Opinion

The term-limited seated Governor has become a very vocal critic of the Biden Administration policies – to the point of releasing press statements in opposition to some of them. Probably not unprecedented, but it’s obvious that Republican Pete Ricketts has his eye on the prize, whatever that may be.

As we emerge from the pandemic and the economy begins to rebound, I’m focused on ensuring the industries that provide Nebraska jobs can continue to grow and thrive. The ethanol industry is one of those.

We are in “the interim” on the Legislative calendar. It is that time between legislative sessions. Most Senators have jobs, farms, ranches and businesses to attend to. It’s time to go home and reconnect with family too. It’s important to remember we have a part-time citizen legislature. Each of the 49 Senators are ordinary citizens with families, lives and professions. Many have re-election campaigns to run as well.

There was a commercial on television in which some athletes and cartoon characters admonished kids to get out and do something active; to get some exercise. They told them about a website they could go to for ideas on what to do.

The pro-life movement has remained steadfast in its efforts to protect the sanctity of life, and as a proud supporter I too remain dedicated to this mission. Throughout my time in Congress, I have continuously championed pro-life legislation to protect the rights of the unborn. I am firm in my commitment to ensuring respect for human life remains a cornerstone of public policy, especially now as the House is preparing to consider appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2022.

Two measures from the Health and Human Services Committee to expand benefits to Nebraskans struggling with food insecurity and utility bills were vetoed by the Governor but overridden by lawmakers. Senator John McCollister’s measure LB108, would expand food assistance eligibility to 165 percent of the federal poverty level until September 30, 2023, when it would return to 130 percent.

Over the past year, Nebraska has been enjoying rapid growth, creating lots of great-paying job opportunities here in the Good Life. We have the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 2.6 percent. That’s the lowest rate our state has seen since 1999. Right now, we have over 40,000 jobs available on the State of Nebraska’s jobs site: NEworks.nebraska.gov. These are some of the reasons why WalletHub recently ranked Nebraska as the #2 state in the U.S. to find a job.

At the end of June, I had the honor of presenting the family of Glen Schreurs with medals from his service in World War II. Glen’s family had requested them from the National Personnel Records Center, which keeps track of medals and other documents from American soldiers’ service, and they asked my office to help them finish the process.

The President of the United States has ordered the U.S. military out of Afghanistan by August 31, of this year. This withdrawal of troops is called a “retrograde” operation. It is the most difficult and risky of all tasks you can ask soldiers to do in combat. Retrograde operations are never pretty. They are prone to turning into another form of operational maneuver called a “pursuit” (the enemy chasing you as you try to leave). No President wants that on the evening news, which is why the press isn’t being allowed anywhere near this one.

Over the past few days, Americans have traveled far and wide to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day on July 4th. As travel picked up for the national holiday, it reminds us of how vital functioning and efficient infrastructure is to our country. Whether you are hitting the highway for a road trip or staying local, infrastructure touches all of our lives.