Homeland Security
More on Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the Biden administration authorized the release of one million barrels of gasoline from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
"It seems obvious to say, but the Strategic Petroleum Reserve cannot be tapped without putting taxpayers on the hook to refill it. Instead of borrowing from tomorrow to save his own hide today, President Biden should admit his energy policy is harming the American people and end his administration's ongoing war on American energy."
Recent severe weather and wildfire disasters in Nebraska’s Third District have highlighted the critical role the Americans who serve our communities as firefighters, police, emergency medical service workers, and members of the National Guard play in protecting our communities and property and saving lives. As the men and women who dedicate themselves to service in the face of tragedy, crime, and disaster watch over us across the country, our emergency services do not take time off. These Americans deserve to be honored.
The historic tornadoes which pummeled the eastern and central portions of our state last week were devastating, and supporting the ongoing recovery efforts for Nebraskans remains top of mind. The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported damage to homes, farm equipment and buildings, power lines, other infrastructure, vehicles, and trees across many counties in the Third District. Fortunately, despite the destruction of hundreds of homes, no Nebraskans lost their lives.
The crisis at our Southern Border is enormous, unprecedented, and is putting Americans at risk. According to United States Customs and Border Protection, more than 1 million migrant encounters have been recorded at the border since October 1, 2024—a mark reached faster than any previous fiscal year on record. To this point in Fiscal Year 2024, 50 individuals whose names appear in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terrorist Screening Database have been stopped trying to enter the United States illegally.
As recent events have demonstrated, the readiness and modernization of the United States’ defense capabilities are as important as ever. Keeping Americans safe and prioritizing American interests must always be a leading goal. Our open borders – paired with ongoing global unrest – not only threaten national security for the United States and our allies, they have serious implications for economic security around the world.
Recent world events have highlighted the need to ensure America is secure and stands ready to respond to aggression from rogue actors that threaten Americans. Along with reinforcing the readiness of our military and standing firmly with allies like Israel, a significant aspect of safeguarding the American homeland is securing our borders.
On October 1, absent a last-minute change in momentum, the federal government will shut down. No one wins a government shutdown, least of all the American people. The Biden administration has already announced it will, in the event of a shutdown, close agencies Nebraskans rely on such as FSA, Rural Development, and the Agriculture Research Service. Because the Biden administration appears prepared to make any lapse in appropriations as painful as possible, I would prefer to keep the government open while we fight for fiscal sanity.
The United States is facing an enormous crisis on our Southern Border. Failed policies and a broken immigration system have resulted in homeland security risks, a humanitarian disaster, and a loss of confidence in the Biden administration’s ability to address the crisis.
Protecting and serving the public by enforcing our laws is a fundamental duty of American government. The post-pandemic rise in rates of violent crime in our nation has called attention to this responsibility and the important role law enforcement officers play in fulfilling it.
Air travel in the United States is on the rise in 2023. According to a survey by Forbes Advisor, 49 percent of Americans plan to travel more in 2023 than they did in 2022. However, we have seen a number of challenges accompany this increase in demand, particularly during the summer travel season.