Columns
Economic hardships brought about by severe inflation and supply chain challenges continue, creating an ongoing affordability crisis in our country. Small businesses and families across the nation have had to make difficult choices and dig into savings to make ends meet in recent years. Inflation hits hardest those who can least afford it: those on fixed and low incomes.
Recent world events have highlighted the need to ensure America is secure and stands ready to respond to aggression from rogue actors that threaten Americans. Along with reinforcing the readiness of our military and standing firmly with allies like Israel, a significant aspect of safeguarding the American homeland is securing our borders.
Terror attacks by Hamas against Israel, massacring civilians, have shocked the world. As Israel conducts rescue efforts and takes action to defend itself, an immediate concern is for the Americans who have died and those still missing who were potentially taken hostage.
This week, the House was set to continue its work on the twelve annual appropriations bills to ensure the government is responsibly funded. Unfortunately, our legislative work to cut wasteful spending was disrupted when a small handful of Republicans voted with Democrats to remove the Speaker of the House.
On October 1, absent a last-minute change in momentum, the federal government will shut down. No one wins a government shutdown, least of all the American people. The Biden administration has already announced it will, in the event of a shutdown, close agencies Nebraskans rely on such as FSA, Rural Development, and the Agriculture Research Service.
Many farmers are already busy taking in crops as dry conditions have encouraged an early start to the harvest season. Financially speaking, farming is a high-risk venture. The impact of unpredictable weather patterns underscores the importance of doing everything we can to maximize market access and stability for our agriculture industry.
Poorly considered policy driven by ideological agendas can have devastating consequences for Americans, bringing the greatest harm to those with the least recourse when good intentions go awry. There’s always room for improvement in federal policy.
Over the last month, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with constituents in many of the Third District’s 80 counties. It has been a busy time with many hours spent behind the windshield, and I'm encouraged by the Nebraskans doing so much to help our communities thrive.
Labor Day is an opportunity to acknowledge and show appreciation for the contributions of the American workforce. Unfortunately, American workers don’t have much to celebrate this Labor Day. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1.2 million workers have been unemployed for 27 weeks or more.