Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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On my recent trip to the beaches of Normandy, I witnessed a striking testimony of patriotism when American veterans of the D-Day invasion made the extraordinary effort to stand resolutely for the presentation of the American flag at a ceremony. Each of these men were around 100 years of age, and for many, standing came with extreme difficulty. Time had taken much of the strength from their legs and backs, but it had not taken the love of their country from their hearts. While our nation’s flag c...
In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Biden did not have the constitutional authority to mass transfer up to $400 billion in student loan debt from borrowers to American taxpayers. Rather than properly acknowledge the ruling of the court, earlier this year, the president unveiled a new student loan forgiveness plan, again handing the bill to hardworking Americans. Biden’s new plan already faces similar legal challenges on which the Supreme Court will likely again weigh in. Many Ne...
In 2014, President Obama famously said, “I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” telling the American people he didn’t care whether Congress had provided legislative authority for his favored policies—he would go it alone whenever he felt like it. Ten years later, Obama’s then-vice president, now-President Joe Biden has been ruling in the same fashion daily. Biden’s executive actions don’t just ignore congressional intent; they are expensive, unwise and unworkable. A recent report by the Hou...
As recent events have demonstrated, the readiness and modernization of the United States’ defense capabilities are as important as ever. Keeping Americans safe and prioritizing American interests must always be a leading goal. Our open borders, paired with ongoing global unrest, not only threaten national security for the United States and our allies, they have serious implications for economic security around the world. This was clearly evidenced on a recent trip I made with many of my c...
In life and legislative work, a new year brings new opportunities and new undertakings. As we enter 2024 and the second session of the 118th United States Congress, there is much work to do and I’m optimistic we can achieve results for the American people. Commonsense policies promoting economic growth and productivity in our communities can benefit our country as a whole. With no shortage of obstacles to overcome to curb wasteful spending, deliver tax relief and manage federal programs, it i...
This week, House Republicans took action to push back on proposals by President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency effectively forcing consumers to drive only electric vehicles by 2032. The EPA’s out-of-touch policies are unworkable for the Third District because of our winter weather and expansive driving distances. Furthermore, China, which holds 78% of the world’s EV battery cell manufacturing capacity, recently implemented export controls on raw EV battery materials. In the inter...
Two weeks ago, I supported a one-year extension of current Farm Bill programs. While a conventional five-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill is preferable, many of these critical programs lapsed Sept. 30. The current lapse shouldn't affect 2023 crops, but a one-year extension was necessary to prevent reverting back to pre-1930s farm policy as we begin 2024. I'm pleased Congress has acted to ensure American producers will have another year of certainty as they work to put food on our table and...
With the election of Speaker Mike Johnson, the House is back to work. We certainly have our work cut out for us as we fulfill our responsibilities to the American people. Speaker Johnson hit the ground running to responsibly fund our priorities, including our support for Israel. Supporting our greatest ally in the Middle East as they battle the ruthless enemy that is Hamas is an urgent priority. Regionally, Israel is in a precarious position and our support for them is vital as their neighbors...
This week, the House was set to continue its work on the 12 annual appropriations bills to ensure the government is responsibly funded. Unfortunately, our legislative work to cut wasteful spending was disrupted when a small handful of Republicans voted with Democrats to remove the speaker of the House. I voted against vacating the chair because it sets a disruptive precedent and because the House should be focused on delivering results for the American people. House Republicans already have a...
Poorly considered policy driven by ideological agendas can have devastating consequences for Americans, bringing the greatest harm to those with the least recourse when good intentions go awry. There’s always room for improvement in federal policy. However, damage is often avoidable if decision-makers simply take the time to consider the impact of their decisions upon Americans and the variety of their needs and lifestyles across our country. This week, the House considered legislation to addres...
Nearly two weeks prior to the first day of winter, we have seen snow, ice and freezing conditions across the Third District. While precipitation is needed to relieve Nebraska’s fourth-driest year on record, and snowfall may have many dreaming of a white Christmas, colder-than-average temperatures are expected to accompany historically high energy costs this winter. Energy is an outsized operational expense for agriculture producers. Elevated input costs are taking a toll on farmers and r...
A month from now, we will welcome a new year and a new Congress with a new majority. For the 118th Congress, House Republicans have put forward our Commitment to America agenda. In the new Republican majority, we will work to rein in reckless government spending, strengthen and make permanent the tax relief included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, maximize take-home pay for all Americans and build an economy that’s strong. TCJA’s success in raising wages shows how strengthening wages for wor...
ausing to reflect on the heroic service of the servicemembers in our nation’s history is an important American tradition. Extending recognition for the immeasurable impact our veterans have made through selfless devotion and love for the United States is why we pause each Veterans Day. We can never fully repay those who have put their lives on the line for freedom in America and around the world, but we can work to ensure those who have served and sacrificed have access to the care and b...
Since entering into force on July 1, 2020, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has provided a powerful framework to fight for opportunity on behalf of American workers, producers and industry and has strengthened ties with our nation’s top two trade partners. Spearheaded by the Trump administration as a much-needed modernization of the North America Free Trade Agreement, USMCA won 474 “yea” votes across both chambers as it passed through Congress, the greatest level of bipartisan suppo...
While traveling the Third District in recent weeks, I have been encouraged by the expertise and creativity our communities possess and sobered by the challenges we face. We have much to be thankful for, but there is also no shortage to the adversity we must overcome. After closely monitoring the recent severe wildfires across southern Nebraska, I joined Governor Ricketts, Nebraska National Guard Adjutant General Daryl Bohac and other local officials earlier this week to survey the devastation...
There is a crisis at our southern border and President Biden is only making it worse. At the end of March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it was on track to surpass one million encounters with immigrants illegally crossing our borders over the last six months. CBP data show there were 164,973 migrant encounters at our southern border in February, up 7% from January and 63% from February of last year. These staggering numbers do not include the number of illegal migrants who eluded...
Over the last four years, we have updated our trade relationships and trade agreements at a historic pace. We secured updated comprehensive trade agreements with Canada, Mexico and South Korea; entered into Phase One agreements with China and Japan that address many significant impediments to U.S. exporters in these major markets; and achieved important progress to remove trade barriers faced by particular sectors in several other countries. Together, these nations purchase almost 50% of the United States’ current exports. These agreements f...
In rural America, we understand the importance of postal mail to connecting our republic. Sites across Nebraska’s Third District on the Pony Express Historic Trail commemorate the value of this service back to our earliest days as a territory and state. However, the United States Postal Service has been in the news more than usual lately for two reasons – its financial troubles and the increase in mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our founders recognized the importance of postal mai...
