Weekly Column

Our Nation has long been blessed with men and women of great courage. From ragtag militias at Lexington and Concord, to today’s patrolmen stationed in the hills of Kandahar and the lonely mountains of Paktia, Americans have fought bravely, risking life-and-limb for our freedom.

Childhood is a time for growing – growing bodies, growing minds, and growing hearts. It is a special, brief time given to us by God to live without fear or physical pain, or the burdens of responsibility.

“U.S. government spends $890,000 on nothing” – it sounds like a bad joke, but it’s no laughing matter. The Washington Post recently reported, “This year, the government will spend at least $890,000 on service fees for bank accounts that have nothing in them. At last count, Uncle Sam has 13,712 such accounts, each with a balance of zero.”

For the past two weeks, the United States Senate has been debating proposed gun control legislation. With the tragedies of Newtown, Connecticut and Aurora, Colorado still fresh in our minds, the gun control debate possessed profound meaning for many Americans. As a mother and grandmother, I was especially moved by the images and stories of child victims and grieving parents.

From the Senate’s earliest days, new senators have respected a ritual of remaining silent during floor debates for a period of time ranging from several months to several years, depending on the era.

Benjamin Franklin once quipped, “When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.” Franklin understood that while water is an essential part of daily life, many of us take it for granted. We use water to cook, clean, and nourish crops. Water sustains individuals and livestock alike; it is used to transport passengers and goods. Water is undoubtedly one of our most precious natural resources. As such, wise water management should be a top priority.

Seventy-three thousand miles. That’s how far I traveled crisscrossing Nebraska during my Senate campaign. From Omaha and Lincoln to the western panhandle, Nebraskans gave me a clear instruction: cut the wasteful spending. During my first 100 days as a U.S. senator, I’ve worked hard to do just that.

Few Americans will ever forget being told Congress had to first pass the healthcare law “to find out what is in it.” Well, almost exactly three years ago, the bill was passed and now we know the secret ingredient: 20,000 pages of new federal regulations, amounting to a towering stack of paper 7 feet 3 inches tall.

Before arriving to Washington, I lived and worked on our family ranch for 41 years with my husband, Bruce, in the Sandhills of Nebraska. With daily chores and caking cattle around Sunny Slope Ranch, I quickly developed an appreciation for the lay of the land. The ranch is pieced together by fertile pastures, rolling hills, seeping waterways, weathered gates, barbed-wire fences, and a boundless Midwest sky. As we celebrate National Agriculture Week, let us remember that being a farmer or rancher is more than just a job; it is a way of life 365 days a year.

As an elected representative of the United States Senate, my priority is serving the needs of my constituents in Nebraska. A highlight of my job both in the state and in Washington is speaking with fellow Nebraskans about the issues affecting them in their daily lives.