{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"NE\" and year = 2024 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-new-years-statement-0", "Congressman Flood\u2019s New Year's Statement", "2024-12-31", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a recorded statement ahead of New Year\u2019s Day, which is observed January 1, 2025. Video of the remarks can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. Full text of the speech is provided below.\n\nFriends and fellow Nebraskans,\n\nAs we approach the New Year, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the high points from 2024. This seems especially important given the constant stream of negative stories often dominating the airwaves and social media platforms.\n\nOver the past year, House Republicans have worked to tackle burdensome red tape and kept government working for the American people. Thanks to Speaker Johnson and our leadership team, we\u2019ve successfully navigated tough political issues with a narrow majority.\n\nThis November, Republicans held our majority in the House, President Donald Trump reclaimed the presidency, and we took back the Senate\u2026 creating a conservative trifecta to deliver for the American people in the upcoming year.\n\nIn Nebraska, all five members of our federal delegation will return next year to continue working for you.\n\nOver the past year, I\u2019m proud to say that my office has helped hundreds of constituents with federal agency casework and helped to secure $48 million to fund projects throughout the First District of Nebraska. My team and I are here to serve the people of Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District, and we look forward to assisting you in the year ahead.\n\nThank you once again for the opportunity to represent the First District. From Lincoln to Norfolk and Columbus to Bellevue and everywhere in between, I continue to advocate for you and the communities we all love.\n\nWe have so much to be grateful for this year and even more to look forward to in the next.\n\nOn behalf of my wife, Mandi, my sons, and myself: Have a safe and happy New Year! I look forward to what 2025 holds.\n\nMay God bless you and may God bless the United States of America.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-passing-president-carter", "Smith Statement on Passing of President Carter", "2024-12-29", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the passing of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at 100 years of age.\n\n\"Beginning with his service in the U.S. Navy, President Carter\u2019s lifetime of service was consistent across many areas of his life and carried on long after he left the presidency. His charitable endeavors well into his 90s are emblematic of American resilience and our dedication to giving back to community and neighbor alike.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-honors-legacy-howard-hawks", "Congressman Flood's Statement on Former U.S. President Carter's Passing", "2024-12-29", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following news that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter had passed away.\n\n\u201cPresident Carter will long be remembered for his kindness towards others, his marriage and devotion to Rosalynn, and his love for Georgia. He reminded the world that presidential leadership wasn\u2019t just about the time in office \u2013 it\u2019s about character and leading by example even in retirement. After leaving Washington, he rolled up his sleeves to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. He quietly taught Sunday School for decades. And along the way, he used his time and talents to help some of the least among us. Mandi and I join our fellow Americans in mourning his passing and remembering the legacy of service to others that he leaves.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-events-14", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Events", "2024-12-27", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff during January in Harrison, Grant, Alliance, Chadron, Ogallala, and Rushville.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency interaction, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\nThursday, January 2, 2025\n\nSioux County Courthouse\n\n325 Main Street, Harrison\n\n2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. MT\n\nMonday, January 6, 2005\n\nPerkins County Courthouse\n\n200 Lincoln Avenue, Grant\n\n9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. MT\n\nBox Butte County Courthouse\n\n515 Box Butte Avenue, Alliance\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MT\n\nTuesday, January 14, 2025\n\nDawes County Courthouse\n\n451 Main Street, Chadron\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. MT\n\nWednesday, January 15, 2025\n\nKeith County Courthouse\n\n511 N. Spruce Street, Ogallala\n\n9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. MT\n\nTuesday, January 28, 2025\n\nSheridan County Courthouse\n\n303 East 2nd Street, Rushville\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. MT", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-christmas-statement-1", "Congressman Flood\u2019s Christmas Statement", "2024-12-24", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a recorded statement ahead of Christmas, which is observed December 25, 2024.\n\nVideo of the remarks can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. The full text of the speech is below.\n\nFriends and Fellow Nebraskans,\n\nAs we enter the Christmas season, it\u2019s time to reflect on the profound significance of this holiday: The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.\n\nThis annual celebration of Jesus\u2019s birth in a manger, heralded to shepherds by angels, is more than a historical event\u2014it is a reminder of God\u2019s love for humanity. In sending His Son, God gave us the ultimate gift: Hope, redemption, and the promise of salvation for all who come to Him.\n\nTwo thousand years later, the message of Christmas continues to call each of us to live lives rooted in faith, hope, and love.\n\nChristmas is also a time for us to reflect on and express gratitude for the sacrifices of the men and women serving our country; their commitment today is rooted in generations of tradition.\n\nMany of us recall learning in school about General George Washington and the Continental Army camped at Valley Forge during one of the bleakest moments of the Revolutionary War. In the bitter cold of December, facing starvation and disease, General Washington turned to prayer, seeking the Lord\u2019s guidance to carry his soldiers through their trials. The image of Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge is forever etched in the tapestry of our nation's history, reminding us of how our country\u2019s strength is rooted in faith.\n\nAs we close out a year marked by historic events and challenges, let\u2019s take a moment to honor the brave men and women of our Armed Forces, who guard our freedoms even now. Their selfless service allows us to celebrate this season in peace and joy with our loved ones.\n\nMay this Christmas bring new cherished memories, reminding us of what truly matters: Our families, our communities, and our faith. From Mandi, the boys, and me, we want to wish your family safe travels, warmth, and a very Merry Christmas!", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-dispute-panel-ruling-mexicos-ban-us-grown-corn", "Smith Statement on Dispute Panel Ruling on Mexico's Ban Of U.S.-Grown Corn", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after a dispute panel announced its finding that Mexico had violated its commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with its decree barring U.S.-grown biotech corn. Under USMCA rules, Mexico has 45 days from the date of the report to comply with the ruling.\n\n\"I have spent four years advocating for hardworking American farmers, and this decision is a victory for American agriculture producers and the future of rules-based, science-driven trade. While President Biden could have encouraged a resolution much sooner with a simple public statement, USMCA has worked as it should, and the integrity of USMCA has been upheld in this case. With the USMCA review coming in 2026, it is essential the U.S. continues to stand up for American industry and hold our trade partners to their commitments. I urge President Sheinbaum to swiftly comply with the findings of the panel and ensure fair market access for American corn growers, and I look forward to working with President Trump and his administration to hold Mexico accountable.\"\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nDuring USMCA negotiations, Smith traveled to Montreal and Mexico City to participate in discussions. In December 2020, Mexico issued a presidential decree to ban imports of U.S. biotech corn for human consumption contrary to its commitments under USMCA. Smith repeatedly petitioned the Biden administration to hold Mexico accountable and sent letters to USTR Amb. Katherine Tai and Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack calling for formal dispute consultations under USMCA.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/update-smith-shares-deadline-request-tickets-presidential-inauguration", "UPDATE: Smith Shares Deadline to Request Tickets for Presidential Inauguration", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) encouraged interested residents of Nebraska\u2019s Third District to submit ticket requests for the 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies by December 27, 2024.\n\nEach congressional office receives a limited number of tickets, which Smith will distribute to interested constituents who plan to be in Washington, D.C. at the time of the ceremonies, taking place Monday, January 20, 2025. To submit a ticket request, please visit adriansmith.house.gov/services/inauguration-ticket-requests or contact Smith\u2019s Washington office at 202-225-6435.\n\nNote: Tickets can only be provided to residents of Nebraska\u2019s Third District. Due to limited supply, submitting a request does not guarantee reservation of tickets. Inauguration tickets may not be mailed and constituents selected to receive tickets should plan to pick up their tickets at Smith\u2019s Washington office on Sunday, January 19, 2025.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2589", "Bacon Votes to Keep Government Open", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington - Rep. Don Bacon voted yes today on H.R.10545 - American Relief Act, 2025(CR), which keeps the government funded through March 14, 2025, at current spending levels. It also includes additional funding for disaster relief and an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.\n\nThe $110 billion in disaster relief funding targets resources for rural communities, particularly farmers and ranchers facing both a tough farm economy and the aftermath of multiple disasters. For disaster relief, $10 billion in economic assistance is provided to farmers. It passed on a vote of 366-44-1.\n\nHe posted a statement to X:\n\n\"There was no way we could shut the government down and cut discretionary spending because it would've affected two million service members, border patrol agents, air traffic controllers, and many others. We are also providing critical relief to natural disaster victims and farmers. There was no room for a Christmas shutdown.\"\n\nhttps://x.com/RepDonBacon/status/1870283126842544258\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-votes-keep-our-government-working-people", "Rep. Flood Votes to Keep Our Government Working for the People", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following the passage of the \u201cAmerican Relief Act,\u201d which funds the federal government until early next year.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote to keep Washington working for the people is a win for Nebraska\u2019s hardworking families, farmers, and communities. This measure includes critical ag programs and ensures that active-duty military service members get paid through the holidays. While I\u2019m disappointed year-round E15 was not included in the final measure, I\u2019ll keep fighting for it as we enter the next Congress. I commend our House Republican leadership for their tireless efforts to unite Members and keep our government running, despite the political games of Congressional Democrats and President Biden. I urge the Senate to act quickly to ensure our government continues serving the American people through the holiday season.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/bipartisan-legislation-introduced-smith-safeguard-food-supply-chain-passes", "Bipartisan Legislation Introduced by Smith to Safeguard Food Supply Chain Passes House", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressmen Adrian Smith (R-NE), Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), and Dan Kildee (D-MI), led U.S. House approval of S.759, the Beagle Brigade Act by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 381-20. The bill passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent in November 2024. Having passed both chambers, the bill now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nIn May 2023, Reps. Smith, Bishop, Ferguson, and Kildee introduced the House companion bill, H.R. 1480, which was approved by the U.S. House Agriculture Committee by a unanimous vote. S. 759 was introduced by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).\n\nThe bill will permanently authorize the National Detector Dog Training Center, located in Newnan, Georgia. The Center extensively trains detector dogs\u2014mostly beagles\u2014and their U.S. Customs and Border Protection handlers to sniff out prohibited agricultural items that could carry foreign plant or animal pests and diseases into our country. Dogs are selected from animal shelters, rescue groups, and private owners. Those that retire from the program or do not complete training are offered for adoption.\n\n\u201cProtecting American consumers and our agriculture industry from foreign threats to food safety before they enter our food supply is a critical task,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cOur hardworking farmers and ranchers are tirelessly vigilant to safeguard their stock from contaminants, and the passage of this bill will augment Customs and Border Protection efforts to effectively identify and stop foreign pests and diseases before they can enter our food supply chain. I thank Reps. Bishop, Ferguson, and Kildee for their collaboration on this bipartisan bill, and I encourage President Biden to sign it into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. agriculture sector is a $1 trillion industry constantly under the threat of foreign pests and diseases\u2026 that could be introduced through our nation\u2019s ports of entry, including airports, harbors, and mail and cargo facilities,\" said Rep. Bishop during floor debate. \"Some of these diseases could cost the American economy tens of billions of dollars to contain and eradicate, if they are found to be in the country. Agriculture detector dogs \u2013 known as the \u2018Beagle Brigade\u2019 \u2013 are an important tool in preventing these threats and eradicating them in the event they overcome our safeguards\u2026 An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Brigade is well worth its value.\u201d\n\n\"The Beagle Brigade Act would permanently authorize the training center to ensure that America\u2019s food supply stays protected from potentially devastating foreign pests and diseases,\" said Rep. Ferguson during floor debate. \"The National Detector Dog Training Center in Georgia\u2019s 3rd Congressional District does important work to properly train detector dogs to sniff out prohibited agricultural items in domestic and international trade.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to see the House pass our bill, the Beagle Brigade Act, to strengthen the inspection of food imports. Michigan's farmers work hard to feed our families every day, and this bill will help to protect our local food supply,\u201d said Rep. Kildee. \u201cThis legislation will help defend American agriculture from foreign diseases that could harm our livestock and increase food prices.\u201d\n\n\u201cIowans know firsthand how important prevention and preparedness efforts are in combatting diseases like avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and African swine fever. The Beagle Brigade is our first line of defense against foreign animal diseases that have the potential to devastate our farmers, producers, and food supply chain,\u201d said Sen. Ernst. \u201cThe House and Senate have done our jobs to protect our agricultural community, and the president must sign this bipartisan legislation into law immediately.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery day, USDA\u2019s National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan plays an essential role in keeping our food supply safe from contamination. This legislation permanently authorizes their work and will continue to strengthen our nation\u2019s agriculture industry and the well-being of our communities,\u201d said Sen. Warnock. \u201cAs a member of the Senate Agriculture committee and champion for Georgia\u2019s farmers, I am proud to have worked with my Senate and House colleagues, including Congressman Bishop, to get this bipartisan legislation over the finish line, and I urge President Biden to swiftly sign it into law.\u201d\n\nCosponsors of H.R. 1480 include: Reps. Mike Flood (R-NE), Lisa McClain (R-MI), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Abigail Spanberger, (D-VA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Mike Bost (R-IL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Donald Davis (D-NC), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Angie Craig (D-MN), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), James Baird (R-IN), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Jeff Jackson, (D-NC), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Shontel Brown (D-OH), David Rouzer (R-NC), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Bill Huizenga, Bill (R-MI)\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-introduces-ending-green-giveaways-act", "Rep. Flood Introduces the Ending Green Giveaways Act", "2024-12-17", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood introduced the \u201cEnding Green Giveaways Act.\u201d The legislation removes funding from a section of the Inflation Reduction Act which expedites certain federal grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) targeting \u201cenvironmental and climate justice challenges.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile the American people oppose the Green New Deal, the Biden administration continues to shovel money out the door even though Americans have elected a Republican trifecta that\u2019s set to take office,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cPresident Trump has promised to roll back the Green New Deal, and this bill takes a key step towards doing that. The Ending Green Giveaways Act returns unused funds from the $3 billion of taxpayers\u2019 money allocated to an out-of-touch, unaccountable \u2018environmental justice\u2019 grant program managed by the EPA.\"\n\nThe \u201cEnding Green Giveaways Act\u201d eliminates text related to the \u201cCommunity Change Grants\u201d program and rescinds any unspent funds allocated to the program under the Inflation Reduction Act. This program, which received $3 billion in federal funding, is expedited by the EPA. The EPA\u2019s Inspector General previously testified before Congress, expressing \u201c[concerns] that, in seeking to reach new recipients, the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights [which administers the grant program] will eschew or elide important internal controls and anti-fraud protections.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-offers-tickets-presidential-inauguration-0", "Smith Offers Tickets for Presidential Inauguration", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) encouraged residents of Nebraska\u2019s Third District interested in attending the 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremonies on Monday, January 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C., to contact his office for information on obtaining tickets.\n\nEach congressional office receives a limited number of tickets, which Smith will distribute to interested residents of Nebraska\u2019s Third District. To submit a ticket request, please visit adriansmith.house.gov/services/inauguration-ticket-requests or contact Smith\u2019s Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-6435.\n\nNote: Tickets can only be provided to residents of Nebraska\u2019s Third District. Due to limited supply, submitting a request does not guarantee reservation of tickets.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-us-military-service-academy-nominations-class-2029", "Congressman Flood Announces U.S. Military Service Academy Nominations for Class of 2029", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced the nomination of several constituents from Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District to the nation\u2019s Military Service Academies. The announcement follows a rigorous interview and selection process, guided by a committee of diverse Nebraskans that included military leaders and community members.\n\n\"Many of our nation's brave service members come from the great state of Nebraska,\" said Congressman Flood. \"I am honored to nominate these outstanding and talented Nebraskans from the First District to the Military Service Academies. I also want to thank the committee for their work, which provided valuable insights into each applicant. Congratulations to the nominees on this prestigious achievement.\"\n\nThe committee included retired Brigadier General Roma Amundson of Lincoln (AUS), Dave Merritt of Norfolk (USN), Mace Kant of Norfolk (USAF), and Col. Robert J. Newbauer of Omaha (USACE). Their thorough evaluations considered each applicant's knowledge of the Military Service Academies, their understanding of roles within the Armed Forces, their commitment to serving the nation, academic achievements, and ability to communicate effectively in high-pressure situations.\n\nBased on the committee's recommendations, Congressman Flood nominated applicants who met the stringent academic and physical requirements of the Military Service Academies. These include the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Notably, no applications were submitted for nomination to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.\n\nCongressman Mike Flood\u2019s nominations are in alphabetical order by last name.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-trump-administration-should-scrap-radical-anti-meat", "Congressman Flood: Trump Administration Should Scrap Radical Anti-Meat Recommendations", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following the release of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee\u2019s Scientific Report. This report confirms previous reporting about new anti-meat dietary guidelines earlier this year.\n\n\u201cThe Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee tries to claim they are promoting flexibility and individual choice, while they push plant-based proteins at the expense of red meat. This attempt to re-write your grocery list and push meat off the menu has nothing to do with a healthy diet and everything to do with appeasing radical environmental activists. For example, it takes three cups of quinoa to deliver the same amount of protein as only three ounces of beef. As the Beef State, Nebraska knows firsthand what kind of threat this poses. Reducing the role of meat in our diets is not only bad for consumer health but also undermines our country\u2019s food security and way of life. I urge the incoming Trump administration to scrap these anti-meat recommendations from unelected bureaucrats and to return the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to a commonsense approach that supports our great American farmers and ranchers who grow the food that helps feed the world.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-reported-ustr-efforts-renegotiate-trade-agreements", "Smith Statement on Reported USTR Efforts to Renegotiate Trade Agreements", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after it was reported the Office of the United States Trade Representative is attempting to renegotiate provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement without consulting Congress or American industry stakeholders.\n\n\"I am extremely troubled by reports the lame duck Biden-Harris administration is attempting to bypass Congress to alter USMCA and the U.S.-Colombia agreement. President Biden and Ambassador Tai have wasted the past four years by slow-walking or forgoing any opportunity to fight for American producers and consumers, and there is no reason to trust any last-ditch trade actions will demonstrate any regard for congressional intent. I strongly urge USTR to gather and consider stakeholder input and consult Congress on any negotiations related to these agreements and respond to the letter I sent with nine of my colleagues three months ago in a fashion which holds Mexico accountable to its USMCA obligations.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-january-mobile-office-hours", "Congressman Flood Announces January Mobile Office Hours", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced his Nebraska Mobile Office Hours for the month of January.\n\nCongressman Flood\u2019s staff will be hosting Mobile Office Hours throughout Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District to assist constituents with issues involving federal agencies. Constituents are encouraged to bring relevant documentation to help address their concerns.\n\nWhether constituents face challenges with Social Security or Medicare benefits, need assistance obtaining a passport, or have questions about the IRS and other matters, Congressman Flood\u2019s team is available to provide support and work with them.\n\nMobile Office Hours information can be found below or at flood.house.gov/about/events.\n\nElmwood Mobile Office Hours\n\nElmwood Community Center\n\nThursday, January 16th\n\n11:00am-12:00pm\n\n144 N 4th Street, Elmwood, NE 68359\n\nBellevue Mobile Office Hours\n\nBellevue Public Library\n\nWednesday, January 22nd\n\n1:00pm-2:30pm\n\n2206 Longo Drive Bellevue, NE 68005\n\nPapillion Mobile Office Hours\n\nPapillion Public Library\n\nWednesday, January 29th\n\n3:00pm-4:30pm\n\n222 N Jefferson Street, Papillion NE 68046", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-introduces-no-more-dc-waste-act", "Congressman Flood Introduces the No More D.C. Waste Act", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood, joined by Rep. William Timmons (SC-04) and Rep. Adrian Smith (NE-03), introduced the \u201cNo More D.C. Waste Act.\u201d This bill provides oversight to the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) program and reins in its excessive funding moving forward.\n\n\u201cFor nearly ten years, the D.C. local government has quietly stockpiled tens of millions of taxpayer dollars from an overfunded program,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cThe DCTAG program has enough prior federal funding to be entirely self-sustaining for at least two years without needing another dime of taxpayer money. House Republicans are fighting to eliminate bloated and wasteful federal spending, and this bill is a straightforward step toward getting our federal checkbook in order.\u201d\n\n\"Congress allocates millions of dollars annually to the DCTAG program, leading to significant overfunding. Throughout my time in Congress, I\u2019ve made it a priority to protect American taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. This bill ensures that excess funds are not carried over by the D.C. government to be used in the following year. We must be responsible stewards of taxpayer money and ensure it is spent efficiently and effectively,\u201d said Rep. William Timmons (SC-04).\n\nThe DCTAG program has received $40 million annually from Congress since 2015. However, it consistently falls short of awarding this full amount each year, leaving at least $60 million in unspent funds accumulated over time.\n\nThe \u201cNo More D.C. Waste Act\u201d amends current law by preventing the D.C. government from carrying over surplus funds in the future to avoid further wasted taxpayer dollars. Specifically, the bill accomplishes this by eliminating the D.C. government\u2019s ability to roll over funding from the previous year, beginning in FY2026.\n\nThis legislation additionally improves congressional oversight by requiring the D.C. government to report DCTAG\u2019s finances, key statistics, and outcomes to Congress annually.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2581", "Bacon Praises Passage of FY 2025 NDAA", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Don Bacon voted with his House colleagues to support final passage of H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2025, with a bipartisan majority of 281 to 140.\n\n\u201cAfter an intense two-year effort, I am pleased that this year\u2019s NDAA is built around the needs of the All-Volunteer Force, which is the foundation of our America\u2019s military strength,\u201d said Rep Bacon, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee\u2019s Military Quality of Life Panel and the Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee. \u201cThe 2025 NDAA is a historic victory for our service members and military families, and I am grateful for the bi-partisan effort that made it possible.\u201d\n\nThe 2025 NDAA:\n\nAuthorizes $895 billion for national defense \u2013 approximately 3 percent of U.S. gross domestic product \u2013 with significant investments in the defense industrial base, munitions production, and critical technologies, including artificial intelligence, space, autonomous systems, and hypersonic weapons. This amount is consistent with the topline defense discretionary spending agreement as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA)\n\nDirects the most comprehensive reform of military quality of life programs in the history of the United States; this legislation was developed by the bi-partisan House Armed Services Committee Military Quality of Life Panel chaired by Rep. Bacon in the 118th Congress and delivers historic improvements to junior enlisted pay, housing, healthcare, childcare, and support to military spouses\n\nAuthorizes a 14.5 percent targeted pay increase for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5 percent increase for all other service members\n\nFully funds the modernization of the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise to replace aging systems and reverse the dangerous decline in the effectiveness and reliability of America\u2019s nuclear deterrent\n\nCombats antisemitism and imposes additional prohibitions on divisive radical ideologies and policies like critical race theory and controversial transgender medical treatments and therapies for dependent children of military personnel\n\nThe 2025 NDAA also includes the following additional legislative provisions championed by Rep. Bacon:\n\nDirects establishment of a subordinate unified command for cyber defense of the Department of Defense Information Network under U.S. Cyber Command\n\nDirects permanent establishment of the Department of Defense Hackathon Program\n\nDirects the Secretary of Defense to prepare a strategic assessment on space and satellite security for allies and partners in the Middle East, including the State of Israel\n\nRequires the Department of Defense to develop an operational modeling and simulation capability for multi-domain joint electromagnetic spectrum operations\n\nExtends the availability of security assistance funding for foreign capacity building for a period of up to three years\n\nAuthorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to designate qualified former members of the Air Force as \u201cLegacy Guardian\u201d\n\nDirects the Department of Defense to maintain current student-to-teacher ratios\n\nAuthorizes $158 million in military construction funding to begin planning and design associated with the permanent basing of the E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) aircraft fleet at Offutt AFB\n\nAuthorizes $13 million for USSTRATCOM\u2019s nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) rapid engineering architecture collaboration hub (REACH) initiative at Offutt AFB.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s NDAA prioritizes the servicemembers and military families who valiantly dedicate their lives to defending us by making their quality of life the cornerstone of this legislation,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cThis is a landmark defense bill, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have helped deliver on our promise to those who keep us safe and free.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-honors-legacy-howard-hawks-0", "Rep. Flood Honors the Legacy of Howard Hawks", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE) delivered remarks on the House floor celebrating the life and legacy of Howard L. Hawks of Nebraska.\n\nA video of his remarks can be accessed by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for reporting purposes. The full text of Congressman Flood\u2019s speech is provided below.\n\nMister Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the incredible life and legacy of Nebraska\u2019s own, Howard Hawks.\n\nHoward was a generational leader, who lived the American dream, co-founding, an energy company called Tenaska. Since founding the company in 1987, he helped grow it into one of the largest privately held companies in America.\n\nIf anyone knows Howard Hawks, you\u2019d know that if he got involved in a project, people in a five-state area knew exactly what was going on and it would get done.\n\nOne of his greatest investments was at the University of Nebraska where he gave of both his time and his treasure. He served almost two decades as a regent and helped strengthen our Husker athletic program as a booster. In recent years, he provided the lead gift that helped build the University of Nebraska-Lincoln\u2019s business school.\n\nThis is just one example of the philanthropic projects that Howard took on through the years.\n\nHoward will be greatly missed. Our hearts and prayers go out to Rhonda and the entire Hawks family as we mourn his loss.\n\nThank you, I yield back.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-introduces-housing-supply-and-innovation-frameworks-act", "Rep. Flood Introduces the Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE) and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) introduced the Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act. This bill directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop frameworks for best practices on zoning and land-use policies. The legislation also provides local and state governments with the necessary resources to confront barriers to housing development and construction.\n\nThe HUD-established frameworks would serve as a starting point for states and localities that are interested in reforming their zoning and land-use policies. The frameworks will serve as a resource for jurisdictions that need guidance on how to reform local laws, ordinances, and regulations to spur more building and growth. This legislation will be especially critical in communities facing shortages in housing and will create a playbook for communities that want to change their policies to encourage that development and growth.\n\nWith a severe shortage of between 4 to 7 million homes in the United States, this legislation will be critical for local and state governments to bolster their housing supplies, helping more Americans achieve this cornerstone of the American Dream.\n\n\u201cThe rising cost of housing is putting the American Dream out of reach for working families across our country,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cWe need an all-of-the-above approach to addressing America\u2019s housing crisis. To this end, the Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act helps established suggested best practices for state and local governments across the country who want to break down barriers holding back development and innovation in housing and construction. Thank you to my colleague, Rep. Blunt Rochester, for helping lead this bipartisan bill that is one small but important step towards bringing down the cost of housing and make it more accessible and affordable.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn conversations with Delawareans up and down our state, one of the top concerns I hear about is the urgent need for more affordable and available housing. From Wilmington to Dover to our rural communities, it is the voices of these residents that have inspired me to introduce this bipartisan legislation,\u201d said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester. \u201cThe Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act will give state and local governments the resources they need to overcome barriers to affordable housing and ensure that more Americans have a safe place to call home. I will continue to do everything I can to bring resources such as these to Delaware to help increase our housing supply and lower costs for families across the state. I am grateful to Congressman Flood for his collaboration on this bill, and I look forward to working across the aisle with our colleagues to bring it to a vote on the House floor.\u201d\n\nThe Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act is supported by key stakeholders including the following:\n\n\"Up for Growth Action proudly supports the introduction of the Housing Supply and Innovation Frameworks Act. This common-sense legislation empowers local and state governments with the tools and strategies needed to streamline land-use policies and unleash the potential for increased housing production,\" said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth Action. \"By reducing red tape and encouraging practical solutions, this Act paves the way for stronger communities and expanded economic opportunity. We commend Representatives Flood and Blunt Rochester for their leadership in advancing bipartisan solutions to tackle America\u2019s housing challenges.\"\n\n\"MBA is committed to working with Congress on legislative solutions that help fix our nation\u2019s ongoing housing supply shortage. We look forward to working with Congressman Flood and Senator-elect Blunt Rochester on H.R. 10351 and any parallel Senate legislation. The proposed legislation requires HUD to publish guidelines and best practices for state and local zoning frameworks, an effort MBA supports as a way to encourage more housing development,\u201d said Bill Killmer, Senior VP for Legislative and Political Affairs, Mortgage Bankers Association.\n\n\u201cAddressing our nation\u2019s longstanding housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and it demands bold and bipartisan action,\u201d said National Apartment Association (NAA) President and CEO Bob Pinnegar. \u201cWorking alongside subject matter experts from across the housing space, this important legislation would provide states and localities with frameworks for positive and meaningful housing policy reform. NAA thanks Reps. Mike Flood (R-NE) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) for their steadfast leadership across the aisle and applauds this bill as an important step to help boost our nation\u2019s housing supply.\n\n\u201cWe view this legislation as a good first step and look forward to working with Congress to find solutions to break down the regulatory barriers that jeopardize our ability to create the housing that is needed for residents across all income levels,\u201d said National Multifamily Housing Council President Sharon Wilson G\u00e9no.\n\n\u201cCommunities and states across the nation are looking for new solutions that break down barriers to producing the affordable and attainable housing options we need to combat the nation\u2019s housing crisis. The American Planning Association is proud to endorse the Housing Supply and Innovations Framework Act. APA applauds the leadership of Representatives Flood and Blunt Rochester in advancing this policy aimed at making HUD a better partner and a resource for communities looking to advance locally-led housing solutions. The frameworks proposed in this bill will unlock innovative and much needed housing supply reforms,\u201d said Angela Brooks, FAICP, President, American Planning Association.\n\n\u201cNot only does the Delaware State Housing Authority support this bill, but Delaware is doing similar work through the Affordable Housing Production Task Force,\" said Delaware State Housing Authority Director Cynthia Karnai. \u201cWe are happy that Congresswoman Blunt Rochester and her team are working for not only Delawareans, but all around our country to create and execute on sensible and achievable goals.\u201d\n\nSupporters of the Bill: Up for Growth Action, National Apartment Association, National Multifamily Housing Council, Mortgage Bankers Association, American Planning Association, National Association of Realtors, National Association of Home Builders, Coalition For Home Repair, Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, Enterprise Community Partners, Grounded Solutions Network, Habitat for Humanity International, Inc., Housing Assistance Council, Inclusive Abundance Initiative, Leading Builders of America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, LOCUS: Responsible Real Estate Developers and Investors, Modular Housing Institute, National Affordable Housing Management Association, National Association of Rental Property Managers, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, National Leased Housing Association, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National NeighborWorks Association, National Rental Home Council, National Urban League, Niskanen Center, Smart Growth America, UnidosUS, and YIMBY Action.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-votes-strengthen-us-armed-forces-support-offutt-air-force-base", "Rep. Flood Votes to Strengthen U.S. Armed Forces, Support Offutt Air Force Base", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s NDAA delivers a 14.5% pay raise for junior service members to help with recruitment and retention, while also controlling spending by phasing out billions in Pentagon waste and outdated programs. This bill includes critical resources to support STRATCOM and Offutt Air Force Base in the coming year, including resources for a consolidated training complex and professional development center. I urge the Senate to act quickly, so that the President can sign the NDAA into law before the holidays.\u201d\n\nHighlights from the FY25 NDAA Legislation from the Office of Speaker Mike Johnson:\n\nProvide junior enlisted service members with a 14.5% pay raise.\n\nFully support the deployment of National Guard at the southwest border to intercept illegal aliens and drugs.\n\nIncludes dozens of sections that address PRC security threats and economic security issues\n\nPrevent Chinese espionage in our military, supply chains, and research institutions.\n\nExpand U.S.-Israel military exercises and fully fund cooperative missile defense programs.\n\nIncrease funding for U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to bolster Taiwan\u2019s defense and support Indo-Pacific allies.\n\nSave $31 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.\n\nCut $4 billion in programs that do not meet requirements.\n\nProhibit contracts with advertising firms that blacklist conservative news sources, like NewsGuard Technologies Inc.\n\nAbolish the DEI bureaucracy and climate change programs.\n\nBans the teaching, training, or promotion of critical race theory.\n\nPermanently ban transgender medical treatment for minors.\n\nCounter antisemitism by prohibiting sale of goods at DOD commissaries and exchanges from any entities that have or are engaged in a boycott of Israel.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-edwards-colleagues-call-day-one-elimination-irs-direct-file", "Smith, Edwards, Colleagues Call for Day-One Elimination of IRS Direct File", "2024-12-10", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Chuck Edwards (R-NC) along with 27 House colleagues sent a letter asking President Trump to immediately end the IRS' unlawful Direct File pilot program upon taking office in January. Copies of the letter were addressed to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's selections to lead his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as well as Treasury Secretary-Designee Scott Bessent, and Trump's selection to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought.\n\nCosigners of the letter include:\n\nReps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Carol Miller (R-WV), Mark Alford (R-MO), Rick Allen (R-GA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Mike Carey (R-OH), Ron Estes (R-KS), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Kevin Hern (R-OK) Erin Houchin (R-IN), Young Kim (R-CA), David Kustoff (R-TN), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Greg Murphy (R-NC), August Pfluger (R-TX), Keith Self (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Greg Steube (R-FL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), William Timmons (R-SC), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Steve Womack (R-AR), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY)\n\nIn the letter the members said:\n\n\"We write to urge you to take immediate action, including a day-one executive order, to end the Internal Revenue Service\u2019s (IRS) unauthorized and wasteful Direct File pilot program. The program\u2019s creation and ongoing expansion pose a threat to taxpayers\u2019 freedom from government overreach, and its shaky rollout and structural flaws have already come at a steep price.\n\n...\n\n\"This is deeply concerning and a clear conflict of interest.\n\n...\n\n\"Under the Biden-Harris administration, the IRS has undertaken an aggressive expansion of its influence, fueled by the exorbitant $80 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, in which it has repeatedly overstepped its authority and targeted hardworking Americans with audits...Even prior, the IRS has a long record of abusing its authority to target political opponents. How can we entrust the IRS to responsibly prepare and enforce taxes when it has encroached on Americans\u2019 individual liberties at every opportunity? And how can we trust future administrations to not do as the Biden-Harris administration has done in wielding the IRS as a tool to silence political opponents and control private citizens? We should act now to end Direct File to protect Americans from further overreach.\n\n...\n\n\"Instead of Direct File, the IRS should be focused on improving its functionality and service to American taxpayers. Under the Biden-Harris administration, Americans experienced significant delays in receiving their tax returns, and the agency has failed to reduce the federal deficit despite the bloated enforcement funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. The agency\u2019s existing issues will only be compounded by an expanded Direct File venture...\"\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nSmith and Edwards introduced legislation in July of this year to terminate the IRS\u2019s unauthorized Direct File program. Smith also introduced legislation, passed by the House in January 2023, to repeal the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s $80 billion IRS expansion.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-flood-bacon-invite-robert-kennedy-jr-view-nebraskas-food-production-and", "Smith, Flood, Bacon Invite Robert Kennedy Jr. to View Nebraska's Food Production and Rural Health System", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) along with Nebraska House delegation colleagues Congressmen Mike Flood (R-NE-01) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary-Designee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to congratulate him on his expected nomination and invite him to Nebraska to witness firsthand the state's world-leading food supply chain and challenges to rural health care access.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nFull letter text below\n\nDear Mr. Kennedy:\n\nCongratulations on the recent announcement that President-Elect Trump intends to nominate you to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in his second administration. As you proceed through the nomination process, it would be our pleasure to host you on a visit to Nebraska to see first-hand how HHS agencies and programs impact rural America and our nation\u2019s food supply.\n\nAgriculture is the lifeblood of Nebraska, supporting both our rural and urban communities while meeting the demands of a growing world population. Our state, comprised of ninety-three counties and spanning nearly 67,000 square miles, produces a variety of agricultural products, including beef, pork, poultry, grains, and edible beans. Nebraskans take great pride in delivering high quality products efficiently and sustainably. Our state is a national leader for innovation in agriculture, whether in production practices, biotechnology, or equipment. This ingenuity leads to higher yields utilizing fewer resources, all while providing high quality, safe, and nutritious food for the world.\n\nAgriculture drives rural economies, supporting valued-added manufacturing, infrastructure, and community resources. The rural communities who support our producers are also dependent on having access to quality, affordable health care. While access to care is a challenge for many across the country, rural communities must overcome small populations and remote locations which make it impossible for them to enjoy the economies of scale which benefit large urban health systems. Nebraska\u2019s 62 Critical Access Hospitals and 100+ Rural Health Clinics must be financially sound, innovative, and hardy in order to meet the health care needs of rural Nebraskans. With many rural communities confronting aging populations, changes in Medicare payment policies can often determine whether they can keep the lights on.\n\nNebraska leads in providing the country with high quality nutrition while supporting vibrant communities through affordable and accessible healthcare services. As you begin your nomination process, we invite you to visit Nebraska at your earliest convenience so you can see first-hand both the first-class agricultural practices we use to feed our neighbors and the world and understand the unique needs of rural health care which you would expect to encounter regularly as HHS Secretary. We cannot allow federal policy to leave rural America behind.\n\nWe look forward to welcoming you to Nebraska.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-passing-howard-hawks", "Smith Statement on Passing of Howard Hawks", "2024-12-07", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the passing of former member of the Nebraska Board of Regents and businessman Howard Hawks.\n\n\"Howard Hawks provided many decades of leadership in the Nebraska business sector, the university system, and broader community. In a great American success story, he co-founded and built one of the nation\u2019s most successful companies and worked tirelessly to give back to the community in countless ways. He leaves behind a legacy of integrity in business, determination to better the lives of others, and dedication to growth in our state. I offer my sincere condolences to the entire Hawks family.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-introduces-bonus-transparency-act", "Congressman Flood Introduces BONUS Transparency Act", "2024-12-06", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood, joined by House Veterans\u2019 Affairs (VA) Committee Chairman Mike Bost (IL-12), Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03), and Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), introduced the \u201cBONUS Transparency Act.\u201d This bill enhances communication transparency in bonus pay to Career Senior Executive Service (SES) employees across federal agencies.\n\n\u201cThe VA\u2019s inappropriate awarding of nearly $11 million to SES employees must be addressed,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cWhat makes this situation even worse is that the public only became aware of this misuse of funds because of the VA\u2019s Inspector General. This cannot happen again, which is why I\u2019ve introduced the BONUS Transparency Act. Congress has the obligation and authority to oversee how taxpayer funds are used by federal agencies. This bill promotes transparency\u2014and, in turn, accountability\u2014across our federal government, ensuring these funds are not abused for personal gain by Washington bureaucrats in the future.\u201d\n\n\u201cAfter the Biden-Harris administration tried to line the pockets of its senior VA executives during the bonus scandal earlier this year, we need my friend Rep. Flood\u2019s bill. The BONUS Transparency Act would ensure that this type of government waste never happens again. My Committee\u2019s investigation over the summer revealed that too often bureaucrats are getting ahead of their skis and money doesn\u2019t go to the right people \u2013 those who had actually earned it,\u201d said Chairman Bost. \u201cThis commonsense bill would increase transparency and accountability throughout the federal government overnight.\u201d\n\n\"Senior officials at federal agencies are meant to serve the American people, not to enrich themselves,\u201d said Congressman Ciscomani. \u201cAs we learned from our recent oversight of the Department of Veterans\u2019 Affairs, where $10.8 million in bonuses were inappropriately awarded, executive level staff must be held accountable and use taxpayer dollars to serve those who rely on federal agencies, like our veterans. I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of the BONUS Transparency Act to protect tax-payer dollars and ensure compliance with bonus caps.\u201d\n\n\u201cOversight on the use of taxpayer dollars is not optional \u2013 it is a necessity. If this magnitude of financial misconduct can occur at the Veterans Administration, it can happen at any other federal agency, and that will not be tolerated. The BONUS Transparency Act will draw a clear line to ensure that federal agencies are held to the highest standard and any misuse of funds is fully exposed\u201d said Congressman Van Orden.\n\nThe legislation follows a recent report by the VA\u2019s Inspector General, which revealed that funds allocated by Congress for recruitment and retention of VA employees that assist in processing veterans\u2019 benefits claims, were instead used to award bonuses to SES employees. These award bonuses averaged $55,000 per bonus, with multiple bonuses exceeding $100,000.\n\nThe \u201cBONUS Transparency Act\u201d requires that all bonuses awarded to SES employees must be reported to Congress, including the employee\u2019s name, job title, and annual rate of pay. Additionally, federal agencies must disclose the accounts from which the performance awards were funded.\n\nCurrently, no federal requirement exists for SES employee bonuses to be reported to Congress. While federal law generally caps bonuses at 20% of an SES employee\u2019s basic annual pay, the VA Inspector General\u2019s report revealed that several of these bonuses were closer to 25% of basic pay.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-president-trumps-selection-billy-long-irs-commissioner", "Smith Statement on President Trump's Selection of Billy Long for IRS Commissioner", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after President Trump released a statement announcing he will appoint former Congressman Billy Long to serve as Commissioner of the IRS.\n\n\"Despite his claims otherwise during the confirmation process, Commissioner Werfel\u2019s tenure at the IRS has largely focused on advancing the Biden-Harris agenda to intrude further into the financial privacy of American families and small businesses. We need an IRS commissioner who will restore accountability to the agency and its employees, address outdated technology infrastructure, return to wholly appropriated funding, end the unlawful Direct File Program, and have a true focus on serving taxpayers well. I applaud President Trump\u2019s announcement of his plan to nominate my former colleague Billy Long to do the job and look forward to Senate consideration of his qualifications.\"\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nSmith, a senior member of the Committee on Ways and Means, introduced legislation, passed by the House in January 2023, to repeal the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s $80 billion IRS expansion and legislation to terminate the IRS\u2019s unauthorized Direct File program.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-smith-bill-transferring-reservoir-land-local-control-passes-house", "VIDEO: Smith Bill Transferring Reservoir Land to Local Control Passes House", "2024-12-05", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives supporting passage of his bill (H.R. 8413) to transfer certain land at Swanson Reservoir and Red Willow Reservoir from the Bureau of Reclamation to Hitchcock and Frontier Counties, respectively. The bill passed with unanimous consent.\n\nRepresentatives Mike Flood (R-NE), Don Bacon (R-NE), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) are cosponsors of the House bill. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced companion legislation in the Senate with Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Roger Marshall (R-KS).\n\nVideo of Smith's full remarks is linked here. Text is below:\n\nThank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee. I appreciate this opportunity. I appreciate your support of H.R. 8413.\n\nThe Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyances Act would begin the process of transferring ownership of roughly 77 acres of land from the Bureau of Reclamation to the counties of Hitchcock and Frontier, together. Importantly, this land does not include any water or power assets.\n\nI am proud to represent the Third District of Nebraska, which is home to both reservoirs impacted by this legislation. Over the last few years, working closely with impacted stakeholders as well as Senator Deb Fischer, it is clear how important this transfer is to the local communities.\n\nThe current management of the land supports local marinas, housing communities, and areas for local economic activity. However, should the Bureau of Reclamation maintain ownership, impending changes to land use policies would force the removal of these businesses and communities from the land.\n\nWhen the bureau announced the planned management changes, it spawned extensive collaboration between the local communities, businesses, and housing owners. This collaboration generated outstanding support for a land transfer, which will allow for increased local control of the recreational areas.\n\nFurther, this would provide long-term certainty for the businesses which depend on revenue brought in by tourism, the locals who enjoy recreational activities at the reservoirs, and the some 180 housing owners from three states. These owners and their families have spent generations creating this \u201chome away from home.\u201d\n\nTourism cultivated by current land use arrangements is vital for the local economies. Both counties are highly rural, with Frontier County covering over 700 square miles with just 2,600 residents. There are three restaurants in the entire county \u2013 one of which is the marina included in this transfer.\n\nThe 110 lease holders at Swanson Reservoir bring in approximately 500 people multiple times throughout the year, who support other local businesses in the area as well. So, to put this into perspective \u2013 small businesses throughout Frontier and Hitchcock Counties estimate they would lose nearly $1.5 million in revenue if these leases are terminated.\n\nAdditionally, the marinas facilitate community activities and drive economic development, which would not occur if not for the patronage generated from the broader communities.\n\nWhen the public and the federal government disagree on how land intended for public access should be used, the reasonable solution is to empower local control, which best suits the local community and visitors, especially considering all the discussion here this afternoon.\n\nAdditionally, the transfer comes at no cost to the federal government, as the legislation ensures taxpayers are reimbursed at fair market value and public access is maintained.\n\nI thank the chair and ranking member for their work to move this bill forward and certainly Senator Fischer for her partnership in the Senate.\n\nI urge the passage of H.R. 8413 and yield back the balance of my time.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nEarlier this year, Smith and Fischer, with members of the Nebraska delegation, introduced the Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyances Act after an outpouring of community dissatisfaction with Bureau of Reclamation management of the concession areas at the Swanson and Red Willow Reservoirs.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/video-smith-speaks-house-floor-passage-bill-rename-lexington-post-office-after", "VIDEO: Smith Speaks on House Floor on Passage of Bill to Rename Lexington Post Office After Bill and Elsie Barrett", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives today on passage of his bill (H.R. 7507) to name the post office in Lexington, NE the \"William E. and Elsie L. Barrett Post Office Building.\" The bill passed with unanimous consent.\n\nSee Smith's full remarks below:\n\nThank you, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7507, a bill which would name the post office in Lexington, Nebraska after former Congressman Bill and his wife Elsie Barrett.\n\nBill Barrett was born in Lexington, Nebraska in 1929. Following his service in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, Bill returned to his alma mater, Hastings College, serving as vice president for student admissions and later on the college\u2019s Board of Trustees for 32 years. In 1978 he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, serving for 12 years, with his last four as Speaker. He was then elected to represent the Third District of Nebraska in the U.S. House. Known for his ability to cultivate consensus and connect with anyone, Bill was the president of his freshman congressional class, a group that included future Speaker John Boehner. Tirelessly focused on issues important to Nebraska\u2019s farmers and ranchers, Bill\u2019s former staff have recounted how he would always ask, \u201cDoes this help the Third District?\u201d During his 5 terms in Congress, he served on the House Agriculture Committee and co-authored the Freedom to Farm Act of 1996. He also presided over the weekly bipartisan prayer breakfast and was eventually appointed chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast. He set a lasting standard of dedicated statesmanship and summed up his approach to public service as a high calling with the quote, \u201cService to others is the best work of life.\u201d\n\nBill\u2019s wife, Elsie Carlson Barrett, was born in 1930 to a Swedish immigrant family in New London, Connecticut. Elsie and Bill met while he was stationed there for his Naval service, and the two married in 1952. They settled in Hastings, Nebraska, where Elsie worked as a nurse before the family moved to Lexington. In Lexington, Bill and Elsie raised four children. Her passion for improving the lives of children blessed many, as she served on the Nebraska Foster Care Review Board and as president of her local Philanthropic Educational Organization chapter. Bill and Elsie were an extraordinary team and worked together to help host the National Prayer Breakfast in 1997.\n\nWhether serving in the Navy, the Nebraska Unicameral, or in the U.S. House, Bill always put Nebraska first, and Elsie leaves behind a great legacy of bettering the lives of others. It is a great privilege to sponsor this bill, which would name the post office located at 203 East 6th Street in Lexington, Nebraska, for Bill and Elsie Barrett. I want to thank my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation who joined in this effort to honor Bill and Elsie, and I urge support for this bill. As Bill would say, in this body we all have \u201can armchair to history,\u201d I am honored to represent the same district he did.\n\nThank you, I yield back.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-elected-vice-chair-republican-main-street-caucus", "Congressman Flood Elected Vice Chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus", "2024-12-03", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The Republican Main Street Caucus (RMSC) recently elected new leadership for the 119th Congress. Congressman Dusty Johnson (SD-At-Large) was re-elected Chair and Congressman Mike Flood (NE-01) was elected as Vice-Chair.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an honor to serve as the Republican Main Street Caucus Vice Chair for the 119th Congress,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cFrom cutting taxes to rolling back the Biden administration\u2019s failed policies, Main Street Republicans are leading the way in the House, working to enact conservative policy that will grow communities and help more families live the American dream. I look forward to teaming up with my good friend and RMSC chair, Rep. Johnson, as he we kick off a new Congress and work with President Trump and our entire caucus to champion our conservative principles.\u201d\n\nAbout the Republican Main Street Caucus", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-2024-congressional-app-challenge-winners", "Congressman Flood Announces 2024 Congressional App Challenge Winners", "2024-12-02", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Kyle Van Sant and Leo Geck, students from Papillion La Vista High School, as the co-winners of the Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District.\n\nTheir submission, Volunteering Opportunities of Nebraska (VON), is an app designed to help students log, access, and discover volunteer opportunities with local organizations. Kyle and Leo aim to foster community engagement and encourage students to give back to their communities through VON.\n\n\u201cVolunteer activities help lay the foundation for connecting the next generation of Nebraskans to their communities and getting them civically engaged,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cKyle and Leo\u2019s app is not only impressive but also a great example of how Nebraska has become known as the \u2018Silicon Prairie.\u2019 I want to congratulate them and thank everyone who participated in the Congressional App Challenge. I look forward to seeing future innovations from Kyle and Leo.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Congressional App Challenge was an incredible opportunity for me to learn about programming and engineering while creating something that can contribute to my community,\u201d said Kyle Van Sant, Co-Winner of the Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska\u2019s First District.\n\n\u201cAs an aspiring engineer seeking to make the world a better place, this experience showed me how the engineering process works and will guide me throughout college and my professional career\u201d added Leo Geck, Co-Winner of the Congressional App Challenge for Nebraska\u2019s First District.\n\nOne review committee member praised VON, stating, \u201cThis app expands student volunteering opportunities, simplifies tracking hours, and encourages community involvement. Kyle and Leo have done an exceptional job creating something with immediate impact. It\u2019s inspiring to see young people applying creativity and innovation for the benefit of their peers.\u201d\n\nKyle and Leo\u2019s submission was reviewed by a committee of professionals working in the start-up and digital community from the First Congressional District.\n\nApplications submitted through the contest are generally not immediately commercially available.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-pardon-hunter-biden", "Smith Statement on Pardon of Hunter Biden", "2024-12-01", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced he had signed a pardon for his son Hunter Biden.\n\n\"Just as President Biden lied when he said he would not pardon his son Hunter, he isn\u2019t telling the whole truth about the pardon he issued for him tonight. While his statement was framed as addressing Hunter\u2019s gun and tax charges, this blanket pardon covers all crimes Hunter may have committed from 2014 through 2023\u2014a period covering his son's suspect business dealings in Ukraine, China, and other foreign nations\u2014and removes them from further DOJ scrutiny. Hunter's refusal to comply with investigations by the House Ways and Means, Oversight, and Judiciary Committees shows the Biden family is not serious about letting the American people make an informed judgment on the evidence pointing to extensive corruption. President Biden has gone back on his word and abused the power of the presidency. This is unacceptable.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2575", "Bacon, Houlahan and Quality of Life Panel Urge Senators to Accept their Recommendations in the Fiscal Year 25 National Defense Authorization Act", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Today, Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee\u2019s (HASC) bipartisan Military Quality of Life Panel, led the members of the panel in a letter to Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) urging them to include the provisions of the Panel\u2019s report that are a part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Ac (NDAA). Title XVIII of H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and FY25 NDAA includes the recommendations from the bipartisan Quality of Life Panel.\n\nThe Quality of Life Panel last year held detailed inquiries and learned about the alarming erosion of military quality of life and programs supporting it. The top five highlights include:\n\nCompensation. Sudden and significant increased to the cost of living have outpaced annual military pay raises and triggered economic, food, and housing insecurity for servicemembers and their families, particularly within enlisted ranks.\n\nHousing Quality. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) testified to the shocking disrepair of housing facilities which pose unacceptable health, safety, and readiness risks to servicemembers.\n\nHealthcare Access. The panel observed unacceptably long wait times for medical appointments, now cited as a leading reason for job dissatisfaction in the ranks with 40% of servicemembers ad dependents waiting two months or longer to see a specialist.\n\nChildcare Access. The work of the panel also affirmed the importance of reliable access to affordable childcare as essential to readiness and retention, especially for single parents, dual military, and the growing proportion of dual income families in general.\n\nSpouse Support. Military spouse unemployment is currently estimated to be 21%, more than four times the national average and consistently among the highest of any cohort in the country. Frequent moves, isolated locations, and other bureaucratic obstacles make finding and keeping a job difficult for military spouses and is why one in five military families now cite spouse employment challenges as a primary reason they consider leaving military service.\n\n\u201cToo many of our servicemembers and miliary families are struggling and it\u2019s not right,\u201d said Bacon, Chairman of the Military Quality of Life Panel. \u201cThe House of Representatives takes these concerns seriously and developed concrete, bi-partisan solutions to fix these widespread deficiencies. I urge our colleagues in the Senate to work with us to include these recommendations in the final NDAA agreement.\u201d\n\n\"As veterans, Rep. Bacon and I understand that our national security is at its strongest when our brave men and women in uniform are cared for. Our military personnel and their families are facing unique challenges right now, and it\u2019s our responsibility to deliver solutions,\" said Rep. Houlahan. \"The policies we've proposed to address the issues impacting service members\u2019 quality of life focused on housing, childcare, compensation, health care, and spouse support programs must be included in the final NDAA to ensure our military forces can face our nation's global challenges.\"\n\nOther House Members of the Quality of Life panel include Reps. Mark Alford (R-MO), Jim Banks (R-IN), Donald G. Davis (D-NC), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Jen A. Kiggins (R-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Nancy Mace (R-NC), James C. Moylan(R-Guam), and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA).\n\nClick here to view the letter sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-calls-biden-administration-fight-anti-meat-agenda-cop29", "Congressman Flood Calls on Biden Administration to Fight Anti-Meat Agenda at COP29", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement ahead of the United Nations COP29 summit. The summit is set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11th-22nd.\n\n\u201cAs COP29 kicks off next week, the Biden administration has an important job to do. COP summits have increasingly become a forum for anti-meat activists who want to restructure our food supply and end our way of life. Following last year\u2019s anti-meat guidelines, over 150 NGOs are pushing to curtail meat consumption as the parties convene again.\u201d\n\n\u201cDuring the summit, it\u2019s critical that Secretary Vilsack and other Biden officials in attendance push back on any attempt to reduce or eliminate meat production. Meat is an incredibly efficient way to deliver protein and is foundational to the world\u2019s food security and a healthy diet. The entire delegation needs to fight for America\u2019s farm and ranch families who help grow the food that feeds the world.\u201d\n\nRecently, the U.S. State Department announced the members of a delegation to the summit from the Biden administration, including U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.\n\nAhead of COP29, over 150 NGOs signed a letter pushing to \u201ctransition away from animal protein overconsumption.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-veterans-day-statement-1", "Congressman Flood\u2019s Veterans Day Statement", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement ahead of Veterans Day, which will be observed November 11, 2024.\n\n\u201cVeterans selflessly put their lives on the line in service to our country and to uphold our Constitution. This Veterans Day, we recognize and honor the millions of Americans who have answered the call to serve their country with courage. From the Civil War to present-day deployments across the globe, Nebraskans have served in our nation\u2019s military with bravery and distinction for generations. Thank you to the tens of thousands of veterans in Nebraska and to the millions of veterans across the country for your dedication and sacrifice made while defending our families, our communities, and way of life.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-barr-delivers-keynote-flyover-fintech", "Congressman Andy Barr Delivers Keynote at Flyover Fintech", "2024-11-07", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Recently, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood invited Congressman Andy Barr to give remarks and to take questions at this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech conference. Congressman Barr highlighted legislative priorities while additionally laying out the Republican case for financial services and innovation.\n\nVideo of the address can be found here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. Brief excerpts from the keynote address can be found below.\n\nBarr: [The Constitution says that] all legislative powers shall be vested in a Congress of the United States\u2026 meaning that no legislative power shall be vested in an executive branch administrative agency. Yet, we have in some cases unconstitutionally delegated away our lawmaking authority way too much to unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch. Think the Securities and Exchange Commission. Think the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB). Think the Vice Chairman of Supervision at the Federal Reserve. So, we need to claw that back.\n\nBarr: We need market structure for digital assets. We need that certainty and stability there\u2026 a regulatory framework so that we can be the destination for crypto investment in the United States. We also need a stablecoin regulatory regime.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-accepting-applications-spring-internship-program-0", "Congressman Flood Accepting Applications for Spring Internship Program in Washington, D.C.", "2024-11-07", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced his office is taking applications for the spring internship program in his Washington, D.C. office.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to announce that my team is currently accepting applications for our Washington, D.C. spring internship program,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cThis program provides interns with invaluable experience in our nation's capital alongside with a front-seat view of Congress at work.\n\nInterns will have the opportunity to work alongside each team with the office\u2019s full-time congressional staff. The internship curriculum leaves interns with an understanding of how a congressional office administers constituent services, produces communications, its operations, works on legislative affairs, and conducts committee work.\n\nAdditionally, interns will have the opportunity to attend congressional hearings, policy briefings, guest speaker events, exhibits, and networking opportunities on Capitol Hill.\n\nThe deadline to apply for the spring internship is November 29, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their selection by December 6, and the internship will run from February 3 through May 16. Graphic design and writing experience are valued; examples may be submitted with your resume.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-passing-john-gottschalk", "Smith Statement on Passing of John Gottschalk", "2024-11-04", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the passing of former owner of the Sidney Telegraph, mayor of Sidney, NE, and CEO of the Omaha World-Herald John Gottschalk.\n\n\"Few have had the level of impact on the state of Nebraska that the life and legacy of John Gottschalk has. His committed leadership in journalism, public service, philanthropy, community development, and volunteerism is the fruit of a great American success story. He never forgot his small-town roots and relentlessly sought ways to pay it forward. My wife and I offer our condolences to his wife Carmen and family members.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-statement-john-gottschalks-passing", "Congressman Flood's Statement on John Gottschalk's Passing", "2024-11-04", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following news that John Gottschalk, former publisher of the Omaha World-Herald, had passed away.\n\n\u201cJohn Gottschalk had a passion for journalism and love for Nebraska that touched every corner of our state, from the Panhandle to metro Omaha. His legacy will live on through his family and the incredible work that he and Carmen did through the years.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-event", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Event", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff during the month of November in Wilber.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following time and location:\n\nTuesday, November 12, 2024\n\nSaline County Courthouse\n\n204 High Street, Wilber\n\n10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. CT", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-hosts-state-national-leaders-flyover-fintech-2024", "Congressman Flood Hosts State, National Leaders at Flyover Fintech 2024", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Last week, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood hosted Flyover Fintech 2024, bringing together state and national policymakers as well as business leaders to spotlight the latest advancements related to cybersecurity, AI, and more in the fintech sector.\n\n\"It was an honor to host hundreds of leaders for another successful Flyover Fintech conference in Lincoln,\" said Congressman Flood. \"The conference covered a wide range of topics with panels on everything from AI\u2019s impact on housing to cybersecurity. It was a pleasure to host Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry for a fireside chat and Congressman Andy Barr as one of our keynote speakers. I look forward to future Flyover Fintech conferences that continue to showcase how the Silicon Prairie is thriving in the First District and beyond.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences provide a unique platform to highlight Nebraska\u2019s role in fintech innovation while drawing national attention to Lincoln and the First District.\n\nPhotos of Flyover Fintech 2024 are available here. News outlets are welcome to use the images for reporting purposes.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-sustainable-aviation-fuel-next-great-biofuels-revolution", "Congressman Flood on Sustainable Aviation Fuel: The Next Great Biofuels Revolution is Coming", "2024-10-30", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "HOUSTON, TEXAS \u2013 Recently, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood delivered an address to Sustainable Aviation Futures North America. During his comments, Congressman Flood discussed how Nebraska is positioned to lead the coming sustainable aviation fuel revolution that is expected to sweep the nation\u2019s bioeconomy.\n\nA recording of Congressman Flood\u2019s full remarks can be accessed here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-chairman-mchenry-reflect-speaker-pro-tempore-digital-assets", "Congressman Flood & Chairman McHenry Reflect on Speaker Pro Tempore, Digital Assets during Fireside Chat", "2024-10-29", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Recently, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood was joined by Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry for a frank fireside chat during this year's Flyover Fintech conference. The two discussed legislative agendas for the remainder of the Congress while also reflecting on Chairman McHenry's time as Speaker pro tempore.\n\nVideo of Rep. Flood's discussion can be found here. Financial Services Committee legislative agenda remarks are from 00:00-19:05 while reflecting on the Speakership and Congress is from 19:05-38:12. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. Brief excerpts from the fireside chat can be found below.\n\nMcHenry: ... You need a regulated stable coin regime at the federal level. And you need to clarify: What is a digital asset? Much of what pretends to be a digital asset is actually fraudulent activity in the current state of play because we have not defined what is a digital asset.\n\n\u2026we have the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the current chair of the SEC playing games with this industry rather than providing clarity. Trying to get headlines by suing Kim Kardashian [rather] than providing regulatory clarity over a trillion-dollar asset class... Talk about playing in triviality and really playing stupid games to get attention - that's what the SEC has done rather than provide any level of clarity... so Congress has to step in.\n\nFlood: What are the prospects of getting something from the Senate? How do you see that on market structure?\n\nMcHenry: Market structure and Stablecoin are two open questions for lame duck... The election outcome will dictate much of what happens in lame duck. The National Defense Authorization Act and government funding are the two major pieces of legislation we have to wrestle with between now and the end of the year, and those two must-pass bills have traditionally taken a larger policy set with them... The Senate is unlikely to take an independent Senate banking bill across the Senate floor\u2026\n\nYou have Members that want to offer amendments... to cut other people up or to go make a point, not to make policy. So, what happens is we have to build consensus for our products, and then those consensus items can make their way into law as a part of a larger package.\n\nFlood: A few months later, I was talking to Tom Cole, and he mentioned that you resisting that power was not done for the moment but was done for generations in the future...\n\nMcHenry: These systems develop over time... the power of the speakership developed over time... had I taken action, I would have eroded the power of the speakership in a way that would be detrimental to the insulation and the separation of powers... between the Congress and the Presidency...", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2571", "Eppley Airfield Receives an Additional $2.9 Million Grant from Infrastructure Bill", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Omaha, Neb. \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) today responded to the announcement that Eppley Airport will receive an additional $2.9 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This allocation will pay for approximately five Passenger Boarding Bridges at Eppley Airfield, as part of the OMA Terminal Modernization Program.\n\nBacon voted in favor of the legislation in 2021, which will allocate $550 billion for roads and bridges, railroads, broadband access, power grid repair, water systems projects, public transportation, airports, and seaports. The other half of the bill\u2019s funding, approximately $650 billion of unspent COVID-19 funds, includes reauthorization of the Highway Trust Fund, Inland Waterways Trust Fund, and others which provides dedicated funds from existing taxes and fees for infrastructure that would automatically be spent with or without the bipartisan infrastructure bill.\n\n\u201cEppley Airfield serves approximately five million people per year, with more than 200 daily arrivals and departures,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThis federal funding continues to improve our aging infrastructure and advances our efforts to enhance Nebraska. The OMA Terminal Modernization Program will improve the customer service experience, thoroughly expand the facilities within the airport, and speed up reconstruction.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Omaha Airport Authority was pleased to be notified by Congressman Bacon\u2019s office that Eppley Airfield will be receiving a grant for the Build OMA Terminal Modernization Program. We are happy to be the recipient of $2.9 million in Federal Aviation Administration funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Terminal Program,\u201d said Dave Roth, Chief Executive Officer of the Omaha Airport Authority. \u201cThis grant funding will create benefits for travelers from Omaha and throughout Nebraska. The funds will support continued improvements at Eppley Airfield including increased capacity, improved throughput, and an enhanced customer experience for decades to come.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-federal-agencies-should-reject-anti-meat-diet", "Congressman Flood: Federal Agencies Should Reject Anti-Meat Diet Recommendations", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following the announcement of new recommendations from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.\n\n\u201cThe far left\u2019s war on your grocery list is expanding. In this latest volley, the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has taken aim not only at meat, but also at potatoes and other foods that are staples of a healthy diet. Meat is the most efficient way to deliver protein, and potatoes contain basic nutrients like potassium and Vitamin C. Meat and potatoes underpin our country\u2019s food security. I urge both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to reject these ill-informed recommendations and the activist thinking which is trying to reshape our diets and the way of life for the farm families who grow our food.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-constitutional-reforms-passed-mexican-legislature", "Smith Statement on Constitutional Reforms Passed by Mexican Legislature", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement on the Constitutional Reform of Strategic State Industries and Enterprises which passed the Mexican Senate. The legislation which had previously passed in the lower house, gives increased market preference to state-owned electric utilities.\n\n\"For years, the Biden-Harris administration has largely stood by as Mexico\u2019s disregard for its USMCA commitments places American workers at risk. While these changes to Mexico\u2019s constitution present new barriers to its USMCA compliance which were unanticipated when the agreement was enacted, impediments to a healthy bilateral trade relationship are not new, which is why I have repeatedly urged USTR to conduct robust engagement with stakeholders and Mexican leaders. I am disappointed by this administration\u2019s lack of urgency and cooperation in defending the integrity of USMCA. Lack of enforcement of our agreements, not to mention a lack of long-term strategy, destabilizes the regulatory environment and weakens our competitiveness, ultimately putting American industry in a precarious position. With the review of USMCA coming in 2026, we should be strengthening, not neglecting, our engagement with one of our closest trading partners.\"\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nIn September, Smith led a bipartisan group of colleagues in sending a letter to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai expressing concerns regarding proposals related to electricity, mining, genetically modified corn, and regulatory bodies which were set to be considered by the Mexican government.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-flyover-fintech-panel-web-30-defi", "Congressman Flood Announces Flyover Fintech Panel on \u201cWeb 3.0 & DeFi\u201d", "2024-10-11", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Flyover Fintech will include a panel on \u201cWeb 3.0 & DeFi.\u201d The panel, featuring experts from Multicoin Capital and Galaxy Ventures, will happen at the Congressman\u2019s Flyover Fintech conference in Lincoln on October 21, 2024.\n\n\u201cThe momentum behind Web 3.0 continues to grow as more people look to the next generation of internet,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cThis panel features trailblazers from Multicoin and Galaxy Ventures pioneering decentralized web technologies and decentralized finance. Registration closes today, so I encourage anyone who is interested to sign up so that you can join us for a day full of outstanding speakers, wide-ranging panels, and great networking.\u201d\n\nJay Stolkin is Deputy General Counsel at Multicoin Capital, a thesis-driven, crypto-focused private fund manager. At Multicoin, Jay leads financing transactions, advises portfolio companies and counsels on a variety of corporate and regulatory matters. Prior to joining Multicoin, Jay was the General Counsel at Framework Ventures, another crypto-focused investment firm. Before Framework, Jay was in private practice at Paul Hastings, where he represented Web3 and sports industry clients in a variety of corporate transactions and regulatory matters.\n\nNeil Bhuta is an Investor at Galaxy Ventures. He focuses on investments across crypto-enabled payments, software, blockchain infrastructure, and DeFi applications. Prior to Galaxy, Neil worked at DCG where he spent his time on crypto investment activities across all stages. Neil started his career in M&A at Evercore and worked in long-short equity at Governors Lane.\n\nPhotos of the panelists can be found here.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry.\n\nCongressman Flood has previously announced that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, Congressman Andy Barr, and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference. Recently, he announced a panel titled \"Digital Asset ETFs,\" with representatives from Bitwise Asset Management, Blackrock, Fidelity Investments, and Grayscale Investments.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-white-house-agriculture-event", "Smith Statement on White House Agriculture Event", "2024-10-08", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement in response to today\u2019s White House event with select agriculture groups chosen by the administration.\n\n\"If the Biden-Harris administration is serious about supporting American agriculture producers, their actions have failed to align with their words.\n\n\"Their refusal to open new markets for American products through trade agreements has contributed to an agricultural trade deficit of more than $30 billion. Their failure to forcefully stand up to unscientific protectionism has left the Mexican ban on American white corn intact for far too long. Their lack of leadership or persuasive solution for Farm Bill renewal has left producers without certainty. Treasury\u2019s failure to release biofuel tax credit guidance in a timely fashion or fully incorporate GREET scientific standards for renewable fuels as intended by the legislation\u2019s authors has created broad uncertainty across supply chains while locking out long-time producers who have demonstrated good stewardship of their land. And their resuscitation of the Obama administration\u2019s overturned WOTUS rule puts every farmer and rancher in the country at the mercy of the EPA in a way Congress never intended.\n\n\"True support for American agriculture means empowering American producers to feed their neighbors and feed the world from planting to harvest to market, right now and across future generations. I have seen nothing from President Biden and Vice President Harris which demonstrates they truly understand that.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-bidens-jobs-report-rhetoric", "Smith Statement on Biden's Jobs Report Rhetoric", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after President Biden made comments on the latest jobs report.\n\n\"President Biden should take a moment and reflect before celebrating the latest jobs report. Under his presidency, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has consistently needed to downgrade its jobs estimates\u2014including a massive reduction of over 800,000 jobs in March of this year. As long as Biden-Harris policy fails to address our nation\u2019s labor shortage, lost trade opportunities for American producers, and other problems our country is facing, inflation and poor economic recovery will continue to harm American families.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-remembrance-october-7-attacks-israel", "Smith Statement on Remembrance of October 7 Attacks in Israel", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement marking one year since the October 7, 2023 terror attack in Israel.\n\n\"One year has passed since the terrorist group Hamas tragically massacred over one thousand innocent civilians in Israel, including dozens of American citizens. Shockingly, nearly one hundred hostages are still held by Hamas today. As the fight to free these remaining hostages and achieve peace continues, I am committed to standing up against terror and supporting our greatest regional ally, Israel.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2570", "Bacon's statement on October 7th War Anniversary", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington - Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) issued a statement on the first anniversary of the Hamas, Israel war that started a year from today.\n\n\u201cOur hearts are with the families of the murdered victims, the hostages, and their families. The barbarity we saw on 7 Oct was evil and Hamas must be fully rooted out of Gaza. We stand with Israel.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-floods-statement-october-7th-attacks-anniversary", "Congressman Flood\u2019s Statement on the October 7th Attacks Anniversary", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement on the one-year anniversary of Hamas\u2019 evil attacks on Israel.\n\n\u201cOn this day, we pause to remember the more than 1,200 people who were killed and the hundreds taken hostage by Hamas one year ago. A year later, Israel not only continues to fight back against Hamas, but now faces attacks from Hezbollah and Iran. More than 100 hostages remain in captivity. Terrorist groups must never be allowed to carry out another attack like the one the world witnessed on October 7, 2023. The United States continues to stand with Israel as they seek to bring home the remaining hostages, root out these sources of terror, and find a return to stability and renewed peace in the region.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-irans-missile-attack-israel", "Smith Statement on Iran's Missile Attack on Israel", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement on the missile attack launched by Iran against Israel.\n\n\u201cIran\u2019s unjustified attack on Israel shows the failure of the Biden-Harris foreign policy of empty words. Rogue states can\u2019t be told \u201cdon\u2019t\u201d without meaningful consequences to back it up. Lifting sanctions and bungling money transfers have emboldened an evil regime, putting our greatest ally in the Middle East in the crosshairs. While I welcome preliminary reporting of no serious injuries, Israel deserves our full support as they assess the damage and defend themselves from future Iranian threats.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2564", "Bacon, Gluesenkamp Perez Introduce the Reporting Medical Debt Payments as Positive Consumer Credit Information Act of 2024", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03) are introducing bipartisan legislation, The Reporting Medical Debt Payments as Positive Consumer Credit Information Act of 2024, that will reverse federal law to report medical payments on credit reports which will help individuals with debt to build their credit.\n\nCurrently, medical debt negatively affects credit scores, but making payments on this debt does not improve credit scores. This bill will reverse those limitations in federal law by accepting medical payments positively to build an individual\u2019s credit score.\n\n\u201cMedical bills shouldn\u2019t affect an individual's credit score,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cI do not support individuals getting penalized for medical bills being paid through payment plans. Some medical bills can cost thousands of dollars, if not more. Healthcare is one of the most unaffordable insurances for individuals.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you\u2019re working hard to pay off your medical bills, you should be able to see it reflected in your credit score,\u201d said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. \u201cReporting positive progress on medical debt will help working families across Southwest Washington build credit for the future in spite of the financial strain of unexpected medical expenses.\u201d\n\nIn addition, credit companies, health insurance, hospitals, and patients agree that this bill will help Americans nationwide by relieving medical expenses for every American family and individual.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-america-stands-israel-face-irans-attacks", "Congressman Flood: America Stands with Israel in the Face of Iran\u2019s Attacks", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement after news that Iran had launched a significant attack on Israel.\n\n\u201cAlmost one year after the horrific attacks by Hamas, Iran has launched a new, abhorrent assault on Israel. America\u2019s friendship with Israel is more important than ever as they continue to defend their people and their sovereignty. This didn\u2019t have to happen. The weakness projected by the Biden-Harris administration contributed to this moment. This administration handed billions of dollars to Iran in the last couple of years, repeating the mistake made by the terrible Iran deal cut by the Obama-Biden administration. America will continue to do whatever we need to support Israel in their fight against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-flyover-fintech-panel-digital-asset-etfs", "Congressman Flood Announces Flyover Fintech Panel on \"Digital Asset ETFs\"", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Flyover Fintech will include a panel on \u201cDigital Asset ETFs.\u201d The panel, featuring representatives from Bitwise Asset Management, Blackrock, Fidelity Investments, and Grayscale Investments, will happen at the Congressman\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln on October 21, 2024.\n\n\"The SEC\u2019s approval of spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs this year was a historic development for digital assets in the United States,\" said Congressman Flood. \"I\u2019m excited to announce Flyover Fintech\u2019s 'Digital Asset ETFs' panel, featuring leading change-makers who are helping connect Americans to this rapidly growing market. This is one of several impactful panels at my upcoming Flyover Fintech conference \u2013 the registration deadline is drawing near, and I encourage everyone interested in joining to register today.\"\n\nJohanna Collins-Wood is the senior counsel at Bitwise Asset Management and the chief compliance officer of Bitwise Investment Manager, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Prior to Bitwise, she advised innovative financial technology companies at the law firms Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati and Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders. A Duke Law graduate, Ms. Collins-Wood began her career in the London office of Davis Polk & Wardwell, where she advised entrepreneurial companies on their initial public offerings in Europe and the U.S. Ms. Collins-Wood serves on several non-profit boards focused on education and the arts.\n\nMatthew Brennan is the Head of US ETF Capital Markets team at BlackRock which seeks to protect and grow trading integrity of ETFs. His team actively monitors and improves the ETF ecosystem, encompassing investors, broker-dealers, market-makers, trading venues and authorized participants. In this role he oversees the daily primary creation/redemption activity and secondary trading market quality for all US domiciled listed ETFs. Matt joined Blackrock in February 2015 from J.P. Morgan where he spent 4 years in the Investment bank's Credit Risk team focusing on Collateral Risk Management.\n\nMatt Horne leads the digital asset strategist team for Fidelity Investments\u2019 Digital Asset Management division. Fidelity Investments is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing, and other financial products and services to institutions, financial intermediaries, and individuals. He has held various roles across Fidelity\u2019s asset management business and distribution channels, helping to launch and build out Fidelity\u2019s digital asset ETP business. Prior to joining Fidelity, Matt was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy where he served as a nuclear submarine officer.\n\nKrista Lynch is a Vice President on Grayscale\u2019s ETF team, where she leads ETF Capital Markets. Krista works with Authorized Participants, ETF market makers, and digital asset liquidity providers to ensure healthy trading of Grayscale\u2019s ETFs and to grow the ecosystem surrounding Grayscale\u2019s products. Prior to joining Grayscale, Krista was a Vice President at BlackRock, where she managed daily primary market trading for iShares fixed income ETFs.\n\nPhotos of the panelists can be found here.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry.\n\nCongressman Flood has previously announced that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, Congressman Andy Barr, and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference.\n\nAdditional panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming days.\n\nMore details about the conference, including registration, travel, and lodging information can be found at www.flyoverfintech.com. Interested individuals can register here today.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-craig-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-bill-codify-year-round-e15", "Smith, Craig, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Codify Year-Round E15", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Angie Craig (D-MN) along with Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Sharice Davids (D-KS) introduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would extend the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends up to 15 percent. Smith, Craig, and Johnson are co-chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus.\n\nThe bill is the House companion to the Senate bill S. 2707 introduced by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE).\n\n\u201cAt a time when agricultural producers are struggling, uncertainty in the energy market is looming, and consumers are paying more at the pumps, the United States cannot afford to leave any opportunity to boost energy production on the table,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cSince I first introduced similar legislation, I have been pushing EPA to allow the uninterrupted sale of E15. Flexibility and greater consumer choice strengthens the U.S. fuel market, and Nebraska's farmers have the capacity to meet demand. I thank Rep. Craig, Sen. Fischer, and my House colleagues for their cooperation to unlock this sustainable fuel source and provide relief for hard-working Americans at the fuel pump.\u201d\n\n\u201cHomegrown biofuels are tools we have right now to address climate change, strengthen our nation\u2019s energy infrastructure and lower costs for Americans at the gas pump,\u201d said Rep. Craig. \u201cThis bill is the kind of commonsense legislation we need more of in Washington and I\u2019m proud to be a part of the bipartisan coalition fighting for year-round E15 in the House.\u201d\n\n\u201cE15 supports our farmers, is cleaner for the environment, and lowers the price of gas. Our bipartisan legislation is the only permanent, nationwide solution to unleashing the power of year-round E15. It\u2019s why we\u2019ve been able to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from the oil/gas, biofuel, ag, and transportation sectors to support our legislation. I am confident that a path forward exists in both the Senate and the House and look forward to working with Congressman Smith to ensure our bill becomes law,\u201d said Sen. Fischer.\n\n\u201cSecuring year-round availability of E15 would provide certainty to the fuel sector, improve the production and supply of American-made fuel, and help drive down the prices at the pump,\u201d said Rep. Johnson. \u201cI am proud to help lead this effort and will continue working to get year-round E15 signed into law.\u201d\n\n\u201cHigher blends of biofuels help folks save money at the gas pump, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, cut carbon emissions and support critical markets for Illinois family farmers,\u201d said Rep. Nikki Budzinski. \u201cI\u2019m proud to represent one of our nation\u2019s top corn-producing regions and to champion biofuels production on behalf of my constituents - including as a co-lead of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. Producers and consumers need more certainty and I\u2019m confident that this legislation can take us across the finish line to secure year-round E-15.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe EPA\u2019s temporary waivers allowing the sale of E15 in the summer are not a viable long-term solution for Iowa\u2019s energy leadership,\u201d said Rep. Miller-Meeks. \u201cThis legislation will allow for permanent, nationwide sales of E15 which will lower costs for Americans at the gas pump, reduce emissions, and put an end to fuel supply disruptions. I urge the House and Senate to pass our bipartisan bill to unleash our domestic energy potential.\u201d\n\n\"I'm proud to help introduce this bipartisan bill that would enable permanent, nationwide sales of E15, helping families save at the gas pump while supporting our agricultural community and enhancing our nation's energy security. This is how Congress should function: both parties coming together to address the most pressing challenges facing everyday folks,\u201d said Rep. Davids.\n\nClick here to read the bill.\n\nIn the House, additional cosponsors of the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act include Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Mike Flood (R-NE), Sam Graves (R-MO), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Mary Miller (R-IL), Mark Alford (R-MO), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Ron Estes (R-KS), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Mike Carey (R-OH), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Greg Pence (R-IN), Max Miller (R-OH), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Robin Kelly ( D-IL), Mike Bost (R-IL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Michael Guest (R-MS), Don Bacon (R-NE), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Buddy Carter (R-GA), and Jason Smith (R-MO).\n\nSen. Fischer\u2019s Senate companion to the bill is cosponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Thune (R-SD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nIn Congress, Rep. Smith has long championed the issue of year-round availability of E15. This past year, he pushed the administration to extend the availability of E15 during the summer to provide American consumers with access to an affordable biofuel alternative at their local gas station.\n\nThe Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act has broad support from stakeholders. Below are statements in support of the bipartisan legislation:\n\n\u201cDrivers across Nebraska deserve year-round access to E-15 fuel \u2014 and thankfully, Representative Smith is answering that call. Families nationwide will benefit from the lower prices and lower emissions it will bring \u2014 and hardworking ethanol producers here in Nebraska will gain the certainty they deserve when filling that demand. We appreciate Representative Smith and his colleagues for taking up this bill in the House, and we call on every member of Congress to pass this bipartisan legislation in both chambers as soon as possible,\u201d said Renewable Fuels Nebraska Executive Director Dawn Caldwell.\n\n\u201cProviding for year-round access to E15 is a practical step in saving money for consumers, reducing emissions for our environment and is approved for 95% of the vehicles on the road today,\u201d said Chris Grams, President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. \u201cWe deeply value and appreciate the continual leadership of Representative Smith in his efforts to introduce this much needed approach to advance the use of ethanol across the United States. Year-round E15 creates a positive impact and develops demand for farmers locally, statewide and nationally.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe thank our renewable fuel supporters in the House for introducing this bipartisan legislation and continuing to fight for fair market access for E15 and our nation\u2019s farmers and ethanol producers. With just a few months left in this Congress, we urge lawmakers to swiftly adopt this bill and deliver a win for American families seeking cleaner, lower-cost fuel options,\u201d said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper.\n\n\u201cE15 is one of the best ways to lower costs for consumers while also reducing our carbon emissions. For the past six summers, hardworking families across America have enjoyed big summer savings on E15 ranging from 10 to 30 cents per gallon, with some locations selling the fuel for more than a dollar less per gallon,\u201d said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. \u201cBut over the last three summers, those savings were only possible thanks to last-minute intervention by EPA. This bill will finally fix the outdated law that threatens to take E15 off the market when consumers need it most during the busy summer driving season. We thank Representative Smith (R-Neb.), Representative Craig (D-Minn), and the bipartisan group of cosponsors for their leadership to ensure we preserve consumer access to lower-carbon, more-affordable fuel options nationwide all year round. With bipartisan bills now introduced in both chambers of Congress, this is our chance to finally get this commonsense legislation across the finish line.\"\n\n\u201cAllowing the year-round, nationwide sale of E15 will prevent a patchwork of state-by-state policies while ensuring consumers have access to the fuels they depend on every day. We applaud Reps. Smith and Craig for leading this effort to provide uniformity to America\u2019s fuel supply, and we urge Congress to act quickly to bring certainty and consistency to the marketplace,\" said American Petroleum Institute EVP and Chief Advocacy Officer Amanda Eversole.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2562", "Bacon and local city officials to Unveil Historical Marker for Charles Jackson French", "2024-09-27", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Omaha, Neb. \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) and representatives from the City of Omaha to include Mayor Jean Stothert, the Nebraska Historical Society, the Great Plains Black History Museum, and the French Family, will unveil a historical marker recognizing Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French at the U.S. Charles Jackson French Post Office, 6223 Maple Street, Omaha, NE.\n\nA World War II hero with ties to Omaha, Petty Officer French served as a mess attendant on the USS Gregory, when the military was racially segregated. However, this did not stop him from rescuing fifteen of his injured fellow sailors when their ship was attacked and sunk by Japanese gunfire. French helped his crewmates into a life raft and tied it to himself, swimming for nearly six plus hours through nightfall and swarming sharks until they were finally identified and rescued.\n\nIn addition to the naming of the post office, Petty Officer French was posthumously awarded the Navy Marine Corps Medal on May 19, 2022, for his courageous acts of heroism during the Second World War. The Navy also renamed the Naval Aviation Schools Command aquatic facility the \u201cCharles Jackson French Training Pool.\u201d In January of this year, it was announced that the U.S. Navy will name an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer after French. Construction of the ship is set to begin in 2026, with delivery in 2031.\n\n\u201cFrench\u2019s actions are truly admirable. His story of devotion and service is one that we all should know and learn from. As a three-decade veteran, I am inspired by French\u2019s bravery and sacrifice to save his injured mates off the coast of the Guadalcanal,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThis marker culminates all of the previous steps taken to honor him. We have finally given Charles Jackson French and his family the recognition he deserves.\u201d\n\nThe public is invited to attend the event:\n\nWHAT: Historical Marker Unveiling honoring Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Jackson French\n\nWHO: Rep. Bacon, and representatives from the City of Omaha to include Mayor Jean Stothert, the Nebraska Historical Society, the Great Plains Black History Museum, and the French Family\n\nWHEN: Friday, October 4, 2024, 2:00 p.m.\n\nWHERE: Charles Jackson French Post Office 6223 Maple Street, Omaha, NE 68104\n\nParking: Omaha Benson Baptist Church\n\n6319 Maple St, Omaha, NE 68104\n\nVideo compilation of recognition of Petty Officer French: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URdIyOjghWo\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-events-13", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Events", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff during the month of October in the communities of Osceola, Fairbury, and Central City.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\nTuesday, October 1st\n\nPolk County Courthouse\n\n400 Hawkeye Street, Osceola\n\n10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. CT\n\nTuesday, October 15th\n\nJefferson County Courthouse\n\n411 4th Street, Fairbury\n\n10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. CT\n\nTuesday, October 22nd\n\nMerrick County Courthouse\n\n1518 18th Street, Central City\n\n10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. CT\n\nFor additional information, please contact Smith\u2019s Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900, his Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333, or his Nebraska City office at (402) 874-6050.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-flyover-fintech-panel-cybersecurity", "Congressman Flood Announces Flyover Fintech Panel on \"Cybersecurity\u201d", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Flyover Fintech will include a panel on \u201cCybersecurity.\u201d The panel, featuring industry leaders from Featurespace, Fiserv, Palo Alto, and Pindrop and will happen at the Congressman\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln on October 21, 2024.\n\n\u201cFrom surfing the internet to flying airplanes, the future of cybersecurity is intricately connected to our lives,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to welcome this panel of industry innovators whose work helps secure our digital financial future and protect the broader fintech sector. The registration deadline is quickly approaching and I invite you to join us in hearing from these experts and more by registering for Flyover Fintech today.\n\nDr. Vijay Balasubramaniyan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pindrop, an innovator in deepfake detection and voice authentication. As the only large enterprise winner of the FTC Voice cloning challenge, Pindrop's clients range from eight of the top ten banks, five of the top seven insurance companies, to various retailers and healthcare providers. Vijay's work has been recognized by awards including MIT's \"30 under 30,\u201d Goldman Sachs' \"100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs,\" and more.\n\nRick Van Luvender currently serves as Senior Vice President, Head of Cybersecurity Client Trust & International Cybersecurity Services at Fiserv. In this role, he leads the Global Cyber Outreach and Regional Cybersecurity teams across the globe. Additionally, Rick serves as the Chairman of the American Transaction Processing Coalition Cyber Council.\n\nDon Riddick is Chief Legal Officer for Featurespace responsible for all legal, Privacy, Infosec, IP, corporate and regulatory affairs worldwide. He leads efforts for compliance and forward-thinking approaches to a leading edge product portfolio in the areas of machine learning, generative AI, and real time analytical systems for fraud detection.\n\nPaul Leonhirth is Global Financial Services Industry Lead at Palo Alto Networks and has over 30 years of business and IT experience leading cross-functional technology teams in areas such as Digital Transformation, Cloud, DevSecOps, CyberSecurity Operations, Threat Intelligence, IT Risk and Resilience. Paul serves as Sector Advisor for FS industry groups including the FS-ISAC and Cyber Risk Institute.\n\nPhotos of the panelists can be found here.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry.\n\nCongressman Flood has previously announced that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, Congressman Andy Barr, and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference. Recently, he announced a panel titled \"Innovation in Nebraska,\" with representatives from FNBO, the Johnny Carson Center, Nelnet, and Telcoin. Additional speakers and panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming weeks.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-we-need-keep-our-government-working-people", "Congressman Flood: We Need to Keep Our Government Working for the People", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following passage of H.R. 9747 \u2013 the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025.\n\n\u201cThe Democrat-led Senate has passed none of the budget bills for this year, while the House has acted on several of them. This continuing resolution ensures the government stays open while Congress continues to work through the appropriations process. President Biden and Senate Democrats need to come to the table and negotiate with Speaker Johnson and Republican leadership in the House, so that we can finalize a plan for Fiscal Year 2025 that controls spending and keeps government working for the people.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-harris-housing-plan-makes-housing-crisis-even-worse", "Congressman Flood: Harris Housing Plan Makes Housing Crisis Even Worse", "2024-09-24", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives laying out the case against Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 housing plan.\n\nVideo of Rep. Flood\u2019s comments can be found here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. A transcript of his remarks can be found below.\n\nThank you, Mister Speaker. I rise to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019s housing plan.\n\nFirst, let\u2019s talk about the broader problem. Housing is less affordable and less available today and it\u2019s bringing costs onto the American people.\n\nOverall, housing underproduction costs the U.S. economy over $1.6 trillion in lost wages and productivity every year.\n\nThe U.S. needs to build 4.3 million more apartments by 2035 to meet the demand for rental housing. This includes 600,000 units to fill the shortage from after the 2008 financial crisis.\n\nUnderproduction of housing has translated to higher housing costs \u2013 resulting in a decline of 4.7 million affordable apartments from 2015-2020.\n\nHousing underproduction also increases cost of living for families, inhibits geographic mobility, burdens both renters and buyers, and stifles economic productivity. According to one estimate, from 1964-2009, our national housing shortage lowered aggregate economic growth by 36 percent.\n\nAll of that is to say, there\u2019s no question that we have a housing supply problem in this country. Unfortunately, Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019s plans would make the problem much, much worse.\n\nThe Harris plan\u2019s goals are to \u201clower housing costs for working families and end America\u2019s housing shortage.\u201d The problem is the Biden-Harris policies and Harris plan will actually raise housing costs and worsen the housing shortage. I\u2019d like to break it down piece by piece to demonstrate why.\n\nLet\u2019s start with Harris\u2019s proposal to add tens of thousands of dollars in new downpayment assistance for homebuyers.\n\nLarge amounts of downpayment assistance might sound nice, but it is exactly the wrong answer in an environment with housing shortages across the country. More government subsidies won\u2019t bring housing costs down. They will continue to increase demand and drive prices even higher.\n\nThe great irony is that this policy would hurt the very people it\u2019s intended to help. Think about a young person who is currently renting but planning to buy a home. He and his wife maybe they\u2019re looking at prices on Zillow and diligently saving up for a downpayment on a nearby house. They\u2019ve financially planned for this goal, and they\u2019ve been working towards it for years.\n\nIf the Harris plan\u2019s subsidy were to go into effect, the prices of those homes would increase. They could find themselves further from their goal \u2013 even if they were able to receive the promised subsidy themselves.\n\nIt\u2019s a classic example of why progressive economic policies fail. Instead of working through a market-focused solution, the Harris plan simply throws money at the problem and hopes for the best. That\u2019s not leadership, and that\u2019s not going to solve the problem.\n\nNext, let\u2019s talk about rent caps. Earlier this year, the Biden-Harris Administration announced their intention to impose rent caps on \u201ccorporate landlords.\u201d\n\nRent caps are a failed policy with a long track record of exacerbating housing shortages by dissuading developers from building new rental units in high-demand areas.\n\nIf investors know that future rent increases will be capped, they shift their capital elsewhere. That means less building. Less housing supply. This results in fewer options, driving demand for existing units even higher, which pushes rents up in buildings that aren\u2019t subject to the caps.\n\nWe\u2019ve seen how these policies work in New York and San Francisco, where rent control has been in place for decades. According to the American Institute for Economic Research, rent control policies in New York City resulted in more rental units being abandoned than built in the 1970s and 80s. We can expect more of the same under the Harris plan, which will replicate these failures on a national scale.\n\nSo, to recap, the Harris plan would implement an expensive downpayment assistance subsidy. It would hamper new development by putting in place rent caps that disincentivize investment. In other words, Harris would both increase demand and limit supply \u2013 the exact wrong combination of policies if you want housing costs to go down.\n\nThe result is a housing market where both renters and potential homeowners are squeezed, leaving everyone with fewer choices and higher prices.\n\nVice President Harris has said previously that \u201cBidenomics is working.\u201d For those that are concerned about rising housing costs, her words should be taken literally and taken as a warning.\n\nHarris plans to continue the inflationary policies of the Biden-Harris Administration. Her housing plan would only exacerbate our housing affordability problems, leaving renters with less options and future homebuyers with ever-higher costs.\n\nIf America wants to boost housing supply and end the inflationary policies of the Biden-Harris era, we need to cut red tape, streamline federal housing programs and removing barriers to building new units.\n\nUntil we move towards solutions that encourages private investment in new development, we can expect that our country\u2019s housing shortage will persist, leaving the American dream out of reach for everyday working families.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-hannity-nebraska-should-return-winner-take-all-apportionment", "Rep. Flood on Hannity: Nebraska Should Return to Winner-Take-All Apportionment", "2024-09-20", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last night, Congressman Mike Flood appeared on Fox News to discuss why Nebraska should return to winner-take-all apportionment for its electoral votes. Video of Rep. Flood\u2019s appearance on Hannity can be found here.\n\nRecently, Rep. Flood led a letter on winner-take-all to Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Senator John Arch, Speaker of the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature. The full letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-bill-transferring-reservoirs-local-control-advances-natural-resources", "Smith Bill Transferring Reservoirs to Local Control Advances from Natural Resources Committee", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources Bruce Westerman (R-AR) released the following statements after the committee\u2019s unanimous passage of Rep. Adrian Smith\u2019s bill (H.R. 8413) to transfer Swanson Reservoir and Red Willow Reservoir land from the Bureau of Reclamation to Hitchcock County, Nebraska, and Frontier County, Nebraska, respectively.\n\n\u201cThis is a significant legislative milestone for the people who enjoy and patronize these southwest Nebraska reservoirs and the communities who welcome them,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cI\u2019m grateful for the leadership of Chairman Westerman and the strong collaboration with my colleagues and county officials to move this bill forward. I look forward to working with our congressional delegation to continue the advancing of this solution for the reservoir communities which rightfully recognizes local interests and proper stewardship of our public lands.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Smith\u2019s legislation will return land to local land managers and ensure the Bureau of Reclamation can focus on their top priorities instead of parochial issues,\u201d said Chairman Westerman. \u201cAnytime we can take responsibility off of the federal government and return it to local control is a win for communities in Nebraska and beyond.\u201d\n\nRepresentatives Mike Flood (R-NE), Don Bacon (R-NE), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Sharice Davids (D-KS), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) are cosponsors of the House bill. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nEarlier this year, Smith and Fischer, with members of the Nebraska delegation, introduced the Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyances Act after an outpouring of community dissatisfaction with Bureau of Reclamation management of the concession areas at the Swanson and Red Willow Reservoirs.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-honors-nebraska-supreme-court-chief-justice-mike-heavican", "Congressman Flood Honors Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood delivered remarks honor Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican.\n\nVideo of Rep. Flood\u2019s comments can be found here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. A transcript of his remarks can be found below.\n\nMister Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Justice Mike Heavican of the State of Nebraska, who has announced his retirement after almost two decades of exemplary service as the head of Nebraska\u2019s Supreme Court and its entire judicial branch.\n\nThrough the years, the Chief Justice has led Nebraska\u2019s judiciary with integrity. Before his time on the bench, he served as a deputy county attorney, a county attorney, the U.S. Attorney, and then the Chief Justice.\n\nThroughout his career, he has preserved the independence of our judiciary while collaborating with the state\u2019s leaders to strengthen its engagement with the public.\n\nDuring my time as Speaker of the Unicameral, I had the great honor of working with Chief Justice Heavican to establish the first and now annual tradition of the \u201cState of the Judiciary\u201d address to our state\u2019s legislature.\n\nOn behalf of the people of the First District, I want to extend best wishes to Chief Justice Heavican and our sincere gratitude for his decades of remarkable public service.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/nebraska-delegation-supports-winner-take-all-letter-governor-pillen-speaker", "Nebraska Delegation Supports Winner-Take-All in Letter to Governor Pillen & Speaker Arch", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (NE-01) led a letter joined by U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) to Governor Jim Pillen (R-Neb.) and to Senator John Arch (R), Speaker of the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature, in support of returning Nebraska to a winner-take-all system.\n\n\u201cAs members of Nebraska\u2019s federal delegation in Congress, we are united in our support for apportioning all five of the Nebraska\u2019s electoral votes in presidential elections according to the winner of the whole state. It is past time that Nebraska join 48 other states in embracing winner-take-all in presidential elections,\u201d wrote the Nebraska delegation in their letter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2561", "Bacon\u2019s Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2024 Bill Passes House as Part of Protecting America\u2019s Children by Strengthening Families Act", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon\u2019s (R-NE-02) bipartisan bill H.R. 8621, Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2024, was passed by the House of Representatives today as part of H.R. 9076, Protecting America\u2019s Children by Strengthening Families Act, introduced by Reps. Darin LaHood and Danny Davis. H.R. 9076 delivers the most significant reforms to Title IV-B of the Social Security Act since 2008.\n\nH.R. 8621 is cosponsored by Reps. Judy Chu (D-CA-28), Dan Kildee (D-MI-08), Tom Cole (R-OK-04), Sharice Davids (D-KS-03), and Mary Sattler Peltola (D-AL-01).\n\n\u201cThe Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2024 is a win for children in America,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cH.R. 8621 will help Native American children stay within their tribal cultures, as compliance with the Indian Children Welfare Act (ICWA) varies amongst states and has resulted in children being separated from their families and tribes. My bill requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide states with technical assistance to improve their ICWA implementation plans.\u201d\n\n\u201cI would like to thank the Ways and Means Committee for including my bill in H.R. 9076 and Chairman Rep. Jason Smith\u2019s leadership on reforming and modernizing our nation\u2019s child welfare system,\u201d said Rep. Bacon", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-flyover-fintech-panel-innovation-nebraska-0", "Congressman Flood Announces Flyover Fintech Panel on \u201cInnovation in Nebraska\u201d", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Flyover Fintech will include a panel on \u201cInnovation in Nebraska.\u201d The panel, featuring industry leaders from FNBO, the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, Nelnet, and Telcoin, will happen at the Congressman\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln on October 21, 2024.\n\n\u201cNebraska has developed a reputation as the home for the Silicon Prairie startup community,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to welcome a wide variety of innovators who will showcase the outstanding work going on in the Good Life that\u2019s developing great jobs and opportunities for the next generation. With less than five weeks to go, I encourage anyone interested in joining the conversation to get registered for Flyover Fintech today.\u201d\n\nBrian Ardinger is Director of Innovation at Nelnet, author of Accelerated: A Guide to Innovating at the Speed of Change, and founder of InsideOutside.io. For over 25 years, Brian has helped top brands and explosive startups engage the latest tools, trends, and tactics to accelerate innovation and compete in a world of change and disruption.\n\nClaire Devney is the Head of Fintech Engagement at FNBO. In her role, Claire leads the bank\u2019s innovation group and drives fintech investments and ecosystem enablement. Prior to joining FNBO, she worked in the airline and software-as-a-service industries in a career that spanned the US and UK. Outside of the bank, Claire is an adjunct instructor at Creighton University, teaching Foundations of Fintech to undergraduate students.\n\nMegan Elliott is the endowed founding director of the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts \u2013 a $57 million investment at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that supports creativity, interdisciplinarity, innovation, technology, and next-gen storytelling. Megan co-founded X Media Lab \u2013 one of the world\u2019s most distinguished digital media and entrepreneurship programs, held across 22 cities and 14 countries around the globe and featuring some of the world\u2019s biggest brands and media/tech stars.\n\nPaul Neuner is the founder and CEO of Telcoin, a digital asset wallet company applying to establish what would be the first Digital Asset Depository Institution chartered by the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance under the Nebraska Financial Innovation Act. Before Telcoin, he was an entrepreneur in cybersecurity and telecom fraud management, including as founder and CEO of Mobius Wireless Solutions, which built revenue assurance and fraud management solutions for mobile network operators globally. Paul also previously founded the Internet application development department of Ernst & Young Technologies.\n\nPhotos of the panelists can be found here.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry.\n\nCongressman Flood has previously announced that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, Congressman Andy Barr, and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference. Last week, he unveiled a panel titled \u201cAI & Housing,\u201d which includes representatives from Bilt Rewards, Rocket Mortgage, Zest AI, and Zillow. Additional speakers and panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming days and weeks.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2560", "Bacon Introduces the Seniors in the Workforce Tax Relief Act", "2024-09-13", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) has introduced H.R. 9465, Seniors in the Workforce Tax Relief Act. This bill will amend the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code of 1986 to establish an above-the-line tax deduction for seniors.\n\nH.R. 9465 establishes a temporary five-year deduction for seniors in the amount of $25,000 annually. The allowable deduction amount phases out between $100,000 and $125,000. The phaseout amounts are doubled in the case of a joint return or when there is a joint return with respect to which both filers are over age 65.\n\nThe effective date of the deduction begins with income received in the 2024 taxable year and would include income from 401k's and other taxable annuity payments, not just income from wages.\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration's tax policies are unmanageable with inflation at its highest levels in years,\" said Rep. Bacon.\u201cThis tax bill will provide some real relief to our seniors and their families who are struggling to make ends meet as a result of the Biden Administration\u2019s damaging economic policies.\u201d\n\nThis legislation is part of Rep. Bacon's comprehensive plan to rein in the consequences of the current economy, including H.R. 7870, the Tip Tax Termination Act, and H.R. 8194, the Second Job Tax Relief Act of 2024. The Tip Tax Termination Act, introduced on April 5, 2024, will exempt from inclusion in taxable income the first $20,000 in earned tips. The Second Job Tax Relief Act of 2024, introduced on May 1, 2024, will amend the tax code to exclude from income and payroll tax some compensation earned from a second job.\n\nAll three bills can be viewed here:\n\nH.R. 9465, Senior in the Workforce Tax Relief Act\n\nH.R. 7870, the Tip Tax Termination Act\n\nH.R. 8194, the Second Job Tax Relief Act of 2024\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-announces-flyover-fintech-panel-ai-housing", "Congressman Flood Announces Flyover Fintech Panel on \u201cAI & Housing\u201d", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced Flyover Fintech will include a panel on \u201cAI & Housing.\u201d The panel, featuring industry leaders from Bilt Rewards, Rocket Mortgage, Zest AI, and Zillow, will happen at the Congressman\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln on October 21, 2024.\n\n\u201cArtificial intelligence is changing the world, including the future of home ownership and renting,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cThis panel showcases a range of industry leaders who are using AI to break down barriers and make the dream of homeownership possible for more Americans. I\u2019m looking forward to the conversation and I encourage anyone interested in joining to get registered for Flyover Fintech today.\u201d\n\nHilary Halpern is the Head of Public Policy at Rocket Mortgage. In this role, Hilary is responsible for the development of public policy positions and messaging at both the federal and state level across all of Rocket Companies. Hilary joined Rocket from the Mindset Group, where she developed policy strategy and analysis for clients across the financial services industry. She has also worked for Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and began her career with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).\n\nJonathan Lawless is the Head of Homeownership at Bilt Rewards, the first-ever rewards program that allows renters to earn points on rent and builds a path towards homeownership. In his role, Jonathan develops solutions to support renters and help them become homeowners. Prior to that, he was a senior executive at Fannie Mae in modeling and analytics and then led product development and affordable housing.\n\nMike de Vere is the Chief Executive Officer at Zest AI, a company leveraging AI in consumer credit underwriting to build financial equity and create a better, richer, and fuller life for all. In his 25 years prior experience to Zest AI, Mike focused on amplifying the voice of consumers to governments and businesses through organizations like Nielson, Harris Interactive, and JD Power. His experiences converge to show his capacity to lead organizations in translating data into insights that enable the betterment of consumers\u2019 lives.\n\nMichael Dendas serves as Zillow\u2019s Senior Manager of Government Relations. Mike\u2019s deep expertise in housing advocacy is the foundation of his leadership role on Zillow\u2019s Government Relations team. In this role, he helps to develop and drive the company\u2019s federal strategy and is dedicated to championing pro-consumer modernization within the housing sector.\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\n\n\u200b\u200b\u200bPhotos of the panelists can be found here.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry.\n\nCongressman Flood has previously announced that House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, Congressman Andy Barr, and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference. Additional speakers and panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming weeks.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-bill-expand-school-choice-passed-ways-and-means-committee", "Smith Bill to Expand School Choice Passed by Ways and Means Committee", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means Jason Smith (R-MO) released the following statements following the committee\u2019s markup and passage of Rep. Adrian Smith\u2019s bill with Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) to expand education freedom and opportunity for students.\n\n\u201cA good education is foundational for a child\u2019s success in life, but unfortunately many parents have little say over their children\u2019s education due to where they live or how much they earn,\u201d said Rep. Adrian Smith. \"This bill would change the educational landscape for families across the country by generating significant new investments in scholarships for K-12 tuition and educational resources. We have seen through the success of school choice initiatives across the country how empowering parents gives them \u2013 not the government \u2013 the freedom to decide where to send their children to school and to tailor their children\u2019s education to their specific needs. I thank my Ways and Means colleagues for their support of this bill, and I look forward to its consideration by the full House.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the best ways we can improve K-12 education is by putting the needs and diverse interests of families and students first,\u201d said Committee Chair Jason Smith. \u201cWe have a responsibility to expand educational opportunities and parent choice for students trapped in schools that fail to help them succeed. Rep. Smith\u2019s bill, the Educational Choice for Children Act of 2024 will support low-income students through charitable contributions to scholarship funds. We\u2019ve heard direct testimony from witnesses at our committee hearings about the benefit these scholarship funds provide to students. So far, over 365,000 students with an average household income of under $75,000 nationwide have benefitted from such programs at the state level, and this legislation will help bring that success to many more students in the future. I want to thank Rep. Smith for his leadership on this important legislation that supports families across the country seeking better educational opportunities for their children.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nSmith and Owens introduced, H.R. 9462, the Educational Choice for Children Act. The bill would provide a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students which would cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education. An estimated two million students in any elementary or secondary education setting, including homeschool, would be eligible to receive a scholarship. Permissible use of scholarships awards includes tuition, fees, book supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2556", "Bacon and Gottheimer Introduce the Hostage Private Debt Tax Freedom Act", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) have introduced H.R. 9431, the Hostage Private Debt Tax Freedom Act. H.R. 9431 would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude forgiven debt of individuals who are unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad. Examples include credit card debt that is forgiven. This would typically be taxed as income.\n\n\u201cIndividuals unlawfully detained abroad should not have to endure thousands of dollars of additional income tax when they return,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cI\u2019ve spoken with members of Paul Whelan\u2019s family who shared his situation with me. Imagine finally being freed and given a grand welcome home, to only have the IRS send you a large tax bill. If a citizen is taken hostage and must report any taxable amount of a canceled debt as ordinary income, this bill would provide some tax relief for those individuals.\u201d\n\n\"After being held for days, weeks, and months as hostages by terrorists and our adversaries, facing unimaginable horrors, and making it home, no one should be hit with extra income taxes,\u201d said Rep. Gottheimer. \u201cThat's why I'm proud to lead the Hostage Private Debt Tax Freedom Act with my friend and fellow Problem Solvers Caucus colleague Don Bacon.\u201d\n\nIn addition, the freed hostages typically have late fines for failing to file taxes while being wrongfully detained. The Senate unanimously cleared the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act led by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). Together, the bills could provide relief for these individuals and their families.\n\nFull text of the bill can be found here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-americas-land-security-key-our-national-security", "Congressman Flood: America\u2019s Land Security is Key to Our National Security", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood delivered remarks during debate on H.R. 9456, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024.\n\nVideo of Rep. Flood\u2019s comments can be found here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for their reporting purposes. A transcript of his remarks can be found below.\n\nThank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you Mr. Newhouse for introducing this important and long-overdue piece of legislation.\n\nAccording to the United States Department of Agriculture, as of 2022, foreign individuals held an interest in over 43 million acres of U.S. ag land. For context, 43 million acres is larger than the state of Florida and greater than the total land area of twenty-nine U.S. states.\n\nBetween December 2021 and December 2022, privately held foreign agriculture land increased by more than 3 million acres and now accounts for 3.4 percent of all privately held agriculture lands in the United States.\n\nThis is a real problem, and it is growing.\n\nOur nation\u2019s land is linked to our national security, food supply, and energy resources. This rising trend of foreign ownership is highly concerning.\n\nThe USDA is responsible for collecting data and reporting to Congress on foreign-owned agricultural land, but that\u2019s it. In its own words, the USDA does not have a role in reviewing the purchase or sale of agricultural land in the United States. Additionally, the USDA has failed to penalize improper filing of ag land transactions by foreign nationals \u2013 further emphasizing its lack of sufficient enforcement authority in this area.\n\nLet me be clear, foreign agricultural land ownership is a national security issue and should be treated as such. Over the last several years, we\u2019ve all experienced first-hand the detrimental impact food and energy supply chain disruptions can have on our communities. Therefore, it is simply common sense that we pass this bill to expand CFIUS and better address this ongoing threat.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2554", "Bacon Announces $11.4 Million for Nebraska\u2019s Nonprofits and Houses of Worship", "2024-09-10", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Omaha, Neb. \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) today responded to the announcement that Nebraska nonprofits and houses of worship will receive $11.4 million from the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), and Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program.\n\n\u201cNonprofits and houses of worship have a way of serving our communities in ways the government can\u2019t,\u201d said Rep. Bacon. \u201cThe Fiscal Year 2024 Homeland Security Grant Program will assist state and local governments to receive the resources required to support national preparedness goals. This grant funding will support the operations and structures of these organizations to help expand their resources to others in our district.\u201d\n\nThis grant will provide critical funding for nonprofits and houses of worship to protect themselves from acts of terrorism, disasters, and the rise of antisemitism we face in our country.\n\n\u00b7 FY 24 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) Allocations: $4,362,750\n\n\u00b7 FY 24 Nonprofit Security Grant Program by State (NSGP- S) Nonprofit Organization Allocations: $3,186,882\n\n\u00b7 FY 24 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Nonprofit Organization Allocations: $3,027,538\n\n\u00b7 FY 24 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program Allocations: $825,557\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/office-congressman-flood-hold-mobile-office-hours-across-first-district", "Office of Congressman Flood to Hold Mobile Office Hours Across the First District in September", "2024-09-09", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2014 Today, the Office of U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced his district staff will host mobile office hours this September in Papillion, Osceola, and David City. During the office hours, district office team members will be available to assist with challenges regarding federal agencies, military academy nominations, scheduling requests, and any other needs constituents might encounter.\n\nDetails about the mobile office hours are listed below. Congressman Flood is available for interviews in the days ahead of the mobile office events. The office hours are closed to press to allow the Congressman\u2019s district staff members to provide private consultations.\n\nPapillion Mobile Office Hours\n\nWednesday, September 18, 2024\n\n3:30 PM - 4:30 PM CT\n\nPapillion Library\n\n222 N Jefferson Street, Papillion, NE 68046\n\nOsceola Mobile Office Hours\n\nThursday, September 19, 2024\n\n9:30 AM to 11:00 AM CT\n\nOsceola Court House - 1st Floor\n\n400 Hawkeye St, Osceola, NE 68651\n\nDavid City Mobile Office Hours\n\nThursday, September 19, 2024\n\n12:30 PM to 2:00 PM CT\n\nDavid City Library\n\n399 N 5th St, David City, NE 68632\n\nCongressman Flood maintains permanent offices in Lincoln and in Washington, D.C. Location and contact information for the permanent offices can be found at https://flood.house.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-events-12", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Events", "2024-09-05", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff this month in the communities of Aurora, Geneva, Falls City, Nelson, Trenton, Harrisburg, Pawnee City, Hebron, Bradshaw, and Blair.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\nMonday, September 9th\n\nAlice Farr Library\n\n1603 L Street, Aurora\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nTuesday, September 10th\n\nFillmore County Courthouse\n\n900 G Street, Geneva\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nWednesday, September 11th\n\nRichardson County Courthouse\n\n1700 Stone Street, Falls City\n\n11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CT\n\nMonday, September 16th\n\nNuckolls County Courthouse\n\n150 Main Street, Nelson\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nHitchcock County Courthouse\n\n229 East D Street, Trenton\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT\n\nTuesday, September 17th\n\nBanner County Courthouse\n\n206 College Street, Harrisburg\n\n10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. MT\n\nPawnee County Courthouse\n\n625 6th Street, Pawnee City\n\n10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CT\n\nWednesday, September 18th\n\nThayer County Courthouse\n\n225 N. 4th Street, Hebron\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nTuesday, September 24th\n\nVillage of Bradshaw\n\n455 Lincoln Street, Bradshaw\n\n11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT\n\nWashington County Chamber of Commerce\n\n1646 Washington Street, Blair\n\n4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT\n\nFor additional information, please contact Smith\u2019s Grand Island office at (308) 384-3900, his Scottsbluff office at (308) 633-6333, or his Nebraska City office at (402) 874-6050.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-colleagues-send-letter-ustr-mexicos-usmca-obligations", "Smith, Colleagues Send Letter to USTR on Mexico's USMCA Obligations", "2024-09-05", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) led a bipartisan letter to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai. The letter expresses concerns regarding proposals related to electricity, mining, genetically modified corn, and regulatory bodies which are set to be considered by the Mexican government and would likely compromise commitments under USMCA.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nSigners include: Ron Estes (R-KS), Jim Costa (D-CA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Mike Carey (R-OH), Michelle Steel (R-CA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and David Schweikert (R-AZ).\n\nFull letter text below\n\nDear Ambassador Tai:\n\nWe write to express our concern regarding various constitutional reforms under consideration by Mexico\u2019s Congress. We urge you to engage with President L\u00f3pez Obrador, President-elect Sheinbaum, and Mexico\u2019s incoming Congress to ensure that any enacted reforms will not conflict with obligations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).\n\nWe recognize every government\u2019s sovereign right to update its constitution and deeply value the strong partnership between the U.S. and Mexico. However, many of the proposed reforms appear likely to compromise access for U.S. investors to a stable, predictable, and unbiased regulatory framework. We are also concerned by any efforts by the Mexican Government to ban or limit certain extraction methods, curtail lithium exploration, restrict electricity operations and permitting, restrict imports of genetically modified corn, or abolish independent regulatory bodies. Such policies would undermine North American competitiveness and create a challenging environment for relevant businesses that seek to operate under USMCA rules in Mexico.\n\nThe anticipated timeline for considering these reforms requires USTR to swiftly engage with the Mexican Government to ensure that concerns of U.S. stakeholders are appropriately communicated. Further, as we prepare for the 2026 review of USMCA, it is imperative that each partner country honor the integrity of the agreement. Any action contravening USMCA obligations will create significant doubt regarding the commitment to our shared goals and will inevitably make the review process more difficult.\n\nGiven the significant challenges that these reforms pose for U.S. stakeholders, we request a briefing for congressional staff regarding USTR\u2019s engagement. Further, we request a written response to the following questions by September 20.\n\n1. What is the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s position on the proposed constitutional reforms related to energy, mining, genetically modified corn, autonomous regulatory agencies, and judicial reform?\n\n2. What is the anticipated impact that these reforms would have on U.S. businesses and investors?\n\n3. How would these reforms align with Mexico\u2019s obligations under USMCA?\n\n4. In what ways has USTR been engaging with U.S. stakeholders to advocate for their interests?\n\n5. How has USTR been engaging with the Government of Mexico on these constitutional reforms since the initiatives were first announced?\n\n6. What is USTR\u2019s long-term strategy to protect reliable, unbiased regulatory frameworks and market access for U.S. industries, should these reforms be enacted?\n\nWe appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to working together to strengthen the U.S.-Mexico relationship.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-deadline-military-academy-nomination-packets", "Smith Announces Deadline for Military Academy Nomination Packets", "2024-09-03", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C.\u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) is currently accepting nomination packets for nomination to the U.S. Military Academy (West Point, New York), U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland), U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colorado), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, New York), and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (New London, Connecticut).\n\nResidents of Nebraska's Third Congressional District, who are between the ages of 17 and 23, unmarried, currently a U.S. citizen, and able to meet the basic fitness requirements of the academies are encouraged to consider applying. Completed nomination packets are due to the Grand Island office on September 30th, by 5:00 p.m. CT. The nature of the selection process excludes the ability to consider any nomination packet or additional support documentation not submitted by the deadline.\n\nTo learn more about the application process, please visit adriansmith.house.gov/services/military-academy-nominations.\n\nFor more information about the Military Service Academies or their application process, please contact Smith's Grand Island office at 308-384-3900.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-canada-must-be-held-accountable-usmca", "Smith: Canada Must Be Held Accountable to USMCA", "2024-08-30", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee, released the following statement on the announcement United States Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai has requested dispute settlement consultations with Canada over Canada's new tax on digital services under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):\n\n\u201cThis action by USTR is welcome news. In July, I made a call with Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith and Committee Republicans for a quick and decisive response to Canada\u2019s digital services tax. This policy unfairly targets American businesses and reneges on its USMCA commitments. The Biden-Harris administration\u2019s retreat from defending American trade interests has invited belligerence toward our world-leading industries. Protecting innovation and productivity demands aggressive action. I urge President Biden to stand up for American workers and job creators and will continue to closely follow this dispute process.\u201d\n\nRead the July letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-report-showing-irs-failure-protect-law-abiding-families-and", "Smith Statement on Report Showing IRS Failure to Protect Law-Abiding Families and Small Businesses", "2024-08-30", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released a new report finding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not yet fully implemented a 2022 directive by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen prohibiting the agency from using its $80 billion in stimulus funding to increase audits on taxpayers with incomes below $400,000.\n\n\u201cThis week\u2019s TIGTA report validates what has been clear all along. Secretary Yellen\u2019s instruction not to increase IRS audits of taxpayers earning less than $400,000 was not a serious policy directive. It was hollow political messaging intended to provide cover for congressional Democrats who had just voted to increase audits on law-abiding middle-class families and small businesses in their districts. Not only has IRS made little demonstrable progress on this directive, TIGTA\u2019s report reveals many of the problems IRS faces with utilizing its supersized funding while meeting this standard. To make its own numbers work, it is likely IRS will need to shift resources away from audits focused on instances of higher fraud and improper payment rates and instead target law-abiding small business owners and middle-class families.\n\nGiven the challenges with implementing this policy which have been acknowledged by IRS, the best course of action is to enact my bill to repeal the remainder of IRS\u2019s $80 billion in mandatory funding and work through the appropriations process \u2013 the correct way to provide funding to federal agencies \u2013 to ensure IRS is appropriately funded and is prioritizing cases with the highest likelihood of fraud or error for audit.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nSmith, along with Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), introduced the Small Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act (H.R. 23) to repeal $80 billion in IRS funding signed into law by the Biden-Harris Administration in 2022 (Public Law 117-169). H.R. 23 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2023. According to a 2021 Treasury Department report, this funding was intended to increase the IRS workforce by 87,000 employees, with most funding dedicated to increasing the IRS\u2019s capacity audit taxpayers.\n\nTIGTA\u2019s findings in this week\u2019s report include:\n\nThe IRS has not yet finalized a methodology for calculating audit coverage in 2018, the historical year against which it is basing its compliance with the 2022 Treasury directive.\n\nThe IRS is not considering the risk of a marriage penalty between individual filers and married couples earning $400,000 or more per year.\n\nIRS has not yet defined \u201csmall business\u201d for purposes of measuring compliance with the 2022 Treasury directive.\n\nThe IRS has not established a timeline to develop definitions and calculations.\n\nThe IRS has not consistently documented work pertaining to implementing the 2022 Treasury directive.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2551", "Fischer, Ricketts, Bacon, Flood and Smith Announce Activation of New Wing at Offutt", "2024-08-28", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Today U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02), Mike Flood (R-NE-01) and Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) announced that the U.S. Air Force intends to activate a new wing at Offutt Air Force Base, as part of the Air Force\u2019s reorganization effort to prepare for emerging security challenges faced by the United States.\n\nThis new organization will be designated the 95th Wing and will be a subordinate unit of the Air Force Global Strike Command. The mission of the 95th Wing will focus on strategic command and control and will be comprised of the 595th Command & Control Group (595 CACG) at Offutt AFB, NE; the (Air Force Reserve Command) 610th Command & Control Squadron (610 CACS) at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ; and the (Air National Guard) 253 Command & Control Group (253 CACG) at Wyoming ANGB, WY. With the establishment of the new wing, Offutt AFB is projected to gain an additional 70 personnel in the near term.\n\n\u201cIt speaks volumes that Offutt is the Air Force\u2019s installation of choice for the new 95th Wing. Nebraska is the center of gravity for nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) missions, and we are proud of our indispensable role in America\u2019s national defense,\u201d said Sen. Fischer.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s decision reinforces the critical role Offutt Air Force Base plays in ensuring a credible strategic deterrent against existing and emerging threats posed by adversaries like the PRC and Russia. I look forward to welcoming the women and men who will call Omaha, Nebraska home as part of this newly activated unit,\u201d said Sen. Ricketts.\n\n\u201cThis decision represents the culmination of years of work by the Air Force and the congressional defense committees to ensure the United States is fully prepared to deter and defeat any adversary who threatens our national security,\u201d said Rep. Bacon, member of the HASC Strategic Forces Subcommittee. \u201cOmaha Nebraska is the right location for this new capability, and we will be prepared to do everything necessary to ensure the success of these Airmen in defending the nation. Nuclear command and control is our competitive advantage and a natural mission for Offutt Air Force Base.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor a century, Offutt Air Force Base has been a pivotal part of our Armed Forces and their mission to protect the safety and security of America. The decision to activate the 95th Wing at Offutt is great news. This will not only add a mission to the base but will also continue to create more opportunities in Bellevue and the greater Omaha area. Thank you to the Air Force for their ongoing commitment to Offutt and Sarpy County, and we look forward to continuing to grow together in the years to come,\u201d said Rep. Flood\n\n\u201cThis expansion of capabilities at Offutt affirms Nebraska\u2019s leadership in national security and air defense,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cModern war technologies make defense readiness and command efficiencies more critical than ever before. The activation of the 95th Wing will serve to strengthen American military effectiveness and is aligned with the standout record of service in our state.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/house-financial-services-chairman-patrick-mchenry-address-flyover-fintech", "House Financial Services Chairman Patrick McHenry to Address Flyover Fintech in Lincoln, Nebraska on Oct. 21st", "2024-08-23", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced that U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry will address his upcoming Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 21, 2024. Congressman McHenry is the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.\n\n\u201cI am excited to announce that Chairman McHenry will address Flyover Fintech in October,\u201d said Congressman Flood. \u201cUnder his leadership, the Financial Services Committee has advanced an innovative digital assets framework, worked to hold out of control Biden-Harris regulators accountable, and sought to cement the United States\u2019 role as the home for innovation. At the conference, Chairman McHenry will deliver key insights into the future of financial technology and how it will be affected by the rise of artificial intelligence. This is a great opportunity to hear from some of the most significant public officials in the world of finance and fintech, and I encourage anyone interested to sign up soon because space is expected to fill quickly.\u201d\n\nCongressman McHenry is serving his tenth term as the representative for North Carolina's 10th Congressional District which comprises all or parts of nine counties in North Carolina, from the suburbs of Charlotte on Lake Norman to Pisgah National Forest in Burke County. In the 118th Congress, Congressman McHenry was elected as the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a committee he has served on since he was elected to Congress. As Chairman, he continues to advocate for innovative solutions that increase access to banking services and credit for American families and small businesses. Prior to serving as the Chairman, Congressman McHenry was elected as the Republican Leader at the beginning of the 116th Congress. He also served as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a position he was appointed to at the beginning of the 114th Congress by then Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05). Chairman McHenry\u2019s full bio can be found here.\n\nRecently, Congressman Flood announced that Congressman Andy Barr and Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers would also address this year\u2019s Flyover Fintech Conference.\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry. Additional speakers and panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming months.\n\nRegistration for the conference is now open at www.flyoverfintech.com. Additional details about the location and information about hotels and travel are also available there.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-host-lincoln-town-hall-august-26th", "Congressman Flood to Host Lincoln Town Hall on August 26th", "2024-08-16", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced he will hold a town hall in Lincoln, Nebraska on August 26, 2024. The town hall will be hosted at Lincoln Southwest High School.\n\nDuring the town hall, Congressman Flood will provide an update on the priorities he\u2019s been working on for Lincoln and Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District. There will be a question-and-answer period.\n\nCongressman Flood\u2019s Lincoln Town Hall\n\nMonday, August 26, 2024\n\n5:30PM \u2013 6:30PM CT\n\nLincoln Southwest High School\n\n7001 S 14th St, Lincoln, NE 68512\n\nNote: Please enter at the main entrance.\n\nThis event is open to the public.\n\nIn addition to the program, district staff will be available to assist with challenges regarding federal agencies, military academy nominations, scheduling requests and other needs constituents might encounter.\n\nFor questions about the town hall, please contact Congressman Flood\u2019s Lincoln Office at 402-438-1598.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-calls-out-irs-failures-update-technology-systems", "Smith Calls out IRS Failures to Update Technology Systems", "2024-08-15", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after a report from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found and the IRS subsequently confirmed it does not plan to decommission and replace the vast majority of the agency's outdated information systems.\n\n\"Modernization of antiquated IRS systems is badly needed to improve taxpayer service and better protect Americans\u2019 personal data. Yet, the latest TIGTA report and subsequent IRS response once again reveal the misaligned priorities of the Biden-Harris IRS and their failure to serve American taxpayers. The administration\u2019s continued pursuit of unauthorized tax prep services and schemes to audit more Americans across the income spectrum, including new ways to audit the tips received by service workers, above basic needs like IT and customer service improvements is another reminder of how little respect they have for hardworking families across the country.\"\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nIn January 2023, Reps. Adrian Smith and Michelle Steel's (R-CA) bill to repeal the Biden Administration\u2019s $80 billion IRS expansion, the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act, became the first bill passed by the House in the 118th Congress. That bill would also preserve funding for customer service and IT modernization at IRS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-host-fremont-town-hall-august-22nd", "Congressman Flood to Host Fremont Town Hall on August 22nd", "2024-08-14", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "FREMONT, NEBRASKA \u2013Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced he will hold a town hall in Fremont, Nebraska on August 22, 2024. The town hall will be hosted at the Fremont High School CTE Center.\n\nDuring the town hall, Congressman Flood will provide an update on the priorities he\u2019s been working on for Fremont and Nebraska\u2019s First Congressional District. There will be a question-and-answer period.\n\nCongressman Flood\u2019s Fremont Town Hall\n\nThursday, August 22, 2024\n\n5:00PM \u2013 6:00PM CT\n\nFremont High School CTE Center\n\n1750 N Lincoln Ave, Fremont, NE 68025\n\nNote: Park and enter at the new CTE Center.\n\nThis event is open to the public.\n\nIn addition to the program, district staff will be available to assist with challenges regarding federal agencies, military academy nominations, scheduling requests and other needs constituents might encounter.\n\nFor questions about the town hall, please contact Congressman Flood\u2019s Lincoln Office at 402-438-1598.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-agricultural-trade-caucus-co-chairs-send-letter-colombian-ambassador", "Smith, Agricultural Trade Caucus Co-Chairs Send Letter to Colombian Ambassador on Barriers to U.S. Dairy Products", "2024-08-12", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) led a letter alongside fellow Congressional Agricultural Trade Caucus co-chairs Reps. Jim Costa (D-CA), Dusty Johnson, (R-SD), and Jimmy Panetta, (D-CA) to Ambassador Luis Gilberto Murillo, the Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. The letter expresses concerns regarding the Colombia Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism\u2019s warrantless investigation into U.S. exports of powdered milk products.\n\nRead the full letter here.\n\nFull letter text below\n\nDear Ambassador Murillo,\n\nWe write to express deep concern regarding the Colombia Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism\u2019s decision to initiate a Subsidies and Countervailing Measures investigation into U.S. exports of powdered milk products. On behalf of the thousands of American dairy farmers, processors, and exporters, we urge the Ministry to reconsider this action. Dairy farmers and processors in the United States and Colombia share many of the same values and priorities.\n\nThe U.S. dairy industry has a longstanding relationship with its counterparts in Colombia, including an agreement signed last month to share knowledge and advocate for mutually beneficial policies. The global dairy industry should work together to promote milk consumption and policies that strengthen the dairy sector.\n\nPursuing baseless, protectionist investigations can only undermine such cooperation and trade facilitation between our two countries.\n\nThe allegations made in the Ministry\u2019s investigation lack sound legal basis, and we are aware of no evidence of a causal link between U.S. powdered milk exports to Colombia and any injury to the domestic industry. Experts inform us that imported U.S. powdered milk products are significantly different than raw milk, including in physical characteristics, production, distribution, and consumer demographics. Additionally, we are concerned that the Ministry\u2019s investigation appears to rely on outdated, misleading data and trendlines to support its case, which does not align with our mutual obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. As partners under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, both U.S. and Colombian policymakers should avoid imposing trade barriers without sound economic analysis.\n\nU.S. nonfat dry milk (NFDM) and skim milk powder (SMP) prices reflect current market conditions. The global price for NFDM and SMP is a result of stagnant demand among the world\u2019s largest importers and inflationary pressures on global consumers, which impact purchases of final retail products incorporating milk powder.\n\nThese market dynamics are beyond the control of U.S. exporters and reflect broader economic trends affecting the entire global dairy industry. Warrantless trade barriers will not address these underlying market trends and stand to hurt Colombian consumers of powdered milk products.\n\nWe understand that the U.S. dairy industry is cooperating with Colombia\u2019s investigation and working with Colombian officials to submit supplemental information, though the industry has technical questions that remain outstanding. It is important that the Colombian embassy and government work closely with U.S. stakeholders to quickly resolve this meritless investigation in a mutually beneficial way, and we would appreciate your attention to the submissions made by U.S. stakeholders. We look forward to the continued U.S.-Colombia partnership and working together to support the global dairy industry.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-2024-2025-youth-advisory-council-members", "Smith Announces 2024-2025 Youth Advisory Council Members", "2024-08-09", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) has announced the names of the Third District high school students who will serve on the Youth Advisory Council for the 2024-2025 academic school year.\n\nYouth Advisory Council members include\n\nAnneliese Bargen of Adams\n\nAva Wenzel of Arthur\n\nDominic Kouba of Auburn\n\nClaudia Rhoades of Big Springs\n\nBennett Murdoch of Grand Island\n\nMatthew Rosenlund of Grand Island\n\nMadeline Caskey of Ogallala\n\nBianca McDonald of Scottsbluff\n\nPaxton Burke of Stromsburg\n\nSmith\u2019s Youth Advisory Council is a forum for high school students to discuss opinions, thoughts, and concerns about local and federal issues with Smith throughout the school year. Through in-person meetings and other contacts, the council provides students an opportunity for involvement and insight into their government and communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-introduces-sustainable-aviation-fuel-information-act", "Rep. Flood Introduces the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act", "2024-08-09", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE) and Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), announced that they had introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Information Act. This bill would direct the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) to more explicitly include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on their weekly and monthly reports, consistent with other fuel types that are regularly reported on by the agency.\n\n\u201cNebraska is the second largest producer of biofuels in the nation and we\u2019re constantly working to grow our bioeconomy,\u201d said Rep. Flood. \u201cSustainable Aviation Fuel is an incredible growth opportunity that can help expand the biofuels industry and our rural economy. This commonsense legislation directs the EIA to start including SAF in data sets they publish, allowing stakeholders and industry to better understand how production is developing. Thank you to my colleagues, especially Congressman Carter, for stepping up and pushing to help include SAF in key reports as the industry takes off.\u201d\n\n\u201cAviation currently represents approximately 10 percent of our nation\u2019s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions,\u201d said Congressman Carter, Sr. \u201cWithout coordinated action between government and industry, these emissions will continue to increase as more people and goods fly through our skies. Sustainable aviation fuel is an exciting, new green fuel with a proven record of success. I\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure America is on track to meet the growing demand for cleaner transportation and healthier communities. I'm committed to supporting innovative, eco-friendly aviation solutions like this.\u201d\n\nCongressman Flood has been an advocate for SAF, pushing to expand markets and introducing the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Accuracy Act of 2023 along with Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (D-IL).\n\nCongressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH), Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), and Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (D-MI) joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act as original co-sponsors.\n\nSupporters of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act include the Renewable Fuels Association, National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, the SAF Coalition, Greater New Orleans Inc., American Sugar Cane League, Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Nebraska, the Nebraska Soybean Association, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, and the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.\n\nSupport for the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act\n\n\u201cSustainable aviation fuel is a big opportunity for American bioethanol producers and our farmer partners. Reporting SAF production and including this data in EIA's regular reports is a simple step that will help the entire industry track its progress and identify investment opportunities. We\u2019re grateful to Rep. Flood and Rep. Carter for introducing this bill, and for taking steps to secure America\u2019s position as a leader in SAF production.\u201d - Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy\n\n\u201cAs we work to speed up the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), real-time production and supply updates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration will offer crucial insights. These updates will play a key role in effectively scaling up SAF across the country.\" - Alison Graab, The Executive Director for the SAF Coalition\n\n\u201cWe applaud Rep. Flood for introducing the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act. This bill will help provide transparency for corn growers and the biofuels industry. In this emerging space, accountability is needed to ensure that American farmers are being properly credited for providing the feedstocks that will drive this new market.\u201d - Harold Wolle, President for National Corn Growers Association\n\n\u201cWe are grateful that Congressman Flood is co-introducing this legislation that would provide greater data transparency on this growing industry. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), its production and usage, we believe provides a great opportunity for Nebraska corn farmers.\u201d - Chris Grams, President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association.\n\n\u201cTransparent and timely market data are critically important to help the nascent SAF industry get off the ground. This legislation would ensure SAF producers and users have the information they need to make informed decisions and smart investments. The Renewable Fuels Association thanks Reps. Flood and Carter for their leadership on this issue and we strongly support their legislation.\u201d - Geoff Cooper, RFA President and CEO", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-flood-its-time-address-americas-home-insurance-crisis", "Rep. Flood: It\u2019s Time to Address America\u2019s Home Insurance Crisis", "2024-08-09", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement on his approach to addressing the growing home insurance crisis building in Nebraska and across the nation.\n\n\u201cData shows that Nebraska has experienced an over 60 percent increase in home insurance costs year-over-year. During this timeframe, this was the second highest rate increases in the nation,\u201d said Rep. Flood. \u201cIn the last couple of weeks, severe weather events have once again ripped through our communities, leaving damage that will only put more upward pressure on the cost of home insurance. Rising home insurance costs and escalating property taxes are delivering a one-two punch to Nebraska homeowners. We need to tackle this problem and do so quickly. This fall, I\u2019m assembling a working group of insurance industry leaders, home builders, and other stakeholders, so that we can begin to put together solutions to address rising home insurance costs to support homeowners in Nebraska and across the country who are struggling to afford the cost of staying in their homes.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-announces-upcoming-staff-outreach-events-11", "Smith Announces Upcoming Staff Outreach Events", "2024-08-08", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Constituents of Third District Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) are invited to meet with a member of his staff next week in the communities of Hartington and Ponca.\n\nA staff outreach event is an opportunity for constituents to meet directly with a member of Smith's staff about federal issues, receive assistance with a federal agency, or take advantage of the services available through his office.\n\nSmith, who has offices in Grand Island, Scottsbluff, and Nebraska City, will provide a staff member at the following times and locations:\n\nTuesday, August 13th\n\nCedar County Courthouse\n\n101 S. Broadway, Hartington\n\n9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. CT\n\nDixon County Courthouse\n\n302 W. 3rd Street, Ponca\n\n12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CT", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-hilgers-led-petition-epa-labeling-critical-agriculture-input", "Smith Statement on Hilgers-Led Petition to EPA on Labeling of Critical Agriculture Input", "2024-08-07", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after a coalition of 11 state attorneys general led by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide federal guidance to prevent mislabeling of herbicides.\n\n\"In recent years, American agriculture producers have dealt with supply chain breakdowns, severe drought, and inflated input costs. Current ambiguity from the EPA puts the industry at further risk due to California\u2019s spurious product labeling laws which perpetuate false narratives regarding a critical agriculture input. I applaud Attorney General Hilgers and this state coalition for calling on the EPA to provide guidance consistent with its own findings. Our hard-working farmers should never be hindered by anti-scientific state regulations.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-leads-bipartisan-letter-consumer-data-protection", "Congressman Flood Leads Bipartisan Letter on Consumer Data Protection", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood led a bipartisan letter along with Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN), and Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) and ten other House Financial Services Committee members to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requesting revisions to secondary data use restrictions in the Personal Financial Data Rights proposed rulemaking.\n\n\u201cIn our digital age, it\u2019s important that consumers are given control over their own data so they can use it in ways that benefit them, said Rep. Flood. \u201cToday, we\u2019re asking the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to adjust the Personal Financial Data Rights proposal to unlock the innovation and competition that will come from open banking. Thanks to all my colleagues, and especially Representatives Houchin, Meeks, and Pettersen, for joining in this important effort.\u201d\n\n\"In an era where data is as valuable as currency, it's imperative that consumers maintain control over their own information,\u201d said Rep. Houchin. \u201cWe must ensure that our pursuit of consumer protection does not inadvertently lead to reduced benefits, diminished competition, or heightened risks of fraud.\u201d\n\n\u201cThrough this rulemaking, the CFPB is making significant strides in giving consumers control over their data usage and sharing,\u201d said Rep. Meeks. For that reason, we want to ensure that unintended consequences, such as reduced competition and increased risk of fraud, don't undermine the rule in a way that could negatively impact consumers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe agree that our financial services system should put the consumer in charge of how their data is used, and we seek to empower consumers to safely share their financial data with the providers of their choice,\u201d wrote the lawmakers in their letter. \u201cAdditionally, we support the proposed rule\u2019s efforts toward data privacy, data minimization, and its prohibition on third parties selling consumer data.\u201d\n\nThe Personal Financial Data Rights proposed rule is intended to implement section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Section 1033 directs the CFPB to ensure that a consumer financial services provider must make that consumer\u2019s own financial data available to them for their own use.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:36:13Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2550", "Bacon and Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Job Counseling Services for Gold Star Spouses", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington \u2013 Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02), along with Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY-04), Ann McClane Kuster (D-NH-02), Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to job counseling services for Gold Star Spouses. The bill is companion legislation to S. 3746, the Gold Star and Surviving Spouse Career Services Act, introduced in the Senate by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).\n\nSurviving spouses are not currently eligible for the career services offered by the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP), which gives every state funding to hire specialists as part of state workforce systems. DVOPs prioritize service to veterans with significant barriers to employment, including service-connected disabilities. There are more than 450,000 service-connected surviving spouses across the Country.\n\n\"All of our Gold Star surviving spouses deserve the same opportunities, and this is a simple fix to make job counseling services available to them,\" said Rep. Bacon.\"Many of these spouses are now supporting a family on their own or are starting a whole new life, after losing their partner, and we need to offer them every opportunity to succeed.\"\n\n\"Our nation's Gold Star families share in the ultimate sacrifice made by their loved ones in defending our nation, and they deserve not only the gratitude but also the full support of the United States,\u201d said Rep. Carbajal. \u201cI am proud to join this bipartisan legislation to expand the helping hand we give them, opening new doors for employment opportunities and success.\"\n\n\u201cEnsuring Gold Star surviving spouses have access to an array of job counseling services is an important step towards supporting these men and women who are often grappling with the realities of life after losing their partner in service to the United States,\u201d said Rep. D\u2019Esposito. \u201cIt is incumbent upon the federal government to support the surviving spouses of fallen military servicemembers, and this is one palpable step Congress can take to make good on that national commitment.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe families and spouses of our servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice deserve more than our thanks; they deserve support and action,\u201d said Rep. Kuster. \u201cWe have a responsibility to ensure Gold Star spouses and their children are able to access the resources and opportunities they need to heal and succeed. I\u2019m proud to support this bipartisan legislation and will always fight for our servicemembers and their families.\u201d\n\n\u201cGold Star surviving spouses have sacrificed so much for our nation, and we have a responsibility to support them and their families as they move forward,\u201d said Rep. Panetta. \u201cThis bipartisan, bicameral legislation makes a straightforward, meaningful change to the existing veterans' job counseling programs by making surviving spouses eligible for these same services. This action has the potential to open new opportunities for more than 450,000 Gold Star surviving spouses throughout our country as we continue our work to serve all those who served our nation in and out of uniform.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is endorsed by the American Legion, American Policy Ventures, Military Officers Association of America, National Partnership for Women and Families, and TAPS.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/media-release-congressman-flood-bidens-supreme-court-overhaul-violates", "Media Release:  Congressman Flood: Biden's Supreme Court Overhaul Violates Separation of Powers", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2014 Today, Congressman Mike Flood issued a statement following a proposal by President Joe Biden to impose new rules on America\u2019s court system.\n\n\u201cSeparation of powers is a cornerstone of our constitutional republic. Democrats have disliked a number of decisions handed down by the Supreme Court in recent years. President Biden\u2019s proposal seeks to use the power of the executive and legislative branches against the courts in a vindictive play to advance a liberal agenda. In America, we respect judges and juries and the decisions they make even when we don\u2019t like them. I\u2019m glad that Speaker Johnson has announced that the President\u2019s plan is dead on arrival. House Republicans will never stop defending the independence of America\u2019s judicial system.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/nebraska-banking-director-kelly-lammers-address-flyover-fintech-lincoln", "Nebraska Banking Director Kelly Lammers to Address Flyover Fintech in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 21st", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBRASKA \u2013 Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced that Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance Director Kelly Lammers will address his upcoming Flyover Fintech Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 21, 2024.\n\n\u201cKelly Lammers brings almost four decades of experience to his role as Director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance. I am excited to announce that he will be a featured speaker at Flyover Fintech where he will share from his perspective leading one of America\u2019s most highly respected banking regulatory agencies,\u201d Rep. Flood said. \u201cFor those who are just hearing about Flyover Fintech for the first time, this year\u2019s conference features industry leaders and public officials from across the country in conversation about the future of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. I encourage you to get registered today before spots fill up.\u201d\n\nFlyover Fintech conferences feature a wide variety of speakers, ranging from members of the House Financial Services Committee to leading voices in the fintech industry. Additional speakers and panelists for Flyover Fintech 2024 will be announced in the coming weeks.\n\nRegistration for the conference is now open at www.flyoverfintech.com. More details about the location and information about hotels and travel are also available there.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-radical-white-house-proposals-overhaul-supreme-court", "Smith Statement on Radical White House Proposals to Overhaul Supreme Court", "2024-07-29", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the White House announced a set of policy proposals to remake the Supreme Court of the United States.\n\n\"The Biden-Harris Administration is throwing this tantrum because they don\u2019t want a Supreme Court which holds them accountable to our Constitution and the laws enacted by Congress. They want one which will rubber stamp their unlawful failed policies, such as their WOTUS rule and student loan scam, and allow them to jail their political opponents from the last administration. Having little chance of becoming law, these moonshot proposals would increase politicization of the court and infringe upon the constitutional separation of powers within the federal government. Another instance of repeated overreach from this administration, this announcement is clearly nothing more than a political signal to far-left special interest groups.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/office-congressman-flood-hold-mobile-office-hours-across-first-district-august", "Office of Congressman Flood to Hold Mobile Office Hours Across the First District in August", "2024-07-26", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "LINCOLN, NEBEBRASKA \u2014 Today, the Office of U.S. Congressman Mike Flood announced his district staff will host mobile office hours this August in West Point, Stanton, Plattsmouth, and Elmwood. During the office hours, district office team members will be available to assist with challenges regarding federal agencies, military academy nominations, scheduling requests and any other needs constituents might encounter.\n\nDetails about the mobile office hours are listed below. Congressman Flood is available for interviews in the days ahead of the mobile office events. The office hours are closed to press to allow the Congressman\u2019s district staff members to provide private consultations.\n\nWest Point Mobile Office Hours\n\nMonday, August 5, 2024\n\n10:30 AM-12:00 PM CT\n\nWest Point Nielsen Center\n\n200 Anna Stalp Ave., West Point, NE 68788\n\nStanton Mobile Office Hours\n\nMonday, August 5, 2024\n\n1:00-2:30 PM CT\n\nStanton Library\n\n1009 Jack Pine St., Stanton, NE 68779\n\nPlattsmouth Mobile Office Hours\n\nTuesday, August 6, 2024\n\n2:00-3:30 PM CT\n\nPlattsmouth Public Library\n\n401 A Ave., Plattsmouth, NE 68048\n\nElmwood Mobile Office Hours\n\nThursday, August 29, 2024\n\n10:30 AM-12:00 PM CT\n\nElmwood Community Center\n\n144 N 4th St., Elmwood, NE 68349\n\nCongressman Flood maintains permanent offices in Lincoln and in Washington, D.C. Location and contact information for the permanent offices can be found at https://flood.house.gov.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-joins-bipartisan-lawmakers-requesting-guidance-45z-clean", "Congressman Flood Joins Bipartisan Lawmakers in Requesting Guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit", "2024-07-25", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Mike Flood", "F000474", "flood.house.gov", "flood", "https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Congressman Mike Flood recently joined U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and more than 50 bipartisan lawmakers in requesting the U.S. Department of Treasury promptly provide guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit. This call aims to provide farmers, blenders, retailers, and fuel users with certainty and sufficient time to implement new clean fuel projects.\n\n\u201cThe 45Z credit should be leveraged to provide a forward-looking, technology-neutral market signal to increase our country\u2019s production capacity for low-carbon, domestic renewable fuels and for existing biofuel production to invest in decarbonization,\u201d the lawmakers wrote. \u201cLack of regulatory certainty is already putting thriving businesses at risk as fuel producers are unable to make important business decisions regarding their fuel.\u201d\n\nThe 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit streamlines and replaces multiple fuel-related credits set to expire soon. Designed to boost domestic production of clean biofuels, 45Z requires further guidance from the Treasury on how farmers and renewable fuel producers can engage in this emerging market.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-lauds-bipartisan-child-welfare-reform-advanced-ways-and-means", "Smith Lauds Bipartisan Child Welfare Reform Advanced by Ways and Means", "2024-07-24", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the Committee on Ways and Means passed bipartisan legislation which included policy from his bill with Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) to improve child welfare services.\n\n\u201cOur children are our future. Reviewing the experiences of Americans served by state and federal child welfare programs and taking every step we can to improve outcomes is one of the most impactful things we do on the Committee on Ways and Means. I am glad the long-overdue package we advanced out of the committee today included my bill to ensure these programs are more informed by and accountable to the people they serve. I will continue to support these reforms as the legislative process continues.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nIn June, Smith and Moore introduced H.R. 8815, the Youth and Family Engagement in Child Welfare Act. The bill would require states to consult with youth and families with lived experience in child welfare services when developing their state child welfare plans under Title IV-B of the Social Security Act. They would be required to publicly report their suggestions and how the state has implemented them.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases/smith-statement-israeli-prime-ministers-address-congress", "Smith Statement on Israeli Prime Minister's Address to Congress", "2024-07-24", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Adrian Smith", "S001172", "adriansmith.house.gov", "adriansmith", "https://adriansmith.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), released the following statement after the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint meeting of Congress.\n\n\"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s address demonstrated why Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East and displayed the conviction required to confront the regional instability Israel continually faces. By lending credence to illegitimate claims against Israel\u2019s right to forcefully pursue the freedom of hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attacks and balking on its delivery of support authorized by Congress, the Biden-Harris Administration has displayed a lack of clarity. I stand with Israel, and today was an important moment for our critical alliance.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"], ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2539", "Bacon Issues Statement After Netanyahu's Address", "2024-07-24", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington - Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) issued a statement after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress:\n\n\"I wholeheartedly welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu today at the Capitol. He gave an outstanding speech and laid out his commitment to destroy Hamas in Gaza after 3,000 terrorists murdered and raped 1,200 innocent Israelis and guests on October 7 of last year. This war could end today if Hamas released the hostages and laid down their weapons. Instead, they use their own civilians as human shields with the intent of driving up the casualties to try and trick the world. The Prime Minister made clear that the real threat lies with Iran, which arms not only Hamas but also Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and the Houthis in Yemen. Iran is our mutual enemy. The Prime Minister committed to returning Gaza to Palestinian control, but to those who are not enemies of Israel. I strongly support Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, and want to see the destruction of Hamas and the prevention of Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The Biden Administration is wrong for dragging its feet on providing the weapons needed for Israel to win and end this war quickly. The terrorists who raped and killed Israelis also hate Americans and would happily put us in the crosshairs of their weapons.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:24:45Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 264, "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": "2024"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NE&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "NE", "label": "NE", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2024", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024", "results": [{"value": "2024", "label": "2024", "count": 264, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2024-07-24,https~3A~2F~2Fbacon~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D2539", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=NE&year=2024&_next=2024-07-24%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fbacon~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fnews~2Fdocumentsingle~2Easpx~3FDocumentID~3D2539&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 110.32875580713153, "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"}