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Dear Friend,
As we enter the summer season, I want to update you on some of the issues I’ve been working on, including supporting our ag producers and defending our national security.
Last month, I was especially honored to participate in the unveiling of the new Willa Cather statue in the U.S. Capitol Complex, where it will remain for decades to come.
Read below to learn more!
California’s Proposition 12 requires that meat products raised outside of the state must conform to the radical animal rights standards adopted by California. This could directly disrupt Nebraska producers’ ability to feed the nation.
We can’t allow any one state to single-handedly upend our country’s agricultural economy, forcing Nebraskans to bear the burden of higher food prices.
I co-led the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act to fight back against rules like Prop 12. This legislation would preserve the rights of states and local governments to regulate agriculture without interference.
Another bill I’ve co-led to support our ag communities is the Community College Agriculture Advancement Act. Our community colleges in Nebraska are on the cutting edge of ag research and innovation. This bill would ensure these critical institutions get the right federal resources to expand educational and workforce training initiatives.
Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues in the Nebraska Delegation for another full day of Farm Bill visits. I look forward to more visits with family farmers and ranchers across the state to help us craft a strong Farm Bill.
Our firefighters and first responders deserve our full support. These brave men and women put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, often at the expense of their own physical and mental health.
Last month, I co-led legislation to support federal mental health support programs for first responders. The Helping Emergency Responders Overcome (HERO) Act would boost access to critical mental health resources that would reduce suicides, set up peer-to-peer counseling, and treat posttraumatic stress.
I also joined my colleagues to introduce legislation that would reauthorize the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. This registry helps shine a light on solutions to protect first responders from a heightened risk of cancer.
As your Senator, I’ll always stand with our brave first responders.
Every year, Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which sets the policies and spending priorities for our nation’s military.
In June, I worked with my colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee to advance this important legislation, which supports an increase in pay levels for our service men and women by over five percent.
I’m proud to have led multiple provisions that ensure we can rise to the occasion and tackle America’s national security challenges head on — by modernizing our nuclear triad, expanding munitions production, and standing up to China’s propaganda efforts.
Our NDAA still needs to be voted on by the full Senate and reconciled with the House NDAA, but I’m confident that this year’s NDAA will provide our military with the tools it needs to defend our country.
As your Senator, I’m pushing back against President Biden’s extreme regulatory agenda that will raise prices for families already grappling with inflation.
Earlier this year, Congress passed my bipartisan legislation, which would have overturned an aggressive EPA regulation that will devastate the trucking industry and raise costs for consumers. Last month, President Biden vetoed it.
While I’m disappointed that the Senate fell short of overriding President Biden’s veto, I’m committed to stopping the constant overreach we are seeing from this administration.
And the overreach doesn’t stop there. Earlier this year, Washington bureaucrats started considering a ban on gas stoves. Nebraskans don’t need more of the federal government intruding into their lives, which is why I co-led a bill to prevent regulators from canceling gas stoves.
For far too long, our state has lacked the broadband infrastructure communities need to unlock new economic opportunities and access to critical services. Last month, I announced that Nebraska will be receiving over $400 million in broadband funding. This once-in-a-generation investment will do so much to close the digital divide and provide Nebraskans with the connectivity they deserve.
I’m pleased to see my work on the infrastructure law continue to deliver real results for our great state, and I will continue to be a steadfast advocate of increasing broadband access.
Last month, I was honored to join my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation to unveil the new statue of Willa Cather, which will remain in the U.S. Capitol for decades to come.
Each state is allowed two statues of notable individuals to represent them in the Capitol Complex. The Cather statue replaces a likeness of J. Sterling Morton, which stood in the Capitol since 1937.
Willa Cather’s vivid, reflective writing has become synonymous with the pioneer spirit of Nebraska. For decades until her death in 1947, she was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home in the open plains of the heartland.
Her talent and imagination are what endow her with the significance to be placed in the Capitol as a representation of Nebraska’s best.
It was an honor to unveil a new statue of Willa Cather in the U.S. Capitol last month.
I enjoyed meeting with folks from Nebraska Public Media to brainstorm more ways to support our rural communities.
As a longtime supporter of our alliance with Israel, I appreciated meeting with members of the American Israel Public Affair Committee to discuss ways to strengthen our bilateral relationship, prevent a nuclear Iran, and maintain global stability.
It was great to welcome the Nebraska Cattlemen to Washington, D.C. as part of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Young Cattlemen’s Conference.
I had a meaningful discussion with members of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska about the importance of preserving their native language and passing it on to younger generations, as well as other priorities for the tribe.
   
Some packed houses at our Nebraska Breakfasts last month!
I met with high school students from the Omaha Public School district to talk about our government and hear from them about the issues they are passionate about.
I appreciated the opportunity to join the USO to assemble care packages for our military service members serving abroad.
It was great to speak with members from Ag Processing Inc. about biofuels, the Farm Bill, U.S. trade policy, and their investment in a new soybean processing plant near David City, Nebraska.
I met with Greece’s Ambassador to the U.S., Alexandra Papadopoulou, last month. We had a meaningful discussion on the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States.
I appreciated meeting with members of the Winnebago Tribe to discuss solutions for issues facing the Native American community.
I had the opportunity to speak about the AM for Every Vehicle Act and the importance of AM radio at an event hosted by the National Association of Broadcasters.
The American Council of Engineering Companies represent over 50 Nebraska engineering firms. We chatted about the importance of permitting reform, the impact of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, and other issues.
I had a great day of Farm Bill visits with the federal delegation last month!
I enjoyed meeting with students from the ESU 2 School District!
Small business owners like Candice Price drive Nebraska's economy forward. I enjoyed speaking with her about her company and ways we can support entrepreneurship across the state.
I had a great discussion with the Nebraska Broadcasters Association. AM radio is the backbone of our emergency alert system, and I was proud to co-lead legislation to ensure that AM radio capabilities aren’t cut from new vehicles.
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