Columns

Talks began in Washington, D.C., on August 16 among trade officials from the United States, Canada, and Mexico on modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This has caused understandable concern for producers, but if the U.S. maintains the right priorities in these negotiations, the agriculture industry can benefit from an updated agreement.

Social Security is a large portion of many Americans’ retirement incomes, and Congress is working on a number of solutions to strengthen the program and increase efficiency for beneficiaries.

Three decades after President Reagan signed the largest tax reform in our country’s history into law, our tax code is once again desperately in need of a pro-growth overhaul. The good news is tax reform is at the forefront of our agenda, and a framework is in place.

For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strayed from its intended purpose and instead has become a red tape factory with little to no accountability. Thankfully, the Trump administration is working to reverse this harmful trend.

Agriculture is the lifeblood of Nebraska’s economy. The industry faces many challenges, from low commodity prices to damaging fires and drought, which reinforce the need to ensure we are doing all we can in Congress to provide certainty in agriculture policy.

Our agriculture producers fuel our economy and feed the world, and it is our job to make sure markets are open to them. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade policy, I will keep emphasizing the importance of asserting U.S. leadership in the global marketplace.

For many Nebraskans, summer means a long-awaited vacation. If you will be leaving the country, your passport should be your first priority.

We face major challenges in our country today which have led to growing divisions. However, we must be mindful of all our nation has endured since its founding on July 4, 1776, and strive for unity.