Columns

In 2023, nearly 70 percent of the 105,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. involved fentanyl or another synthetic opioid. For the last four years, the lethality of these synthetic opioids was compounded by the failed open border policies of the Biden-Harris administration which allowed these highly potent drugs to flood in and destroy far too many American lives.

The American education system develops our next generation of leaders, but we must reckon with serious challenges facing our nation’s students, families, and educators. Preparing to meet the demands of adulthood and the workforce in our rapidly changing economic landscape is no easy task. It requires resilience and robust community support. Unfortunately, recent findings of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the “Nation’s Report Card,” indicate many students are still struggling to overcome learning gaps created during the COVID pandemic.

This week, Washington was filled with Americans showing their support for the voiceless as they’ve done every year since the March for Life began in 1974. While the pro-life movement has made historic strides in recent years, standing up for the unborn continues to be a deeply important and urgent cause. In recent decades, scientific advancements have accentuated the humanity of life in the womb. Simultaneously, pro-life Americans have faithfully advanced a culture of life which fully recognizes the dignity of the unborn in increasing measure.

Recent discussions I have had with President Trump and my congressional colleagues highlight both the significant challenges and the opportunity we will soon have to get our country back on the right track. After four years of inflationary spending under the Biden-Harris administration, voters have demanded a change in leadership and policy. The tragic consequences of open border policies have grown more severe during the last four years, and anti-growth Biden-Harris policies have squelched American energy production.

Ensuring the United States meets challenges we face around the world is a demanding but vital task. Dispute resolution and advanced international cooperation are rarely straightforward, with bad faith actors abusing processes and power. To promote the best interests of our citizens and preserve our security, we must unapologetically demonstrate American leadership and boldly stand with the friends of freedom around the world.

A new year brings a valuable chance to reflect on the accomplishments of the previous year and prepare for the opportunities ahead in the next. This week, it was especially meaningful to have my two young children with me as I was sworn in to serve Nebraska’s Third District as a member of the House of Representatives in the 119^th Congress. Today, I am more committed than ever to securing a prosperous future for the next generation of Americans, one built on the foundation laid by our Constitution and those who have fought to defend it.

Christmas is a time for counting our blessings. As we near the end of 2024, I am so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in United States and my precious wife and children. There is no better time of year to consider the things we truly cherish. We should also speak about them with loved ones and share the way they uplift our hearts.

This week, world events have emphasized the importance of American readiness to keep our country safe and stand with our allies across the globe. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria is another reminder many regions of the world do not enjoy the freedom and stability we do in the United States. It also underscores the need for decisive U.S. leadership as Assad’s rogue allies, such as Russia and Iran, may grow increasingly desperate.