Ways & Means

One-size-fits-all mandates from Washington are rarely the answer to the problems Americans face, and health care is no exception. As anyone who has traveled our state can see, there is endless diversity of needs across our communities. The health care challenges, and the solutions needed to best serve them, are just as varied.

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.

This week, the American people chose to return Donald Trump to the White House while also electing a Republican majority to the Senate, and likely the House as well. Investors also received good news this week as the stock market had its best one-week rally in a year. Corn and soybean prices ended the week higher than they began, and multiple indexes surpassed record highs. This positive trend is not coincidental. The last Trump administration brought tax relief, regulatory relief, and an overall positive environment for job creation and investment.

The American economy is powered by innovation and the hard-working Americans who faithfully do their jobs every day. The role of the federal government should be to empower, not hinder, the productive workers and world-leading innovators who drive our country’s remarkable capacity for growth. From the builders constructing our homes and bridges to the tech engineers opening new digital frontiers, the strength of our industries relies on a tax code which sets up American businesses to excel in a competitive global market.

As Third District farmers round out the fall harvest season, it is an appropriate time to note how hard agriculture producers work to feed and fuel the world and how this drives our state’s economy.

A good education is foundational for a child’s future. By setting the stage for success, quality K-12 education can be a difference maker in strengthening communities and safeguarding the future of our nation. Unfortunately, many parents across America have little say over their children’s education due to socioeconomic status or a lack of options where they live. To make matters worse, challenges stemming from lack of access to quality education have been exacerbated by learning loss from COVID-era school closures.