Opinion

Americans all across the country rely on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail and packages in a timely and efficient manner. The USPS is especially important to people who live in rural areas and to our seniors, for whom the Postal Service is often a crucial connection to the rest of the world.

Friday, March 11, 2022, we advanced my “constitutional carry” bill, LB 773, to the next round of debate. The opposition to the bill conducted an eight-hour filibuster. We needed 33 votes for the cloture motion to be successful and we received exactly that. After the rollcall vote was tallied, three senators changed their vote to a “yes” for a total of 36 yes, nine no, three present not voting, one excused.

Dear Editor, We appreciate the businesses in the Cherry County area, and also all of the individuals that donate items, services, and of their time to support the 4-H Luck of the Draw every February in Valentine. It is great to be a member of a community that supports its youth in sports, FFA, 4-H, all activities that teach our youth honor, respect and responsibilities.

This week President Biden delivered his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. While I went into the evening open to hearing President Biden propose real solutions to urgent challenges like soaring energy and food prices, waves of illegal crossings at our southern border, and workforce shortages, I was disappointed by how readily he rehashed many of the failed policies of his first year in office which have put us in this position. Inflation is at a 40-year high, we have a serious supply chain crisis, and Russia has invaded Ukraine. Now is the time for steady, effective leadership, not more of the same policies which have led to crisis after crisis during the Biden presidency.

It has been said “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.” That aphorism (a pithy observation that contains a general truth) is attributed to British poet and author Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1840. It has been heard in more than one iteration during the debate on a major income tax cut bill (LB939) currently before lawmakers The measure, introduced by Elkhorn Sen.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine is an assault on freedom everywhere. As leader of the free world, the United States must issue a strong response that will isolate Russia – and the world must follow suit.

On Thursday, February 24, the world awoke to news that Russia had invaded Ukraine. Vladimir Putin launched attacks from land, air, and sea. By the next day, Russian forces had reached the outskirts of the capital city of Kyiv, where fierce fighting and heroic Ukrainian resistance continues against all odds.

Coal-burning power plants are very important to Nebraska. Coal-fired power is the engine of our economy in Nebraska, powering industry and creating good paying jobs in our state. During extreme weather, coal has literally saved lives. Time and time again, coal-fired power plants have kept the lights on when other forms of energy could not. I am very concerned about the plans public power organizations have to “de-carbonize” our electricity generation in Nebraska. We simply cannot ignore the fact that Nebraskans will continue to rely on coal. Wind and solar energy cannot replace coal.

This week Russia escalated their ongoing attacks on Ukraine with an invasion. I support Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty against Vladimir Putin’s evil and reprehensible invasion, and I stand with Ukrainians in solidarity.

The Legislature’s Natural Resources Committee held a rare closed-door executive session that was, according to two members, unnecessary. In an age of clamoring for accountability and transparency, the committee’s move to discuss behind closed doors the legal issues related to Gov.