Here are today’s headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:Sen. Sam Brownback (R) !(The Hill) In ’08 race, hopefuls bag early support: Perhaps the most potent charm in a successful courtship of one state’s delegation, however, is attention to the local political climate. … Among Republicans, Romney’s Commonwealth PAC has given to GOP committees in 23 West Virginia counties, reflecting awareness of that state’s unique and early-peaking online primary vote. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), billing himself as the true social conservative in the 2008 field, sent $7,000 to political committees in early-primary states. McCain, however, overpowered his competition with more than $350,000 in contributions in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Michigan, one of his two strongholds during the 2000 presidential battle, according to the center.(Washington Times commentary) Impending energy threat: On Jan. 23, Mr. Bush is to report on the State of the Union. At the moment, it appears he is poised to make the main feature of that report his ideas for addressing what is, arguably, the most critical threat to that Union: the United States’ persistent and growing practice of purchasing vast quantities of oil from people who wish us ill. … Specifically, Mr. Bush will endorse key elements of bipartisan bills first introduced in the Senate and House last year. Now called the DRIVE Act, this legislation is expected to be resubmitted this Thursday by such leading lights as Sens. Joe Lieberman, Sam Brownback, Evan Bayh and Norm Coleman and Reps. Eliot Engel, Jim Saxton, Mike Ross and Jack Kingston. The proposed act focuses on the central impediment to energy security: Our transportation sector is virtually entirely powered by oil-derived products (gasoline and diesel fuels) and consumes two-thirds of the oil America uses. Sen. Pat Roberts (R)!(KC Star) Kansas pursues a federal lab: Kansas is not resting on its laurels as a cattle- and animal-health industry hub in seeking a $450 million federal bioterrorism research lab…. Sen. Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican, has been pushing the project for more than a year. Just last week, Roberts brought in officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to check out the existing Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University and learn about the rich pool of talent the state has in these fields. Roberts has spoken directly to other federal officials, including those at Homeland Security. Roberts outlined many of the region’s strengths in a letter he wrote in November to Michael Chertoff, the Homeland Security secretary.Rep. Nancy Boyda (D)(New York Times) The Hill: Bush to Call Budget Bluff: Though many in Congress appear resistant to an independent ethics panel, the House and Senate ethics committees are getting more staff aides to help police the Capitol better from within, and the Senate is moving toward banning lawmakers from accepting tickets to events paid for by lobbyists. Also, legislation by Representative Nancy Boyda of Kansas, a red state Democrat, that would bar lawmakers who commit crimes while in office from receiving pensions is expected to reach the floor by the end of the week. The Senate passed a similar bill by Senator John Kerry last week.