Education

This week is National FFA Week, our annual opportunity to commemorate the important role this organization plays in building future leaders for rural America. As we celebrate, it’s encouraging to see an increasing number of young people taking advantage of career and character-building opportunities. Across the nation, FFA participation levels are up 11 percent from last year. In Nebraska, student involvement in FFA has never been greater.

Investing in the growth of a child as a parent, teacher, or mentor, and then seeing the child flourish to their fullest potential is both rewarding and inspiring. In schools and homes across the Third District, Nebraskans work tirelessly to create opportunities for students to learn and thrive. As a lawmaker, my mission is to support this work by maximizing the opportunities available to each and every student.

As households across our nation gather to celebrate our many blessings and feast on the fruits of our hardworking farmers and ranchers, I am struck by the debt of thanks we owe as Americans. From the remarkable series of events that brought Massachusetts natives and Mayflower passengers to the same table more than four centuries ago, to the sovereign grace which has unified generations of Americans to face and overcome each of their harrowing challenges, Thanksgiving is about coming together.

This week, the House was set to continue its work on the twelve annual appropriations bills to ensure the government is responsibly funded. Unfortunately, our legislative work to cut wasteful spending was disrupted when a small handful of Republicans voted with Democrats to remove the Speaker of the House. I voted against vacating the chair because it sets a disruptive precedent and because the House should be focused on delivering results for the American people.

The back-to-school season has arrived, and families across the country are busy with all the anticipation, activities, and new learning opportunities that come with it. However, on a wide range of issues – from the cost of supplies to lagging student proficiencies – many Americans are facing unprecedented hardships resulting from the anti-growth, anti-parent policies of the Biden administration.