Columns

Labor Day is an opportunity to acknowledge and show appreciation for the contributions of the American workforce. Unfortunately, American workers don’t have much to celebrate this Labor Day. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1.2 million workers have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more. Some 5.2 million workers across the United States are “not in the labor force who currently want a job.” Real wages have decreased 4 percent since President Biden took office, overall prices are up over 16 percent, and interest rates are soaring.

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.

Earlier this month, the United States’ credit rating was downgraded by one of the three major credit rating agencies. This troubling announcement is an indication of the serious challenges Americans continue to face as our country’s economy is in crisis, in part because of the misguided policies put forward by the Biden administration.

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.

Defending our constitutional rights is our fundamental duty and special privilege as Americans. The north entrance of Nebraska’s State Capitol Building is engraved with words coined by philosopher and Capitol thematic consultant Hartley Burr Alexander, “The Salvation of the State is Watchfulness in the Citizen.” Vigilance to secure our rights is no more important for any other right than it is for our Second Amendment.

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.

As Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine continues, conflict within Russia has recently flared, and threats from rogue nations have escalated, this week House Republicans have focused on delivering on our commitment to a nation that’s safe through the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (FY24 NDAA), Congress’ primary legislative vehicle to authorize defense spending.