{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"NE\" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith%E2%80%99s-office-announces-mobile-office-hours-january-8-16", "Smiths Office Announces Mobile Office Hours for January 8-16", "2017-12-27", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a representative of his office at mobile offices during the month of January in Rushville, Hayes Center, and Chappell.\n\tAt mobile offices, Third District residents can meet directly with one of Smiths staff members about federal issues and take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\tSmith, who has offices in Grand Island and Scottsbluff, will provide his mobile office and a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\tMonday, January 8\n\tSheridan County Courthouse  \n\t301 East 2nd Street, Rushville, NE 69360  \n\t11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (MST)\n\tTuesday, January 9 \n\tHayes County Courthouse  \n\t502 Troth Street, Hayes Center, NE 69032  \n\t11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (CST)\n\tTuesday, January 16\n\tDeuel County Courthouse  \n\t718 3rd Street, Chappell, NE 69129  \n\t11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (MST)\n\tFor additional information, please contact Smiths Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-christmas", "Fort Report: Christmas", "2017-12-23", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This time of year, we pause as Nebraskans, as Americans, to celebrate the origins of an ancient faith tradition and its beauty: the idea of family, the idea of giving, the idea of Christmas. Nebraska has a longstanding, well-earned reputation for nurturing vibrant communities, for singular and often anonymous generosity, and for carefully cultivating storied traditions that renew our commitment to each other. I invite you to watch a brief greeting I gave at this years ceremony to light the Capitol Christmas Tree. Merry Christmas!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=7DA41531-73F1-4402-832C-B268B5220623", "Sasse Applauds DOJ's Hezbollah Investigation, Repeats Calls for Answers", "2017-12-22", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"Terrorists dont get a pass to exploit drug addiction here at home and use American dollars to fund their global violence.\" \r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, who yesterday pressed the Justice, Treasury, and State Departments for answers regarding a POLITICO report on the Obama administration's handling of Hezbollah, issued the following statement regarding the news that the Justice Department is opening an investigation.\n\"This is an appropriate first step. Im encouraged that the Justice Department recognizes that this is important and I hope that they will swiftly provide answers. Terrorists dont get a pass to exploit drug addiction here at home and use American dollars to fund their global violence. These are serious charges that deserve a serious response. I look forward to hearing from the Justice, State, and Treasury Departments in a timely manner.\"\nBackground  Yesterday, Sasse wrote to the Justice, Treasury, and State Departments, \"If the Obama administration failed to use the authorities that Congress has authorized to stop Hezbollah terrorists and their associates from pouring cocaine onto our streets to fund terrorism and acquire weapons of mass destruction, it was a colossal mistake. If the administration did so in order to shore up its foolish nuclear deal with Iran, it was a mistake of historical proportions, a mistake the consequences of which reach from the battlefields of Syria to the streets of Omaha and Scottsbluff.\"\nThe full text of Sasse's letter is availablehere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/merry-christmas-and-happy-new-tax-code", "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Tax Code", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "It is hard to believe 2017 is coming to a close. In the final days of a whirlwind year in Congress, we fulfilled our commitment to send tax reform to President Trumps desk. This bill to overhaul our broken and overly burdensome tax code for the first time in a generation will grow economic opportunity and improve the lives of people across America.\n\tThe challenges we had to overcome to deliver this long-awaited relief for taxpayers were similar to what President Ronald Reagan faced 31 years ago when he signed the last major tax reform legislation into law. I reflected on his persistence often throughout our work. \n\tAs President Reagan said when signing the Tax Reform Act of 1986, The journeys been long, and many said wed never make it to the end. But as usual the pessimists left one thing out of their calculations: the American people. \n\tThankfully, as they so often do, his words ring true today. A simpler, pro-growth tax code to help more Americans get ahead and increase our countrys economic standing is once again a reality.\n\tIt seems especially fitting this year to continue my tradition of sharing one of President Reagans Christmas addresses. He gave the following speech upon lighting the national Christmas tree in 1984, and I hope his words bring you as much joy and inspiration as they did for me. We are truly blessed to live in the greatest country in the world.\n\tMerry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all Nebraskans.\n\tPresident Ronald Reagan  Remarks on Lighting the National Christmas Tree (excerpt)\n\tDecember 13, 1984\n\tThank all of you so much for being here. In just a moment Im going to push the button that lights the National Christmas Tree. This is an old White House tradition Im happy to continue.\n\t I guess we all have our own favorite Christmas memories, for this is the time of year when most of us try to be better than our everyday selves.\n\tFor the past few years in this great house, Ive thought of our first real Christmas as a nation. It was the dark and freezing Christmas of 1776, when General Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware. They and Providence gave our nation its first Christmas gift  a victory that brought us closer to liberty, the condition in which God meant man to flourish.\n\tIt always seems to me that Christmas is a time of magic. Each December we celebrate a Prince, the Prince of Peace, born in utter poverty. And the fact of his birth makes hearts turn warmest at the coldest time of the year.\n\t Over the next few weeks let us all remember those who serve our country abroad  the 800,000 men and women in uniform, the members of our Foreign Service, the people who work in our information agencies throughout the world, and the men and women in the Peace Corps. Even though they cant be at the table this Christmas, they must not be far from our hearts. And let me add, there is no one we hold in our hearts more closely than those MIAs  those missing in action in Southeast Asia, some of whom may be serving our country still. They, too, are absent at the table, and the gathering will never be complete until they return or are accounted for.\n\tNow, I know youre all waiting, and in the immortal words of the astronaut Alan Shepard, Im going to stop talking and light the candle. Light it in a nation at peace, a nation united, for the ties that bind still bind. So, now I light the nations Christmas tree. May its thousand lights illuminate our best resolves and cast a great glow on our affection for each other, and our thanks for each other, and our love.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-votes-legislation-fund-government", "Rep. Bacon Votes on Legislation to Fund Government", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) issued the following statement after the House voted on legislation to fund the government:\nWhile I am disappointed in the Democrats who were whipped into voting against funding of the government, which is playing with the lives of our men and women in uniform by holding defense spending hostage, I agree with Defense Secretary Mattis and other military leaders that this Continuing Resolution (CR) is the best course of action for now. Nebraskans and all Americans deserve to have a funded and operational government able to protect them from terrorists and cyber security threats, while also providing funds for needed services such as the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and community health centers such as OneWorld and Charles Drew in Omaha. In addition, shutting down the government would be irresponsible because hardworking men and women, including those in uniform at Offutt Air Force Base, deserve their paychecks.\nHowever, we cannot continue to kick the can down the road with CRs, as our military cannot access the increased funding Congress has passed five times. This places restrictions on training and modernization which cripples our military readiness. By using stall tactics such as not voting to fund the government, Democrats are placing their political agenda of dollar per dollar match with domestic spending ahead of the mission and preparedness of our men and women in uniform. Senate Democrats should vote and not play political games with our national security when North Korea is estimated to have 60 nuclear weapons and we are fighting Islamic extremists in the Middle East.\nThis CR also provides supplemental funding for CHIP, which delivers low-cost health insurance to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. This fall, the House passed a full five-year reauthorization for CHIP funding that awaits passage in the Senate. This supplemental funding allows the Senate to finalize their CHIP package so Congress can provide assurance to Nebraska families who rely on this national program. Community Health Centers will also receive supplemental funding allowing them to assist those in need.\nIn the new year, I look forward to working with my House colleagues to ensure our military is fully funded at levels passed by Congress. It is way past time for Democrats to pass appropriations bills and provide funding for our military.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-votes-legislation-fund-government-0", "Rep. Bacon Votes on Legislation to Fund Government", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) issued the following statement after the House voted on legislation to fund the government:\nWhile I am disappointed in the Democrats who were whipped into voting against funding of the government, which is playing with the lives of our men and women in uniform by holding defense spending hostage, I agree with Defense Secretary Mattis and other military leaders that this Continuing Resolution (CR) is the best course of action for now. Nebraskans and all Americans deserve to have a funded and operational government able to protect them from terrorists and cyber security threats, while also providing funds for needed services such as the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and community health centers such as OneWorld and Charles Drew in Omaha. In addition, shutting down the government would be irresponsible because hardworking men and women, including those in uniform at Offutt Air Force Base, deserve their paychecks.\nHowever, we cannot continue to kick the can down the road with CRs, as our military cannot access the increased funding Congress has passed five times. This places restrictions on training and modernization which cripples our military readiness. By using stall tactics such as not voting to fund the government, Democrats are placing their political agenda of dollar per dollar match with domestic spending ahead of the mission and preparedness of our men and women in uniform. Senate Democrats should vote and not play political games with our national security when North Korea is estimated to have 60 nuclear weapons and we are fighting Islamic extremists in the Middle East.\nThis CR also provides supplemental funding for CHIP, which delivers low-cost health insurance to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. This fall, the House passed a full five-year reauthorization for CHIP funding that awaits passage in the Senate. This supplemental funding allows the Senate to finalize their CHIP package so Congress can provide assurance to Nebraska families who rely on this national program. Community Health Centers will also receive supplemental funding allowing them to assist those in need.\nIn the new year, I look forward to working with my House colleagues to ensure our military is fully funded at levels passed by Congress. It is way past time for Democrats to pass appropriations bills and provide funding for our military.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=D7572860-6D55-4C40-A9B6-818C1B757412", "Fischer Releases 2017 Edition of Working For You", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) unveiled a digital booklet outlining her work and accomplishments on behalf of Nebraskans over the past year. Click here or on the image above to view the 2017 edition of Working For You.\r\n\r\nIn this years Working For You, Senator Fischer released the following message to Nebraskans:\r\n\r\nA look back at 2017 reveals a productive year. Working with the new administration, Congress has had the opportunity to pursue priorities that will secure a brighter and more prosperous future for the American people. Rebuilding our military, keeping our communities safe, strengthening the nations infrastructure, and promoting American innovation are among these goals.\r\n\r\nThrough patience, tenacity, and hard work, weve been able to move important policy changes across the finish line. Im proud of the accomplishments so far in a variety of areas, including passing the first tax reform bill in 31 years, confirming Justice Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, and creating the first-ever U.S. national paid family leave policy. We also had success fighting burdensome federal regulations that are adversely impacting our families and communities.\r\n\r\nStill, theres more work to accomplish. I look forward to continuing to work together with the people of our state to achieve the meaningful results Nebraskans deserve. Thank you for your continued participation and interest in our democratic process.\r\n\r\nTo view the Working for You booklet as a PDF, click here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=715E0BC2-5308-498E-A28F-B8B74B62CB35", "Sasse Seeks Answers on Hezbollah Report", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"The American people deserve answers to these disturbing allegations.\" \r\nToday, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary and Banking Committees, pressed the Justice, Treasury, and State Departments for answers on the Obama administration's handling of Hezbollah. According to a recent investigative report, the Obama administration's pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran led to a \"systematic\" effort to defang, defund and undermine federal work to disrupt Hezbollahs extensive criminal activity.\n\"If the Obama administration failed to use the authorities that Congress has authorized to stop Hezbollah terrorists and their associates from pouring cocaine onto our streets to fund terrorism and acquire weapons of mass destruction, it was a colossal mistake,\" said Sasse. \"If the administration did so in order to shore up its foolish nuclear deal with Iran, it was a mistake of historical proportions, a mistake the consequences of which reach from the battlefields of Syria to the streets of Omaha and Scottsbluff.\"\nThe full text of Sasse's letter is available here:\nDear Attorney General Sessions and Secretaries Mnuchin and Tillerson,\nI write to you today out of serious concern over the federal governments failure to address the threats posed by Hezbollah. As you are well aware, this group has evolved significantly over the years since gaining notoriety for its terrorist activities in Lebanon, Israel, and Syria. In recent years, public reports indicate that it has expanded its operations as a transnational criminal enterprise engaged in a variety of illicit activities across a number of continents. These activities appear to run the gamut from drug running to diamond smuggling to trafficking components for the production and delivery of weapons of mass destruction. Any major criminal network engaged in these activities should warrant significant attention from our law enforcement and national security authorities, and Hezbollahs status as a radical Islamic terrorist organization and its significant ties to rogue regimes such as Iran and Syria should make it all the more concerning.\nIt is precisely because Hezbollah presents such a disturbing reach and array of illicit capabilities that recent disclosures about the previous administrations handling of the group prove so disturbing. According a recent investigative report,the Obama administration engaged in a systematic effort to defang, defund and undermine efforts across the Justice, Treasury, and State Departments to employ prosecutorial, financial, and diplomatic authorities to disrupt Hezbollahs extensive criminal activity, in the words of one former official. The goal of the administrations efforts directed from the top down wasaccording to the report and the public statements of multiple former officialsunambiguously clear: These investigations were tamped down for fear of rocking the boat with Iran and jeopardizing the nuclear deal.\nIf the Obama administration failed to use the authorities that Congress has authorized to stop Hezbollah terrorists and their associates from pouring cocaine onto our streets to fund terrorism and acquire weapons of mass destruction, it was a colossal mistake. If the administration did so in order to shore up its foolish nuclear deal with Iran, it was a mistake of historical proportions, a mistake the consequences of which reach from the battlefields of Syria to the streets of Omaha and Scottsbluff.\nThe American people deserve answers to these disturbing allegations. As such, please respond the following questions and requests:\r\n \r\nHow many prosecutions and extradition requests of individuals with known or suspected ties to Hezbollah or associated entities were declined from 200917?\n\r\nPlease provide any document in your possession that refers to a specific potential prosecutorial, financial, or diplomatic action that was considered but not taken against Hezbollah, its members, associates, or related entity for criminal activity from 200917.\n\r\nPlease provide any document in your possession that mentions both possible prosecutorial, financial, or diplomatic actions against Hezbollah, its members, associates, or related entities and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or U.S.-Iran relations generally.\n\r\nCan you provide a minimum estimate for the amount of controlled substances trafficked into the United States because of these declined prosecutions and any other policy decisions made to promote the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or U.S.-Iran relations generally?\n\r\nCan you provide a minimum estimate of the amount of money laundered by Hezbollah, its members, associates, and related entities because of these declined prosecutions and any other policy decisions made to promote the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or U.S.-Iran relations generally?\n\r\nWhat evolutionary developments of Hezbollahs criminal enterprise have occurred because of these declined prosecutions and any other policy decisions made to promote the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the U.S.-Iran relationship generally?\n\r\nHave the unclassified reports and classified annexes on narcotics trafficking and significant transnational criminal activity by Hezbollah required by Sections 201 and 202 of Public Law 114-102 been provided to Congress?\n\r\nIf so, were they provided on or before the statutory deadline?\n\r\nIf so, please enclose a copy of the report with your response.\n\r\nIf not, will the administration commit to complying with this statutory requirement within 30 days?\n\r\n\r\n \r\nPlease provide your responses in writing within 30 days. If you have any questions or concerns concerning the content or scope of these questions and requests, please contact my staff at (202) 224-4224. I understand that these questions likely involve significant amounts of classified and law enforcement-sensitive information, and I am eager to work with you to adapt my request in a manner that accommodates public safety and national security interests while ensuring maximum transparency for the American people.\nSincerely,  Ben Sasse\nChairman, U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts  Chairman, U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=20721232-A58A-4AB4-9C30-3E9FD965A7D0", "Final Tax Reform Bill Passes Senate", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, the U.S. Senate passed the conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The bill now needs final approval by the House of Representatives before it heads to President Trumps desk for signature into law. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement after voting in support of the legislation:\r\nCongress is following through on a once-in-a-generation opportunity: delivering tax relief to families in Nebraska and across the country. The first comprehensive, pro-growth, tax cuts and tax reform bill in 31 years is just one step away from the presidents desk. Because of this legislation, many Americans will have bigger paychecks, our businesses will have more opportunities to invest and grow, and our country will regain our competitive edge in the global marketplace.\r\nThis bill also creates the first nationwide paid family leave policy in U.S. history. I worked with families and stakeholders for four years on this historic provision. It will impact the everyday lives of working women and families in a positive and meaningful way.\r\nHighlights of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:\r\nRelief for Middle-Class Families \r\nLowers tax rates so Americans can keep more of their hard-earned money.\r\n \r\nTax brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 37%\r\n \r\nNearly doubles the standard deduction, protecting the first $24,000 married couples earn, and the first $12,000 individuals earn, from federal taxes.\r\n\r\nContinues to allow Americans to take a combined state/local property, sales, and/or income tax deduction of up to $10,000.\r\nExpands the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child. The tax credit is fully refundable up to $1,400 per child. A family with two kids will be able tokeep up to $4,000 more dollars every year.\r\nEliminates Obamacares individual mandate penalty tax.\r\nIncludes Fischer provision, which incentivizes businesses to offer workers up to 12 weeks of paid family leavewith a tax credit as big as 25%. Click here to read Fischers op-ed in The Washington Post for more information.\r\nOnly 28 percent of Nebraskans itemize their taxes. Tax reform will move that total to less than 10 percent nationwide.For those who do itemize, mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and medical expenses will still be deductible. \r\nDeductions for things like student loan interest and teacher expenses will be preserved as well.\r\nThe adoption tax credit is preserved, tuition waivers for graduate students remain tax-free, and retirement savings plans remain tax-advantaged.\r\nUnleashing Small Business Growth\r\nProvides a 20 percent tax deduction for most small businesses.\r\nAllows businesses to fully write off new investments for five years, and is gradually phased out over five years after that.\r\nKeeping America Competitive Globally\r\nLowers the corporate tax rate to 21 percent so corporations can stay competitive in the global economy.\r\nModernizes the U.S. tax system to make it easier for businesses to bring home foreign earnings to invest in growing jobs and wages.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=48024100-D58D-4366-A352-9C59442D1EC2", "Sasse Applauds Individual Mandate Repeal", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Ben Sasse released the following statement after the Senate passed a tax reform package, including the repeal of Obamacares individual mandate.\r\n\"Repealing Obamacare's individual mandate is a very big deal -for Constitutional even more than for policy reasons. Here's what that mandate did: It made it illegal for American families not to buy a particular product, defined by Washington bureaucrats. Never before has there been such a federal law. It was crazy and wrong. And in practice, it meant that families were presentedwith a terrible decision: either pay a federal fine or pay an unaffordable price for one of the crummy choices still available on the exchanges. Not anymore. Republicans still need to keep our repeal and replace promise, buttonightthe Senate took an important step to save families from Obamacares worst provision.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-votes-send-tax-reform-president%E2%80%99s-desk", "Smith Votes to Send Tax Reform to Presidents Desk", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the House passed the conference report to H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is the legislative agreement between the House and Senate. This bill to overhaul the tax code for the first time in a generation now goes to the Senate for final passage and then on to the Presidents desk for his signature.\n\tWith his seat on the Ways and Means Committee, Smith has been working for years to lay the groundwork for this consequential vote to establish a simpler, pro-growth tax code. \n\tAfter years of work to deliver tax relief, today the House passed historic legislation to lower tax rates and grow economic opportunity in America, Smith said. This bill is designed to improve the lives of people across the country  doubling the standard deduction, increasing the child tax credit, saving taxpayers time and money by filing on a form the size of a postcard, and encouraging businesses small and large to invest, create jobs, and raise wages. \nThroughout the process, I have been particularly focused on ensuring tax reform will be beneficial for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. I fought hard to enable producers to continue to deduct their full property taxes on agricultural land. Additionally, I advocated strongly for addressing the concerns of agriculture co-ops regarding the repeal of Section 199, and this fix was accomplished in the conference report. \nTodays milestone vote shows how Congress can and should work. We have held more than 40 hearings on reforming the tax code. The full text of the bill was made available online upon introduction, and the Ways and Means Committee debated the bill in a public markup for four days. After passing our separate versions of the legislation, the House and Senate came together in conference to reconcile the differences, make needed improvements, and produce a stronger final product. \nOur commitment has been to put a bill on the Presidents desk by the end of the year, and we are excited to see President Trump sign tax reform into law. \n\n\t  Smiths remarks on the House floor on how the bill benefits Nebraska agriculture\n\tMr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the tax reform conference report.\nThis is a great opportunity to reduce the tax burden on Americans across the economic spectrum while modernizing our tax code for the 21st century.\nI would like to take a few moments to discuss what this bill does for American agriculture.First and foremost, this bill cuts taxes for most Americans while simplifying compliance and transitioning us to a more competitive tax system internationally.\nIn addition to retaining the deduction for state and local taxes for individuals and families up to $10,000, this bill leaves intact the full deduction for property taxes on ag land and property.\nIn addition, I am grateful this conference report includes a solution to concerns raised by agriculture co-ops and their members about the repeal of Section 199.\nWith commodity prices low, it is important we ensure the tax code continues to work as intended, with co-ops passing along their profits to their producer owners.\nFinally, while I would have preferred we repeal the death tax in full, doubling the exemption and keeping stepped-up basis will help provide certainty for more farmers, ranchers, and small businesses.\nI thank the Chairman and the conferees for their work on this strong product. Im anxious for us to pass this bill and get it to the President for his signature. \nI yield back the balance of my time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-votes-pro-growth-tax-reform-nebraska-families-and-businesses", "Rep. Bacon Votes for Pro-Growth Tax Reform for Nebraska Families and Businesses", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined House colleagues by voting to give Nebraskans and the American people pro-family and pro-business tax relief. Once enacted, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will give them more resources to cover the costs of their livelihoods.\nThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will give the typical family of four earning the median income of $73,000 a tax cut of $2,059, said Rep. Bacon. Families also will benefit from the expanded Child Tax Credit for those making under $400,000.\nIn addition, Nebraska families with existing home mortgages will still be able to deduct their current mortgage interest deduction. Homeowners with new mortgages on a first or second home will be able to deduct mortgage interest on the first $750,000 of principal.\nThis legislation will also maintain the Adoption and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits; the tax exemption for the value of reduced tuition for graduate students; the exemption allowing teachers to deduct the out of pocket cost of classroom supplies; and popular retirements savings options such as 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).\nPeople in the Second District voiced their support for the larger standard deduction and simplification of the tax code, but expressed the need to keep mortgage interest and other deductions, added Rep. Bacon. This will help Nebraskans grow their families, further their education and keep more of their hard-earned paychecks.\nIn addition, the individual mandate tax penalty has been eliminated to allow families the flexibility to buy a health care plan thats right for them.\nWe have Nebraskans who are paying upwards of $30,000 a year in premiums, and yet they are still not receiving health care because of their high deductibles, added Rep. Bacon. Nebraska families simply cannot afford these high costs and not receive the care they need.\nNebraska businesses will also benefit from the Tax Cuts and Job Acts because it will deliver significant tax relief to Main Street job creators. Businesses organized as S Corporations, partnerships, Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) and sole proprietorships will be able to take a first-ever 20 percent tax deduction that applies to the first $315,000 of joint income. Those with income above this level will generally see a deduction for up to 20% on business profits that will reduce their marginal tax rate to no more than 29.6 percent.\nJust like Nebraska families, our local businesses need to retain certain deductions to reduce their overall tax burden, said Rep. Bacon. Small businesses spur the economy and this bill gives them the tools they need to grow by allowing them to immediately write off the full cost of new equipment and encourage investment. Greater investment will spur growth in jobs, productivity, and employee paychecks.\nAlso retained is the ability of small businesses to write off interest on loans; the low-income housing tax credit encouraging businesses to invest in affordable housing for American families; the tax-preferred status of private-activity bonds that are used to finance critical infrastructure projects; and the Research & Development Tax Credit, which encourages businesses to develop Made in America products and services.\nBusinesses of all sizes will benefit from the lowered corporate tax rate of 21 percent, down from 35 percent- the highest in the industrialized world. \nThis reform effort will also allow American businesses of all sizes to compete in the global economy, said Rep. Bacon. When we last reformed our tax code in 1986, our business tax policies were on par with our global competitors, but our competitors have changed their tax policies and left the United States and American businesses behind. Today, we are fixing that disparity and putting American businesses back on a level playing field in the global economy.\nI am glad to see this pass the House and I await the Senates approval as hard-working Nebraskans deserve tax relief, he added.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-tax-reform-0", "Fortenberry Statement on Tax Reform", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today released the following statement on Congress passing tax reform:\nIt is clear many Americans are attempting to understand what tax reform means for them and the country. The bill makes reasoned progress to resolve a complex and convoluted code that has overburdened persons, families, and small businesses across our nation. The measure moves money back into the pockets of hardworking Americans, seeks to reignite Main Street entrepreneurial momentum, and revives the Made in America label.\nSome important points to note are the doubling of the child tax credit, enhancing the deductibility of medical expensesof great concern to a number of seniors who contacted meand a preservation of the tuition waiver benefit for students. While some have expressed concern about corporations receiving a substantial tax cut, it is important to note that President Obama also argued for reducing the corporate rate to restore Americas competitiveness around the world.\nA new economic vision has to reorient around the family, restore vibrancy in local communities, and re-empower working men and women to best provide for themselves and their families. While this legislation will not solve all of Americas problems, it is a policy reset that is important for our wellbeing.\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/in-the-news/rep-bacon-issues-and-answers", "Rep. Bacon on Issues and Answers", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Bacon discusses the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, his military experience, and current military readiness levels onNRG Omaha's weekly, award-winning Public Affairs series, Issues and Answers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=63B42CF8-ADF4-448A-B2DA-697565BACA2E", "Fischer Statement on New National Security Strategy", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today after President Donald Trump announced his new National Security Strategy:\r\n\r\nI welcome President Trumps announcement today of his new National Security Strategy, which signals the return of American leadership on the global stage. In contrast to the previous administrations reluctance, this strategy charts a strong, new direction for the country and emphasizes the need to protect our nations interests. As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I look forward to working with the administration to ensure our military has the tools and equipment necessary to successfully execute its goals.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/lincoln-journal-star-legislation-would-fund-wildlife-conservation", "Lincoln Journal Star: Legislation Would Fund Wildlife Conservation", "2017-12-16", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As Nebraskans, we are connected to our environment and our wildlife in many ways.\nWhether you seek the thrill of a mountain bike trail ride, enjoy afternoons helping a grandchild go fishing or rise before dawn to view an elusive songbird, wildlife is interwoven into our culture. If we value our wildlife and want to ensure these experiences will persist for future generations, then they cannot be taken for granted. Our wildlife and wild places need our help.\nIn Nebraska, nearly 90 species are threatened with extinction. Nationwide, about 12,000 declining species are deemed of great conservation need. But currently, there are no dedicated funding sources to conserve declining species that haven't dwindled to the point of being designated as threatened or endangered.\nThis could change. This month, Reps. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska and Debbie Dingell of Michigan introduced a bill to fund state wildlife conservation using existing mineral and energy royalties from federal lands. If passed, the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act would invest in proactive, voluntary, incentive-based habitat conservation projects with private landowners by implementing Nebraskas State Wildlife Action Plan, called the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project. Up to $1.3 billion annually would be allocated to state wildlife agencies, with an estimated $15 million coming to Nebraska.\nIf funded, the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act would have tremendous impact statewide on both wildlife and Nebraskans. For example, in central Nebraska, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is collaborating with landowners and Pheasants Forever to remove invasive cedar trees and restore grasslands. Together, they are designing a landscape system in which landowners can safely perform prescribed burns. These burns improve grassland health and grazing, prevent cedar invasion and provide habitat for declining grassland birds.\nSimilarly, Game and Parks partners with Ducks Unlimited to restore wetlands that benefit many shorebirds and waterfowl.\nAdditionally, Game and Parks biologists would increase and diversify habitat management on public areas, such as our state parks, to manage wild habitats that would provide declining species a place to thrive and humans a place to enjoy. The agency would be able to support more urban habitat development, including pollinator gardens and green spaces, both of which are becoming increasingly important to wildlife.\nThe legislation also would support recreation such as wildlife viewing, trail development and educational activities, including the expansion of both nature centers and naturalists in park areas.\nThe Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, located just outside of Lincoln, is a tangible example of how a project can create habitat for rare and declining pollinators, with direct benefits to people. This visionary project seeks to enhance tallgrass prairie while creating a trail system that connects Pioneers Park Nature Center to Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center. Nebraska has tremendous potential for similar projects that invite Nebraskans to reconnect to their natural areas.\nFundamentally, the legislation will work to prevent new threatened and endangered species listings. With the funding of the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act, wetlands, prairies, forests and the plants and animals they support will continue to thrive, and Nebraskans and Americans everywhere can continue to enjoy them.\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/good-news-economy", "Good News for the Economy", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This is the season of good news, and the economic potential we are currently seeing in our country is no exception. \n\tThe unemployment rate has fallen to a 17-year low, a signal of rising opportunity in America. The Trump administrations commitment to rolling back much of the Obama administrations red tape has loosened the regulatory stranglehold on the economy and set the stage for more extensive growth through tax reform. \n\tAs former Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp used to say, The tax code is 10 times the size of the Bible with none of the good news. After years of preparation, we are working hard to get tax reform across the finish line. \n\tRevamping our broken, outdated tax code will help get the government off Americans backs and deliver relief for taxpayers of all income levels, while also giving businesses of all sizes the confidence they need to invest. For the many people who have been struggling to make ends meet or grow their businesses or find a job, tax reform is a long-awaited priority.\n\tPresident Trump has referred to tax reform as rocket fuel for the economy, and the excitement is already taking hold. U.S. manufacturers economic optimism has reached the highest level in 20 years, according to a quarterly survey conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers. Of the hundreds of large and small manufacturers surveyed, 94.6 percent reported a positive economic outlook, 53.8 percent said they anticipate hiring more workers, and 48.8 percent said they plan to increase employee wages and benefits. \n\tManufacturers arent alone in their enthusiasm about our economys potential. U.S. small business confidence has also hit a nearly all-time high, coming in just under the highest reading which occurred in 1983 during the Reagan economy. The Index of Small Business Optimism, a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, has been conducted for 44 years. The percentage of small businesses planning to hire more workers increased by six points in the past month, while the percentage of owners who believe now is a good time to expand went up four points.\n\tBoth reports emphasized their respondents optimism depends on the passage of pro-growth tax reform. More than 100 economists sent an open letter to Congress at the end of November urging passage of tax reform for similar reasons. In their words, Economic growth will accelerate if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passes, leading to more jobs, higher wages, and a better standard of living for the American people. \n\tThe Nebraska Farm Bureau has also stressed the importance of tax reform to the agriculture economy. Among many benefits, including full and immediate expensing, is a provision I fought hard for to allow producers to continue to deduct in full property tax on agricultural land. This primary input in the business of feeding the world should be treated as a business expense in the tax code.\n\tMoving into the final stages of tax reform, we face a crucial moment for the future of our country. There are many reasons to be optimistic about whats to come. Despite our challenges, America is the greatest country in the world with an unmatched legacy of opportunity. Lets ensure this opportunity grows.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-net-neutrality", "Fort Report: Net Neutrality", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Little did I knowthatmy recent online shopping experience would become a lesson in a forthcoming policy debate.  To demonstrate my point, I pulled up a major Internet news site on my phone during a staff meeting in Washington. There it was, an advertisement with customized content from the site I had reviewed earlier. Even my younger tech-generation staff were amazed at the level of micro-tracking. They know your habits, I said.\nThe Internet is a great tool for commerce, information sharing, networking, equalizing the playing field, media, and entertainment. It has launched a new generation of entrepreneurs, pressured old business models, and created a world of interconnectedness--all good things.  It has also made Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft the wealthiest companies in history.\nBut theres this creeping sense among many Americans that we must watch vigilantly in order to prevent large monopolies from controlling, blocking, or throttling content or content creation. The public fears an industry that could slow down delivery speeds for those of lesser means. Small business, in particular, fears losing out to larger, better capitalized competitors. Everyone is concerned about their most intimate personal data being used for profit. \nIn the roiling debate over what is now known as net neutrality, two sides are at war: the telecommunications/Internet Service Providers (ISPs) on the one hand and content creators, including social media and search engines, on the other. In a trend long envisioned by stock market watchers, the two sides are crossing over into one anothers turf. Telecoms are becoming media companies, as their greatest threat comes from Internet behemoths like Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google (the famed FANG companies), which have become hugely popular destinations for an increasing number of consumers seeking media and entertainment outside the cable and satellite pay gateway.Conversely, FANGs are seeking to become telecoms, as they procure fiber optic infrastructure to connect their vast data farms. Amazon and Google have already started to provide high-speed Internet service in select parts of the planet.\nThe chief telecom beef is that FANGs have built their massive profits on the back of the telecoms massive infrastructure investment. And theres the crux of the issue: In the eyes of telecoms, the FANGs have bought a low-priced ticket in steerage, but are getting first-class transportation of their content. According to one source, Netflix alone represents over 35% of all U.S. Internet traffic, 20% more than the next highest user, Googles YouTube. Constrained by their heavy regulation as utilities, rather than as more lightly regulated interstate information services, telecoms complain that they are not making sufficient return to justify further infrastructure investment. On the other hand, edge content companies have innovated and delivered in-demand services to the public who, by and large, believe that the Internet should be open without restriction on access.\nAgainst this backdrop, I recently urged Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Pai to preserve the framework of net neutrality: maintaining the necessary consumer guardrails while encouraging innovation and investment in vital communications architecture. As Jared from Lincoln recently wrote to me, I understand [the FCC Chairmans] perspective, but that really assumes consumers have an actual choice of who their Internet provider is Corporate regulation of the consumer is no better than government regulation of the consumer. \nAs of this writing, the FCC just overturned Title II of The Communications Act of 1934, from which the net neutrality regulation of 2015 flowed. But, in the heated Telecom-FANG debate, what we need is assurance that innovation and competition in the digital space is maintained, access to content preserved, and consumer and privacy rights protected.And if all the players in this space do not cooperate to achieve these principles, then Congress should intervene.\nI checked back on the news website. No advertisement there. Maybe I missed out on a sale, or maybe the Fort algorithm has already changed.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-recovering-americas-wildlife-act", "Fortenberry Statement on Recovering America's Wildlife Act", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lincoln, NE) Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) yesterday introduced the bipartisan Recovering Americas Wildlife Act (RAWA) in the United States House of Representatives.\nThis is an important and creative legislative initiative to protect ecosystems across our nation through constructive partnerships in states, said Fortenberry. The bill provides smart upstream policy to avoid triggering the emergency room procedures of the Endangered Species Act. By effectively putting preventative measures in place, we can now better protect habitat and wildlife from becoming lost or endangered in the first place. This will benefitfarmers, hunters, anglers, boaters, birders, hikers and other wildlife enthusiasts, as well as the burgeoning field of eco-tourism.The Recovering America's Wildlife Act will also prove to be a powerful new tool to connect resource extraction policy with prudent resource recovery.\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee, and is co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus (ICC).\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=7D1515A2-867E-47DD-AA89-474BCD52CF8C", "Fischer Paid Family Leave Proposal Included in Tax Reform Conference Report", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  The House and Senate Conference Committee has released the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act conference report, which includes U.S. Senator Deb Fischers (R-Neb.) paid family leave proposal, the Strong Families Act.\r\n\r\nI am excited to announce my paid family leave proposal is part of the tax reform conference report. This is truly a historic measure. Creating the first-ever nationwide paid family leave policy will be a huge step forward for American women and working families, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nClick here to read more on Fischers paid family leave proposal.\r\n\r\nClick here to read Fischers recent op-ed in the Washington Post.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=5D425D19-76BB-407B-AEF0-2592A44BD05A", "Fischer Backs Legislation to Help NE Producers Mitigate Drought", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced she has cosponsored legislation to reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS). Across the country, NIDIS works to coordinate drought research and give agriculture producers more information about how to mitigate the effects of drought.\r\n\r\nI am a proud cosponsor of legislation to reauthorize the National Integrated Drought Information System. Nebraskans know well the persistent challenges associated with drought and severe weather. Reauthorizing this program would improve our producers ability to address the effects of drought. Importantly, this legislation would also enable the continued partnership between NIDIS and the National Drought Mitigation Center, located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nThe NIDIS reauthorization would help improve our nations drought monitoring capabilities by requiring more detailed drought indicators, such as precipitation and soil moisture. The legislation provides stability for NIDIS by reauthorizing the system through 2023. Additionally, it gives the system the opportunity to partner with private sector and academia to enhance our understanding of drought.\r\n\r\nClick here to read the full text of the legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressmen-bacon-and-garamendi-launch-airborne-intelligence-surveillance-and", "Congressmen Bacon and Garamendi Launch Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Caucus", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) and Congressman John Garamendi (CA-03) held a breakfast today officially introducing the bipartisan Congressional Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Caucus.\n\u201cI am excited to co-chair this caucus with Congressman Garamendi,\u201d\u00a0said Rep. Bacon. \u201cAirborne ISR plays an important role in our national security and I look forward to bringing together ISR experts from DoD and industry. Having this insight will provide Congressman Garamendi and I the opportunity to better shape the NDAA to ensure we have the best ISR capabilities tailored for current and future threats. As the former Commander of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, I saw first-hand how ISR provided our nation with an unmatched advantage on the battlefield.\u201d\n\u201cIt is an honor to co-chair the Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Caucus with my colleague, retired Air Force Brigadier General Congressman Bacon,\u201d\u00a0said Rep. Garamendi. \u201cAs the Representative for Beale Air Force Base, I\u2019m well aware just how vital the ISR mission is\u2014not just to the Air Force, but to all our joint operations throughout the world. This caucus will help ensure that our defense bills give intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions the support they need today and well into the future.\u201d\nOriginal members of the caucus include:\u00a0\nMadeleine Bordallo (Guam)  \n\tChris Collins (NY-27)  \n\tPaul Cook (CA-08)  \n\tNeal Dunn (FL-02)  \n\tJeff Fortenberry (NE-01)  \n\tVicky Hartzler (MO-04)  \n\tDenny Heck (WA-10)  \n\tSteve Knight (CA-25)  \n\tScott Peters (CA-52)  \n\tIleana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)  \n\tJacky Rosen (NV-03)  \n\tJohn Rutherford (FL-04)  \n\tAustin Scott (GA-08)  \n\tMichael Turner (OH-10) At this morning\u2019s breakfast, attendees heard about the state of the joint ISR force from Lieutenant General John N.T. \u201cJack\u201d Shanahan of the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and one of our nation\u2019s most senior ISR military leaders. \u00a0He discussed the importance of the caucus and ways to make ISR more effective.\u00a0\nThe military\u2019s ability to have accurate and timely information readily available for our nation\u2019s leaders is critical as we address the multi-dimensional threats posed by both state and non-state actors in today\u2019s international environment. The Airborne ISR enterprise directly contributes to the security of the nation through 24/7 operations across the globe, providing almost instantaneous information through a network of joint military personnel, aircraft, and communication systems.\nThe objectives of the Congressional Airborne ISR Caucus are to:\n Raise awareness of the critical role that Airborne ISR plays in protecting our nation.\n\tEstablish a forum for exchange among members who are committed to promoting Airborne ISR.\n\tProvide information on ISR enterprise challenges and opportunities related to manned aircraft, remotely-piloted aircraft, on-board sensors, distributed mission control and intelligence ground stations, aircrew, analysts, networks, and cyber defenses.\n\tEnsure member access to the most accurate and up-to-date information on developments in the Airborne ISR Community through engagements with senior leaders in the joint ISR community and defense industry.\n The Airborne ISR caucus will hold quarterly breakfasts with industry and military leaders, and caucus members and staff. The next breakfast is expected in March 2018.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=128E0488-D980-44BA-AFFD-8A5785A72EE3", "Fischer Honors Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Allgaier of Omaha, Neb.", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view and download\r\n\r\nSenator Fischers floor speech on Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Allgaier.\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON  This afternoon, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) spoke on the Senate floor as part of her initiative to honor Nebraskans who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.\r\n\r\nToday, Senator Fischer honored the life and service of Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Allgaier, a native of Omaha, Nebraska. Chief Warrant Officer Allgaier was killed in Afghanistan after insurgents shot down the CH-47 Chinook Helicopter he was piloting.\r\n\r\nBelow is the full transcript of todays speech honoring Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Allgaier:\r\n\r\nMr. President, I rise today to continue my tribute to Nebraskas heroes: the current generation of men and women who lost their lives defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan.\r\nEach of these Nebraskans has a special story to tell.\r\nToday, I will recall the life and service of Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Allgaier (All-guy-er), a native of Omaha, Nebraska.\r\n\r\nGrowing up, Chris lived a pretty typical life for a Nebraska boy. During high school, he played video games and went to movies with friends. With his family, he was a frequent visitor to Big Freds Pizza in Omahathe regular cheese pizza was his go-to. On Friday nights, he was known to go watch fellow classmates at high school football games. And on Saturdays during the fall, he did what a lot of Nebraskans do, attend or watch Husker football games.\r\n\r\nAlong with his sister, Sharon, and brother, Rob, Chris grew up in a Catholic household. The family attended St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Omaha.\r\n\r\nAt Creighton Prep High School, Chris was a member of the Creighton Prep National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, and the schools science club. He was very dedicated to academics and graduated with the highest academic honors in 1991.\r\n\r\nDuring Chriss senior year at Creighton Prep, he became very interested in fixed wing aircraft and flying. After high school graduation, Chris continued his studies at another Jesuit institution, St. Louis University, where he continued his interest in aircraft by studying aeronautical administration.\r\n\r\nShortly after receiving his bachelors degree, Chris enlisted in the United States Army. This surprised family and friends. His father attributes the decision to Chriss sense of duty and his interest in aeronautics. Chris graduated from Basic Combat Training in Fort Jackson before attending his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) in aviation mechanics. The idea of Chris working in aviation mechanics always struck his father, Bob, as funny. Growing up, Chris didnt like getting his hands dirty or helping him change the oil in the family vehicles.\r\n\r\nDue to his strong academic record and interest in aeronautics, Chris was persuaded to apply for Warrant Officer Candidate School. Chris liked the idea of becoming a warrant officer so he could specialize and become an expert in aviation. He graduated at the top of his class from Warrant Officer Candidate School and became a helicopter pilot.\r\n\r\nWhile performing his duties in the Army, Chris also took classes from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He graduated with a masters degree in Aeronautical Science in 2001, the same year the September 11 terrorist attacks shook the lives of all Americans.\r\n\r\nChief Warrant Officer Allgaier (All-guy-er) deployed to South Korea for over a year prior to going to Afghanistan in 2003 and Iraq in 2005. While deployments are usually tough for any family, 2005 was especially difficult for the Allgaiers (All-guy-ers) because Chriss mother, Sally, passed away.\r\n\r\nIn 2006, Chris was assigned to the 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2007. He flew CH-47 Chinook helicopters in transport missions. During this time Chris flew a lot of night operations. His father, Bob, said that Chris would call him every couple of weeks between missions just to catch upthose were phone calls Bob always looked forward to receiving.\r\n\r\nThe Upper Sangin (Sing in) Valley in the Helmand Province was the center of fighting in Afghanistan in 2007. A British newspaper called it the deadliest area in Afghanistan.\r\n\r\nOn the night of May 30, 2007, Chris flew another night operation transporting approximately 30 service members from the 82nd Airborne Davison in the Upper Sangin (Sing in) Valley. Shortly after dropping the soldiers off for their important mission, insurgents shot down his CH-47 Chinook. The crash killed Chris and four other service members.\r\n\r\nChief Warrant Officer Allgaiers (All-guy-ers) memorial service was held on June 6th, at a Catholic church in Omaha. Hundreds of people, including over a hundred Patriot Riders, turned out to pay their final respects. Chris was laid to rest on June 18, 2007, in Arlington National Cemetery. Fellow Chief Warrant Officer Paul Wetzel said that Losing Chris will definitely leave a void in the aviation community that cant be filled by anybody else. There will be other pilots in the future, but none will ever equal Chris Allgaier (All-guy-er).\r\n\r\nChris is survived by his wife, Jennie, and three daughters, Natalie, Gina and Joanna. In 2010, Chris was honored by the unveiling of Christopher Allgaier (All-guy-er) Street in the neighborhood in which he grew up.\r\n\r\nRob discussed how his brother was his hero during the ceremony. He said, Chris didnt see himself that way. He didnt see himself as a martyr or as a hero. He was an American who was doing his duty. Theyre not doing it for an ulterior motive. Theyre doing it because they believe in it and it is the right thing to do.\r\n\r\nChief Warrant Officer Chris Allgaier (All-guy-er) was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, posthumously.\r\n\r\nI join Nebraskans and Americans across in country in saluting his willingness, and his familys sacrifice, to keep us free.\r\n\r\nI am honored to tell his story.\r\n\r\nThank you, M. President. I yield.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=41E05039-2DEB-4475-991C-8E5102536C1D", "Fischer to Host Internet of Things/Agriculture Roundtable", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, will host a roundtable discussion tomorrow to explore the relationship between the Internet of Things and agriculture.\r\n\r\nAt Thursdays roundtable discussion, Fischer will hear from Nebraska stakeholders, government officials, and industry experts about the policies government can pursue to advance technology for agriculture purposes.\r\n\r\nIf you are planning to attend tomorrows roundtable, please email Chanse Jones at Chanse_Jones@Fischer.senate.gov.\r\n\r\nEVENT:\r\n\r\nRoundtable Discussion\r\nThe Internet of Things & Agriculture:\r\nLeveraging Advanced Technologies\r\nin Americas Farmland\r\n\r\nDATE:\r\n\r\nThursday, December 14, 2017\r\n4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET\r\n\r\nLOCATION:\r\n\r\nSenate Commerce Committee Hearing Room\r\nRussell Senate Office Building, Room 253\r\n\r\nPARTICIPANTS:\r\n\r\nU.S. Senator Deb Fischer\r\n\r\nAaron Fehringer\r\nSeed Dealer and Member\r\nNebraska Farm Bureau\r\n\r\nKen Pfister\r\nVice President-Strategic Policy\r\nGreat Plains Communications\r\n\r\nJanice Zdankus\r\nVice President, Quality\r\nHewlett Packard Enterprise\r\n\r\nMark Lewellen\r\nManager, Spectrum Policy\r\nDeere & Company\r\n\r\nBobby Vick\r\nAgriculture Enterprise Solutions Executive\r\nPrecisionHawk\r\n\r\nAndrew Uden\r\nChief Operating Officer\r\nQuantified Ag\r\n\r\nGrant Spellmeyer\r\nVice President, Federal Affairs & Public Policy\r\nU.S. Cellular\r\n\r\nJannine Miller\r\nSenior Advisor to the Secretary for Rural Infrastructure\r\nU.S. Department of Agriculture\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=B73D04DB-FB00-4EB5-ABAB-3899A89A8C6B", "Nebraska Senators Announce Judicial Nominations Process  for U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Nebraskas U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse today announced the application process for filling a forthcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Recently, Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp announced her transition from active service to senior status effective December 1, 2018.\r\n\r\nUnder the U.S. Constitution, judicial nominations are made by the president by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate. Typically, home state senators work with the Office of White House Counsel to select qualified candidates to fill U.S. District Court judgeship vacancies.\r\n\r\nSenators Fischer and Sasse invite applications from qualified Nebraskans. Individuals interested in applying for the vacancy should review the following details.\r\n\r\nApplicants must complete a comprehensive questionnaire detailing a candidates background and qualifications. Candidates must respond to all questions, except 20, 22, 23, and 26. Please note that personal financial data will be required at a later date for finalists. This information is required by both the White House and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary before a finalist may move forward in the confirmation process. Click here for the questionnaire.\r\n\r\nAll questionnaires should be submitted with a letter of interest. References and letters of recommendation are welcome. The letter of interest, questionnaire, and any accompanying documents must be either emailed to Judicial_Vacancy@fischer.senate.gov and Judiciary_Vacancy@sasse.senate.gov by January 18, 2018, or postmarked to Senator Fischers and Senator Sasse's Washington offices by January 12, 2018. Candidates submitting by mail should address all materials to Senator Fischer at 454 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510 and Senator Sasse at 386A Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.\r\n\r\nFor questions about these processes, please contact Senator Fischers Washington office at 202-224-6551 or Senator Sasses Washington office at 202-224-4224.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=058A6CB6-B2DC-4E74-9841-6FD5715AEE0C", "Nebraska Senators Announce Judicial Nominations Process for U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska", "2017-12-13", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Nebraska\u2019s U.S. Senators\u00a0Ben Sasse and Deb\u00a0Fischer today announced the application process for filling a forthcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Recently, Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp announced her transition from active service to senior status effective December 1, 2018.  \u00a0  Under the U.S. Constitution, judicial nominations are made by the president \u201cby and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.\u201d Typically, home state senators work with the Office of White House Counsel to select qualified candidates to fill U.S. District Court judgeship vacancies.\r\nSenators\u00a0Sasse and Fischer invite applications from qualified Nebraskans. Individuals interested in applying for the vacancy should review the following details.\nApplicants must complete a comprehensive\u00a0questionnaire\u00a0detailing a candidate\u2019s background and qualifications. Candidates must respond to all questions, except 20, 22, 23, and 26. Please note that personal financial data will be required at a later date for finalists. This information is required by both the White House and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary before a finalist may move forward in the confirmation process. Click here for the\u00a0questionnaire.\u00a0  \u00a0  All questionnaires should be submitted with a letter of interest. References and letters of recommendation are welcome. The letter of interest, questionnaire, and any accompanying documents must be either emailed to\u00a0Judiciary_Vacancy@sasse.senate.gov\u00a0and to\u00a0Judicial_Vacancy@fischer.senate.gov\u00a0by\u00a0January 18, 2018,\u00a0or postmarked to Senator Sasse\u2019s and Senator Fischer's Washington offices by\u00a0January 12, 2018.\u00a0Candidates submitting by mail should address all materials to\u00a0Senator Sasse at 136 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510 and Senator\u00a0Fischer\u00a0at 454 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510.\nFor questions about these processes, please contact\u00a0Senator Sasse\u2019s Washington office at 202-224-4224 or Senator\u00a0Fischer\u2019s Washington office at 202-224-6551.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-releases-statement-president-signing-ndaa-law", "Rep. Bacon Releases Statement on President Signing NDAA into Law", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement after the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law by President Trump:\u00a0\n\"Today the President signed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act into law, a major milestone in restoring our military readiness.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When I first came to Congress I made it a priority to ensure our men and women in uniform were given a much-needed pay raise, that they had the best training and resources in the world, and I promised to fight for the resources needed to modernize our equipment. Through months of hearings and direct engagement with our senior military leaders, I worked diligently with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers of Congress to craft defense legislation that ensures our Armed Forces can deter aggression and dominate in every domain.\u00a0\u00a0This NDAA provides a full 2.4% pay raise for our troops, increases readiness enhancements by $26 billion, and increases military end-strength by 19,000 personnel.\u00a0\u00a0This is real progress, but the work is not finished.\u00a0\u00a0It must now be accompanied by a budget agreement that fully funds these priorities.\"\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=BE9FB86A-C589-4DE2-B1C3-13A4C336CCF8", "Senate Confirms Nebraskas Steve Grasz for Eighth Circuit", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here to view Senator Fischers Floor Speech in Support of Steve Grasz\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today after the Senate voted to confirm Leonard Steven (Steve) Grasz to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit:\r\n\r\nSteve Grasz exemplifies the qualities the American people seek in a judge: keen intellect, even judicial temperament, and steadfast commitment to the rule of law. By confirming Steve today, the U.S. Senate is helping to install on the Eighth Circuit a capable jurist who has earned bipartisan respect and admiration from those who know him best. Senator Sasse and I were pleased to work closely with Steve throughout his confirmation process and I wish him well during what Im sure will be a long and dedicated career of service to our country.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=D3DB43DE-0664-4C6A-9C2D-BA3692C0B478", "Sasse Applauds Grasz Confirmation", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThe end of a long process in the Senate is just the beginning of a new chapter in Steve\u2019s distinguished record of public service\u00a0for Nebraska and the nation.\u201d \r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee,\u00a0released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Steve Grasz to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit.\r\n\u201cThe end of a long process in the Senate is just the beginning of a new chapter in Steve\u2019s distinguished record of public service for Nebraska and the nation. Nebraskans\u00a0will\u00a0have a voice on the\u00a0Eighth Circuit committed to an impartial and independent judiciary \u2013 someone who understands that judges don\u2019t write laws.\u00a0At every step during this process, from his interview back in Nebraska to his hearing in the Judiciary Committee, Steve\u2019s humility, integrity, and experience were clear. As a member of the Senate\u2019s Judiciary Committee, I join Nebraskans across the political spectrum in wishing Steve the best in his new calling.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=D50E0CBF-EC54-470D-8D0B-115DC0A28BD3", "Sasse to Senate: \"Listen to Nebraskans,\" Confirm Grasz", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"...Listen to all the Nebraskans, again, of all backgrounds and across the partisan spectrum as they urge us to confirm Mr. Grasz today.\" \r\n\r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor as the Senate resumed consideration of Steve Grasz\u2019s nomination to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit. Last night the full Senate voted to invoke cloture on the nomination and a final confirmation vote will happen soon.\r\nSasse\u2019s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are found below:\r\nMr. President, I rise today in continued support of Steve Grasz\u2019s nomination to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.\r\nSome of those attacking Mr. Grasz have claimed that he doesn\u2019t have the character or temperament to treat litigants fairly and decide cases on the facts and the law.\r\nIn evaluating these claims, I hope my colleagues listen to the hundreds of Nebraskans of all partisan and ideological stripes who have stood up to support Steve\u2019s nomination.\r\nI would urge everyone to listen to what they have to say specifically about his character and temperament.\r\nOne Nebraskan wrote:\r\n\u201cI was the plaintiff in a First Amendment defamation and political speech action against the Nebraska Republican Party. . . .\u00a0 Mr. Grasz represented the Nebraska Republican Party. I was not successful in my lawsuit. However, I did have the opportunity to meet and interact with Mr. Grasz during the case and found him to be . . . . a consummate professional. Based on my observations I believe his judicial temperament would be of the highest quality and all parties would be given equal opportunity. . . . I can think of no one better qualified or suited to be appointed to this prestigious judgeship than Steven Grasz.\u201d\r\nAnother Nebraskan wrote:\r\n\u201cI know Steve personally having served as opposing counsel to him on cases. . . . Steve was a formidable opponent. . . . While he zealously advocated for his clients, he did so in a level-headed and even-keeled manner.\u201d\r\nYet another Nebraskan wrote:\r\n\u201cI . . . have . . .represented clients in cases where Mr. Grasz was opposing counsel. In all circumstances he demonstrates the utmost professionalism. . . . I am a registered Democrat and, quite frankly, am not a strong supporter of the current administration. However, as a practicing attorney dealing with complex litigation and appearing regularly in the federal courts of appeals, I want intelligent, thoughtful individuals appointed to the Bench who will administer the law and apply existing precedent. I have no doubt that Mr. Grasz can do that very effectively.\u201d\r\nAlso, consider the words of this Nebraskan:\u00a0\r\n\u201cSteve does not allow his role as an advocate to cloud his analyses and judgment. He reviews statutes, regulations, rule and common law with a clear eye, and applies these authorities to the facts presented to him. . . . [H]is respect for precedent and his high regard for the works of other branches of government show his dedication to following the Constitution and our nation\u2019s laws as they are written.\u201d\r\nMr. President, Steve Grasz is a Nebraskan through and through.\u00a0As I said on the floor yesterday, Steve bleeds Husker red, but he is a guy well suited to take on the black robes of a judge. He understands that we do not have blue or red partisan jerseys on our Article Three branch of government \u2013 the independent judiciary. Steve is well suited to serve as a judge on the Eighth Circuit and I think that, not just Nebraskans, but folks across the states in the eighth circuit will find a man of unbelievable temperament.\r\nThe ABA is a liberal advocacy organization. That is absolutely their right. What is not okay is for the ABA to masquerade as a neutral arbiter of professional qualifications. The attacks on Steve\u2019s character that have come out of this process\u00a0because of the two reviewers from the ABA cite, again and again and again, anonymous sources of his supposed rudeness. We have seen none of that in Nebraska, again, in the hundreds of people who have written to the senior senator and myself, and now to the Judiciary Committee in support of the President's decision to nominate Steve Grasz to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.\r\nMr. President, I ask unanimous consent to enter into the record the specific letters that I here just cited. And I urge all of my colleagues to listen to all the Nebraskans, again, of all backgrounds and across the partisan spectrum as they urge us to confirm Mr. Grasz today. Thank you, Mr. President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-releases-statement-attack-new-york-city", "Rep. Bacon Releases Statement on Attack in New York City", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC-\u00a0Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released\u00a0the\u00a0statement below following this morning's attack in New York City:\n\u201cOnce again, a person with extreme ideologies has attempted to cause harm on American soil and attack freedom and democracy. Thankfully, this would-be terrorist was not successful in his mission to hurt Americans in New York\u2019s heavily trafficked Port Authority Bus Terminal. I am also thankful for the first responders who responded to this incident. \nISIS and other actors will not stop trying to recruit vulnerable individuals through propaganda on the internet and other information avenues. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, we will continue to work to provide the tools needed to protect Americans, and will continue searching for ways to prevent future attacks.\u201d\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=4F33E56F-053A-43A1-BE0F-EDA86550C000", "Sasse: \"Nebraskans Want Judges Who Understand That Theyre Not Lawmakers.\"", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate to hold procedural vote on Grasz nomination tonight \r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor prior to a procedural vote to\u00a0advance the nomination of Steve Grasz to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.\r\n\r\nSasse's remarks, as prepared for delivery, are found below:\r\nMr. President, I rise today in support of the nomination of Steve Grasz to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.\r\nOne of the most important things that the Senate has done this year and will continue to do between now and Christmas \u2013 and, in fact, into 2018 \u2013 is consider nominees to the federal courts.\u00a0\nWhen I talk with Nebraskans, I constantly hear from men and women who tell me that the number one issue they care about in Presidential elections is the judiciary \u2013 Nebraskans want judges who understand that they\u2019re not lawmakers. Nebraskans want judges who understand that a lifetime appointment isn\u2019t designed to do politics. Nebraskans want judges who understand that the courts are to uphold the laws fairly and impartially.\r\nMy colleagues and I on the Senate Judiciary Committee agree with the Nebraskans in townhalls, and coffee shops, and Rotary Clubs. In the committee we\u2019ve worked to advance a record number of judges who know exactly that. We\u2019re looking for thoughtful men and women of integrity.\u00a0\nThat\u2019s why it\u2019s a pleasure and an honor to come to the floor today in support of Steve.\u00a0\r\nSteve is a Nebraskan through and through. He\u2019s a fifth-generation Nebraskan who grew up on the family farm \u2013 walking beans, raising sheep and pigs, branding cattle. When he was a young man, life in the Nebraska Panhandle taught him hard work. He moved East to Lincoln where the University of Nebraska taught him the law.\r\nSteve graduated at the top of his class and put his law degree to work serving his fellow Nebraskans. He served as the Chief Deputy Attorney General of our state for nearly a dozen years.\r\nSteve\u2019s job was to represent the people of Nebraska in court. That means he was bound by the law and his professional duty to defend our laws, including our state\u2019s ban on the gruesome procedure known as partial-birth abortion.\r\nIn the Nebraska AG\u2019s office role, he litigated multiple cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Nebraska Supreme Court, and the Eighth Circuit, to which he has been nominated. Every time he represented us in court, Steve did so with integrity, humility, and decency. That\u2019s just what Nebraskans do.\r\nSteve bleeds Husker red but he\u2019s ready to put on a judge\u2019s black robe. He knows that judges in America don\u2019t wear red or blue partisan jerseys. He knows that policy preferences\u2014whether his or anyone else\u2019s\u2014have no role in how a judge applies the law. He knows that in his courtroom only two things matter: the facts and the law.\r\nAnybody who wants to ensure that Steve will approach his job as a judge without partisan or ideological bias should listen to the words of the hundreds of Nebraskans who have spoken out in support of Steve\u2019s nomination. Democrat Ben Nelson, Nebraska\u2019s U.S. Senator from 2001 through 2013 and its Governor, 1991 through 1998, offered this testament to Steve\u2019s fitness for office:\r\n\"I first got to know Steve when I served as Nebraska\u2019s Governor and he served as our state\u2019s Chief Deputy Attorney General. . . . With me as a Democrat and him as a Republican, we sometimes found ourselves disagreeing on policy; nevertheless, I quickly learned that Steve was the kind of consummate professional who is capable of putting whatever personal views he may have aside when appropriate in his capacity as a public servant. . . . If Steve is confirmed, I fully expect him to follow the law and the facts in each case because I know his loyalty is first to the rule of law, rather than to any personal views he holds on matters of policy. He possesses first-rate legal skills and a respectful, even-keeled temperament, key ingredients in the making of a good judge. As a Nebraskan, I hope our state has the opportunity to benefit yet again from Steve\u2019s public service in this new role.\"\r\nDeborah Gilg, President Obama\u2019s choice for U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, who served from 2009 to 2016, also spoke glowingly of Steve:\r\n\"Steve has always enjoyed a reputation for honesty, impeccable integrity and dedication to the rule of law. He possesses an even temperament well-suited for the bench and always acts with respect to all that interact with him. . . . Without a doubt, he would be a tremendous asset to the bench as he demonstrates excellence in all that he does.\"\r\nMr. President, I ask unanimous consent that both of these letters be entered into the record in their entirety.\r\nSteve\u2019s reputation for honesty and integrity earned him this bipartisan support in Nebraska. I\u2019m a bit sad that here in Washington things took a more partisan tone in the committee. Happily, we have a chance to do the right thing and return to a bipartisan tone here in the Senate tonight.\u00a0\nI hope that my colleagues will listen to the broad array of Nebraskans of all ideological and partisan views and support his nomination.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=FC0ED232-971F-40BC-B596-F6082E325D32", "Sasse and Full Senate Vote to Move Grasz Nomination Forward", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sasse: \u201cSteve is one step closer to the Eighth\u00a0Circuit and Nebraskans are one step closer to having a federal judge who understands that judges don\u2019t invent new laws.\u201d\n \r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Steve Grasz to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit. A final confirmation vote will happen later this week.\n\u201cSteve is one step closer to the Eighth\u00a0Circuit and Nebraskans are one step closer to having a federal judge who understands that judges don\u2019t invent new laws, they apply existing laws,\u201d said Sasse. \u201cSteve\u2019s humility, integrity, and impressive record won him a majority over efforts to drag his reputation through mud with anonymous allegations. I\u2019m proud of Steve\u2019s hard work and I\u2019m eager for the Senate to move to a final vote this week.\u201d\u00a0\nBackground:\u00a0\nSenator Sasse, Nebraska\u2019s first member of the Senate Judiciary Committee since Gerald Ford was President, has been an outspoken advocate for Steve Grasz nomination since he and Nebraska\u2019s senior Senator, Deb Fischer, made their recommendation to the Administration.\u00a0\nMore on Sasse\u2019s work on the Senate floor and in the Judiciary Committee can be found\u00a0here,\u00a0here, and\u00a0here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/empowering-individuals", "Empowering Individuals", "2017-12-08", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Empowering people to achieve independence and productivity is our mission on the Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee, of which I serve as chairman. President Trump is urging Congress to focus on welfare reform after we finish our tax code overhaul, and I am eager to dive into this effort to help more Americans reach self-sufficiency.\n\tIn the fight against poverty, four main principles in House Republicans\u2019 \u201cA Better Way\u201d plan serve as guideposts for the task ahead. \u00a0\n\tFirst, we must promote human dignity by expecting able-bodied recipients to work or prepare for work in exchange for benefits. Too many programs are focused on meeting immediate needs without providing recipients with the tools they need to succeed in the workforce. States should also be held accountable for helping recipients find jobs and stay employed. \u00a0\n\tOur second principle is getting incentives right so everyone benefits when someone moves into the workforce permanently. Recipients are too often incentivized to stay on welfare long-term rather than being rewarded for finding stable employment, and some providers also benefit as the number of recipients on their rolls grows. We need to change these incentives to unite around the end goal of helping more people enter and stay in the workforce.\n\tThird, we must focus on results. The common measurements of success for welfare programs are inputs, such as the number of people enrolled and the amount of money spent. These surface-level statistics do not tell us whether these programs are making a positive difference. To be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and ensure we help rather than hurt people\u2019s economic potential, we need to thoroughly evaluate programs and tie funding directly to real results. \u00a0\n\tFor example, we have been working for the past few months on reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, known as MIECHV. My bill to reauthorize MIECHV passed the House at the end of September. The voluntary program, which helps improve the lives of families in at-risk communities, works because its funding is contingent upon demonstrated evidence of effectiveness. This should be the standard rather than the exception.\n\tFinally, we need to improve the integrity of our anti-poverty programs to make sure benefits are going to those who truly need them. Through advances in technology, we have innovative ways to protect against fraud and abuse. States and other providers should be encouraged to adopt these methods to more carefully track how benefits are distributed. \u00a0\n\tOur subcommittee has held multiple hearings this year on the challenges we face in helping people lift themselves out of poverty. The first hearing examined the geography of poverty, both urban and rural, and the importance of developing local solutions. Another hearing focused on the 5.5 million 16- to 24-year-olds in America who are not in school and are not working, and opportunities to break this cycle. Additionally, we delved into the decades-long decline of men participating in the labor force and how to help them once again experience the dignity of work. \u00a0\n\tThese insights and principles will serve as the foundation for bringing hope and opportunity to those trying to better their lives. Meaningful reforms are needed to help more Americans achieve economic independence, and we are ready to move this important effort forward.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-order-restored", "Fort Report: Order Restored", "2017-12-08", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last Sunday, I turned on the television. Every single station was focused on one thing: Scott Frost. But, it was about more than a new coach. It was about the return of one of our own\u2014the natural and long-awaited heir to the gritty, consistent, hard-won success Husker fans remember from the Coach Devaney and Osborne era. \u00a0\nAs the Cornhuskers struggled this season, I had colleagues inquire about Nebraska\u2019s situation.\u00a0 They weren\u2019t gloating; it was more of a friendly curiosity about what was happening to the Huskers.\u00a0 Football means something to America. And an epic program like Nebraska means something even more. As I said to one national media outlet, \u201cAmerica needs Nebraska to win.\u201d\u00a0 It is about respect for the Cornhuskers and their culture of excellence. It\u2019s about our big, corn-fed linemen, our hard-nosed backs, and our tradition of receivers who actually block. We help give America a sense that guts and determination, tradition and honor, still matter.\nForever etched in my mind is the scene from the 1984 Nebraska-Miami National Championship Game at the Orange Bowl.\u00a0 Nebraska scored a late touchdown and is down by one. Since we were undefeated and ranked number one going into the game--while Miami had a previous loss--Nebraska wins the national championship with a tie. No doubt about it. The camera then pans to Coach Osborne. Without hesitation, two fingers go into the air and we go for the win.\u00a0 You know the rest--we came up short.\u00a0 But something else was won, something deeper. To quote Teddy Roosevelt:\n\"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.\u201d\nThere truly is something special about Cornhusker football, its fans, and its connection to the perennial values we identify as \u201cNebraskan.\u201d \u00a0 Although not immune to the coarsening of culture, Husker fans have been historically famous for their humble, civil, and gracious attitude toward opposing teams. They stand and clap for opposing players when they leave the field. It\u2019s the Nebraska way of saying that we believe in the ideals of good sportsmanship, perseverance, and generosity of spirit\u2014things that transcend winning and losing. These ideals are not incidental to our gridiron glory, they are the cornerstone of it.\nNebraska football also includes a belief in the underdog and the authentic amateur. Nebraska\u2019s walk-on program is the heart of the matter. Some of the hardest-working, hardest-hitting Nebraska players in history were never recruited by any school. There were often young men from outstate farming and ranching families who dreamed their entire lives of playing for the vaunted Huskers. They walked on, showed true grit, and ended up starting.\nThis season I sat next to Ms. Louise.\u00a0 She is 95, twice widowed, and has had the same seats for thirty years.\u00a0 She carried both team rosters in her pocket, and is very quick with pointed analysis. \u201cFrosty the Throwman\u201d\u2014the prodigal son who left Wood River, Nebraska for Stanford only to come back and lead the Huskers to the mountain top in the last game of Osborne\u2019s career\u2014has returned. I think Ms. Louise will be happy.\u00a0 Go Big Red.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-votes-favor-short-term-funding-keep-government-open", "Rep. Bacon Votes in Favor of Short-Term Funding  to Keep Government Open", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined his House colleagues in keeping the government open by voting to continue current appropriations levels through December 22, 2017, and issued the following statement:\n\u201cWhile I do not like to continue kicking the can down the road by voting for a long-term continuing appropriations resolution because of the impact to our national security, I told House leadership I would support a short-term resolution. The House and Senate leadership are working with the President on a compromise and asked for two more weeks to reach agreement.\u00a0\nThe House has already passed fiscal year 2018 spending bills, but we are waiting on the Senate to do the same. Congress must act before this continuing resolution expires so we do not continue a band-aid approach to the budget, and can give Americans the confidence and assurance they deserve in knowing the government and military are funded and operational.\nA longer-term continuing resolution would not be fiscally responsible unless it exempts the military so we keep our promises to the servicemen and women, fix the readiness and maintenance problems that endanger their lives, and start the much-needed modernization that we have budgeted in our authorization bill.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/religious-news-service-six-congressional-members-urge-stronger-action", "Religious News Service: Six Congressional Members Urge Stronger Action to Protect Religious Liberty", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Six members of Congress stressed the need for the U.S. government to take a more vigorously active role in protecting endangered Christians in the Holy Lands and the Middle East.\nFour representatives and two senators spoke Tuesday at the Third International Conference on Religious Freedom in the nation\u2019s capital, sponsored by the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.\nThe speakers were Representatives Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska; Carolyn Maloney, D-New York; Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida, and Senators Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, and James Lankford, R-Oklahoma. The sessions were held in the U.S. Senate Caucus Room and Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium.\n\u201cMore than ever before, vigorous U.S. leadership and diplomacy are needed to address religious freedom violations in the region (Middle East and Holy Lands) and globally,\u201d Rep. Smith said.\nHe also urged \u201cenhanced religious freedom training for the Foreign Service including ambassadors and integrating religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy.\u201d\nSmith recommended a timely designation of a \u201ccountry of particular concern\u201d as well as designation of an \u201centity of concern,\u201d such as a terrorist group. He also urged the meting out of sanctions on designated countries and holding not just countries but also individuals accountable.\nRep. Maloney emphasized that religious persecution \u201cis happening all over the world,\u201d adding that there is a need to create a system to accurately track everything happening to Christian minorities and other religions.\n\u201cWe need to put more meat in legislation,\u201d she added, such as no aid to Egypt unless they let Christians rebuild their churches.\nMaloney has advocated for reform in Turkey such as the reopening of Halki \u2013 the Greek Orthodox Christian theological school the Turkish government closed in 1971.\n\u201cLook at countries that respect minorities, religion and women \u2013 they don\u2019t have terrorism,\u201d Maloney added.\nRep. Biilirakis emphasized the need to \u201cspeak out. Our darkest moments have come when those who know better stood still. We must fight to protect Christians all over the world.\u201d\nHe said the United States must \u201cstand up\u201d to our so-called allies, recommending this country appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religion freedom.\nRep. Fortenberry said that attacks on Christians are not only a loss of life, but are a disabling factor in the Middle East.\n\u201cWhat has happened is genocide,\u201d he emphasized. \u201cWhat needs to be done is resurrection, revitalization and repatriation\u201d\nSen. Cardin stressed the need to protect religious targets because \u201cwhat we see in the Middle East is unacceptable. If we don\u2019t take any action, we condone that activity. The United States must take the leadership. Those committing atrocities should not get a pass.\u201d\nThe senator pledged his commitment to protect Christian minorities in the Middle East and elsewhere. \u201cYou have my word,\u201d he said.\nSen. Lakford urged that we speak out clearly for those who are unjustly attacked.\n\u201cMore and more places in the world have less freedom,\u201d he noted. \u201cBlasphemy laws are being adopted in the world. We should not freely trade with a country that doesn\u2019t recognize religious liberty.\u201d\nWhile emphasizing that there is much work to be done, the senator also urged that we \u201cdon\u2019t lose hope.\u201d\nThe members of Congress were not the only participants to urge work on behalf of embattled Christians worldwide.\nArchbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, attacked the \u201ccrime\u201d of killing someone in the name of religion. \u201cThere is not a bigger atrocity than that.\u201d\nAnd Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, national commander of the Archons in America, said, \u201cLet\u2019s hope our work spreads the light of religious freedom around the world.\u00a0 Our discussions are to bring the light of truth and expose the darkness.\u201d\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C8501334-40C1-4C5D-88A7-93166F0D1AFA", "Sasse: Grasz Vote Is Good News", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Judiciary Committee votes to advance Steve Grasz's nomination to the full Senate.\u00a0 \r\n\r\nToday, after U.S. Senator Ben Sasse and fellow members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the nomination of Steve Grasz to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Sasse spoke on the Senate floor.\u00a0\nVideo of the Senator's speech is available\u00a0here\u00a0and a transcript is found below:\r\nToday the Judiciary Committee had the opportunity to advance the nomination of Steve Grasz, one of the foremost appellate attorneys in the state of Nebraska. And I just want to make one brief comment about that. The Judiciary Committee has now heard, and soon the full Senate will be hearing, about the impeccable credentials of Mr. Grasz. Steve has served with distinction as Nebraska's Chief Deputy Attorney General for nearly a dozen years. During that time, he defended our state's laws with integrity, humility, and decency. Whether he was litigating before the 8th Circuit, before the Nebraska Supreme Court, or before the U.S. Supreme Court, Steve's character and professionalism earned the respect of Republicans and Democrats alike.\u00a0\r\nMembers of the committee became familiar with Steve and in particular his recommendation from President Obama's U.S. Attorney for Nebraska, Deborah Gilg. She wrote to the committee, \"Steve has always enjoyed a reputation for honesty, impeccable integrity, and dedication to the rule of law,\" she wrote to our Committee. She continued by noting that, Steve \"possesses an even temperament well suited for the bench and always acts with respect to all that interact with him.\"\u00a0\r\nSteve has earned the support of Republicans and Democrats back in Nebraska and I hope that when his nomination comes to the floor of the Senate, we will take to heart all of the support that he has across the political spectrum and from well-respected lawyers across our state. Thank you for the time, Mr. President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-votes-concealed-carry-reciprocity-protect-second-amendment-rights", "Smith Votes for Concealed Carry Reciprocity to Protect Second Amendment Rights", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after voting in favor of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which passed the House this afternoon.\n\t\u201cConstitutional rights don\u2019t stop at state lines, and today\u2019s vote shows the House is committed to preserving Second Amendment protections for law-abiding citizens,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAmericans who qualify for concealed carry in their home state should be able to carry in other states, and many states already practice reciprocity. This legislation makes concealed carry reciprocity the law of the land to eliminate confusion among law enforcement and gun owners over which states will recognize permits.\n\u201cAs the number of Americans going through concealed carry training and permitting has increased, violent crime has decreased. In fact, 24 attorneys general, including Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, sent a letter to Congress last week encouraging passage of the bill and stating, \u2018Concealed carry permit holders are among the most law-abiding members of society ... strong evidence indicates that concealed-carry permit holders actually deter and reduce crime.\u2019\n\u201cThose who follow the law should not have to worry whether their constitutional rights apply as they travel throughout our country, and I will continue to defend the Second Amendment on behalf of Nebraskans.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-releases-statement-presidents-proclamation-recognizing-jerusalem", "Rep. Bacon Releases Statement on President's Proclamation Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement following the President's remarks on Jerusalem:\u00a0\n\"Today is an important day for the United States, and for our Israeli allies and friends. I applaud the President for affirming U.S. Law and recognizing Jerusalem as the eternal and undivided capital of Israel. The President\u2019s actions today have righted a wrong in the application of double-standards to the State of Israel.\u00a0 It is a priority of mine to ensure the United States stands with our Israeli allies and strengthens our nation\u2019s longstanding relationship with them.\"\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-votes-bipartisan-concealed-carry-reciprocity-act", "Rep. Bacon Votes for Bipartisan Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined his House colleagues to pass the bipartisan H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act by a vote of 231-198 with six democrats supporting. This legislation also includes language from H.R. 4477, Fix NICS Act, that will strengthen NICS to protect public safety as well as require a study on bump stocks.\nThis bill allows law-abiding citizens to carry a concealed firearm only if they are not federally prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm, are carrying a valid government-issued photo ID, and are lawfully licensed or otherwise entitled to carry a concealed handgun.\n\u201cLaw-abiding citizens should not have to navigate a complex legal web when travelling across state lines,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThis patchwork has led to the arrest of otherwise law-abiding citizens.\u201d\nThe bill also allows an individual with a permit to concealed carry in another state, but requires individuals to follow the laws of that state. The new law does not arm criminals because nothing in the bill allows someone convicted of a crime to purchase or possess a firearm, let alone carry one in a concealed fashion.\n\u201cThe law simply guarantees that the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens does not end when crossing state lines,\u201d added Rep. Bacon.\nLanguage from the Fix NICS Act will strengthen existing law and protect public safety. It ensures that federal and state authorities comply by reporting criminal history records to NICS. Federal agencies that fail to report relevant criminal records to the FBI will be penalized.\n\u201cLast month\u2019s shooting in Sutherland Springs, TX highlights how the current law was not adhered to,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThe shooter was banned from purchasing firearms and ammunition due to a conviction of domestic violence during a court-martial while serving in the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force failed to follow the current law and record the conviction in the NICS database, and this legislation addresses that.\u201d\nThe legislation also orders the Attorney General to issue a study on bump stocks by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau must report the number of times a bump stock is used in the commission of a crime, what type of firearms the bump stocks are used with, as well as review of current criminal code penalties regarding the use of bump stocks, and if the use of those attachments should trigger an increased penalty when used to commit a crime.\n\u201cThese changes will not only guarantee that a law-abiding citizen\u2019s Second Amendment rights are intact across the country, but it will increase public safety as studies show that as carry permits have risen to over 12 million, the nation\u2019s violent crime rate has decreased 51 percent to a 43-year low,\u201d said Rep. Bacon.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/columbus-telegram-erstwhile-farm-sweet-corn-fit-king", "The Columbus Telegram: Erstwhile Farm Sweet Corn Fit for King", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "COLUMBUS \u2014 Produce grown at Erstwhile Farm has fed many people.\nThe organic vegetables, pasture-raised pork, chicken and eggs that Lanette and Larry Stec have on their rural Columbus farm are sold year-round to hungry customers. Some of the products have been featured in stores and on menus in Omaha, Lincoln, Columbus and out of state.\nRecently, even royalty got a taste of the sweet corn produced by the couple.\nKing Abdullah II of Jordan was served Erstwhile Farm sweet corn during a visit to the United States last month. The sampling was coordinated by the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society and U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry\u2019s office when the congressman met with Jordanian Ambassador to the United States Dina Kawar, who traveled to Nebraska in November.\nThe king was in Washington, D.C., and expressed an interested in corn with a meal, so arrangements were made to have him try some Nebraska-grown corn while he was in the United States.\nErstwhile Farm was contacted because the operation is a member of the society and has a commercial kitchen used to prepare and store sweet corn throughout the year.\nA couple hundred pounds of sweet corn are frozen each year to sell and for the family\u2019s own consumption. Lanette Stec said six 1-pound bags of the product were purchased to serve with the king's meal.\nHaving sweet corn produced on her land fed to a dignitary was special.\n\u201cIt was a great honor. We are just a little farm here doing our own little thing,\u201d Stec said.\nShe also appreciated the visit from Fortenberry, who toured the farm and spoke to the Stecs for about an hour days before his meeting with the king.\nStec said he showed particular interest in the farm\u2019s mobile coop for chickens, the commercial kitchen and solar panels used to power a kitchen, garden irrigation system and well on their 200 acres of crop ground, which have been in Larry\u2019s family for more than a century.\nStec said Fortenberry\u2019s visit opened her eyes. She said she isn\u2019t a political person, but thinks he wanted to visit a small farm like theirs because of the innovations they use.\nThey follow organic practices and produce pork, eggs and vegetables without chemicals, hormones or antibiotics.\n\u201cWe try to honor the Earth and the animals and do things we feel is best,\u201d she said.\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=6277AD2C-67C3-4E15-8E4C-2ACE422591AD", "Fischer Talks NAFTA with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  As the administration continues renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today met with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to emphasize the trade agreements value to Nebraska:\r\n\r\nSecretary Ross was very forthcoming today about where these trade negotiations currently stand. He shared examples of the priorities the administration is focused on as they develop NAFTA 2.0. I was able to highlight Nebraskas perspective when it comes to trade and the great value of this agreement to our states producers, manufacturers, and exporters, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nYesterday, Senator Fischer attended a meeting at the White House with President Trump focused on U.S. trade policy. She highlighted the significance of NAFTA to agriculture exports and related manufacturing jobs in Nebraska.\r\n\r\nNAFTA represents a critical market for Nebraskas exports. Mexico and Canada are Nebraskas two largest customers for agricultural goods. In 2016, exports of Nebraska agricultural goods to these two countries exceeded $2.9 billion and accounted for 45 percent of Nebraskas total agricultural exports that year. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 91,400 Nebraska jobs are supported by NAFTA.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/omaha-world-herald-bellevue-chamber-honors-partners-excellence", "Omaha World Herald: Bellevue Chamber Honors Partners in Excellence", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Leadership Bellevue graduated the class of 2017 at a community event, \u201cPartners in Excellence,\u201d at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue last week. The keynote speaker was Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., was there with other community leaders.\nLeadership Bellevue helps participants determine what Bellevue needs, while sharpening leadership skills. The program shows future leaders the community\u2019s past, present and future with presentations of current leaders, tours, panel discussions and communication between participants and community decision-makers. The goal is to let each participant face Bellevue\u2019s challenges, and to inspire them to accept responsibility to lead.\nThe class emcees were Naviere Walkewicz, US Strategic Command; and Eric Mahowald, Offutt 55th Wing. The yearly celebration presents two community awards: \u201cPartner in Excellence\u201d and \u201cDistinguished Alumni.\u201d\n\u201cPartner in Excellence\u201d recognizes partnerships that created impact for the betterment of Bellevue.\nThe Offutt community award went to Marathon Ventures; accepting the award for Marathon Ventures was John Larsen.\nThe Partners in Excellence Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Roger Cox, community relations coordinator for Bellevue Police. This award recognizes a dynamic, progressive community leader who has impacted the community and shows leadership through integrity, strength, and vision and is an alumnus of Leadership Bellevue.\nLeadership Bellevue 2017 graduates included Chadd Addison, City of Bellevue; Ashley Brandenburger, Great Western Bank; Ashley Carey, Bellevue Housing Authority; Gayle Christensen, Lift Up Sarpy County; Paula Creps, Sarpy County CASA; Zac Fredrickson, Holland Basham Architects; Dr. Brooke Harre, Hoogeveen Chiropractic Wellness Center; Christopher Hemmelman, First City Church; Bryan Holen, Plat1num One Investment and Insurance Group; Marcus Hymes, 557th Weather Wing; Larry Lampman, Bellevue Police Department; Abigail C K Lill, Marathon Ventures; Eric Mahowald, Offutt AFB 55th Wing; Robert Moore, Bellevue Public Schools; Madeline Moyer, Security National Bank; Becky Parks, Nebraska Medicine Bellevue; Naviere Walkewicz, Stratcom; Rich Warnke, Lockheed Martin (not shown); and David Witkop, Thanksgiving Lutheran Church.\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=3A1D0951-86F8-4C17-B88C-88CC8F915C6F", "Fischer on Trade Meeting with President Trump", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today after joining President Donald Trump and other senators at the White House for a meeting focused on U.S. trade policy:\r\n\r\nThis afternoon at the White House, I had a good conversation with President Trump on the importance of trade to Nebraska and our country as a whole. During our conversation, I highlighted the significance of NAFTA to agriculture exports and related manufacturing jobs. I also stressed the need to safeguard the competitive advantage our agriculture producers and manufacturers have worked so hard to build. I look forward to continuing these discussions with the president and his administration in the weeks to come.\r\n\r\nAdditional Background:\r\n\r\nIn September, Fischer sent a letter to President Trump urging him not to terminate the South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).\r\n\r\nIn May, Senator Fischer led a letter with 18 senators to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer stressing the positive economic impact of NAFTA.\r\n\r\nFor more information, click here to read the Nebraska Farm Bureaus new report on the value of NAFTA to Nebraska.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=2FEBE85F-1FF9-47F2-9858-00A06B57D910", "Fischer Hails Senate Passage of Tax Reform", "2017-12-02", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement on the bills passage:\r\nThe tax cut and tax reform bill passed by the Senate today is legislation six years in the making. Its the product of 70 committee hearings, five bipartisan working groups, a vigorous markup in the Senate Finance Committee, and an open amendment process on the Senate floor.\r\nOverall, this bill accomplishes three critical objectives: it delivers relief for middle-class families, promotes small business growth, and makes Americas corporations competitive globally. Im pleased to see this comprehensive, pro-growth bill clear the Senate. Im hopeful we will soon be able to send the first tax reform bill in 31 years to the presidents desk.\r\nThe Senate tax reform bill would:\r\nProvide Relief for Middle-Class Families\r\nLowers the individual tax rates for middle-income Americans so they can keep more of their hard-earned money. \r\n Tax brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, 38.5%\r\nNearly doubles the standard deduction, protecting the first $24,000 married couples earn, and the first $12,000 individuals earn, from federal taxes. This would simplify tax filing for the American people.\r\n Under the current tax code three out of 10 people itemize their taxes. With this legislation, the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation predicts the number of Americans who itemize will drop to one in 10.\r\nFor Americans who itemize it:\r\n Allows a state and local property tax deduction of up to $10,000 on federal taxes.\r\n Protects the mortgage interest deduction for existing mortgages and keeps the deduction for recently purchased homes, providing relief to current homeowners and those who aspire to own a home. \r\n Reduces the threshold for deducting medical expenses to 7.5 percent to assist people with high medical costs, especially seniors and Americans with chronic illnesses. More than 8 million Americans use this deduction, half with incomes of $50,000 or less.\r\n Keeps the adoption tax credit in place.\r\n Preserves the charitable deduction and the student-loan interest deduction.\r\nOther provisions for middle-class families:\r\n Incentivizes businesses to offer workers up to 12 weeks of paid family leavewith a tax credit as big as 25%. This provision mirrors Senator Fischers Strong Families Act.\r\n Expands the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child. Many families will be able to keep up to $4,000 more dollars every year if they have two children or more. \r\n Maintains retirement savings programs like 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts so Americans can save for the future.\r\nREAL WORLD IMPACT: According to the Senate Finance Committee, under this bill, a family of four with a combined annual income of around $73,000 will receive a tax cut of nearly $2,200. This is a reduction of nearly 60 percent of their current tax bill. A single parent with one child and an income of $41,000 will see a tax cut of nearly $1,400. This a reduction of nearly 75 percent.\r\nUnleash Small Business Growth\r\nSmall businesses are important for Nebraska families and the states economy. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses make up more than 96 percent of Nebraska businesses. In 2016, Nebraska small businesses employed 394,009 people. At the time, that was 47.5 percent of Nebraska employees.\r\nThe Senate tax reform bill:\r\nProvides a 23 percent deduction for most small businesses, which will lower their tax bills and give them more financial flexibility.\r\nPreserves the 1031 like-kind exchanges and stepped-up basis that further help our small businesses, as well, especially agriculture businesses.\r\nREAL WORLD IMPACT: According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, the pro-growth initiatives in this bill would add 6,493 jobs in Nebraska.\r\nMaking America Competitive Globally\r\nLowers the corporate tax rate to 20 percent so corporations can stay competitive in the global economy. American companies currently face the highest tax rate in the industrialized world.\r\nModernizes Americas antiquated international tax system to incentivize businesses to bring investments back to the United States.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=34C928CC-A23E-43BB-A63A-3D316045FFE6", "Sasse Statement on Senate Tax Bill", "2017-12-02", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Ben Sasse issued the following statement regarding his vote for the tax reform that passed the Senate tonight.\r\n\"With every new piece of legislation, the majority party promises heaven, while the minority party shouts about the apocalypse. Both Democrats and Republicans do it, and neither tells the truth. We need more honesty and less hyperbole: My view of this bill is that it's better than the status quo, but isn't as good as it could be. Some good things: Increasing the child tax credit, preserving the adoption tax credit, and stopping incentivizing companies to move overseas are all helpful. But Congress is still failing to grapple with our entitlement over-promising, and there is far too little being done to upend the DC culture of lobbyists over families. These lower rates will make American businesses more globally competitive, but we are doing far too little to help make American workers more competitive in our fast-paced, global economy.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/farm-bill-priorities", "Farm Bill Priorities", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tax reform is our main focus in Congress right now, and many beneficial provisions for the agriculture economy are advancing with this effort. We know farmers and ranchers are weathering uncertain times, and as we get closer to putting a tax reform bill on President Trump\u2019s desk, we also need to get moving on the farm bill.\n\tOver the past few months, I held farm bill listening sessions across the Third District. These open forums led to constructive discussions about what has and has not worked in the current farm bill. I have already shared the feedback with a number of my colleagues in Congress. \u00a0\n\tThis week, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway reached out for my input on the priorities we should focus on for the next farm bill. I highlighted four main themes from my ongoing discussions with Nebraska producers.\n\tFirst, we must maintain an adequate safety net by keeping crop insurance programs available and affordable for producers. Many attendees of my farm bill listening sessions stressed the importance of this public-private partnership to their operations. The 2014 farm bill prioritized crop insurance, which requires buy-in from producers and greatly reduces the need for costly ad hoc disaster payments. Protecting both producers and taxpayers, crop insurance is a cornerstone of responsible agriculture policy.\n\tSecond, we need to ensure the Title I farm commodity provisions such as Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) remain available to producers during times of economic stress. With the lack of predictability in the agriculture economy, we must keep risk management tools in place.\n\tThird, we should remember the needs of livestock producers in the development of the farm bill. They face unique challenges, some of which must be resolved outside the bill\u2019s framework, such as expanding market access for their products through trade negotiations. On the Ways and Means Committee, I continue to work on strengthening and increasing trade opportunities for all producers. Through the farm bill, we can provide valuable tools like the Market Access Program for export assistance while also addressing issues such as disaster assistance and disease prevention. \u00a0\n\tFourth, and perhaps most importantly, we need to complete the farm bill on time. There is already too much uncertainty for producers with low commodity prices and an uncertain trade environment. We should not leave them guessing about what the next farm bill will look like when we know they need the information to make decisions about their operations.\n\tThe Third District is the top-producing agriculture district in the country due to the hard work day after day, rain or shine, of the farmers and ranchers who put food on our tables and steward the land. Their industry has inherent risks, but they take those risks because they know how vital their work is to the health and well-being of people across the globe. Our focus must be on helping to relieve some of the burden of these risks through sound policies.\n\tI look forward to more discussions with Chairman Conaway as we move the farm bill forward. As chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources, I will be working closely with the Agriculture Committee on issues related to the farm bill, namely the nutrition title. We must look carefully at its effectiveness, ensuring it is focused on those in need while enabling producers to provide more Americans with nutritious food.\n\tWe depend on farmers and ranchers for food, feed, fuel, and fiber, and they are depending on us to get a farm bill to the President\u2019s desk. Let\u2019s give them the tools they need to continue to meet the wide-ranging demands of a growing world.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/small-business-saturday", "Fort Report: Small Business Saturday", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Small Business Saturday occurred this past week.\u00a0 I like it.\u00a0 It's not exactly a national holiday to be celebrated, but it reminds us of the importance of Main Street as an essential part of a properly functioning market based economy.\u00a0 \u00a0\nIt should not come as too big of a surprise that the idea of Small Business Saturday came from a major credit card corporation.\u00a0 I was impressed by their initiative, so awhile back, I randomly placed a call to the CEO to commend the company.\u00a0 He proudly informed me that the idea came from an intern.\u00a0\nWe are living in a paradoxical age where we are more and more dependent on big business for information flow and consumer goods, and at the same time, we are more and more skeptical of this model. \u00a0I was trained in an era where economic language was cast in terms of efficiency, optimization, economies of scale, production capacity, inputs, the free flow of capital and labor, on and on--all part of the vocabulary of academic economic theory.\u00a0 These are analytical, mechanical terms--necessary for understanding market function--but lacking any connection to deeper purpose.\u00a0 \u00a0\nUltimately a properly functioning market is a connector of community, a delivery mechanism for material well-being, and an opportunity enhancer for individual initiative.\u00a0 The classical economic expressions lack a deeper understanding of the ultimate purpose of production.\u00a0 I once asked a professor:\u00a0 Who does normative analysis--what ought to be?\u00a0 He answered--no one.\nWe are long past the time when working one's entire career for the same large corporation guaranteed security and wellbeing.\u00a0 The current corporate construct is desperately driven and hopelessly fragmented by quarterly profit mandates. \u00a0Short term decisions overrule long term strategy.\u00a0 While occasionally brought to heel by scandal and malfeasance, most multinationals are no longer tethered to a face or a place--so they pitch us on TV and print with caring images, and kindly deem us worthy to help with their chosen causes.\u00a0 The cities with major hub airports benefit.\u00a0 The rest of America buys.\u00a0\nOne of America's favorite corporations is Apple, an impressively disruptive organization that helped usher in the information age.\u00a0 It's sleek, edgy, and innovative.\u00a0 It shows what America can do.\u00a0 Many of us have benefited. \u00a0But let's take a deeper look.\u00a0 Apple is the largest company by market cap in the world. \u00a0Most people think the headquarters of Apple world is Cupertino, California. \u00a0A few others--think it is tax-friendly Dublin, Ireland, where Apple\u2019s intellectual property (the literal coin of the company\u2019s realm) is registered.\u00a0\nAs recently documented by the BBC, the truth is that for years Apple took advantage of a fluke in Irish tax law called \u201cthe Double Irish.\u201d \u00a0Apple declared corporate residence in Ireland without actually residing there or anywhere for that matter. Apple Computer\u2019s headquarters was literally and figuratively in the cloud, with significant production sources coming from China. \u00a0Economies of scale create efficiency, but creative disruption does not have to mean abandonment.\u00a0 The ongoing tax debate seeks to rebalance a number of business inequities, particularly for small business, where most jobs come from.\nWhile large businesses retain a necessary space in producing certain types of goods and large scale industrial products, and can provide exciting opportunity, there is a hunger for the next economic trend to reorient around the revitalization of Main Street\u2014including local food and sustainable energy production, smarter services, and smaller scale manufacturing--recreating that long lost sense of place within our communities.\u00a0 Imagine a new urbanism of an economic ecosystem with friendly neighborhoods, nearby centers of smaller scale,\u00a0micro businesses, contextually appropriate architecture, and a burgeoning supply of easily accessible public space.\u00a0 We see this trend developing.\u00a0\nBefore Kent retired, I used to shop at his shoe store.\u00a0 He knew me, he knew my size.\u00a0 Kent relied upon far away manufacturers, but he added the value of excellent service. \u00a0Even if it wasn't Small Business Saturday, he always got me to happily spend more than I wanted.\u00a0 Small business provides the associative attachment, the local cultural touchstones necessary for humane economies of scale.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-statement-final-2018-epa-renewable-fuel-volumes-rule", "Smith Statement on Final 2018 EPA Renewable Fuel Volumes Rule", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its final 2018 renewable fuel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).\n\t\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is good news with room to grow,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe Trump administration kept its commitment on not reducing volumes, and the numbers announced today uphold congressional intent while providing needed certainty for ethanol producers. At the same time, while the levels for biodiesel are disappointing and do not capture the potential of the industry, I am optimistic the Trump administration will continue to advance biofuels and domestic energy production moving forward.\u201d\n\tNebraska is second in the country for ethanol production, and Smith has long supported the development and increased availability of biofuels. In March, Smith reintroduced his bill to provide retailers the option of selling E15 year-round.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-cosponsors-congressional-accountability-and-hush-fund-elimination-act", "Rep. Bacon Cosponsors Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement after becoming an original cosponsor of the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act, introduced by Congressman Ron DeSantis (FL-06):\n\u201cThis legislation is long overdue. It not only provides transparency to taxpayers and requires Members of Congress and staffers who have ever been accused of sexual harassment to reimburse the Department of Treasury, but it also gives victims more confidence knowing they can come forward regardless of non-disclosure agreements,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cSexual harassment, abuse, and misconduct is unacceptable every time and everywhere.\u201d \n\u201cThe current system incentivizes misconduct and makes it difficult for victims,\u201d said Rep. DeSantis. \u201cBy exposing these secret settlements and by discontinuing using tax dollars to pay for\u00a0member misconduct, this bill will reduce the incentive for bad behavior and bring more accountability to Congress.\u201d\nThe Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act will:\n Require disclosure within 30 calendar days of all settlement payments funded by taxpayers, the reason for the payment and the nature of the allegation, and the member of Congress or congressional staffer implicated in the matter.\n\tProhibit the future use of taxpayer dollars to pay sexual harassment and sexual assault claims against members of Congress and staff.\n\tProhibit members of Congress from using office budgets to camouflage payments.\n\tRequire members of Congress and staff that have ever been named in a sexual harassment or sexual assault settlement paid for by taxpayers to reimburse the U.S. Treasury with interest.\n\tAny individual who received an award may make public statements about the claims notwithstanding the terms of a nondisclosure agreement and nondisclosure agreements cannot be made a condition of any future settlements.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/ammon-news-us-lawmakers-say-jordan-has-earned-world-s-respect-praise-king-s", "Ammon News: US Lawmakers Say Jordan has Earned Worlds Respect, Praise Kings Stabilizing Role in the Region", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "United States lawmakers said their meetings with His Majesty King Abdullah over the past two days were insightful and important, providing a clear vision on conditions in the Middle East.\nIn interviews following their meetings with King Abdullah, the lawmakers said Jordan has earned everyone\u2019s respect and support at Capitol Hill, be they Republicans or Democrats.\n\"We have senators of both parties, and across the political spectrum, and we\u2019re all coming to help Jordan,\" said Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Appropriations.\nIt is worthwhile to meet with His Majesty when he visits Washington, DC, Senator Leahy added.\n\"For someone who sits back here, as much as we study [the region], it is impossible to fully understand it,\" he noted.\nSenator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said: \"Republicans and Democrats are having a hard time reaching an [agreement] on almost anything, except Jordan.\" The King represents a calmness and a sense of reason throughout the Middle East, Senator Graham added.\n\"The role of Jordan is really indispensable. It\u2019s a country that everyone respects,\" he said.\nFor his part, Representative Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chair of the Armed Services Committee at the US House of Representatives, said it is important for the United States to build on its partnership with Jordan in the service of mutual interests.\n\"It is incredibly helpful for members of Congress in the United States, and especially of the Armed Services Committee, to have His Majesty\u2019s insights on the region He has great insight and great experience, and we need to hear that,\" Representative Thornberry added.\nRepresentative Kay Granger (R-Texas), chair of the House Appropriations Defence Subcommittee, said the King is a \"world figure that really is a man of peace, and he\u2019s smart enough to get things done for his country and other countries. I really look up to him, and over the years 10 years that we\u2019ve been meeting, his opinion is very important.\" Representative Granger also stressed the United States\u2019 keenness to support and help Jordan, in order to enable it to deal with the refugee issue.\nJordan is taking in refugees on behalf of the whole world, \"and so we want to be helpful with that issue, as well as many others that Jordan is coming to talk to us about\", she added.\nRepresentative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Nebraska), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programmes, said Jordan stands out \"in terms of leadership and presence, in terms of vision, the ability to achieve peace and being realistic about the difficulties along the way\".\n\"The King presents such clarity and wisdom in his interactions,\" Representative Fortenberry added, stressing the \"deeply valued relationship\" with Jordan, and the \"abiding respect\" for the Jordanian people.\nRepresentative Ted Poe (R-Texas), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation, and Trade, said: \"Jordan is in a troubled neighbourhood. There is tension and conflict all around Jordan.\n\"The United States [is] a friend of Jordan; we need to know exactly how Jordan feels about what's taking place, how they're handling the turmoil in the region, and also what the United States can do to stabilise the region and also help Jordan in [the] peace process.\" \"I think it's imperative that United States continue to help Jordan, not only politically, but certainly militarily in areas that we can agree on where Jordan needs assistance,\" the lawmaker continued.\nSenator Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said the United States appreciates the role that His Majesty plays \"in helping stabilise a very unstable region\", noting that whenever the King holds meetings at Congress, discussions address \"the great relationship we have between our countries\".\n\"I have personally visited the refugee camps in Jordan, and I have seen how the people of Jordan themselves have welcomed these refugees into their own homes [and] the burden that is placed on water supplies and schools and healthcare,\" Senator Corker added.\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=53B3E352-BB37-482F-BB6D-F2E5427A2F0F", "Fischer Applauds EPAs  Renewable Volume Obligations Rule for 2018", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the finalized 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) and 2019 biomass-based diesel volumes under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):\r\n\r\nThe volumes released today provide greater clarity for Nebraskas agriculture producers and the innovators focused on the future of biofuels. I appreciate Administrator Pruitts continued commitment to rural America. This final rule will spur investment in Americans who feed the world and provide renewable solutions for our nations energy needs.\r\n\r\nUnder the final rule, the EPA set the total renewable fuel volume mandate at 19.29 billion gallons. This includes 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel and 4.29 billion gallons of advanced biofuel.\r\n\r\nNebraska is the second largest ethanol producing state in the nation. The state has 25 ethanol plants that have the capacity to produce more than 2 billion gallons annually. Ethanol contributes $5 billion to Nebraskas economy each year and provides Nebraskans with more than 1,300 full-time jobs.\r\n\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=AB70BE97-20A2-4D34-8008-8597B397D729", "Fischer Statement on Chief Judge Smith Camps Senior Status Announcement", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement today after Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp announced she will take senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska effective December 1, 2018:\r\n\r\nChief Judge Laurie Smith Camp is a role model for all Nebraskans. On the Nebraska federal bench, she has served the people of our state with integrity and excellence. Her professionalism leaves a legacy for all jurists who will succeed her to follow. I wish my friend all the best.\r\n\r\nSenators Fischer and Sasse will soon announce the application process for Nebraskans interested in filling Chief Judge Smith Camps vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=23017C2C-3355-4D96-A41A-311440FC8F1A", "Sasse Statement on Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement regarding Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp\u2019s announcement that she would take senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska effective December 2018.\r\n\"Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp has faithfully served Nebraskans and we wish her all the best. In the coming weeks, as we look to fill her seat, we\u2019ll be looking for men and women of integrity who are also committed to the Constitution and the rule of law.\"\r\nSenators Sasse and Fischer will soon announce the application process for Nebraskans interested in filling Chief Judge Smith Camp\u2019s vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-named-house-homeland-security-committee", "Rep. Bacon Named to House Homeland Security Committee", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) was selected as the newest member of the House Homeland Security Committee by Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10). Rep. Bacon will sit on the Border and Maritime Security and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection subcommittees.\n\u201cI am pleased to welcome Rep. Don Bacon to the Homeland Security Committee,\u201d said Chairman McCaul. \u201cDon\u2019s nearly 30 years in the Air Force and his experience in cyber security and airborne reconnaissance will prove greatly beneficial to the Committee. He will provide a new and distinct perspective and contribute to our goal of protecting our homeland from all threats.\u201d\u00a0\n\u201cHouse Leadership and Chairman McCaul asked me to join the Homeland Security Committee due to my military experiences in intelligence and electronic warfare, and I thank him for his confidence and selection,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cMy new role on the Committee will allow me to work on security issues at a national level, but also echo the work already being done in Nebraska\u2019s Second Congressional District and the whole state. This includes the research conducted within the University system. I would also like to thank the Small Business Committee and Chairman Steve Chabot for their encouragement and support throughout the 115th Congress.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to learn that Congressman Bacon will serve on the Homeland Security Committee. Research in national security and defense is one of the University of Nebraska\u2019s highest priorities,\u201d said University of Nebraska President Hank M. Bounds. \u201cCongressman Bacon has been a great partner and we look forward to working closely with him to advance our shared goal of strengthening national security to keep our nation and warfighters safe.\u201d\nRep. Bacon also serves on the House Agriculture Committee and House Armed Services Committee.\nThe Homeland Security Committee provides congressional oversight for the Department of Homeland Security and ensures the Department is ran efficiently. The Committee also crafts legislation that protects our nation from attacks, both foreign and domestic, secures our borders, and prevents cyber-attacks.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=BC1BA634-CB8E-4988-8A65-A201DCC2FBB2", "VIDEO: Fischer Highlights Tax Reform Priorities", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view todays speech\r\nWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) spoke on the Senate floor today in support of the Senates tax reform proposal. In her remarks, Fischer outlines her main priorities during the tax cut and tax reform legislative process in the Senate. These priorities include delivering relief to the middle class, unleashing small business growth, and making our country competitive globally.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischers full floor remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.\r\n\r\nM. President, I rise today to speak about tax reform, which is so important for families in Nebraska and throughout this country.\r\n\r\nThe last time Congress comprehensively reformed the tax code was 1986.\r\n\r\nWe all agree reform is long overdue.\r\n\r\nMy priorities for tax reform have always been threefold: delivering relief to the middle class, unleashing small business growth, and making our country competitive globally.\r\n\r\nThis bill before us accomplishes these goals.\r\n\r\nAmerican families have struggled over the past decade, and too many in our country have found themselves living paycheck to paycheck.\r\n\r\nWages for workers have stagnated while the price of goods and services have continued to climb.\r\n\r\nThings are only just starting to turn around.\r\n\r\nAs I have traveled across my state, Nebraskans have begun to tell me they are finally feeling confident about the economy again.\r\n\r\nThat needs to continue, and the best way to do it is by putting more money back into the pockets of regular Americans.\r\n\r\nThis bill does that in one of the best ways possible: by doubling the standard deduction and protecting the first $24,000 married couples earn, and the first $12,000 individuals earn, from federal taxes.\r\n\r\nIncreasing the standard deduction is pro-family and helps to foster the American Dream.\r\n\r\nIt not only leads to Americans keeping more of their hard-earned money, but it also means that simplifying the code will help them save money in tax preparation, as well.\r\n\r\nAccording to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, a married couple with two kids, making $85,000 per year, will see their taxes decrease by $2,224.\r\n\r\nThis reform provides money that will allow Americans to plan for the future and pay billsit can be a down payment on a house or be put away for future college tuition or retirement.\r\n\r\nIt gives millions of earners more empowerment to use these savings for their lives as they see fit.\r\n\r\nSimplifying the code isn't the only family-focused provision included in this legislation, however.\r\n\r\nThe Senate bill doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child.\r\n\r\nAccording to the Department of Agriculture, parents of a child born in 2015 are likely to spend more than $233,000 raising a child to age 17.\r\n\r\nThat doesnt even include college tuition. Doubling the child tax credit will allow families to keep up to an additional $4,000 every year if they have two children or more.\r\n\r\nThis credit builds a stronger future by helping families all across our country keep more money to raise happy and healthy children.\r\n\r\nIn addition to these changes, this legislation will preserve many other popular deductions.\r\n\r\nThis includes the charitable deduction, medical expense deduction, the student-loan interest deduction, the mortgage-interest deduction, and the low-income housing tax credit.\r\n\r\nThis bill also continues popular savings programs, such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts.\r\n\r\nThese saving incentives are key tools that allow individuals to provide for their families and prepare for retirement. It empowers Americans to plan ahead.\r\n\r\nThere are also common-sense provisions in this bill that have been overlooked during the current debate.\r\n\r\nThese are changes everyone here can agree are long overdue.\r\n\r\nFor example, this reform takes away the tax-exempt status for professional sports leagues.\r\n\r\nWe all love sports, but professional sports leagues like the NFL and PGA shouldn't be allowed to use exemptions for non-profits to avoid paying taxes.\r\n\r\nThese are for-profit leagues where commissioners make tens of millions of dollars.\r\n\r\nThey should be treated for what they are: money-making enterprises.\r\n\r\nI also want to take the time to address a misconception.\r\n\r\nSome have argued that this bill will tax the tuition waivers graduate students receive from their universities as part of attending to their studies.\r\n\r\nThere is no such provision. Ph.D. research is a staple of higher education and drives our nation's innovation.\r\n\r\nIt helps us better understand our world and often leads to incredible technological advancements.\r\n\r\nWe in the Senate support graduate studies and none of us want to make it more difficult to obtain graduate degrees or do research at the highest level.\r\n\r\nWe will not be taxing you for tuition you don't pay while earning a masters or doctorate degree.\r\n\r\nThere are some other important provisions in this bill that havent gotten the attention they deserve, and I want to take a moment to discuss some of them.\r\n\r\nThe Senate tax reform retains nearly all of the education incentives that are present in the current tax code for students and teachers.\r\n\r\nFor example, we keep the Hope Credit, which allows taxpayers a credit of up to $2,500, per student, per year, for qualified tuition or related expenses.\r\nWe also keep both the Coverdell and 529 education savings accounts.\r\n\r\nThese accounts promote saving for school and help parents prepare for future tuition.\r\n\r\nFinally, we double the educator deduction, which helps teachers make their classrooms as friendly for learning as possible.\r\n\r\nThis is a pro-education tax reform bill that acknowledges education is a key to our country's future success.\r\n\r\nM. President, we must also recognize that our economy has changed over the last few decades and our tax code must catch up with the times.\r\n\r\nWe have the chance to make history with this reformone that will help working families.\r\n\r\nMy Strong Families Act, which is included in the legislation, would be the first nationwide paid family leave policy in American history.\r\n\r\nIf we want to build a better future for our children, we must tackle problems for families juggling responsibilities between the home and workplace.\r\n\r\nThis plan has the potential to make life much easier for working families across our country by providing a tax credit as large as 25 percent for employers who offer up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to their employees.\r\n\r\nUnder programs set up by employers, employees would be able to take an hour, a day, or weeks off for purposes like taking a sick child or an ailing parent to a doctors appointment.\r\n\r\nThey could also take maternity or paternity leave to bond with a newborn or recently adopted child.\r\n\r\nIn 21st-century America, the number of dual-income households is on the rise. According to the Department of Labor, 70 percent of mothers with children under 19 participate in the labor force, with over 75 percent employed full-time.\r\n\r\nFor those without the means to take unpaid time off, the burdens of caregiving are a real burden.\r\n\r\nA recent study from the Pew Research Center found that most individuals who make higher salaries usually have access to some kind of paid family leave, but those making less than that are not always covered.\r\n\r\nThis is why my paid family leave plan limits eligibility to those earning below $72,000 per year. We want these benefits to target hourly and lower-salaried workers. We want to increase access to paid family leave for those who need it most.\r\n\r\nWhile my friends on the other side of the aisle focus on the stick approach to paid family leave, pushing mandates or the creation of new government programs, this bill pursues the carrot approach.\r\n\r\nAnd Americans agree with us. A recent study showed that 87 percent of Americans supported a limited government approach that enables employers to provide the benefit themselves.\r\n\r\nIt's not hard to understand why. The plan balances the needs of 21st-century workers with the real-world challenges small businesses face today.\r\n\r\nEric Dinger, the CEO of a Lincoln startup named Powderhook, put it best.\r\n\r\nHe told me: I want to offer my employees paid leave, but a mandate forcing me to do so would be hard.\r\n\r\nI have to make payroll. [The Strong Family Act] is much more workable and wouldnt provide a disincentive to hire anyone.\r\n\r\nAnother of my constituents, Alison Ritter, an employee at Applied Systems, Inc. in Lincoln, Nebraska, is helping her companys leadership develop a paid leave policy.\r\n\r\nIn reaction to my bill being included in the tax reform proposal before us, she told me that, This concept would change the game for many newborn babies and their parents, allowing them the time they need to bond and establish a nursing routine without as much of the stress and guilt they face today.\r\n\r\nIt would provide families with the financial support they need in order to do what's best for their family, but also help businesses that struggle with putting a plan in place due to the financial burden extended absences create.Our country wins when we focus on and invest in healthier families.\r\n\r\nSara Rasby, who is the co-owner of Lotus House of Yoga, which has locations across Nebraska, agreed.\r\n\r\nIt is refreshing to see a policy that supports the family and small business unit,\" she said, \"As co-owner of a small business and a mother of two young children, I know firsthand how challenging it can be without paid leave.\r\n\r\nA mother and/or family needs time to adjust and bond....This bill will help parents, families, and small business owners be more at ease with the transitions and changes that come with maternity leave.\r\nAdditionally, it will create more community awareness on the importance of supporting the family structure through policy.\r\n\r\nWe need to get this done for people like Eric, Alison, Sara, and other business owners, caregivers, and working parents throughout the country.\r\n\r\nM. President, I also said my goal in this process is to promote policies that will ensure small businesses succeed.\r\n\r\nThere are over 29 million small businesses throughout our country, and these small firms drive our economy.\r\n\r\nThey have generated over 60 percent of the new jobs created over the last two decades and have made up nearly 98% of our exports.\r\n\r\nThey are often the face of our country to the world.\r\n\r\nThis reform will provide small businesses with additional incentives to invest and grow.\r\n\r\nWhen small businesses make money, they invest it back into their businesses and help grow the local economy.\r\n\r\nPlaces like Lincoln and Omaha are well known to the entrepreneurial community as bustling hubs of innovation.\r\n\r\nThis bill provides a 17.4 percent deduction for the large majority of small businesses, which will lower their tax bills and give them more financial flexibility.\r\n\r\nThe preservation of things like the 1031 like-kind exchanges and stepped-up basis will further help our small businesses, especially agriculture businesses.\r\n\r\nSmall businesses dont have the professional resources to deal with a tax code that comes in at over 74,000 pages.\r\n\r\nSimply doing taxes, let alone paying them, has become a burden on too many of our small companies.\r\n\r\nMoreover, they can't take advantage of all the corporate deductions or little-known loopholes like big companies can.\r\n\r\nThis is not fair. It hurts our competitiveness globally, stifles strong economic growth, and favors big corporations, which have offices full of lawyers and accountants.\r\n\r\nThis tax reform lessens this disparity and deserves support from everyone who wants to promote American entrepreneurialism.\r\nLastly, this legislation goes a long way toward making America competitive internationally.\r\n\r\nA large part of this is lowering the corporate tax rate. At 35 percent, Americas corporate tax rate is a full 13 percentage points higher than the average rate of our competitors from the developed world.\r\n\r\nThis is a big reason why companies are fleeing our shores and choosing to set up their headquarters or invest outside of America.\r\n\r\nThese so-called inversions have been on the rise in recent years, and there is little reason to think that trend will reverse if we stand by and do nothing.\r\n\r\nThis legislation will put us in line with our trading partners, and once again make America an attractive place for business, which will lead to more jobs and higher wages for workers in our country.\r\n\r\nAlthough I am supportive of this bill as it stands today, I also hope we can make some progress on a compromise solution regarding the state and local tax deductions.\r\n\r\nMost Nebraskans will tell you property taxes are too high. I agree.\r\n\r\nThats why I support working together on this issue as we continue to move forward on fixing our broken tax code.\r\n\r\nM. President, overall the tax reform bill before this body is a chance to make the lives of all Americans better.\r\n\r\nBy focusing on relief for middle-class families, allowing small businesses to spend more time and money on their companies rather than the tax code, and making U.S. corporations more competitive globally, we will provide a more prosperous future to our country.\r\n\r\nI urge support from my colleagues.\r\n\r\nThank you, M. President, I yield the floor.\r\n\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2EE56ECF-58C5-48AD-9D4C-D275B1D61F90", "Senators Threaten to Undo Any New CFPB Rules as Director Standoff Continues", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, led a group of nine Senators in announcing their intent to work to invalidate any new rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if Leandra English prevails in her attempts to serve as the bureau\u2019s Acting Director.\r\n\"Unfortunately, this rogue employee is trying to follow former CFPB Director Cordray's example and run the agency as an unaccountable fourth branch of government,\"\u00a0the Senators wrote to Acting Director Mick Mulvaney. \"Should this employee prevail in court and successfully serve as Acting Director, we would support legislative efforts to invalidate any new rules finalized by the agency during this employee\u2019s service, including the use of the Congressional Review Act.\"\n\"We don't have four branches of government \u2013 we have three,\"\u00a0said Senator Sasse separately. \"King Richard can't leave to run for office and handpick his successor without any say from the American people. There's no clause anywhere in the Constitution like that.\"\nLeandra English is the designated representative of former CFPB director Richard Cordray, who left the bureau to pursue political ambitions in Ohio. Last weekend, English filed a lawsuit to block Acting Director Mick Mulvaney who was selected to lead the bureau until the Senate confirms a new director. Yesterday, a federal judge denied English\u2019s request and English is expected to file an appeal.\u00a0\nThe letter to Acting Director Mulvaney was signed by Senators Sasse,\u00a0Isakson, Cruz, Paul, Inhofe, Sullivan, Lee, Wicker, and Enzi.\u00a0\nThe full text of\u00a0the letter\u00a0is found below:\r\nDear Mr. Mulvaney:\nCongratulations on your appointment to serve as Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). We write because we are disturbed by efforts of a rogue CFPB employee to serve as Acting Director of your agency despite President Trump's designation of you as Acting CFPB Director. Unfortunately, this rogue employee is trying to follow former CFPB Director Cordray's example and run the agency as an unaccountable fourth branch of government. Should this employee prevail in court and successfully serve as Acting Director, we would support legislative efforts to invalidate any new rules finalized by the agency during this employee\u2019s service, including the use of the Congressional Review Act. We would also fight to ensure that Congress defunds the CFPB until this employee has relinquished control of the CFPB.\nThis effort to stay on as Acting Director is especially concerning because more is at stake than interpreting the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998. Successful control of the CFPB would give this employee \u2013 as the single head of an independent agency who refuses to answer to the President \u2013 great, unconstitutional power to shape regulatory policy. As a recent Treasury Report argued, the CFPB faces \"few of the traditional checks and balances necessary to restrain regulatory abuses and arbitrary decision-making,\" including the annual appropriations process. As Judge Kavanaugh explained in\u00a0PHH Corporation v. CFPB:\u00a0\r\n[T]he single-Director structure of the CFPB represents a gross departure from settled historical practice. Never before has an independent agency exercising substantial executive authority been headed by just one person.\r\nThese recent events are a clear demonstration of the dangers of the CFPB's unconstitutional, unaccountable structure. We believe in protecting consumers but disagreement about how to do so must not come at the expense of our constitution. Our nation's founders instituted multiple checks and balances on the unrestrained use of executive power. This outrageous attempt to subvert your appointment as Acting Director of the CFPB violates those foundational principles.\u00a0\u00a0\nThank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you as Acting Director of the CFPB.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSincerely,\u00a0  Senator Ben Sasse  Senator Johnny Isakson  Senator Ted Cruz  Senator Rand Paul  Senator James Inhofe\u00a0  Senator Dan Sullivan  Senator Mike Lee  Senator Roger Wicker  Senator Michael Enzi", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-cosponsors-bill-calling-transparency-congressional-hush-fund", "Rep. Bacon Cosponsors Bill Calling for Transparency in Congressional "Hush" Fund", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 When Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany as the new base commander in 2008, he discovered that allegations of sexual assault were high among those serving at the base. He immediately acted to address that issue and is now taking steps to address the same issue in Congress.\n\u201cIt is totally unacceptable that at least $15 million has been paid out to cover up sexual harassment allegations and has been done so without transparency,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u00a0\u201cCitizens deserve to know which elected officials are involved and those who are guilty should have to pay the fines- not the taxpayer. \u00a0Congress should set the standard.\u201d\nTo set the standard, Rep. Bacon is a cosponsor of Congresswoman Jackie Speier's bill, H.R. 4396 the\u00a0Member and Employee Training and Oversight On (ME TOO) Congress Act. \u00a0This bill will give transparency to citizens when payments are made, makes Members of Congress responsible for payments, and requires sexual harassment prevention training for all Members of Congress and staff. \u00a0It will prohibit the imposition of non-disclosure agreements unless all parties agree to it as part of a negotiated settlement.\n\u201cAs a five-time commander in the Air Force, I vigorously took actions to fight sexual assault and provide a safe and respectful environment for all Airmen,\u201d added Rep. Bacon. \u201cWhen I was base commander at Ramstein Air Base, I implemented a two-step solution to address the problem. First, all rape accusers, if willing to testify, should have their day in court. Second, those convicted of rape would have their names and prison sentences distributed widely around base. This program was later ranked by the Air Force as its number one sexual assault program.\u201d\nRep. Bacon is also a cosponsor of a House Resolution, introduced by Rep. Speier and Rep. Barbara Comstock requiring sexual assault and harassment training for every Member of Congress and staff. Rep. Bacon\u2019s staff have all completed sexual assault and harassment awareness training, including the Congressman himself, prior to the training becoming a requirement.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThis is a non-partisan issue and we must be proactive in combatting sexual assault and harassment,\u201d said Rep.\u00a0Bacon. \u201cI am glad to support both pieces of legislation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=E122A13A-A69E-434D-830C-7216601B307F", "Fischer on North Korea Firing Ballistic Missile", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, released the following statement today after reports that North Korea fired a ballistic missile:\r\n\r\nNorth Korea has just launched its 15th ballistic missile of the year. U.S. and South Korean officials are still analyzing the trajectory and the details of this specific launch, but we do know Pyongyang continues to sharpen its capabilities and engage in ongoing nuclear provocation. This pattern of aggressive actions by the North Koreans further underscores the importance of modernizing Americas nuclear forces and investing in our current missile defenses.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-egypt-bombing", "Fortenberry Statement on Egypt Bombing", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lincoln, NE) \u2013 Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today issued the following statement about the terrorist attack on an Egyptian mosque:\n\u201cIn the aftermath of this horrific\u00a0terrorist attack, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to our Egyptian friends. As we mourn with all those who lost their loved ones, especially the families and neighbors of the hundreds of peaceful Sufi worshipers that ISIS\u00a0massacred, we together can know that dark forces will not conquer our common humanity and desire for peaceful relations among all peoples. The United States stands in solidarity with the Egyptian people in their shock and sorrow.\"\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. He is Co-Chair of the Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus, and Co-Chair of the Congressional Friends of Egypt Caucus.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-releases-statement-small-business-saturday", "Rep. Bacon Releases Statement on Small Business Saturday", "2017-11-25", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "OMAHA, NE- Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement regarding Small Business Saturday:\n\u00a0\u201cSmall businesses are a vital part of Nebraska and our nation\u2019s economies. Nationwide, there are over 29 million small businesses and the latest statistics show Nebraska is home to nearly 170,000 small businesses employing 394,000 people. Small business owners epitomize the American spirit and are hardworking, determined, inventive individuals who employ nearly half of our nation\u2019s private sector employees. H.Res.603, Recognizing November 25, 2017, as \"Small Business Saturday\" and supporting efforts to increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses, encourages all to shop locally and increase the awareness of the impact that small businesses in Nebraska\u2019s Second Congressional District and throughout the nation have in our communities.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/tax-reform-benefits-agriculture", "Tax Reform Benefits Agriculture", "2017-11-24", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The House passage of the tax reform bill is an important milestone, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The Senate is currently considering its version of the bill, and then the two chambers will come together and settle the differences through a conference committee. \u00a0\n\tOur goal is to reduce the tax burden for all Americans. For individuals and families, the House bill simplifies the rate structure, doubles the standard deduction, and allows nine out of 10 filers to submit their tax returns on a postcard. It also lowers rates on small businesses, including a nine percent rate for businesses earning less than $75,000. Considering more than 96 percent of Nebraska\u2019s employers are small businesses, this provision can provide a strong boost to our state\u2019s economy.\n\tWith so many meaningful reforms included in the House\u2019s tax code overhaul, I am particularly pleased about the numerous victories for agriculture.\n\tOne of my top priorities as we drafted the bill in the Ways and Means Committee was ensuring producers could continue to deduct property taxes on agricultural land. I fought hard to keep this deduction intact, and I am happy to report it is included in the House bill.\n\tFarmers and ranchers have made great strides in increasing production on a per-acre basis, but land remains a primary input as they work to feed the world. Allowing the property tax on land in production to be deducted as a business cost is vital to their continued success.\n\tRepealing the death tax and keeping stepped-up basis in place are also wins for producers and small business owners in the House bill. While I would prefer to repeal the death tax right away, doubling the exemption until the tax is fully repealed in six years provides immediate relief. Producers should not have to spend their valuable time thinking about which hoops they will have to jump through to continue their operations in future generations.\n\tThe bill also raises the cap on Section 179 expensing to $5 million and allows for full and immediate expensing for five years to help producers make more upfront investments. While these provisions are temporary in the House version, I plan to work toward making them permanent. \u00a0\n\tThe first draft of the bill would have applied self-employment taxes to rental income, including agricultural land. Rental income is rightfully considered passive income, and I was able to help get this provision removed from the final bill to avoid serious repercussions for producers.\n\tI am also aware of concerns from co-ops about repealing the Section 199 deduction for agriculture, as the full provision is repealed in the House bill. Senator Pat Roberts has proposed an amendment to the Senate bill to address this issue by applying a new small business deduction to co-ops, and I look forward to the two chambers working together to address this issue. \u00a0\n\tU.S. producers are the most efficient in the world, and they need a tax code which works for them, not against them. The House bill contains many pro-agriculture provisions, and as tax reform moves forward, I will continue working toward even greater certainty for farmers and ranchers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=AFBEBB37-8B40-4B2A-9910-BB4EE35B7EEA", "Fischer Spends Thanksgiving with NE National Guard  at Guantanamo Bay", "2017-11-23", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, spent Thanksgiving day visiting with members of the Nebraska National Guard stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During the visit, Fischer received mission briefs from Admiral Tidd, the USSOUTHCOM Commander, and Rear Admiral Cashman, the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Commander.\r\nSenator Fischer released the following statement:\r\nIt was an honor to spend Thanksgiving day with members of the Nebraska National Guard currently stationed at Guantanamo Bay. These service members are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, who are far away from their loved ones and the comfort of home this holiday season. Im thankful for the time I spent with these brave men and women today. I join all Nebraskans in thanking them for their sacrifice and service to keep our nation safe.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer serves Thanksgiving lunch with Nebraska troops in Guantanamo Bay.\r\n\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer with members of the Nebraska National Guard.\r\n\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer with Guantanamo Bay senior leadership.\r\n\r\nClick here to download photos from Fischers visit to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-thanksgiving-3", "Fort Report: Thanksgiving", "2017-11-22", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "There was a vote in my office this week and the consensus was: Keep the Fort Report short.\nIn gratitude, I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!\u00a0 It\u2019s Made in America.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=24E3EEFF-D452-4027-BDF2-07E3128C4FC3", "Fischer on EPAs Point of Obligation Announcement", "2017-11-22", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the EPA announced the agency is denying the petition to move the point of obligation from refiners to downstream retailers:\r\nToday President Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt demonstrated their commitment to the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard with this important decision. This is a big victory for rural America. It will provide certainty, not only for hardworking producers in Nebraska and across the Heartland, but also for innovators who have invested in the future of renewable fuels.\r\nSenator Fischer is a strong advocate for renewable fuels. She has been a leading voice for rural America as the administration works to implement the Renewable Fuel Standard.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/norfolk-daily-news-norfolk-catholic-gets-visit-fortenberry", "Norfolk Daily News: Norfolk Catholic gets visit from Fortenberry", "2017-11-21", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Norfolk Catholic high school students got a lesson in government Monday afternoon from U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.\nFortenberry, who represents Nebraska's 1st District in the House of Representatives, not only explained what communities make up his district \u2014 including those in Madison County \u2014 but why the United States' government functions the way it does.\n\"In our modern society we study things, but we aren't deeply connected to their foundations,\" Fortenberry said. \"So to try to unpack for young people the history of our country, the meaning of the sacrifice that so many people gave before us, and the construct of government that I now live on their behalf to me is very exciting and interesting.\"\nFortenberry spoke about why the United States functions as a democracy \u2014 as opposed to a monarchy \u2014 and why every U.S. citizen has certain unalienable rights \u2014 life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He also touched on why local government handles certain laws and regulations while the federal government focuses on others.\nNear the end of his presentation, when students were allowed to ask questions, it led to some interesting discussion.\n\"Like most students, they're adjusting \u2014 'Who is this, why are you here?' And after a time, they warm up and ask very interesting questions,\" Fortenberry said after his presentation had concluded.\nSome questions were personal, like what are his hobbies and where does he reside. But many hit on hot-button issues in society, like what's the last thing Fortenberry voted on and what are his thoughts on North Korea.\nRespectively, the answers were tax reform and, while it's complicated, Fortenberry hoped a diplomatic approach could be taken with North Korea and its threats to continue to arm itself with nuclear weapons.\n\"You can see the conversation move to be much more reflective about the issues of today,\" he said.\nSome students were even interested in how to pursue a career in politics, to which Fortenberry answered: Get an education and pursue internships or page positions with local politicians.\nFortenberry's hope, he said, was that students walked away Monday with a deeper understanding of what America means.\n\"All people have an inherent dignity and rights and we have a shared responsibility for ourselves for the rights that we enjoy, but also for others,\" Fortenberry said. \"That's the basis of our government and our culture. That's why it presents itself as so attractive to so many people because not everyone has that true liberty.\"\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/wishing-nebraskans-blessed-thanksgiving", "Wishing Nebraskans a Blessed Thanksgiving", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Over these past few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I have been working day after day on tax reform. The House\u2019s historic vote on November 16 to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was a crucial step closer to a simpler, fairer tax code.\n\tI am thankful we were able to come together and pass this important pro-growth legislation for the good of our country. Middle-income folks have been squeezed for far too long by an outdated, overly complex tax system, and this overhaul will help Americans keep more of their own money. There is more work to do, but we are on the right track to get a bill on President Trump\u2019s desk by the end of this year.\n\tAs grateful as I am to see tax reform moving forward, there are many other reasons to be thankful this season!\n\tFirst and foremost, I am thankful for my wife, Andrea, and our newborn son, Ezekiel. Parenthood has been an experience unlike any other, and no matter what happens on a given day in Congress, I always look most forward to the time I get to spend holding my son.\n\tLiving in the greatest country in the world is a privilege we should be thankful for every day. Despite the vitriol which unfortunately has become all too common in politics, we still witnessed a peaceful transition of power from one political party to another after last year\u2019s presidential election. This is such a rare occurrence throughout the world. The freedoms we enjoy in this country are second to none, and I am proud and grateful to be an American.\n\tI am grateful for the men and women of our military who are spending their holiday season defending our freedoms. We owe all who have served a debt we cannot repay, but we should take every opportunity to show them our appreciation.\n\tI am grateful to the farmers and ranchers who work tirelessly each day to put high-quality food on our tables and feed the world. When we share our Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends, we have many producers to thank for making it possible.\n\tI am grateful to be a sixth-generation Nebraskan and for the privilege of representing the Third District in the U.S. House. Thank you for the trust you have placed in me to be your voice in Congress. I will continue to be an advocate for smaller government, strengthening rural America, and focusing on real solutions.\n\tOn the subject of thankfulness, I would appreciate the opportunity to hear from you. Our country faces many challenges, but there is also much to celebrate \u2013 and I would like to share a Thankful Third District roundup on my website and in my e-newsletter. Please send me a note at AdrianSmith.house.gov/TellAdrian to tell me what you are giving thanks for this year. \u00a0\n\tAlso, if you have not yet subscribed to my weekly e-newsletter, you can do so on my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/Newsletter.\n\tTo all Nebraskans, our family wishes you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-our-military", "Fort Report: Our Military", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On one occasion, I was reviewing one of our major strategic assets, and frankly, I was surprised by the age of the equipment.\u00a0 Then something caught my eye.\u00a0 Among the various sophisticated components, I saw a roll of duct tape.\u00a0 With a bit of a smile, I said to the crewman, \"Really?\u00a0 The handyman's secret weapon, even here?\"\u00a0\nOur military is something we understand.\u00a0 It\u2019s something we can count on.\u00a0 And it\u2019s something that's importantly and significantly emphasized.\u00a0 Our military also needs the right resources for one reason: to keep us safe. \u00a0\nHere's the problem.\u00a0 According to our military leadership, our armed forces are \u201coutranged, outgunned, outdated.\u201d\u00a0 Only three of our 58 brigade combat teams are ready to \u201cfight tonight.\u201d\u00a0 More than half of all Naval aircraft is grounded awaiting needed parts or maintenance.\u00a0 The average U.S. Air Force aircraft is 27 years old.\u00a0 This all means, per General Daniel Allyn, Army Vice Chief of Staff, that \u201cwe will be too late to need,\u201d risking \u201cexcessive casualties to civilians and to our forces who are already forward stationed.\u201d\nFortunately, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate just passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to rebuild our worn-out military by increasing naval strength, better equipping ground forces, and improving aviation readiness.\u00a0 The bill also dramatically improves military infrastructure, from barracks to hospitals to hangars to runways.\u00a0 Given North Korea and other threats, missile defense is prioritized.\u00a0 Our troops will get a raise.\u00a0 And the Pentagon, for the first time, will be audited to ensure appropriate use of dollars.\nMilitary preparedness, in partnership with nimble diplomacy, are the measurables by which we traditionally judge our capacities.\u00a0 However, preparing our military and diplomatic corps to respond to 21st century threats is only half the equation. For our policies to be successful in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, the body of the republic has to be fortified by exercising our internal strengths as well.\u00a0 The successful projection of our ideals matters. Values matter.\u00a0 Character matters.\u00a0 And economic opportunity matters.\nA healthy economy, where there's real opportunity to do things, where taxes are fair, regulations are reasonable, and where we are not competing against unfair, exploitative globalized interests, engenders an optimistic outlook for ourselves, our families, and our country.\u00a0 When we are connected in community, when we embrace and model the perennial principles that hold our country together, we enable a full, confident, and authentic projection through business, culture, and science.\u00a0 When our humanitarian impulse is thoughtfully applied, as it has so often of late in the many disasters and tragedies that have hit, we find our north star and guiding force.\u00a0 This is the narrative of a fortified America.\nAnother military anecdote. A commanding general and I went down the line speaking with each member of well-trained crew in a highly sensitive area of our defense capabilities.\u00a0As we got to one young crew member, the general asked, \u201cWhere are you from?\u201d \u00a0 She hesitated, and then said, \"Where I am from originally, sir?\" \u00a0 \"Yes, originally, where are you from?\" the general asked.\u00a0 She paused and hesitatingly said, \"Russia.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\nI think you can imagine our surprise.\u00a0 The general then replied, \"Well, I wasn't expecting to hear that.\"\u00a0 She then said, \"I was born in Russia, but I was adopted by American parents when I was young.\u00a0 I'm so grateful to this country for giving me a chance that I wanted to give something back. So, I joined the United States military.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\nThe general and I were amazed.\u00a0 This scene could not have been scripted.\u00a0 But it is the script of America's story and strength.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=37B27E9C-92AE-4D8C-93CE-7C855FA0B34D", "Sasse Statement on Kelly Nomination", "2017-11-17", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the White House's announcement\u00a0this morning of Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly's nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney for Nebraska.\r\n\u201cJoe Kelly is a proven public servant with the humility and honesty that Nebraskans demand and respect. I look forward to working with Joe as he moves through the Judiciary Committee toward confirmation.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-praises-house-passage-tax-reform", "Smith Praises House Passage of Tax Reform", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Smith spoke on the House floor to highlight the benefits of tax reform and urge passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.\nCongressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which the House passed today to overhaul America\u2019s tax code for the first time in 31 years.\n\t\u201cToday we took a historic vote to establish a simpler, fairer tax code for all Americans,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe have had more than 40 hearings and spent nearly seven years getting this right. This isn\u2019t the final step, but it is a huge milestone \u2013 and a victory for so many Americans who have been struggling to make ends meet or grow their businesses or find a job.\u00a0 \n\u201cThese comprehensive reforms will enable nine out of 10 taxpayers to file their taxes on a form the size of a postcard and level the playing field for U.S. businesses to compete in the global economy, which means more jobs and higher wages. Individuals and families will be able to keep more of their own money with across-the-board cuts and simplified compliance.\n\u201cI have said Congress does not look to the future often enough, but today\u2019s vote defies this trend and will lead to greater opportunity for generations to come. With President Trump\u2019s strong support, I\u2019m glad we were able to come together and get this done for the good of our country.\u201d\n\tClick here for Smith\u2019s November 9 column on tax reform.  Click here for Smith\u2019s statement when the bill passed the Ways and Means Committee. \u00a0  Click here for Smith\u2019s statement when the bill was introduced.\n\tSmith is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-tax-reform-bill", "House Passes Tax Reform Bill", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined his House colleagues in passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act today, and released the following statement:\n\u201cToday, the United States House of Representatives took a big step to deliver Americans the\u00a0tax relief they deserve. This tax reform will let the majority of working families keep more of their hard-earned money.\u00a0Taxpayers will also\u00a0spend less\u00a0time and money filing\u00a0their\u00a0taxes\u00a0under a streamlined tax code with a standard deduction that is doubled, which will protect more Americans\u2019 paychecks from taxes. For small business owners who have struggled to compete and succeed due to burdensome taxes, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowers the tax rate to 25%; the lowest tax rate on small businesses since World War II. American businesses of all sizes will be able to compete in a global economy with a reduction in the corporate tax rate from the highest rate in the industrialized world at 35% to 20%.\u00a0This legislation is a significant measure in ensuring our nation\u2019s taxpayers and families will have the opportunity to succeed and businesses will have the prospect of reaching their full economic potential.\u00a0 There are several areas I think still need to be fine-tuned, but this vote today takes us clearly in the right direction.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-house-passing-tax-reform", "Fortenberry Statement on House Passing Tax Reform", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lincoln, NE) \u2013 Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today issued the following statement after the United States House of Representatives passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.\n\u201cThis is a constructive attempt at broad tax reform to help hardworking American families, revive our small business sector, and empower the Made in America label. It will help address the disruption of globalism, the stagnation of entrepreneurial energy on Main Street, and put money in the pockets of men and women striving to build a better future for their children.\n\u201cWhile input will continue over certain points in the bill, the overall movement toward simplification\u2014with an eye toward fairness for all\u2014is a substantive improvement on a tax system that has favored large, complex interests.\n\u201cThis debate has not rehashed previous sterile, ideological battles. For example, the top rate is maintained for the ultra-wealthy\u2014while for the vast majority of other groups it has gone down. The legislation is a serious effort to support the wellbeing of persons and our nation.\u201d\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee.\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-introduction-beginning-farmer-and-rancher", "Fortenberry Statement on Introduction of Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lincoln, NE) \u2013 Last week, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) introduced the bipartisan Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\u201cI am pleased to offer exciting new legislation that will empower our next generation of farmers and ranchers,\u201d said Fortenberry. \u201cThis bill builds upon the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2013 by improving access to affordable farmland, federal crop insurance, and educational programs. It further supports dynamic opportunities for young Americans who want to lead transformational initiatives from agricultural urbanism to farm-to-table movements, as well as partnerships between retiring farmers and ranchers and the rising generation.\u201d\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee. Debate on the next Farm Bill is anticipated for 2018.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=4C0F4136-F9A3-4B08-95F5-447645A6339A", "Defense Authorization Bill Passes Congress", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view todays speech\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON  Today, the U.S. Senate passed the conference report for the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by voice vote. The bill now heads to President Donald Trumps desk for signature into law. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, helped advance key provisions of this bill and served on the NDAA conference committee.\r\n\r\nToday Congress is sending bipartisan legislation to the presidents desk that will provide our military with the resources they need to keep the American people safe. I had the great privilege of working on this legislation every step of the way: in the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, in the full Senate Armed Services Committee, on the Senate floor, and as a conferee. The legislation is a critical step toward rebuilding our military, something our commanders agreed is sorely needed, and gives our troops the biggest pay raise in eight years. It also includes important provisions to strengthen missile defense and modernize our nuclear forces, key priorities to ensure we stay ahead of the threats our nation faces, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nCongress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act every year for 55 years.\r\n\r\nKey Provisions Included in the FY 18 NDAA Conference Report:\r\n\r\nRestoring Military Readiness\r\n\r\n \r\nAuthorizes over $26 billion to address unmet requirements identified by the military services and our combatant commanders, and provides additional resources to\r\nIncreases the size of the active-duty force above President Trumps request by 9,500.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nA Pay Raise for our Troops\r\n\r\n \r\nAuthorizes a 2.4% pay raise for our troops, the biggest increase in eight years.\r\n \r\n\r\nStaying Ahead of the Threats of Tomorrow\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nAuthorizes more than $500 million in additional funding to support the Department of Defenses Third Offset Strategy and improve U.S. military technological superiority, including:\r\n\r\nNearly $300 million to enhance the development of hypersonic  and directed  energy weapons. These were two key areas of focus when Senator Fischer chaired the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee last Congress.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nPrioritizing Cybersecurity\r\n\r\n \r\nAdds more than $1.7 billion for cyber-related operations, including:\r\n\r\nOver $250 million to improve readiness and training for cyber forces.\r\n$10 million to bolster efforts begun during Senator Fischers tenure as chairman of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee to improve the resiliency of weapons systems to withstand cyberattack.\r\nRequiring the Department of Defense to undertake the first-ever Cyber Posture Review, which will evaluate the militarys policy and capabilities in the cyber domain.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOther provisions under the jurisdiction of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, which Senator Fischer chairs:\r\n\r\nStrengthening Missile Defense\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nAuthorizes an additional $4.4 billion above the Presidents original budget request for missile defense programs. including:\r\nExpanding the capacity of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense  or GMD  system to protect the homeland from growing ICBM threats;\r\nPurchasing additional Aegis, THAAD, and Patriot interceptors to bolster regional missile defenses;\r\nIncreasing investment in next-generation technology and sensor capabilities.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nMeeting the Needs of Space Operations\r\n\r\n \r\nContains reasonable reforms to our military space enterprise that are designed to achieve a more streamlined and agile system that is more responsive to the needs of our warfighters.\r\n \r\n\r\nModernizing Americas Nuclear Forces\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\nFully supports ongoing efforts to modernize our nuclear forces and the Department of Energys nuclear enterprise.\r\nProvides $150 million in additional funding to help address the backlog of maintenance activities at our nuclear facilities. More than half of these facilities are over 40 years old, and roughly 30% date back to the era of the Manhattan Project.\r\nClick here to view Senator Fischers floor speech on NDAA\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=09BF2B7E-7839-43A1-B7DB-91C22ECFA1FA", "Sasse to ABA: The American Bar Association is not neutral.", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"The ABA cannot make liberal arguments to the nine members of the Supreme Court and then walk across the street and seriously expect that the hundred members of this body, in the United States Senate will be treating them like unbiased appraisers.\" \r\n\r\nU.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke on the Senate floor about the ABA\u2019s history of liberal advocacy.\r\nText of the Senator's speech is available below:\r\nMr. President, the consideration of federal judges with lifetime appointments is perhaps the most important and long-lasting work this body will do between now and the end of the year. Every senator, Republican and Democrat, took an oath to perform this duty. Nobody took an oath to outsource this duty to any outside organization. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee are apparently willing to hand over their voting cards to the American Bar Association based on the claim that the ABA is an unbiased, indifferent umpire that just calls balls and strikes.\r\nThe American Bar Association is not neutral. The ABA is a liberal organization that has publicly and consistently advocated for left-of-center positions for more than two decades now. The ABA has no right to special treatment by members of this body. It's pretty simple -- if you're playing in the game, you don't get to cherry pick who the referees are. Take just for a moment a look at the amicus briefs that they have filed in recent years.\r\nIn district of\u00a0Columbia\u00a0v.\u00a0Heller, the ABA supported denying an individual their constitutional right to keep and bear arms.\r\nIn the\u00a0Christian Legal Society\u00a0v.\u00a0Martinez, the ABA supported forcing Christian organizations on campuses to accept members that reject their faith.\r\nIn\u00a0Medellin\u00a0v.\u00a0Texas, the ABA forced states to recognize the judgments of the World Court in order to stop the execution of a gruesome murderer.\r\nIn\u00a0United States\u00a0v.\u00a0Windsor, the ABA supported the recognition of same-sex marriage through judicial fiat rather than through legislative debate.\r\nIn\u00a0Arizona\u00a0v.\u00a0United States, the ABA supported a constitutional ban on state and local law enforcement assisting and enforcing federal immigration laws, and the list goes on.\r\nIn each of these cases, the ABA decided to wade into divisive and contentious issues. This is their right, indeed, but it is definitely not neutral. In each of these cases and many more, the ABA took what can only be described as left-of-center positions. In each of these cases, the ABA was picking a side.\r\nAgain, to be clear, they are absolutely allowed to do this. It is what makes this country great. But it's laughably naive to suggest that they are an objective and neutral organization. They are not. The ABA cannot make liberal arguments to the nine members of the Supreme Court and then walk across the street and seriously expect that the hundred members of this body in the United States Senate will be treating them like unbiased appraisers.\u00a0\r\nThat is essentially what Attorney General Bill Barr said in 1992 when the ABA first began to openly take pro-abortion positions, which, by the way, led to thousands of members quitting in protest because those members knew that the ABA claims to neutrality about political issues were no longer even possibly defensible. Then U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr commented on the ABA's pro-abortion advocacy at the time, and I quote, \u201cby adopting the resolution and thereby endorsing one side of this debate, the ABA will endanger the perception that it is an impartial and objective association.\u201d\r\nTwenty-five years later, Barr's words were right. His words ring true. Again, I want to be perfectly clear. The ABA is allowed to have any view that its members want to have, and they are allowed to advocate and to protest on behalf of those views and on behalf of their members. This is America, and that's exactly what the first amendment is about.\r\nThat is fine, but what's not fine is that the ABA, which is a liberal advocacy organization, would masquerade as a neutral and objective evaluator of judicial candidates. The ABA cannot take blatantly liberal positions on the one hand and then masquerade as a neutral party on the other and then demand a special seat at the table in the Senate Judiciary Committee and in the Senate, in this body, to try to tell us who is and isn't supposedly qualified to be a judge.\u00a0\nJust like the ABA has every right to advance its liberal policy positions, every senator has the right and indeed the duty to give our advice and consent on judicial nominees.\r\nIf senators decide that they like and value the ABA's policy positions and they like and value the ABA's ratings, they are free to give them due deference and consideration. But don't hide behind it. Don't pretend that the ABA is something that it is not. Do not ignore the facts of what the ABA has become. The American people deserve honesty, not thinly veiled partisanship.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/video-smith-%E2%80%9C-time-tax-reform-now%E2%80%9D", "VIDEO: Smith: The Time for Tax Reform is Now.", "2017-11-15", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) spoke on the House floor today to highlight the benefits of tax reform and urge passage of H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A vote by the full House is expected tomorrow.\n\n\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  Smith\u2019s remarks:\n\tMr. Speaker, Chairman Brady, thank you for the time and for your leadership as we continue our efforts to pass this historic legislation.\nMr. Speaker, after nearly seven years of work in the Ways and Means Committee \u2013 and more than 31 years since our last true tax reform, many hearings along the way \u2013 it is time to pass historic, comprehensive tax reform.\nOur current tax code is antiquated, complex, and ignores many of the improvements in competitiveness which have been adopted by every other major economy worldwide.\u00a0 \nThe time for tax reform is now.\nOthers have already outlined many of the highlights of this bill, but I think they warrant mentioning again.\u00a0 \nSimplified compliance and rates for individuals and families means more than 95 percent of Americans will be able to file their returns on a postcard.\nLower rates for small businesses recognize the important role they play as job creators in our economy.\nA 20 percent top corporate tax rate and transitioning to a territorial system will ensure our businesses remain competitive with the rest of the world.\nIn addition to lower rates, expanded expensing will further encourage entrepreneurs to invest in capital to grow their businesses.\nAnd full repeal of the death tax, including the continuation of stepped-up basis, will ensure our nation\u2019s farmers, ranchers, and small manufacturers can continue creating opportunity for generations to come without the threat of double taxation.\nOur tax code shouldn\u2019t reward businesses and investors because they hired accountants and lawyers to help them avoid taxes, and the estate tax does exactly that right now.\nI think it is equally important to praise what the bill leaves alone in the tax code.\nWith our impending entitlement crisis, we want Americans to save everything they can for retirement. This bill leaves those incentives intact.\nIt also excludes a proposal, which had initially been included in the bill, to apply self-employment taxes to rental income. This could have had serious repercussions for ag land rental and I am glad it was dropped.\nAnd I particularly appreciate how this bill continues the deductibility of state and local taxes for businesses, including farmers and ranchers. U.S. producers have made great strides in increasing production on a per-acre basis, but land remains a primary input as they work to feed the world. Ensuring the property tax on land in production remains deductible as a business cost is vital to their continued success.\u00a0 \nThis is the moment to finally provide the tax relief Americans have been asking for \u2013 and to make our country competitive again. I urge the passage of this pro-growth bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=7EDA1095-8BC9-45A5-A63A-9CDB787AF4A7", "Fischers Paid Leave Plan Included in Chairmans Tax Reform Mark", "2017-11-15", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has released a new tax reform plan, which includes U.S. Senator Deb Fischers (R-Neb.) paid leave proposal, the Strong Families Act.\r\n\r\nI am thrilled Chairman Hatch adopted my paid family leave proposal in his tax reform markup. This is a big step toward enacting the first nationwide paid leave policy in U.S. history.\r\n\r\nFor the four years Ive been working on this plan, my goal has always been to balance the workplace challenges of employers with the needs of 21st-century working men and women. By encouraging flexible work arrangements, this proposal would allow workers to take leave on an hourly basis so they could care for a sick child or take an elderly parent to a doctors appointment. It also would cover maternity and paternity leave for biological and adoptive parents.\r\nImportantly, the measure is also targeted to those who need it most: lower-to-middle income and hourly workers. The plan sets a limit on the salary-level eligible for the credit, which would expand access to paid family leave for workers who currently dont have it.\r\n\r\nI thank Chairman Hatch for his support, and I look forward to continuing these efforts to make a positive difference in the lives of working families across this nation, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nIn March, a Pew Research report found that 87% of Americans favor Senator Fischers solution for paid leave. The American Action Forums analysis of the study noted that Americans are extremely supportive of her approach.\r\n\r\nStatements of support for Senator Fischers paid family leave plan:\r\n\r\nThis concept would change the game for many newborn babies and their parents, allowing them the time they need to bond and establish a nursing routine without as much of the stress and guilt they face today. It would provide families with the financial support they need in order to do what's best for their family, but also help businesses that struggle with putting a plan in place due to the financial burden extended absences create. Failures in the family unit are the root of many of our problems in this country, and I believe anything we can do to help families get off on the right footing will manifest in long-term benefits. In this case, the employee gets the time they need and the employer bears less burden. Our country wins when we focus on and invest in healthier families, said Alison Ritter, an employee at Applied Systems, Inc. in Lincoln, Nebraska. Alison is helping her companys leadership develop a paid leave policy.\r\n\r\n\"I want to offer my employees paid leave, but a mandate forcing me to do so would be hard. I have to make payroll. Senator Fischers approach is much more workable and wouldn't provide a disincentive to hire anyone,\" said Eric Dinger, the CEO of Powderhook in Lincoln, Nebraska.\r\n\r\n\"Balancing work and family responsibilities can be a big struggle for workers, particularly for women. Most companies want to help workers and provide support, and the Strong Families Act will make it easier for them to do so. By creating a 25 percent tax credit for the costs of providing paid leave benefits, this bill will encourage more companies to give workers paid time off, which will make it easier for parents to take care of sick children, and workers to assist with aging parents as well as attend to their own health issues. We applaud Senator Fischer for taking this approach, which focuses on encouraging private action, rather than creating a one-size-fits-all government solution or mandate that often backfires on the people we most want to help,\" said Carrie Lukas, Vice President, Independent Women's Voice.\r\n\r\nClick here to read the paid family leave language in the Chairmans mark.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-passes-conference-report-accompany-2018-ndaa", "House Passes Conference Report to Accompany 2018 NDAA", "2017-11-14", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the House passed the conference report to accompany the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 356-70.\u00a0\n\u201cToday, I joined my House colleagues in sending a strong bipartisan message to the American people that restoring our military readiness is a national priority,\u201d\u00a0said Rep. Bacon.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAs a member of the Conference Committee for this important legislation, I am pleased by the strong consensus we have forged in Congress to repair the damage done to our Armed Forces.\u201d\nCongressman Bacon was the only freshman member of the House of Representatives to be named as a House Armed Services Committee NDAA Conferee.\u00a0\nThe 2018 NDAA:\u00a0\n- Authorizes nearly $700B for national defense, an increase of $26B above the President\u2019s request.\n- Increases military end-strength for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps by a total of 19,000 personnel.\u00a0\n- Authorizes an increase of $26B to fund readiness enhancements for aviation, ground and naval forces, missile defense, and munitions stockpiles.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n- Authorizes the full 2.4% pay increase, and extends special pay and retention bonuses for service members.\n- Permanently preserves Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance payments for surviving military spouses.\n-\u00a0Provides the resources necessary for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria to combat ISIS and other terrorist organizations.\n- Increases funding for the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) to support our European allies and deter Russia.\n- Reaffirms the U.S. deterrence commitments to Japan and South Korea and continues to invest in ballistic missile defense capabilities to defend U.S. territories and our allies from potential threats from North Korea.\n- Continues to reform acquisition at the Pentagon by increasing efficiencies through enhanced competition and oversight.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=53A5208A-8F79-49DD-9003-D5D8329817F2", "VIDEO: Fischer at Hearing on Ag Technology", "2017-11-14", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view the exchange.\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today participated in a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing entitled Technology in Agriculture: Data-Driven Farming. Todays hearing focused on the importance of agricultural technology advancements and the benefits of data analytics to farmers and businesses.\r\n\r\nTodays witnesses included:\r\n Dr. Shannon Ferrell, Associate Professor, Oklahoma State University\r\n Dr. Dorota Haman, Professor and Chair, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Florida\r\n Mr. Todd J. Janzen, President, Janzen Agricultural Law, LLC\r\n Mr. Justin Knopf, Farmer, Gypsum, KS\r\n Mr. Jason Tatge, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Farmobile\r\n\r\nFischer is a member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, & Data Security, which convened todays hearing. The hearing follows last weeks subcommittee hearing on the infrastructure needed to promote Internet of Things technologies in rural America, where President and CEO of Lindsay Corp in Omaha, Timothy Hassinger, testified at Senator Fischers invitation.\r\n\r\nBelow is the full transcript of Senator Fischers exchange with witnesses during todays hearing:\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer: Thank you Mr. Chairman and thank you Ranking Member Blumenthal. As a cattle rancher, I thank you for your respect of my privacy. I would like to thank both of you for calling the hearing today so we can focus on managing that big data, with new technologies for our nations farmers and ranchers. Not only will this help boost productivity but advancements in digital analytics can improve how we feed our communities and conserve our natural resources. In fact, Tim Hassinger of Lindsay Corporation from Omaha, Nebraska noted at last weeks Internet of Things hearing, that the combined yield enhancement and resource savings from new technologies can increase the American farmers profits by an average of 40 dollars per acre. And I would like to please submit for the record follow-up materials that Lindsay has provided regarding its research on data analytics and irrigation management, Mr. Chairman.\r\n\r\nChairman Moran: No objection.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer: Thank you. Mr. Knopf, in your testimony you describe your farm management operations and what benefit do you see on your farm from implementing big data technology? How do you analyze it? Do you have input from your nutritionist, your equipment dealer, your local co-op? How do you get it all put together?\r\n\r\nMr. Knopf: Thats a good question, theres a lot of information to try and analyze. That answer is going to look different for every individual farm of course and the strengths and talents and passions of that individual farm operator. Some farmers are very passionate about their data, very passionate about precision agriculture, and they want to be very hands on in that process. And those are also the guys that are very passionate about the ownership and transparency of that data, they want an honest server in their office. Theres the other spectrum of farmers and were kind of in the middle, let me say that, theres the other spectrum of farmers and sometimes it changes based on age demographics as well. Ive noticed in my community and in my experience and thinking about our own farm, the older generation is much more private about their data, very unwilling to share it. The younger generation grew up with smartphones and Google is tracking them all the time and telling them things about themselves that they didnt know already, so theyre more used to that. So theres a generational change there as well. For us, were kind of in the middle of, I have an agronomic background from Kansas State, and we have one full time employee that is also an agronomist, and we do most of our data analysis in house. But our data is stored in a software system that is web based and it is subscription based and that was a big change for us three to four years ago, is transitioning our data from being stored in-house to web based which is somewhat of an uncomfortable step because you feel like youre losing control and thats why the transparency is so important. But we are still processing a lot of the data and analyzing a lot of it in house. But there is a growing amount of service providers dealing with that. We collaborate a lot with our land grant, with Kansas State University, a lot of their research we collaborate with and host on our farm so thats a very important collaboration. I appreciate the two representatives here from universities as well.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer: And as you noted in your testimony, the ag economy is in a downward cycle right now, its hurting. I also know that theres a lack of access to broadband and we have a lot of slow downloading speeds. How does that affect your bottom line when you have slow access?\r\n\r\nMr. Knopf: That has a very significant impact, in fact the county we live in is just now receiving fiber-optics ran 2 farms. In fact, its not even hooked up yet, its just being ran right now, being buried. Because, we have a community of about 40-50,000 within our county, but yet there are still a lot of rural parts of the county. So a lot of my colleagues that lived in rural counties in Kansas qualified for grants from the government to help build that initial infrastructure, while our county happened to not qualify because of the urban center within that county, and our broadband, we have some broadband antennas on top of elevators and towers and so forth but it is very unreliable and fairly slow. So that has limited our utilization and access of data, particularly in web-based software platforms, and been an economic disadvantage in utilization of data because we are kind of caught in the middle of that process.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer: Thank you. And thank you, Mr. Chairman.\r\n\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-veterans-day-1", "Fort Report: Veterans Day", "2017-11-10", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Americans have historically united around an enduring principle: our veterans deserve our unwavering respect, love, and gratitude. In the airport one day a large number of troops came off a commercial flight. Suddenly, the entire terminal began to applaud in a spontaneous outpouring of respect and gratitude. It didn\u2019t require an announcement over the public-address system. It just happened. People\u00a0can\u00a0sense things. We can sense division and we can sense when things are right, like when we see our troops or our veterans. Then our instinct emerges to recognize the nobility of self-sacrifice for one another, our country, and its timeless ideals. This week, I spoke before the House of Representatives about a number of issues facing our country, and most essentially, how our veterans, by their example of service, stand dutifully above any division and discord\u2014beyond politics\u2014to what is lasting and good. I invite you to view the full speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFrC6fGN_iM&feature=youtu.be Happy Veterans Day.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=71F90870-E52D-42C2-9AAF-F1E314142EFC", "Fischer: Honor Our Veterans  and Listen to the Stories They Share", "2017-11-10", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement in honor of Veterans Day 2017:\r\nNebraska veterans have amazing stories to tell. They are stories of courage in the face of grave danger and patriotism for the country they love. They remind us that we are united by shared ideals and grateful for the freedoms we enjoy. I hope this Veterans Day, Nebraskans will listen to our veterans stories and thank them for their faithful service.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-tax-reform-bill-passing-committee", "Smith on Tax Reform Bill Passing Committee", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Smith joined Neil Cavuto on Fox Business yesterday to discuss the status of tax reform.Click here to watch the interview.\nCongressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the Ways and Means Committee passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to reform America\u2019s outdated and overly complicated tax code.\n\t\u201cFollowing a week-long markup, in which we openly debated the details of this bill, I am glad to see us take the next step toward meaningful tax reform by passing it out of Committee,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSimplifying 70,000 pages of tax law is no easy task, but Americans are depending on us to get this done.\u00a0 \n\u201cWe made important updates to the bill this week, including provisions which will provide greater relief to farmers and small businesses. This is why we engage in the process \u2013 and why we should not shy away from it.\u00a0 \n\u201cWe anticipate a vote by the full House to quickly follow, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to deliver the tax relief we\u2019ve promised.\u201d\n\tClick here for Smith\u2019s statement when the bill was introduced last week.\n\tSmith is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/tax-reform-moves-forward", "Tax Reform Moves Forward", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Simplifying our broken tax system is no easy task, but we know Americans need relief. \u00a0\n\tThis is why we introduced a bill at the start of November to streamline the tax code and help people keep more of what they earn. We then spent the week of November 6 debating the details in a Ways and Means Committee markup, where the bill is prepared for a vote by the full House. The legislation passed out of Committee with my support, and we anticipate a House vote to quickly follow.\n\tAmericans at all income levels will see tax cuts under this bill, which the head of the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation confirmed on the first day of our markup. Many provisions are designed to help working families, namely the doubling of the standard deduction, increasing the child tax credit, and lowering tax rates across the board. \u00a0\n\tDoubling the standard deduction will significantly increase the zero-tax bracket. Under our bill, a couple\u2019s first $24,000 of income is tax-free, compared to $12,000 today. Filers can also keep the money they would normally spend on tax experts or software, as nine out of 10 Americans will be able to file their taxes on a form the size of a postcard. With this financial boost, families can meet more household needs while saving for the future.\n\tIn addition to helping Americans keep more of their money, this bill also sets the stage for Americans to earn more money. By cutting the tax rate on small businesses to a historic low and reducing the corporate tax rate to 20 percent to allow American companies to compete in the global economy, job creators will be able to add more positions, raise wages, and invest here at home.\n\tOur bill also firmly rejects the idea of death being a taxable event. The death tax runs counter to the American dream, so it is not surprising an April 2017 NPR report found a majority of Americans support repealing it permanently. Our bill phases out the death tax over six years and, in the meantime, doubles the exclusion amount to provide immediate relief.\n\tEliminating the death tax will have a positive ripple effect throughout the economy. Right now, the death tax only represents one half of one percent of all federal revenue. However, the flow of these dollars to the Internal Revenue Service has been a significant drain on economic growth. Our economy has lost out on more than $1.1 trillion in capital since the introduction of the death tax, according to the Joint Economic Committee. \u00a0\n\tAnother study by the Tax Foundation found normal taxation on the amount of capital infused back into the economy by repealing the death tax would more than pay for itself, actually yielding an additional $8 billion in revenue than we have seen with the death tax in place. As Americans for Tax Reform said in response, \u201cYou heard that right \u2013 we\u2019d actually collect more tax revenue if we stopped collecting the death tax.\u201d\n\tWe cannot let this opportunity to boldly reform the tax code pass us by, and people across the country agree. In fact, more than 40 conservative and tax policy organizations signed onto a letter on November 9 declaring the bill \u201ca victory for the middle class.\u201d \u00a0\n\tThere is more work to do, but we are moving in the right direction. It\u2019s time for real relief.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=066DC988-D1C4-4BEC-8CB0-568B6BB60637", "VIDEO: Fischer Challenges ABAs Biased Rating  of Steve Grasz on Senate Floor", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view todays speech\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) took to the Senate floor today in defense of Steve Grasz, an outstanding Nebraskan and the nominee to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In her remarks, Fischer addresses the American Bar Associations not qualified rating of Steve, which she calls a partisan, shameful attack.\r\n\r\nLast week, Senator Fischer introduced Steve during his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee has not yet voted to advance Steves nomination. Once Steves nomination clears committee, it heads to the Senate floor for consideration.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischers full floor remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.\r\n\r\nM. President, I rise today to share my strong support for Steve Grasz, who has been nominated by President Trump to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.\r\n\r\nThe junior Senator from Nebraska and I conducted asked Nebraskans to express their interest in the position, and we conducted a thorough process of the applicants.\r\n\r\nAnd I must say, M. President, with more than 5,700 lawyers, Nebraska proved itself to have a talented legal community who have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the rule of law.\r\n\r\nHowever, in our search, one candidate stood out above the rest: Steve Grasz.\r\n\r\nHe is an outstanding Nebraskan and a talented legal mind.\r\n\r\nThe president agreed. That is why he accepted our recommendation in August and nominated Steve for the 8th Circuit.\r\n\r\nLike so many other Nebraskans I have heard from during this process, the president recognized Steves temperament, intellect, and skill as worthy of a seat on the federal bench.\r\n\r\nSteve excelled in his education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska College of Law.\r\n\r\nHe then built a distinguished legal career practicing appellate litigation over the past three decades.\r\n\r\nFor 12 years, Steve served Nebraska as the Chief Deputy Attorney General. He did so with dedication to justice, passionately defending our citizens and upholding the laws of our state.\r\n\r\nSteve has handled numerous constitutional litigation matters in the Nebraska Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court.\r\n\r\nIn doing so, hes earned the respect of the Nebraska legal community.\r\n\r\nFor many years, Steve has earned the Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent peer review rating, the very highest available. This peer-reviewed rating is based on legal knowledge and ethical standards, not partisan litmus tests.\r\n\r\nSteve also serves on the Executive Committee of the Appellate Practice Section of the Nebraska Bar Association and was selected as a Fellow by the Nebraska State Bar Foundation, an honor reserved for only the top lawyers in my state.\r\n\r\nNebraskans agree Steve has the extensive legal experience needed to serve on the Eighth Circuit, yet the American Bar Association has rated Steve as Not Qualified for this position on the federal bench.\r\n\r\nAs someone who spent months reviewing Steves extraordinary qualifications for this judgeship, I was shocked when I heard their assessment.\r\n\r\nSomething didnt add up.\r\n\r\nBut after a review of how the evaluation was conducted, things became more clear.\r\n\r\nThe ABA rating of Steve Grasz appears to be based on his work defending Nebraskas pro-life laws, as well as his personal views, which he shares with a majority of Nebraskans. Both evaluators discounted his remarkable legal career, choosing instead to focus on innuendo in their report because he associates with political organizations they disagree with.\r\n\r\nThere is nothing wrong with participating in the democratic process. Indeed, Steves own evaluators have done just that.\r\n\r\nSteves first evaluator, Cynthia Nance, has received several awards from affiliates of the Democratic Party of Arkansas.\r\n\r\nAnd his second evaluator, Laurence Pulgram, a San Francisco attorney, works as a liberal activist and has donated thousands of dollars to the Democratic Party.\r\n\r\nAgain, the fact that these Americans have decided to engage in the political process is not shameful.\r\n\r\nThey have every right to do so just like everyone else.\r\n\r\nBut heres the problem: They claim to be leading an impartial evaluation of Steve, when in fact, they are really trying to take down his nomination and further their own political agenda.\r\n\r\nA deeper review of the ABA evaluation shows a report long on anonymous sources and short on substantiated evidence.\r\n\r\nThis isnt the first time the ABA has been criticized for using anonymous sources, either.\r\n\r\nIn 2006, while discussing Vanessa Bryans ABA rating, the senior senator from Connecticut stated, quote I have even greater concern with the credibility of anonymous sources when those sources are used as evidence for a subjective characteristic such as judicial temperament.I urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to only consider anonymous criticisms when such criticisms can be verified from other sources.\r\n\r\nEven worse, M. President, the sourced evidence the ABA produced for their report doesnt hold up to scrutiny, either.\r\n\r\nOne of the nations leading experts on judicial appointments also agrees that the facts are few when it comes to Steves ABA rating.\r\n\r\nIn his examination, Ed Whelan, the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, called the ABA evaluation feeble beyond the point of incompetence because it selectively quotes portions of an article written by Grasz to misrepresent his views.\r\n\r\nWhelan concludes that It would thus seem thatthe ABAis unable to distinguish between its role as advocate and its role as adjudicator of the merits of judicial nominees.\r\n\r\nAs we learned more about the evaluation process, it is clear that the ABA uses its power as a reviewer of judicial nominees as a way to support its partisan agenda, instead of making a determination on the merits of judicial temperament.\r\n\r\nDuring Steves confirmation hearing last week my colleagues on the Judiciary asked good questions that brought new details to light.\r\n\r\nThats how we discovered Steve was asked a number of inappropriate, leading questions during his ABA evaluation.\r\n\r\nThese questions had no relevancy towards his ability to serve our nation as a judge. He was asked for his personal opinion on social issues, including abortion, and later questioned about where his children went to school.\r\n\r\nAnd in response to a line of questions from the junior Senator from Arizona, Steve explained that his ABA evaluator continued to use the term you people during the interview. When Steve finally asked what he meant by you people, the evaluator told him he meant conservatives and Republicans.\r\n\r\nSteve also told the committee, quote at least a half hour of that time was devoted to discussing a white paper that I had written on the judicial selection process for state judges in Nebraska. There was one paragraph in that rather lengthy article [where] I had criticized the oversized involvement of the American Bar Association in that process, and I had mentioned some of their political activities including their role in the debate over abortion rights as well as Second Amendment rights of individuals.\r\n\r\nHe continued: It seemed to be a topic of great concern to the interviewer.\r\n\r\nThese tactics used by the ABA are not right. They show contempt for ideas that do not fit the interviewers personal beliefs and in no way portray an attempt to carefully consider whether or not Steve Grasz is capable of being a fair judge.\r\n\r\nThis wasnt an evaluation.\r\n\r\nIt was a partisan, shameful attack.\r\n\r\nIt was intended to further the political agenda of the two evaluators and damage Steves sterling legal reputation.\r\n\r\nIn the days since the biased ABA rating was released, Nebraskans have spoken out, and I couldnt be more proud of them.\r\n\r\nIn letters, online, on Facebook, and in the pages of our states newspapers, our citizens have come to Steves defense.\r\n\r\nRichard G. Kopf (Kahpf), a senior U.S. district judge for Nebraska, said he was stunned reading the ABA assessment of Steve.\r\n\r\nThe ABA interviewed Judge Kopf about Steve, and although he did not know Steve personally, on two occasions he told the evaluator he believed Steve was well qualified.\r\n\r\nJudge Kopf wrote in the Omaha World-Herald: One can only speculate, and my speculation was that Mr. Grasz, who is by all accounts a brilliant and honorable person, would do his best. I certainly have and had no evidence to the contraryI respectfully suggest that the committee got it wrong when it gave Mr. Grasz a not qualified rating.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, President of the Nebraska State Bar Association, Timothy Engler, quickly responded to the evaluation by noting that the Nebraska State Bar Association did not participate in the report or the ABAs grade.\r\n\r\nMr. Engler also noted his own personal view that he always found Steve to be professional, civil, and ethical in all respects and that Grasz would have no questions regarding his judicial temperament as a member of the Judiciary.\r\n\r\nM. President, we received numerous letters of recommendation on Steves behalf. Nebraskans from across the political spectrum have pointed to Steves thoughtfulness, fair-mindedness, high ethical standards, and brilliant abilities as a jurist.\r\n\r\nThe respect and admiration for Steve is also bipartisan.\r\n\r\nThis includes former Democratic Governor and U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, who wrote that Steve was an asset to our state and Nebraskans benefitted from having such a capable and thoughtful professional in public service. Today, he is unquestionably one of the foremost appellate lawyers in the state, making him an obvious choice for this seat on our federal appeals court.\r\n\r\nDeborah Gilg, the former U.S. Attorney for Nebraska and a Democrat appointed by President Obama, also wrote that Steve has always enjoyed a reputation for honesty, impeccable integrity, and dedication to the rule of law. He possesses an even temperament well-suited for the bench and always acts with respect to all that interact with him.\r\n\r\nThose who have known Steve his entire life have vouched for him. For example, Bill Lydiatt (Lid-ee-et), of Bellevue, Nebraska, wrote a letter to the editor to the Omaha World-Herald, stating, As a classmate of Graszs in Chappell, Nebraska, from kindergarten through high school and as a lifelong friend, I can personally vouch that Steve holds all of the attributes to be a successful judge.\r\n\r\nFurthermore, pointing to his integrity and fairness, Lydiatt concluded: I dont share all his political views, but I can say without any hesitation that Steve Grasz is exactly the kind of person we need as a judge and is perfectly suited to the high honor of joining the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.\r\n\r\nIn Nebraska, the truth holds more value than partisanship.\r\n\r\nM. President, everyone serving in this chamber swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution. One of the ways we do that is by confirming judges who we know will faithfully honor that pledge while serving our federal court system.\r\n\r\nThe Constitution states that we in the Senate, not the American Bar Association, are to advise and consent when it comes to judges. We have a duty to do so thoroughly, without bias, and through the use of all of the information available to us.\r\n\r\nBoth the junior senator from Nebraska and I trust Steve Grasz to support and defend the Constitution.\r\n\r\nSo do those who know him the best: the people of Nebraska who have worked with him for nearly three decades.\r\n\r\nThe Senate should, as well.\r\n\r\nI urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance his nomination. The American people deserve to have talented and fair lawyers like Steve Grasz on the federal bench.\r\n\r\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=0F33CF68-CDC0-43FF-B054-2DA76039CC54", "Fischer Statement on Senate Tax Reform Bill", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement regarding the Senates tax reform bill:\r\nThe release of the Senate tax reform proposal is a key step toward achieving our goals of providing relief for middle-class families, reducing burdens on small businesses, and making America more competitive. This bill is six years in the making and is the product of more than 70 committee hearings. My priority throughout this process will remain fighting for middle-class families.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=F0E79FA3-75EE-488B-BDD0-7CFADF92DAFD", "Senate Commerce Committee Passes  Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act", "2017-11-08", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Today, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee unanimously approved the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (S. 1693). U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) is a cosponsor of the legislation, which aims to hold websites that facilitate sex trafficking liable and give victims of these horrible crimes the justice they deserve.\r\n\r\nThe trafficking of young women and children in our society is an atrocious crime, and we must take action to end this horrific exploitation. The bill we passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee today targets websites, like Backpage.com, which facilitate the evils of sex trafficking. I hope this legislation swiftly moves to the Senate floor so that perpetrators are held accountable and victims can seek the justice they deserve, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nThe Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act would clarify Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to ensure websites that knowingly facilitate sex trafficking can be held accountable. This legislation would eliminate federal liability protections to websites that knowingly facilitate a violation of federal sex trafficking laws. It would also allow law enforcement at the state level to take action against individuals or businesses that violate these laws.\r\n\r\nClick here to view S. 1693 bill text.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=DD1D5945-3EC7-47DB-A6AB-173A9A572D88", "Sasse, Delegation Meet with Nebraska National Guard", "2017-11-08", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after meeting with over 60 Nebraska National Guard soldiers and airmen on Capitol Hill.\r\n\u201cWhether it\u2019s helping our neighbors after a natural disaster or defending American interests, Nebraskans know that we can depend on the men and women of our National Guard to be there for us in our times of need,\u201d\u00a0said Sasse. \u201cAs we take Veterans Day to pause and thank those around us who have served in our Armed Forces, I\u2019m thankful that we were able to welcome Nebraska\u2019s Guard to our nation\u2019s capital.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-don-bacon-s-first-bill-passes-house", "Rep. Don Bacons First Bill Passes the House", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC- Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement after his first bill, H.R. 3897\u00a0the Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act\u00a0passed on the House floor:\n\u201cThis is an important day for\u00a0America\u2019s\u00a0Gold Star families. I introduced this legislation\u00a0after meeting with Gold Star\u00a0spouses and families in Nebraska, and learned of their personal challenges and the gaps\u00a0in current law.\u00a0As a Commander in the Air Force, I\u2019ve seen firsthand the pain Gold Star families feel when they lose a loved one, and as a Congressman, I\u2019ve learned of the ways Gold Star families are disenfranchised.\u00a0The core of this bill is about commitment, a commitment for life, and ensuring as a legislative body we support our\u00a0Gold Star\u00a0families and\u00a0extend to them a small measure of compassion, dignity, and respect that their tremendous sacrifice deserves.\u00a0I\u2019m glad to see the House of Representatives support our Gold Star families by passing this bill. I thank each of\u00a0the many cosponsors\u00a0for their support and eagerness\u00a0to honor military\u00a0families who\u00a0have given so much for our freedom.\u201d\u00a0\nThe\u00a0Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act\u00a0was introduced on October 2, 2017\u00a0and passed the House with 89 bipartisan cosponsors.\u00a0The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=11F363C0-0B42-44DF-99F4-513666C1A60A", "Fischer Introduces Senate Gold Star Families Bill", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today introduced the Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act of 2017 in the Senate. The bill would increase support for Gold Star families by creating a standardized policy so these families can more easily access military facilities and certain benefits. Representative Don Bacon (NE-02) introduced companion legislation, which passed the House unanimously today.\r\n\r\nOur Gold Star Families want one thing: for their loved ones to be remembered. Through this important legislation, Congress can ensure these families have access to services and benefits as they grieve and honor Americas fallen heroes. I applaud my friend Representative Don Bacon for his leadership on this issue in the House. After all these families have lost, we have a solemn obligation to do more for them, said Senator Fischer.\r\n\r\nThe core of this bill is about commitment, a commitment for life, and ensuring as a legislative body we support our Gold Star families and extend to them a small measure of compassion, dignity, and respect that their tremendous sacrifice deserves, said Representative Bacon.\r\n\r\nUnder current law, there are no standardized means for Gold Star families to access military facilities to do things like visit a loved ones gravesite, receive grief counseling, or attend a memorial service. Some services have taken steps to issue access cards, but there is still no consistent policy across military service branches. Additionally, Gold Star spouses lose their on-base benefits if they choose to remarry.\r\n\r\nThe Gold Star Families Act would address these problems by creating a standard practice of issuing lifetime access cards to all Gold Star Spouses and dependent children. The bill also extends these benefits to gold star spouses, regardless of marital status, as long as their dependent children remain under their guardianship.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischers legislation is the Senate companion to a bill that has received the endorsement of The Air Force Association and the Military Officers Association of America.\r\n\r\nClick here to read the text of the Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act.\r\n\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ID=B4E3E664-1BA0-4D20-808C-1B5625DB469D", "VIDEO: CEO of Lindsay Corp in Omaha Testifies at Commerce Subcommittee Hearing", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Deb Fischer", "F000463", "www.fischer.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Click here or on the image above to view the exchange.\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today participated in a Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing on advancing the Internet of Things in rural America. The President and CEO of Lindsay Corporation in Omaha, Timothy Hassinger, testified during the hearing at Senator Fischers invitation.\r\n\r\nFischer is a member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, which convened todays hearing.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of exciting innovative opportunities out there, especially when it comes to agriculture. Internet of Things (IoT) device connections can help producers maximize crop yields, improve water and energy conservation, and enhance the food supply chain system. But to harness the power of the data from these amazing connected technologies, our producers need robust broadband connectivity. I was glad to explore some of the barriers to deploying broadband in rural America today and hear about the success of a Nebraska business. Im thankful to Tim Hassinger for his insightful testimony about the technological needs of agriculture producers in this country.\r\n\r\nSenator Fischer has been a leader on IoT in the Senate. In January 2017, she introduced the Developing and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act with Senators Booker (D-N.J.), Gardner (R-Colo.), and Schatz (D-Hawaii). This bill would facilitate a working group of federal agencies and private sector stakeholders that would provide recommendations to Congress about how to plan for, and encourage the Internet of Things. The bill passed the Senate in August 2017.\r\n\r\nClick here for video of Fischers exchange with Mr. Hassinger during todays hearing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/congressional-caseworker-visit-kimball-sidney-hastings-and-sutton", "Congressional Caseworker to Visit Kimball, Sidney, Hastings, and Sutton", "2017-11-06", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) who need assistance dealing with a federal agency are invited to attend Caseworker in Your Community events on Tuesday, November 14, in Kimball and Sidney, and Wednesday, November 15, in Hastings and Sutton.\n\tCaseworker in Your Community is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with one of Smith\u2019s congressional caseworkers. Caseworkers may be able to assist constituents who are having problems dealing with a federal agency such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare, passports and visas through the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or the Internal Revenue Service.\n\tCaseworker in Your Community will be held at the following times and locations:\n\tTuesday, November 14\n\tKimball Public Library  \n\tCultural Room  \n\t208 S. Walnut Street, Kimball, NE 69145  \n\t2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (MST)\n\tSidney Public Library  \n\tVirginia Smith Room  \n\t1112 12th Avenue, Sidney, NE 69162  \n\t4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (MST)\n\tWednesday, November 15\n\tHastings Public Library  \n\tStudy Room  \n\t314 N. Denver Avenue, Hastings, NE 68901  \n\t11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (CST)\n\tAstra State Bank  \n\tConference Room  \n\t105 S. Saunders Avenue, Sutton, NE 68979  \n\t2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (CST)\n\tReminder: Smith\u2019s office will also host a Senior Services Fair in Scottsbluff on Tuesday, November 14.\n\tOfficials from the Nebraska Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) will offer one-on-one consultations with seniors on available plans. Seniors seeking assistance should bring a complete list of their prescriptions, including dosage information. Experts will be available to answer questions about Social Security and veterans\u2019 benefits, and nursing students will also provide complimentary blood pressure screenings. \u00a0\n\tTuesday, November 14\n\tScottsbluff Senior Services Fair  \n\tLied Scottsbluff Public Library  \n\t1809 3rd Avenue, Scottsbluff, NE 69361  \n\t9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (MST)\n\tFor additional information about these events, please contact Smith\u2019s Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/crux-adoption-tax-credit-part-preferential-policy-life-congressman-says", "Crux: Adoption Tax Credit Part of Preferential Policy for Life, Congressman Says", "2017-11-05", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThe adoption tax credit is a clear and legitimate statement by the government that we have a preferential policy for life,\u201d Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Ne) said, speaking in opposition to its removal in the Republicans' tax proposal. \u201cWe are vigorously making the case of its inclusion in the tax package. This is a real time, real life policy that works.\u201d\nWASHINGTON, D.C. - On Thursday, details of the Republican Party\u2019s proposed tax reform legislation were released, including plans to eliminate an adoption tax credit intended to lighten the financial burden of adoption for families.\n\u201cThis will make it tougher to adopt. Period,\u201d said Schylar Baber, executive director of Voice for Adoption, according to the Washington Post.\n\u201cSo, the question is, who is not going to get adopted because of this?\u201d Baber continued.\nThe tax credit, which was created through a bipartisan effort in 1996, allows families a maximum credit of $13,570 per eligible child. This amount can aid parents significantly, especially when families can spend upwards of $30,000 on the whole adoption process, according to the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.\nThe new GOP tax proposal would eliminate these credits and repeal a taxable income exclusion for employee adoption assistance programs. Both of these would go into effect in 2018.\nCongressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Ne) told CNA that adoption assistance sends the message that the government is willing to help families.\n\u201cThe adoption tax credit is a clear and legitimate statement by the government that we have a preferential policy for life,\u201d Fortenberry said. \u201cWe are vigorously making the case of its inclusion in the tax package. This is a real time, real life policy that works.\u201d\nRep. Kevin Brady (R-Tex), the principal author of House Republicans\u2019 tax overhaul plan, argues that eliminating the adoption tax credit would allow Congress to expand the child tax credit available to most taxpayers, which would be increased by about $600 if the tax reform package passes.\n\u201cI think this is a better approach for the vast majority of Americans who are left behind,\u201d Brady told the Washington Post, saying that the tax plan would be \u201cgiving families more in their paychecks, especially the middle-class families that are crucial for adoption.\u201d\nBrady himself has two adopted sons, but did not utilize the tax credit since it is not available for families who make more than $242,000 annually.\nOn Nov. 2, national pro-life group the Susan B. Anthony List sent a letter to Congress, expressing opposition to the potential provision and highlighting the fact that the adoption tax credit creates stable homes for children.\n\u201cSBA List opposes the provision of the bill that repeals the adoption tax credit,\u201d the letter read, saying \u201cit is shocking that Congress would move to eliminate this life-affirming effort to make adoption a possibility for middle income American families.\n\u201cThis important tax credit helps tens of thousands of families each year offset the steep costs of adopting children. We urge the pro-life House to remove this provision from their bill immediately,\u201d the letter continued.\nOn Oct. 25, Bishop Frank Dewane of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement on the tax reform proposal, urging \u201cthe U.S. House of Representatives towards prudence, ensuring that they and the nation fully understand the impacts of tax reform proposals before voting on them.\n\u201cA clear understanding and careful consideration of the impacts of these tax proposals is essential for the sake of all people, but particularly the poor,\u201d Dewane continued.\nGOP staffers have told CNA that there are efforts underway in Congress to remove the adoption tax credit repeal from the tax reform bill as it moves forward.\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.sasse.senate.gov//public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=6965793C-C035-4717-90DC-19AEA130E792", "Omaha World-Herald: Grasz deserves seat on court", "2017-11-05", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Ben Sasse", "S001197", "www.sasse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "by Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse \r\nThe writers are Nebraskas U.S. senators. Sasse is a member of the Judiciary Committee.\r\nNebraska has an impressive legal community. With more than 5,700 lawyers, our state touts a lengthy and impressive list of those who have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to the rule of law.\nDuring our search for a candidate to fill the seat of Chief Judge William Jay Riley on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, however, one name stood out.\nSteve Grasz.\nPresident Donald Trump accepted our recommendation and nominated Steve for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in August. Like us and so many other Nebraskans across our great state, the president recognized Steves temperament, intellect and skill as valuable attributes for the federal bench.\nSteve learned the value of hard work while growing up on his family farm in the Nebraska Panhandle. That experience laid a strong foundation for him. He went on to excel in his education and build a distinguished legal career practicing appellate litigation.\nFor 12 years, Steve served Nebraska with dedication. In his role as the chief deputy attorney general, he passionately defended our citizens and upheld the laws of our state.\nThe respect Nebraskans hold for Steve is widespread and bipartisan.\nFormer Nebraska Gov. and U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, wrote of Steve:\n(Steve) was an asset to our state and Nebraskans benefitted from having such a capable and thoughtful professional in public service. Today, he is unquestionably one of the foremost appellate lawyers in the state, making him an obvious choice for this seat on our federal appeals court.\nFurthermore, Deborah Gilg, the former U.S. attorney for Nebraska appointed by President Barack Obama, echoed those sentiments, stating that Steve had a reputation for being honest and fair, with a dedication to the rule of law.\nDespite the strong support for Steve from across the aisle, there is a targeted effort by some outside Nebraska to tarnish Steves reputation.\nHoping to drive a political agenda, the American Bar Association rated Steve as not qualified to serve on the federal circuit court. We were shocked by its assessment, given Steves considerable legal experience. But our examinations of the ABA report revealed intense bias and an evaluation based on limited facts.\nThe two evaluators who performed this ABA analysis discounted Steve for his association with political organizations, an action integral to our democracy. This charge is absurd because the ones lobbing the attack have engaged in political participation themselves.\nThe first evaluator, an Arkansas law professor named Cynthia Nance, was given multiple awards from affiliates of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. The second, Laurence Pulgram, has worked as a liberal activist and donated thousands of dollars to the Democratic Party.\nThese revelations weaken the ABAs argument that Steve Grasz is unqualified for his nominated position. A review of the evaluation shows a report long on anonymous sources and short on substantiated evidence.\nThe president of the Nebraska State Bar Association, Timothy Engler, quickly responded to the evaluation by noting that his organization did not participate in the report or the ABAs grade. Whats more, Ed Whelan, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and one of the nations foremost experts on judicial appointments, called the ABA evaluation feeble beyond the point of incompetence because it selectively quotes portions of an article written by Grasz, misrepresenting his views.\nBias should not cloud how we evaluate judicial nominees. We were proud to defend Steves excellent credentials, character and commitment to the rule of law during his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and we will confidently continue to do so throughout his confirmation process.\nThe American people deserve to have Steve Grasz on the 8th Circuit Court. Any efforts to misconstrue him as unfit for this judgeship are politically charged, dishonest and unwarranted. Thats not the Nebraska way, and thats not how we should be determining who sits on the federal bench.\r\nRead the full article at theOmaha World-Heraldhere.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/lincoln-journal-star-jordanian-ambassador-dina-kawar-nebraska-strengthen", "Lincoln Journal Star: Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar in Nebraska to Strengthen Ties", "2017-11-04", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Jordanian Ambassador to the United States Dina Kawar said Saturday she decided to come to Nebraska this week as part of her effort to reach out and \"strengthen the connections\" between her country and Americans as they battle together against terrorism and seek peace in the Middle East.\n\"The relations between Jordan and the United States are deeply-rooted,\" Kawar said during an interview at the end of a tour of Nebraska's iconic state Capitol.\n\"We are allies,\" the ambassador said.\nAnd the new Trump administration \"understands our role in the fight against terrorism\" as well as Jordan's role in attempting to at last reach an agreement that eases or resolves the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.\nJordan is geographically at the center of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, bordering both Syria and Israel and acting as host to hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.\n\"U.S. support has been consistent and will continue,\" Kawar said.\nKawar, the first Arab woman to ever preside over the United Nations Security Council when she led the Jordanian delegation, was named ambassador to the United States in 2016.\nHer Saturday visit to Lincoln included her first American football game.\n\"I'm going to learn about the game,\" she said before she departed for Memorial Stadium to watch Nebraska play Northwestern.\n\"I'm a very curious ambassador,\" Kawar said. \"I want to learn. It's a very important part of what I do.\"\nKawar was in Omaha on Friday.\nStops have included the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Innovation Campus,\u00a0 with the ambassador seeking outreach and cooperation in agriculture, education and medicine with an eye on \"students who work on innovative technology.\"\nHigh unemployment among Jordanian youth is \"one of the things that keeps His Majesty awake at night,\" Kawar said.\nKing Abdullah II of Jordan will be in Washington soon and has expressed particular interest in corn as food, the ambassador told Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Lincoln at the conclusion of the interview.\u00a0\nTogether, they decided to arrange for the king to sample some of Nebraska's corn while he is in the United States.\nFortenberry is a member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on state and foreign operations and \"he's somebody I go to in asking for advice,\" Kawar said. \"He's a friend of Jordan.\"\n\"I've never seen as many people as generous as they are in the United States,\" she told Fortenberry.\nJordanians are \"definitely hoping for a political settlement of the Syrian question,\" Kawar said.\nAnd as efforts continue to find a solution to the Palestinian conflict, she said, \"we will help whenever we are asked to help.\"\nClick here to read the entire article.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/thank-you-veterans-answering-call", "Thank You, Veterans, For Answering the Call", "2017-11-03", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "When the calendar flips to November, it is inspiring to see communities throughout the Third District host ceremonies and parades to honor the Nebraskans who have served our country. In Congress, we are focused on demonstrating the gratitude of a nation by ensuring our veterans, the men and women currently serving, and their families receive the care and recognition they deserve. \u00a0\n\tNebraska Congressman Don Bacon has introduced the Gold Star Family Support and Installation Access Act to strengthen our commitment to the loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This legislation ensures Gold Star Families have lifetime access to military installations and allows remarried Gold Star spouses to keep their benefits for as long as they have dependent children at home. \u00a0\n\tAs a retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General, Congressman Bacon knows the importance of caring for military families, and I am glad to join him in this effort by cosponsoring the bill.\n\tI am also a cosponsor of recently-introduced legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, which sunk in minutes after being struck by Japanese torpedoes following a covert operation to bring atomic bomb components to Tinian during World War II. An estimated 900 of the 1,197 men onboard made it into the water alive, and after enduring four days of temperature extremes in shark-infested waters, only 317 lived to be rescued. \u00a0\n\tDale Krueger of Wayne is one of the fewer than 20 U.S.S. Indianapolis survivors alive today. Through the years, multiple Nebraska reporters have profiled his incredible story, describing how he clung to a large net after the ship went down \u2013 while also clinging to the hope of being found and brought to safety. Clarence Hupka of Cook, another brave survivor of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, passed away only days ago on October 29.\n\tI hesitate to ask anything more of our veterans, but one request I will make of these heroes is to share their stories. According to the VA, only 558,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are alive today, with more than 3,800 of these veterans living in Nebraska. Sadly, we lose an average of 362 World War II veterans each day, along with a growing number from the Korean and Vietnam wars.\n\tThis is why I hosted an interactive training earlier this year on compiling veterans\u2019 accounts for the Library of Congress\u2019s Veterans History Project. An important way to serve our veterans is to preserve their stories, and it is crucial for current and future generations to understand the cost of freedom. I encourage all Nebraskans to participate in this effort, and if you would like more information on the Veterans History Project, please visit www.LOC.gov/vets or contact my Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900.\n\tAs in years past, my office will also help collect cards for the Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program, formerly known as Holiday Mail for Heroes. This is a wonderful opportunity to share gratitude and greetings with service members and their families. If you wish to join us in this effort, please drop off your cards without postage to my Grand Island or Scottsbluff offices by Monday, December 4. You can also bring them to any mobile offices or Caseworker in Your Community events hosted by my staff. More information is available on my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/HolidaysforHeroes.\n\tOn Veterans Day, and every day, we honor those who made the selfless decision to defend our freedom. To all Nebraska veterans and their families, thank you for bravely answering the call.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/fort-reports/fort-report-tax-man", "Fort Report: The Tax Man", "2017-11-03", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Andy from Nebraska wrote me a note yesterday that I would like to share. He said that he is very encouraged by the tax plan under consideration by the House of Representatives: \"If it makes it into law, my back-of-the-napkin calculations show it should benefit my family by around $5,500. For a family of four making about $85,000 a year, that\u2019s a big deal!\" Americans need a break, especially working men and women trying to get a bit ahead and provide for the family. For many, it\u2019s harder and harder. Around 50% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That\u2019s not fully a tax code problem\u2014it's also the harsh reality of social fragmentation, downward mobility, a rising cost of living, and skyrocketing income disparity driven by inequitable globalization and concentrations of economic power in fewer ultra-wealthy hands. These forces have not benefited America, leaving millions behind and all too often forgotten. But\u00a0tax reform\u00a0can help--as long as it is fair, and as simple as possible for the benefit of all. Under the House plan, the average family of four earning the median income of $59,000 will save over $1,100 a year on their taxes. Although there may be a few kinks left to be worked out, small business owners, who often file individually, should experience a significant decrease in taxes on their pass-through business income. Lowest-income earners will still pay zero in income taxes. The supplement of the Earned Income Tax Credit remains the same. The top 39.6% tax rate remains in place for the highest earners. Most everyone else paying taxes will see decreases from lower rates plus an improved Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, a larger Child Tax credit, a new Family Credit, and a near doubling in the standard deduction. The alternative minimum tax is gone. We are living in an age where we cannot keep pushing the same old policies over and over again and expect them to fit into our 21st century architecture of living. Moving forward, I believe the source and strength of the American economy will be in the new urbanism of small business\u2014in which entrepreneurs, from village to city, add value through small-scale manufacturing, innovative new products, or brokering in repair services. The conditions for entrepreneurial revival may be right on the horizon. Though the corporate structure of the 1950s has been made temporarily beguiling by modish shows like\u00a0Mad Men,\u00a0no young person I know yearns to be a\u00a0\u201ccompany man\u201d\u00a0and work for 25 years at the same place to earn his or her gold watch. That era is over, yet our tax code is based on old\u00a0constructs of what it means to be\u00a0\u201cin business.\" Now, here are a few of the\u00a0controversies. There is a lowered cap on mortgage interest for very large new homes, and property tax deductions for the wealthiest are restricted.\u00a0Another thorny problem: the anticipated initial spike in deficits. On the other hand, a surge of economic opportunity, coupled with a reorientation of tax policy around the family, can generate more jobs, more earnings, and reverse the downward trend in small business formation. Less tax, more taxpayers, more revenue over time. That\u2019s the calculation anyway. This bill attempts to be sensitive to the needs of all Americans, as it begins the push for a modernized revenue construct that no longer enables complex, lawyered-up, quarterly-profit-driven multinationals to unjustly benefit from lower tax rates abroad, while taking advantage of tax loopholes here at home. At the same time, it uses the carrot of lower corporate rates to bring foreign profits back to America. On balance, this bill represents a sincere first step by the House of Representatives towards a massive, historic, and necessary overhaul of our antiquated, harsh, and complicated tax system\u2014so families like Andy\u2019s can not only get by, but also get ahead.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/press-release/smith-praises-introduction-tax-reform-bill", "Smith Praises Introduction of Tax Reform Bill", "2017-11-02", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the Ways and Means Committee introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to overhaul America\u2019s tax code for the first time in 31 years.\n\t\u201cYears of work have gone into this bill to create a simpler and fairer tax system for all Americans,\u201d Smith said. \u201cFor too long, the overly complex, loophole-ridden tax code has harmed individuals and families trying to get ahead, stifled economic growth, and made our country uncompetitive in the global economy. Today marks the start of real relief.\n\u201cThe tax reform bill doubles the standard deduction to allow Americans to keep more of what they earn, provides greater tax relief to families to help with the costs of raising children, and phases out the death tax to protect family farms and businesses. It also lowers our corporate tax rate, which is currently the highest in the industrialized world, to allow U.S. businesses to compete and incentivize them to invest their profits here at home.\n\u201cWe are on track to have a bill on President Trump\u2019s desk by the end of the year. A number of my Ways and Means colleagues and I met with the President at the White House today, where he expressed his full support for our legislation. Next week, our Committee will debate the bill and prepare it for a vote by the full House.\u00a0 \n\u201cThis is the time to finally streamline the tax code and provide crucial relief to Americans at all income levels, and we are committed to getting it done.\u201d\n\tClick here for video of Smith\u2019s September 28 Fox News interview on the importance of getting tax reform done this year to benefit all Americans.\n\tClick here for a summary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Click here for the full text of the bill.\n\tSmith is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-bacon-statement-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act", "Rep. Bacon Statement on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", "2017-11-02", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) released the following statement after House leadership and the Ways and Means Committee introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:\n\u201cNebraskans and Americans across the country have suffered long enough under a broken tax code that is burdensome, unfair and too expensive to comply with. Today, House Leadership and the Ways and Means Committee introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which will simplify the tax code, spur economic growth, and end loopholes. Under this plan, the average middle-class family of four making $59,000 will receive a $1,182 tax cut. Americans will keep more of their hard-earned wages. In addition, this legislation focuses on American families by expanding the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,600.\nThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allows American businesses to be competitive and thrive in the global market. Our companies face the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialized world, sending jobs and income out of the country. By lowering our corporate and small business tax rates, our employers can invest in our communities and put Americans back to work. I look forward to working with my House colleagues to refine this bill as we work through the legislative process.\u201d\nFor more information on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, visit: fairandsimple.gop\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://fortenberry.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fortenberry-statement-tax-reform", "Fortenberry Statement on Tax Reform", "2017-11-02", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Jeff Fortenberry", "F000449", "fortenberry.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Lincoln, NE) \u2013 Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today issued the following statement on tax reform:\n\u201cThis is a first step at a massive, historic, and necessary overhaul of our antiquated, harsh, and complicated tax system. The disruptive effects of globalization, the slowing of Main Street entrepreneurial momentum, and the inability of families to get ahead make the conditions right for substantive change. Fortunately, there is widespread unity around the goals of putting money in the pockets of hardworking American families, empowering small businesses to thrive, and reviving Made in America\u2014while maintaining the higher rate for the ultra-wealthy.\u201d\nFortenberry serves on the House Appropriations Committee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 689, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "NE", "p2": "2017"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 689, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 689, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NE&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "NE", "label": "NE", "count": 689, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "2017", "label": "2017", "count": 689, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2017-11-02,https~3A~2F~2Ffortenberry~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Ffortenberry-statement-tax-reform", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2017&_next=2017-11-02%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Ffortenberry~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia-center~2Fpress-releases~2Ffortenberry-statement-tax-reform&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 146.42739109694958, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}