dealing with comeback bids by the Republican incumbents they defeated. … Former five-term Rep. Jim Ryun told Congressional Quarterly that he filed the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Friday to formally open his comeback campaign after losing to Boyda in Kansas’ 2nd District last November by 51 percent to 47 percent…. Boyda has said, in fact, that she made that decision based on experience. The 2006 race was her second consecutive try to unseat Ryun. Two years earlier, she was strongly supported by the national party and had high-powered advisers on hand — and lost to the Republican incumbent by 15 percentage points. She ran an independent campaign for the 2nd District of Kansas in 2006] and that was what was behind her decision not to be included, Boyda chief of staff Shannan Guinn told CQPolitics.com on Friday in explaining Boyda’s decision to turn down the DCCC’s Frontline offer. “She is truly an independent voice for the people of the 2nd District, and that’s what she believes the people of the 2nd District voted her here to be.”Sen. Pat Roberts (R)![(AP) Roberts launches opposition to Bush’s health-care proposals: Republican Sen. Pat Roberts is working with a Democratic colleague to block some of President Bush’s budget proposals for social services, suggesting those recommendations could amount to “rationing health care.” The Kansas senator said Monday that he doubts Bush’s proposals enjoy much support, so he would like Congress to avoid a lengthy back-and-forth before providing additional funds for the Medicare and Medicaid programs. He’s most concerned about payments to hospitals that provide services to the programs’ participants. Bush’s proposals are designed to save $76 billion over five years in Medicare, the program that provides medical services for the elderly. They also would trim $25 billion from Medicaid, the medical program for low-income people. They’ve already received strong criticism from Democrats. Roberts was in Topeka to discuss health care issues with the chief executives of 15 northeast Kansas hospitals. His visit was among a week’s worth of events scheduled statewide. He and Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., are drafting a letter to the White House and the chairman and ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, asking them to protect hospital payments.(Capital-Journal) Frankfort boys honored: Sixteen relatives of the Frankfort boys – the 32 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen killed in World War II – stood to name their veterans and honor them Monday morning in a crowded Senate Room at the Jayhawk Tower. Frank Benteman, his wife, Ann, and his grandson, Wyatt Benteman, listen to Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., on Monday at the Jayhawk Tower, 700 S.W. Jackson. Benteman was instrumental in gaining recognition for the 32 people from Frankfort who died during World War II. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., gave a copy of the Congressional Record recognizing the 32 Frankfort boys to Benteman, 80, as Frankfort Mayor Sharon Owen and Frankfort American Legion commander Robert Roeder watched. Roberts had read the names of the 32 servicemen into the Congressional Record on Nov. 16.