Columns

Prescription drugs are vitally important to all Americans – every one of us included. Advances in science and technology have opened the doors to treat or cure thousands of diseases which not too long ago would have been considered a death sentence.

This week I was at the White House for a meeting with President Trump, members of his cabinet, and a group of my House colleagues about USMCA, the trade agreement recently negotiated with Canada and Mexico to build on NAFTA's success. While there, I made it a point to thank President Trump for his swift response to recent harsh weather and flooding throughout Nebraska by approving an expedited federal disaster declaration.

It was another busy week in the House Ways and Means Committee with important hearings on tax policy and the state of our economy. We heard from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in his annual testimony before the committee that the American economy is strong and our efforts at reforming the tax code have been very successful.

We celebrate National Ag Week to recognize the tireless efforts of our farmers and ranchers to feed the American people and a sizeable portion of the rest of the world. It has always been a point of pride for me to represent Nebraska's Third District, which is the highest producing ag district in the country.

This week, House Democrats proposed two bills under the guise of curtailing gun violence. In reality the bills amount to a fundamental erosion of our Second Amendment rights, which should never be allowed. In Nebraska, the need for firearms is the same today as it was when the Second Amendment was enacted - before we were even a territory of the United States.

Access to quality healthcare is among the most important issues facing the country today, especially for aging Americans. In rural areas, such as Nebraska's Third District, this is even more true. Nearly 50 million Americans, or one in seven, rely on Medicare for their healthcare needs in retirement or when disabled. The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, of which I am a member, is responsible for writing the policies which govern Medicare and ensuring it meets patients' needs.

As you may know, I recently accepted the top Republican position on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, which writes tax policy for Congress. It's quite an honor for me because my colleagues and I on this panel represent the first line of defense against higher taxes. According to the U.S. Constitution, any legislation concerning taxes must originate in the House of Representatives and by extension my committee.

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