Columns
Each day hardworking parents, farmers, ranchers, linesmen, teachers, and laborers across the country get out of bed and do what it takes to provide for their families and pay their bills. This week, as Americans continued to go to work, unfortunately ideological, partisan demands from Senate Democrats again obstructed commonsense legislation to keep the federal government open.
It is a profound privilege to represent the people of the Third District. I never take for granted the opportunity to take your ideas to Washington and work together to create solutions. It can be easy to merely talk about the many challenges we face, but taking the time to formulate and focus on solutions is what yields results, though it requires more effort.
Federal spending and our growing national debt are serious challenges which must be addressed for the long-term fiscal health of our nation. By enacting our tax cut and family security package (H.R. 1) in July, Republicans took significant strides to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Nearly a quarter century has passed since the attacks of September 11th, 2001. That day’s tragic events, the heroic acts of so many Americans, and the extraordinary shows of patriotism and national unity which followed are forever etched in our national memory. We will always remember the courage and sacrifice of those who passed and those whose lives were forever changed 24 years ago.
Agriculture producers have faced serious economic challenges in recent years. Despite rising productivity, farmers face high input costs and falling commodity prices, straining their margins. As many Nebraskans know well, a record crop alone doesn’t right the market, and producers are in a challenging position.
In recent weeks, I’ve been grateful to be able to speak with many Nebraskans across the Third District’s 80 counties. While I make the most of the time I have in Nebraska throughout the year, the month of August provides a unique opening in the congressional calendar to connect with the people of our state.
The inalienable rights asserted by our Founders—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—cannot exist without proper respect for the rule of law. This starts at our borders and then flows through every branch of federal, state, and local government throughout our country.
The transition from summer to fall is a busy time in the Cornhusker State. As farmers prepare for harvest and the new football and volleyball seasons arrive, parents and students are gearing up to go back to school and teachers are working hard for the start of a new semester.
On August 8, 2005, President George Bush signed the Energy Policy Act into law. Among other measures, this bill established the Renewable Fuels Standard, which for the last two decades has supported a growing American energy sector by providing more affordable fuel options in addition to complementary markets for agricultural commodities.
While Nebraska’s Third has existed since our state was first divided into congressional districts following the 1880 census, it first began to resemble its current shape after the 1960 census, when Nebraska moved from four districts to three for the first time. A total of 21 Nebraskans have represented the Third District in the U.S.