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Rep. Todd Tiahrt U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Kansas

Todd Tiahrt (R-Goddard) began serving the 4th District of Kansas in Congress in 1995. He was appointed to the powerful House Appropriations Committee in 1997 and also serves as a Deputy Majority Whip.

Todd is a champion of taxpayers and those who believe in the traditional American values of integrity, faith and family. Todd grew up on his family's farm where, at a young age, he learned the values of hard work and frugality.

Before his service in Congress, he was employed by the Boeing Company in Wichita for 13 years, where he worked on various aerospace projects including the Space Station, Air Force One and the Comanche Helicopter.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Todd is in a unique position to fight for the interests of all Kansans and for fiscal responsibility in the federal budget process. All non-entitlement spending bills pass through this important committee. Todd serves on the Defense, Transportation and TPO (Treasury, Postal Service and General Government) Subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee.

Todd has leveraged his seniority on the powerful panel to exempt Kansas from the restrictive Wright Amendment that hindered competitive air service between Wichita and Dallas/Ft. Worth. As Vice Chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee, Todd has been instrumental in securing federal dollars for important airport runway upgrades throughout the 4th District, as well as research grants for Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research.

Working in a bipartisan spirit with members of the Defense Subcommittee, Todd was able to help shepherd legislation through Congress that allowed the U.S. Air Force to lease Boeing 767 Air Refueling Tankers. It has been estimated the program would create approximately 2,500 jobs in Wichita and south central Kansas.

In addition to assisting Kansas communities with important public works projects, education grants and environmental remediation, Todd led the way to secure critical federal relief for those families devastated by floods in the late 1990s.

As a member of Congress, Todd has received numerous honors for his voting record on behalf of taxpayers, seniors and American families, including the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, being named a Super Friend of Seniors, a Champion of Private Property Rights and a Taxpayer's Hero. Todd attended the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and later transferred to Evangel College where he graduated and met his wife Vicki. Todd went on to earn his MBA from Southwest Missouri State. Todd and Vicki have been blessed with three children, Jessica, John and Luke.

— Courtesy Todd Tiahrt, Member of Congress