Rep. Massie Hosts U.S. Service Academy Day in Hebron

As your United States Representative, I have the privilege of nominating a limited number of qualified candidates to attend one of the U.S. Service Academies. The honor of attending a Service Academy comes with an obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.

Approximately 100 students and their parents attended my annual U.S. Service Academy Day to learn more about the nation's military academies. Representatives from the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy provided presentations about their institutions. In addition, Kentucky State Representative Savannah Maddox led the prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and offered remarks commending students in attendance.

While it is not necessary to attend Academy Day to apply for a nomination, students who attend can learn more about the nomination process. The nomination process also includes an additional day in the fall when applicants have formal interviews with representatives from the academies.

The U.S. Service Academies offer young men and women an opportunity to serve their country while improving all facets of their character through a rigorous academic curriculum and a disciplined moral and physical regimen. Competition for entry into a Service Academy is high, and nominees are chosen based on several factors, including character, leadership, academic excellence, physical aptitude, and extracurricular activities.

Congratulations to Nathan Francis, Haylee Alexander, and Sadie Hartig for accepting their appointments to attend the United States Air Force Academy. To the attendees who are veterans or active duty- thank you for your service!

Rep. Massie Questions Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) CEO Lawrence Krauter

If we allow airports to collect more of their own fees (passenger facility charges), instead of making them rely on federal grants, airport infrastructure can be improved without increasing taxes.

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's CEO, Lawrence Krauter, answered my questions about PFC caps during a recent Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing.

Rep. Massie Discusses Intellectual Property Law at the University of Kentucky

In April, I was honored to participate in “Blueprints for Innovation: Intellectual Property in the Bluegrass State," a forum hosted by the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Intellectual Property Alliance, and the Council for Innovation Promotion. The event featured a number of speakers with expertise in intellectual property (IP) issues and highlighted the role of IP in driving innovation and fostering economic growth in the Commonwealth.

I had the privilege of sharing the stage with Andrei Iancu, former Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Co-Chair of the Council for Innovation Promotion, for a session titled “Innovation Imperative: IP's Impact on Kentucky and the Nation.” We discussed the necessity of a robust patent system to attract investment. Without strong IP protection, investment would dry up, stalling the commercialization of critical innovations, such as pharmaceuticals. I drew from my own background as an inventor and entrepreneur. While studying at MIT, I founded a startup based on a virtual reality technology I created. My patents enabled me to raise $32 million in venture capital and create 70 jobs.

Andrei and I also discussed the weakening of the U.S. patent system. The shift away from the patent system originally envisioned in our Constitution has been a key concern for me in Congress and led me to introduce the "Restoring America's Leadership in Innovation Act” (RALIA). RALIA reverses many harmful changes to patent law. One of the most significant reforms contained in the legislation is a return to the “first to invent” standard rather than the more recently adopted “first to file” standard. RALIA would also restore inventor access to an injunction to halt patent infringers from continuing to produce knockoffs of the invention. My legislation contains more than a dozen important reforms to ensure that inventors––and the investors who back them––can be confident that their ideas will be safeguarded. RALIA has garnered bipartisan support, and I look forward to reintroducing it in the 119th Congress.

I commend the University of Kentucky for its strong tech transfer ecosystem, which transforms academic research into startups and valuable jobs. This model supports economic growth in the region and highlights Kentucky’s potential as a hub for innovation. I’m hopeful we will see more venture capital flowing into states like Kentucky, rather than being concentrated in coastal cities.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the event and to those committed to revitalizing the U.S. patent system. A strong IP framework is not just about rewarding inventors; it is about ensuring that America remains a global leader in innovation.

Rep. Massie Interviewed by Winston Marshall

I enjoyed this interview with Winston Marshall, former banjoist for Mumford & Sons. We discussed tariffs, lobbying, and campaign finance… and one of us might have played the banjo during this interview.

Rep. Massie Votes Against Speaker Johnson's

"Nanny-State Week"

April ended with nanny-state week in Congress!

Speaker Johnson put FIVE new regulations on the floor, including TWO written by Democrats. The Uni-Party is flexing its muscle. I voted No on all of them, because a bigger, more intrusive government isn’t going to Make America Great Again.

Rep. Massie Cosponsors Resolution to Withdraw the

United States from the World Trade Organization

In April, I cosponsored Rep. Tom Tiffany's (R-WI) H.J.Res.93 to withdraw the U.S. from the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Canada and Mexico sued the U.S. to force removal of country of origin labels on beef and pork. Congress removed labels in the face of a WTO ruling. Consumers and farmers lost out.

X Post of the Month: Real ID Isn't Needed

If you would like to follow me on X, my official account is @RepThomasMassie. If you click on the embedded image, it will take you directly to this specific thread.

In Liberty,