Columns

This week the House of Representatives passed a bill which raised the debt limit and provided short-term funding for the government until December 3. The party-line vote now heads to the Senate without a bipartisan agreement in place to ensure passage. Meanwhile, Democrats in Washington are using arbitrary deadlines to ram through President Biden's spending agenda.

As Nebraskans know, I serve on the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives. The Third District is both an economic powerhouse and one of the most rural districts in our country. I initially sought to join the committee to provide a voice for Nebraska on tax and trade issues which are critical to our rural communities. These issues are still front and center now.

On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was changed forever. The world watched and held its breath as terrorists attacked our nation. In New York City, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, Americans lost their lives at the hands of ruthlessness. While we commemorate that terrible day annually, it is receiving special attention this year, on its twentieth anniversary.

Not long ago, I wrote about the unacceptable spending levels set by Democrats in appropriations bills, which annually fund the federal government. Now, just a few weeks later, the Democrats are moving forward with additional spending plans for fiscal year 2022 and beyond. The primary goal for Speaker Pelosi and President Biden is to enact a massive $3.5 trillion wish-list on top of the current federal spending.

America mourns as August 26, 2021 goes down as the deadliest day for the United States military in well over a decade. The situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate as a direct result of President Biden's gross incompetence. His rushed withdrawal has emboldened terrorists, created unnecessary risk for Americans and our allies, and damaged our reputation abroad.

The scenes from Afghanistan over the past week have been harrowing. As the Biden Administration quickly approached their expedited deadline to withdraw the final U.S. troops from the country, Taliban forces took over regional capitals and major cities as regular Afghan soldiers fled their posts or surrendered. On Sunday the Taliban overtook Kabul, the capital, as former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and handed over power. While this collapse is a disaster, we must remember why the U.S.

Nebraska's Third District is the number one agriculture district in the nation. This past week, I hosted an agriculture summit where I was able to engage directly with Third District producers to hear how we can ensure our producers remain among the top producing in the country.

Since President Biden took office inflation has increased every single month. At a time when our nation is trying to rebuild and recover in response to COVID-19, the Biden Administration and Congressional Democrats don't seem to mind that the price of everyday goods and services are on the rise while Nebraskan's paychecks are worth less. These things do not just happen. Inflation reaching a thirteen-year high is a direct result of poor leadership by Democrats, and the ripple effect is only going to get worse.