Senator Pat Roberts column At the end of every year, we often find ourselves looking back to see what we have accomplished and looking ahead to see what goals we should set for the coming new year. As your U.S. Senator, I want to report to you on some of the achievements we've made in Congress for Kansas and the country. First and foremost, as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I can report that we have made strides in improving our nation's intelligence gathering capabilities. The Senate Intelligence Committee's sweeping report on pre-war intelligence on Iraq, which we completed in July, gave us a blueprint for reform and helped prompt the overhaul of our nation's Intelligence Community. This month, I will attend the signing of the National Security Reform Act of 2004 with President Bush. Since 1949, 24 attempts have been made to pass comprehensive intelligence reform legislation. It has been more than three years since 9/11, and on behalf of the families of the victims of 9/11, and on behalf of our national security and every American, I am thankful we will not wait another day. The National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 will create a Director of National Intelligence and a National Counterterrorism Center, which will eventually serve as the nation's true clearinghouse for terrorist related intelligence. This bill is a compromise. It does not do everything that I believe is necessary to clearly streamline the structure of our Intelligence Community, but it is a good first step. It's also important to note that we won't stop with passage of this bill. We'll continue to work on improving and empowering the Intelligence Community in the next Congress. Agriculture issues also took center stage in Congress this year. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I supported legislation to provide disaster assistance to producers who have been hard hit by multiple years of drought. In October, Congress adopted legislation providing $2.9 billion in disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers in areas experiencing severe drought and crop losses in 2003 or 2004. This aid will go a long way for our farmers and ranchers on the plains. Kansas families from Overland Park to Garden City will benefit from extended tax relief thanks to congressional action this year. This includes an extension of the $1,000 child care tax credit through 2010, continued relief from the marriage penalty and $199 million in tax relief to military families with members serving in combat zones. This relief means working families will be able to keep more of their hard earned dollars. The needs of the military, both here and abroad, are always a significant part of our focus in the Senate. I am pleased to report that we secured funding totaling $177.4 million for projects at Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth and facilities in Topeka and Hays. Some of the projects that will improve training and quality of life for military families include: barracks complex renewal, construction of 126 units for family housing, family housing improvements and the replacement of an operations and training complex. These projects in Kansas reflect our commitment to provide our military, which contributes over $2 billion to the state each year, with the best facilities to carry out their mission and to raise their families. That is a just brief snapshot of some of the things we have accomplished this year. Once again, it has been an honor and privilege to represent you in the Senate. I look forward to what we can accomplish in 2005. In the meantime, I wish my fellow Kansans, particularly those in the military who are serving our country so proudly, a happy and safe holiday.  Read all the guest columns in the Messenger.