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Opinion

Remembering Brad Ashford

Recently, Nebraska lost a good man too soon. Brad Ashford, a former state senator and U.S.

Praying for rain to come! And a reminder for everyone to vote in the upcoming election

Every week I check two things at the same time; the cattle markets and the national weather service’s drought monitor. As my uncle Pat once said, “when cattle prices get higher, the Sandhills get dryer.” Senator Halloran is from near Hastings. Many of his constituents are row-crop farmers.

Arthritis Awareness Month

Lincoln – Arthritis is one of the most widespread health conditions in the United States. It affects about one in four adults, or over 58 million men and women. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Arthritis Foundation, and other partners observe the month of May as Arthritis Awareness. Approximately 345,000 Nebraskans are living with arthritis, and 2,000 are children.

Avoidable delays at the IRS

As most Americans returned to normal, bureaucrats at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) refused to fully reopen the agency, despite heading into tax season with a backlog of more than 20 million tax returns. While this backlog has grown, calls to the IRS have also gone unanswered, leaving families and small businesses to navigate a complicated maze of red tape resulting from Democrats’ massive stimulus package on their own. Americans deserve to have their tax filings processed in a timely manner. Instead, the IRS is mired in delays. Further, economic recovery under the Biden administration is foundering, and, rather than build on successful reforms of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), Democrats are dead set on a tax and spend agenda that will only exacerbate challenges like inflation and slow wage growth.

The 2022 Legislature is done, so what?

It's over. The 2022 Nebraska Legislature, perhaps the least independent body of lawmakers in years, has given the term-limited Governor most everything he wanted.

Nebraska the beautiful: Conserving our land without the heavy hand of federal government

In Nebraska, we know the importance of good stewardship. Our farmers and ranchers responsibly cultivate the land so future generations of Nebraskans can continue enjoying the Good Life for years to come. It’s why, nearly one hundred years before Earth Day even began, J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day right here in Nebraska City. Our farmers and ranchers are the original conservationists.

Nebraska’s great outdoors

As the weather warms up this spring and summer, thousands of Nebraskans are planning to visit our state’s many national treasures and other historic sites. From Homestead National Historic Park in Beatrice to Scotts Bluff National Monument in the Panhandle, Nebraska has so much to offer.

Constitutional carry bill ended in 31-6 vote; 33 were needed to end the filibuster

My priority bill this session was LB 773. This would have passed a “constitutional carry” law in Nebraska. Law-abiding citizens would no longer have to apply for a permit and pay money to exercise a constitutionally-protected right to carry a concealed weapon. We would have become the 26th state to pass this law. Over 120 million Americans live under this law today including every state we share a border with except Colorado. It failed the cloture motion on a 31-6 vote. Thirty-three votes were needed to end the filibuster. Six senators were present not voting. Three senators were excused.

Investing in young leaders

One of the most rewarding aspects of serving Nebraska’s Third Congressional District is the opportunities I get to engage with young people interested in government service. This spring, I’ve welcomed students from Bayard, Oakland-Craig, Boone Central, Summerland, and Doniphan-Trumbull schools, as well as Peru State College, to our nation’s capital. Fielding students’ questions is always a pleasure, and I deeply appreciate their thoughtful feedback and ideas about the issues we are working on in the U.S. House of Representatives.