Dear Friend,

As I begin my fourth year in the U.S. Senate, I am looking forward to representing the great people of our state, and bringing Nebraska common sense to the Congress.

From escalating dangers abroad to limited economic opportunities here at home, our nation faces many challenges. To provide real and lasting solutions to these issues, we need a positive vision to unite us and move our nation forward. 

Last year, Congress made significant progress on several major issues. From passing a multi-year highway bill and reforming our education system to funding our military, we acted on the will of the American people.

But, there is more work to accomplish in the months to come. Building a stronger Nebraska, providing economic opportunities, and creating flexible options for working families remain my top priorities.

The year has just begun, and the Senate is hard at work. With your feedback and input, we can strengthen families and communities across Nebraska in 2016.

This month, I began a new initiative to honor Nebraskans who answered the call to serve. Throughout this year and beyond, I plan to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have defended our precious freedom abroad, particularly those who lost their lives fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of our fallen heroes has a special story. I intend to keep their memory alive through a series of addresses on the Senate floor. Our nation must know their sacrifice and the honor their service brought to Nebraska. Click here to watch my floor speech from earlier this week on veteran Josh Ford of Pender, Nebraska.

Shockingly, the federal government spends thousands of dollars each year to maintain expired grant accounts. In a day and age where government waste is all too familiar, spending on nothing is a new low. That is why I am proud to report that my legislation, known as the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act, was recently signed into law. The bill saves taxpayer dollars by requiring federal agencies to terminate expired grant accounts. I’m pleased to have worked with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia in this bipartisan effort to streamline our government and protect American taxpayers.

Over the past year, I have been working with my Senate colleagues to promote our country’s hunting, fishing, and conservation heritage as an original cosponsor of the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015. This legislation will improve access to public lands, reauthorize key conservation programs, and help boost our outdoor recreation economy.

Earlier this month, the bill passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This was the final hurdle before heading to the Senate floor for a vote. The bill also includes a new amendment that would target duplicative pesticide regulations affecting Nebraska’s agriculture community. The amendment is identical to legislation I cosponsored with Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, and I’m pleased to see it included in this bill. Click here to watch my floor speech last week on the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act.

Nebraskans value clean water, and they work hard to preserve and protect this critical natural resource. Unfortunately, last week, the president vetoed legislation that would have stopped the administration’s “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule. This expansion of federal power threatens the economic livelihood of countless families in our state. While the courts continue exploring the legality of WOTUS, I will continue to fight for Nebraskans and protect our water resources from this unnecessary federal intervention. 

Photos of the Month

Thanks to Creighton University President, Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, for stopping by my office. Go Jays!

Bruce digging us out of Washington's winter blizzard this month. Check out my Instagram account (@SenatorFischer), for more photos of #Blizzard2016.  

I enjoyed talking about farm and trade policy with the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission. Nebraska bean producers are leading the way in bean research and production. 

On January 19, our country celebrated National Popcorn Day. I'm proud to represent the number one popcorn producing state in the nation. #PassThePopcorn