Columns

The recent failures of Signature Bank and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) have increased the concerns of many over the threat of a deepening international economic crisis. While the failure of major financial institutions is particularly troubling on top of the inflation and supply chain problems of the past two years, we should take time to ensure new policies enacted in response address real problems without harming the majority of local banks across states like Nebraska who are unconnected to the failed banks.

Agriculture producers in Nebraska have earned their standing as world leaders in agriculture through their excellence and tradition of respecting the natural resources with which our state is blessed. No one cares more about the land and water of our state than the farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods depend on careful management these resources.

This week the Supreme Court heard arguments on Biden v. Nebraska and U.S. Department of Education v. Brown, two challenges to the Biden administration’s student debt cancellation proposal. The administration’s debt cancellation scam is just one example of a pattern of irresponsible economic policies that have resulted in ongoing inflation, exacerbated workforce woes, and increased financial hardship hitting American households. In our Commitment to America agenda, House Republicans made a promise to deliver a government that is accountable to taxpayers.

When the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in 2020, it received widespread bipartisan support. The USMCA was a historic achievement for trade relations between the U.S. and two of our most significant trade partners, and the United States’ strong posture throughout USMCA negotiations should serve as a model for future trade agreements.

A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected our nation will add nearly $19 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years. CBO projects the debt will equal 118 percent of gross domestic product 2033. With the national debt already in excess of $31 trillion, inflation hammering American families, and economic uncertainty threatening American small businesses, it’s clearer than ever we must put a stop to runaway spending in Washington.

This week, as the nation listened and watched, President Biden gave the second State of the Union address of his presidency. Over the last year the American people have struggled under historic inflation, rising crime rates, and severe economic uncertainty. In the week prior, we also witnessed an airborne intelligence gathering tool with confirmed ties to the Chinese Communist Party traveling across nearly the entire continental United States. With the same slowness to act which has characterized his administration, Biden permitted the spy balloon to remain in U.S.

One month into the 118^th Congress, we are forging ahead with our Commitment to America. In order to restore a strong American economy, we are working to exercise oversight over reckless federal spending and the failed White House policies that have hamstrung recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the severe inflation and large-scale layoffs we’ve seen throughout the first 23 months of the Biden presidency.

Students are a large part of why I’m so optimistic about the future of our great country. In recent years they’ve faced unprecedented challenges as COVID-19 disrupted traditional classroom settings. While Nebraskans worked hard to keep our schools open, other states can't say the same. The resulting spotlight on public schools highlighted just how important parental engagement and freedom is to student success. Parents, not politicians, know what their children need in the classroom.