Last week we welcomed a new beginning with the arrival of the 114^th Congress. We have many new faces and there is a sense of excitement in the air as we look to tackle the major challenges facing our nation. So to join in this new excitement, I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the roles that I will be taking on this year and what they mean for Nebraska and bringing your voices to Washington.

The first duty of Congress is to defend the nation. Unfortunately, this core belief was reinforced last week as we witnessed the horrific terror attacks in Paris and Nigeria. We stand united with all people as they struggle to stop the spread of Islamic extremism.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am committed to neutralizing growing threats like these to our homeland and our allies. That’s why I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed to serve as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. This new role will allow me to work with our military to monitor the threats facing our nation and provide the appropriate tools for them to meet these challenges.

This subcommittee’s jurisdiction is also expected to include cybersecurity policy, and as the recent attacks on Sony Pictures have shown, our current policy is failing to deter our adversaries in the realm of cyberspace.

Providing for a strong defense abroad also requires a robust economy here at home. In Nebraska, people have faced an onslaught of new Washington red tape - from middle class families struggling with Obamacare's broken promises to community banks forced to meet impossible new standards.

Like most Nebraskans, I believe we need to do more to promote innovation and economic growth so that there are more opportunities and greater options. That means a simpler, fairer tax code, more regulatory certainty for job creators, and modern rules for new technology.

As a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee I get to participate in Committee business that covers almost every aspect of the economy. The Commerce Committee has oversight responsibility on a wide range of issues, including innovation, job creation, manufacturing, retail, transportation and technology.

Through this committee, I was selected to Chair the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security for the 114^th Congress. In this role, I will have the opportunity to work on a number of important issues, including transportation, which has enormous importance to Nebraskans and myself. I believe this chairmanship will give me the opportunity to bring some Nebraska common sense to Washington and usher in new ways to improve our nation’s infrastructure and economy. 

Finally, last week Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell selected me to serve on his leadership team as Counsel to the Majority Leader. This means Nebraska has a seat at the table. In addition, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn chose me to serve on his Whip Team again this year. Both positions give me a unique opportunity to present the concerns of all Nebraskans directly to the Republican Senate leadership and I will bring that Nebraska common sense to the table.

I am excited to face these challenges each day in 2015 and I want to thank all Nebraskans for the privilege of serving as your voice here in the United States Senate. I remain committed to you, to the great state of Nebraska, and to this nation.

 

Thank you for participating in the democratic process and I look forward to visiting with you again next week.