Opinion

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.

It’s easy to keep track of the high-profile things the Unicameral wrestles with each year, but on days when things are going smoothly and there’s more action than talk, some important work is accomplished. Let’s look at a brief summary from seven of the Legislature’s committees.

As America emerges from the Fourth of July weekend, there’s another important reminder this month of why we should cherish our freedom and liberty. July marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). CCP officials have already been holding celebrations to paint a positive image of their work on the world stage. While the CCP pushes propaganda on the anniversary of its founding, it’s important that Americans understand how the communist regime operates.

When last year’s challenges arrived, China covered up the severity of the pandemic to buy more time to stockpile medical supplies. Then they banned American companies operating there from sending crucial personal protective equipment, like masks and ventilators, back to the U.S.

As we reflect on our nation’s birthday, I would like to talk about something near and dear to my heart: Offutt Air Force Base. During my military career I was fortunate to have been stationed there for three years assigned to the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC). This group carries out an extremely important mission that is essential to our national defense. Offutt is something that we should all be proud of as patriots.

Drought is a relatively common occurrence in Nebraska. The further west we go, the drier it is and the greater likelihood of serious drought setting in. In fact, in central and western parts of the state, significant droughts occur on average every 5-7 years. With Nebraska researchers projecting climatic change to increase the frequency and severity of drought cycles, how do we prepare our landscapes for drought tolerance and sustainment when drought sets in?

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts is defending his decision to send state patrol troopers to the U.S.-Mexico border at the request of fellow Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and using it as an opportunity to rail against the Biden administration.

On March 13, 2020, I issued a proclamation declaring a State of Emergency related to the coronavirus pandemic. The State of Emergency existed over the last year to help Nebraska mobilize resources to respond to the pandemic. This is a separate measure from the State’s Directed Health Measures (DHM), which ended a few weeks ago. The DHMs had included quarantine directions and other restrictions that varied over the course of the event. This week, I announced that the State of Emergency would end on June 30, 2021, removing the last official pandemic measure issued by the State of Nebraska.

The Legislature has adjourned. Football season hasn’t started.

By the end of March 2020, sports lovers had lost March Madness, the NBA playoffs, and the first part of the MLB season to COVID-19. Then the Summer Olympics were canceled, too.