Opinion

One of my responsibilities as chairman of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee is to develop and improve Nebraska’s state emergency management policies. Recently, I had the opportunity to survey the damage from the ongoing Bovee Fire near Halsey.

W August’s Consumer Price Index shows inflation continues to rise. Prices for consumer goods have risen across the board – especially necessities like food and shelter.

d.C . Offutt Air Force Base here in Nebraska plays a key role in our nation’s national security.

g OVernOr Over the past three years, we’ve dealt with shortages of many goods, from lumber to cars to toilet paper. Supply chain shortages have shown that the United States is overreliant on foreign suppliers.

One of the blessings of Nebraska is the border we share with the State of Wyoming, and the feeling is mutual. The similarities between the people, the culture, and the values in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming are numerous.

Plan on at least 14 new faces in the 2023 Legislature, thanks mostly to term limits. Eleven state senators term-limit out at the end of this year.

g OVernOr It’s been refreshing to feel the crisp air with the arrival of autumn. As the weather cools off and leaves begin to change color, it’s a great time to get outdoors.

W The United States’ southern border has experienced 18 consecutive months of over 150,000 illegal border crossings each month. In fact, 3.5 million people have been apprehended at the border since President Biden took office, and Fiscal Year 2022 has seen the highest number of illegal border crossings in the history of our country.

With the presumptive next Nebraska Governor refusing to debate and a general election ballot largely devoid of Democrat challengers, this hardly seems like an election year. Thanks to the candidates running for the First and Second Congressional Districts, there are at least two races worth watching come November 8, and both are providing live TV debates, albeit along predictable party lines.

d.C . As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I believe it’s critical we ask ourselves the following the questions: Is the United States fully prepared to respond to the changing threat environment of the 21st century? And if we are not, what actions do we need to take? There is no one-size fits all solution, but one immediate action we can take to boost our preparedness is to strengthen U.S.