Kansas

Kansas delegation in U.S. House divided on Ukraine aid, endorses package for Israel, Taiwan • Kansas Reflector

Published

2 years ago

April 22, 2024

Kansas delegation in U.S. House divided on Ukraine aid, endorses package for Israel, Taiwan • Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids backed new federal spending to help Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to oppose “tyranny and terror,” but U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Ron Estes drew the line at the $60 billion package supporting Ukraine’s fight against a Russian invasion.

The overall $95 billion supplemental spending deal began as four separate bills, but were folded together into one bill as an alternative to a comparable measure approved two months ago by the U.S. Senate. Passage by the Senate of the House version would send it to President Joe Biden.

U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, Mann and Estes, all Kansas Republicans, and Democrat Davids voted in favor of a new round of financial support for Israel fighting militants in Gaza and for Taiwan dealing with threats from China. The delegation voted for the measure requiring divestiture or a ban on social media app TikTok, owned by a Chinese company.

Disagreement among Kansas lawmakers centered on Ukraine. Davids and LaTurner, who said he wasn’t seeking reelection in November, voted for the $60 billion aid package that passed 311-112. Mann and Estes opposed it.

“I’ve previously voted for Russian sanctions as Ukraine faces unprovoked aggression from a tyrant,” said Estes, of the 4th District centered on Wichita, “but the $60.8 billion bill that the House passed (Saturday) was too much for me to support when the United States has already spent more than $100 billion on Ukraine aid.”

Davids, who serves the 3rd District dominated by Johnson County, said the funding would protect American allies and included humanitarian aid to Gaza through the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“I voted with Republicans and Democrats to protect our allies in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in their fights against tyranny and terror and to deliver aid to innocent civilians in Gaza,” she said. “While I am frustrated that preserving our national security has been marred with partisanship in times of crisis, we must defend democracy and recognize that stability and prosperity abroad directly impact our safety and economy at home.”

LaTurner, who holds the 2nd District seat, said after a 2022 trip to Eastern Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine was “unprovoked and evil” and required “unwavering support” of the United States through delivery of weapons to Ukrainian troops and humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees. His vote on the new funding bill for Ukraine held to that commitment.

Mann, of the 1st District extending from Garden City to Lawrence, said the United States shouldn’t send more assistance to Ukraine unless attached to oversight and accountability provisions.

He was among 71 House Republicans to vote for Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s failed amendment to strike all funding for Ukraine from the overall package.

“It is in America’s interest for Ukrainian forces to defeat Russia, but it is irresponsible and unsustainable to continue funding a war in Ukraine without any oversight as to how Americans’ tax dollars are spent. We do not allow our own federal agencies to spend our tax dollars that way, and we should not allow foreign governments to either,” Mann said.

Mann said he voted with the 385-34 majority for the $8.1 billion funding measure for Taiwan, the Philippines and other allies because it was important to counter China’s aggression. He said the objective of the United States was peace but “any military offense against Taiwan would have grave and severe consequences.”

The $26 billion appropriation for Israel approved 366-58 would add to aid delivered before and after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israeli territory. More than 20,000 Gaza residents have been killed in the military response by Israel.

Source link

Click to comment

Kansas

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Published

16 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Indiana’s portal haul continued to grow Sunday as multiple outlets reported the addition of Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.

Osunsanmi has played in 36 games over the last four years and has 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Most of that production came over the last two seasons. He has a total of 47 QB pressures during his college career.

In 2025 he played in six games and had 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He suffered a season-ending injury in October.

He saw action in all 13 games in 2024 as a reserve defensive end and on special teams, recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 303 defensive snaps and 31 special teams plays.

In 2023 he saw time in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker, a rush end on passing downs and on special teams. He was tied for team-high honors with five tackles on kickoff coverage.

He played in four games in 2022 and preserved his redshirt.

The 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Osunsanmi has one year of eligibility remaining.

The Wichita, Kan. product (Wichita East H.S.) was regarded as the 232nd-best overall player in the nation for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.

Osunsanmi will help fill the void left by outgoing edge rushers Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley.

More transfer portal information:

For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

Source link

Kansas

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

LAWRENCE — The Division I transfer portal window for college football is open from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, and that means Sunday is another chance for the Kansas football program to shape its roster.

The Jayhawks already gained one public addition earlier this offseason in Grand Valley State transfer Jibriel Conde — whose signing was announced Dec. 4. Conde, who is making the jump up from Division II, is a 247Sports-rated three-star defensive lineman in the portal and is listed by KU as a defensive tackle. On Saturday, a number of current Kansas players — including redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Blake Herold — also outlined in social media posts on X that they are locked in with the program for the 2026 season.

Marshall is set to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. Kubecka has the chance to step up into a more significant role at wide receiver. Herold is in line to be a key part of Kansas’ defensive line.

Those positives, though, don’t outweigh the fact that there has been a sizable group of players who have revealed their intentions to transfer away. Looking overall, when it comes to those whose decisions became public before and after the portal opened, the significant names to know include redshirt senior safety Lyrik Rawls, redshirt junior linebacker Trey Lathan and freshman quarterback David McComb. Lathan led KU in tackles in 2025.

Check in here for more updates during this transfer portal window about a KU team that finished 5-7 during the 2025 season, with transfer ratings as outlined by 247Sports.

Kansas football transfer portal additions

Jibriel Conde (3-star defensive lineman from Grand Valley State) — KU lists him as a defensive tackle

Kansas football transfer portal departures

Joseph Sipp Jr. (linebacker)

Jacoby Davis (cornerback)

Dylan Brooks (defensive end)

Jaidyn Doss (wide receiver)

Carter Lavrusky (offensive lineman)

Trey Lathan (linebacker)

Tyler Mercer (offensive lineman)

Harry Stewart III (running back)

Caleb Redd (3-star edge) — KU lists him as a defensive end

Aundre Gibson (3-star cornerback)

David McComb (3-star quarterback)

Kene Anene (3-star interior offensive lineman) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Laquan Robinson (3-star safety)

Jameel Croft Jr. (3-star cornerback)

Logan Brantley (3-star linebacker)

Greydon Grimes (3-star offensive tackle) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Jon Jon Kamara (3-star linebacker)

Lyrik Rawls (3-star safety)

Damani Maxson (3-star safety)

Jaden Hamm (tight end)

Bryce Cohoon (wide receiver)

JaCorey Stewart (linebacker)

Johnny Thompson Jr. (running back)

Efren Jasso (punter)

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

Source link