Columns
Getting Americans back to work has been one of the primary challenges facing our nation since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly one year ago. While the employment situation varies widely from state to state, ensuring every unemployed American can reconnect with work must be a top priority.
Budget reconciliation is a longstanding tool intended to provide an expedited track for making changes to federal law relating to long-term budgeting. The primary purpose of reconciliation is to allow budget-related policies to pass through the Senate with a simple majority, without the need to reach a 60-vote majority to end debate.
On January 20, we witnessed the transition of power from one President to the next – a hallmark of our democracy. I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris as we move forward as a country to tackle the challenges we have in front of us.
The events of last Wednesday were nothing short of horrific. I am appalled at what I saw and fully support the prosecution of every participant and planner of the uprising. Snap impeachment, however, without a complete investigation sets a dangerous precedent.
The actions of violent protesters at the heart of our republic this week were appalling and despicable. I continue to condemn these actions in the strongest possible terms. Our republic remains strong because of our shared commitment to settling our disagreements democratically, at the ballot box and through the deliberations of Congress.
At Christmas each year, I like to share a portion of a Christmas speech from President Reagan - I would like to think the hope he shared 40 years ago matches the hope we can have as we enter 2021. After a year of unprecedented challenges, it can be difficult to look for the bright side of things.
Over the past two weeks, I have met via video conference with winners of the Third District Excellence in Innovation and Adaptation Recognition (EIAR), as well as the Third District's winner in this year's Congressional App Challenge.
At the end of November, Nebraska closed another successful deer hunting season. While hunting is a great benefit of our constitutional right to bear arms, it is not the primary reason our founders chose to specifically enumerate this protection in our Bill of Rights. Nationwide our Second Amendment rights continue to be under threat.
When I meet with hospitals and health care providers around Nebraska, both prior to and during the current pandemic, the impact of unnecessary regulations on their ability to provide care in rural areas is always at the top of their list of concerns.