Here's what the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill means for Kansas

Kansas' congressional delegation was split in their approach to a $1.7 trillion spending package signed into law by President Joe Biden, with some supporting the bill while others criticized it as wasteful government spending.

The measure passed the U.S. House on Friday, just one day after the U.S. Senate gave the bill its stamp of approval. The effort came shortly before the current funding structure was set to expire on Dec. 23, avoiding a government shutdown.

That did little to blunt criticism from Republicans that the bill continued unsustainable spending levels, as well as objections to some of the measure's line items.

All three Republicans representing Kansas in the U.S. House — U.S. Reps. Jake LaTurner, Tracey Mann and Ron Estes — opposed the measure, as did U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall.

In a statement, LaTurner blasted the timing of the vote, which is likely to be the last major policy item taken up by Congress before Republicans regain control of the U.S. House in January.

"With just 11 days until Republicans take the majority in the House, Speaker Pelosi jammed through a 4,000-page bill that spends $1.7 trillion on liberal pet projects and failed Democrat policies," LaTurner said. "This spending package is an irresponsible way to govern and a raw deal for Kansas taxpayers."

More:Jerry Moran signs on to effort to help keep Afghan refugees in United States permanently

Sen. Roger Marshall objects to help for Ukraine and renewable energy

Marshall also outlined a number of spending areas he found objectionable, including $45 billion for Ukraine and its European allies, $370 billion in support for renewable energy and $3.2 billion to expedite processing of undocumented immigrants.

"We are going to borrow another trillion dollars from our grandchildren," Marshall told Fox Business shortly after the vote Thursday. "The No. 1 driver of inflation in our country right now is our national debt and now legislation that is going to borrow another $1.7 trillion."

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Kansas' lone Democrat in Congress, and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., were more charitable, with both voting for the bill.

Moran touted $15 million in funding to build new barracks at Fort Riley, as well as grant funding for Kansas law enforcement agencies. The bill also expands the Special Immigrant Visa program, allowing Afghans who served alongside the U.S. military to receive Green Cards, part of a larger measure Moran has supported.

Meanwhile, Davids zeroed in on $31.2 million coming to the Kansas City-area Third Congressional District, including bridge improvements and new equipment for the University of Kansas Medical Center.

“I’ve long fought for responsible budget policies to protect taxpayers, and these investments maintain that commitment to fiscal responsibility while making a difference for Kansas," Davids said in a statement.

More:Thousands could be kicked off Medicaid next year in Kansas. Here's why.

Kansas will be able to determine if residents are eligible for Medicaid

Other parts of the bill will have an impact on Kansas as well. The proposal will allow states to again begin re-determining if individuals are eligible for Medicaid, ending a COVID-19-pandemic era pause on removing recipients from the KanCare rolls.

Some have worried about the end of this flexibility, with concerns that Medicaid recipients might remain eligible but slip through the cracks, resulting in a coverage gap.

The spending bill does require all states to keep children continuously enrolled for 12 months once they’ve been deemed eligible, an item intended to blunt the impact on families.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Roger Marshall, Jerry Moran, Kansas delegation split on omnibus bill