Economy

The federal government of the United States has an obligation to maintain the highest standard of accountability to the American people. Families working hard to make ends meet, paying taxes to the federal government, rightfully expect a government which treats their hard-earned money with respect.

When President Trump took office, historic inflation and a failure of leadership by the Biden administration had hammered American families and small businesses. Disastrous policies led to our agriculture producers losing ground in export markets, deadly fentanyl flooding across the border, and dangerous criminals and terrorists threatening our communities due to a lack of immigration enforcement. Threats from China, Russia, Iran, and other rogue nations were rising as American influence abroad waned.

Just over a month into President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration is off to an aggressive start. Commissioned with a mandate from the people to restore American prosperity, the president has moved without delay to reassert common sense in the Executive Branch, rein in government overreach, and demonstrate international leadership. House Republicans are matching his stride, and this week, I supported House passage of legislation to set the stage to fulfill his agenda for historic growth and opportunity.

Recent discussions I have had with President Trump and my congressional colleagues highlight both the significant challenges and the opportunity we will soon have to get our country back on the right track. After four years of inflationary spending under the Biden-Harris administration, voters have demanded a change in leadership and policy. The tragic consequences of open border policies have grown more severe during the last four years, and anti-growth Biden-Harris policies have squelched American energy production.

A new year brings a valuable chance to reflect on the accomplishments of the previous year and prepare for the opportunities ahead in the next. This week, it was especially meaningful to have my two young children with me as I was sworn in to serve Nebraska’s Third District as a member of the House of Representatives in the 119^th Congress. Today, I am more committed than ever to securing a prosperous future for the next generation of Americans, one built on the foundation laid by our Constitution and those who have fought to defend it.

This week, despite prior assurances made repeatedly by the president himself and his spokespeople he would not do so, President Biden announced he had signed a sweeping pardon for his son Hunter Biden. While framed by the president as addressing Hunter’s gun and tax charges, the pardon stunningly covers all crimes Hunter “committed or may have committed” from 2014 to 2023, a period covering Hunter’s questionable business dealings in Ukraine, China, and other foreign nations.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, inflation triggered by anti-growth policies, lackluster engagement on trade, and bloated federal spending has hit Nebraska households hard—costing the average household in our state $32,110 more since January 2021. Rising input costs also continue to severely impact the agriculture and manufacturing industries. Data published this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the annual rate of inflation for wholesale products again increased in October.