{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-securing-americas-next-250-years/", "VIDEO: Securing\u00a0America\u2019s Next 250 Years", "2026-06-05", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "On Wednesday, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed his efforts to help secure the next 250 years of American safety and prosperity. This includes attending the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singaporewhere he had conversations about deterring Communist China.\n\n\u201cOur values have inspired generations of Americans and secured our role as the global technology, economic, and military leader. We have a lot to celebrate. We also need to consider what it will take to secure the next 250 years,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cOne of the most important tasks will be deterring Communist China. China is without a doubt the greatest existential threat to America and Nebraska. Communist China seeks to infiltrate our country and undermine our people, values, and way of life. We cannot let this happen if we want our nation and the world to thrive for centuries to come.\u201d\n\nRicketts also highlighted the importance of funding Border Patrol and ICE to protect Nebraskans and our national security. This morning, the Senate passed the Secure America Act, legislation to fund Border Patrol and ICE. Ricketts\u2019 statement on the vote can be found here.\n\nWatch the video here.\n\nTRANSCRIPT:\n\nSenator Ricketts: \u201cLast week, I had the privilege to attend a ceremony to honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion to our great nation.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful to American Legion Post One in Omaha for hosting the Memorial Day ceremony to honor our fallen at Forest Lawn Cemetery.\n\n\u201cMemorial Day this year was special, as we also celebrate America\u2019s 250th birthday.\n\n\u201cThroughout our country\u2019s history, Nebraskans have laid down their lives to defend our freedoms.\n\n\u201cWe honor all of our heroic Nebraskans who lost their lives in service to our country.\n\n\u201cWe also express our gratitude to their loved ones for their sacrifice.\n\n\u201cWe are the home of the free because of the brave.\n\n\u201cAs we celebrate America\u2019s birthday, we reflect on what has led to 250 years of success.\n\n\u201cFrom our founding, we\u2019ve affirmed that our people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve created a country where any American, regardless of who they are, can achieve the American dream through hard work and determination.\n\n\u201cOur values have inspired generations of Americans and secured our role as the global technology, economic, and military leader.\n\n\u201cWe have a lot to celebrate.\n\n\u201cWe also need to consider what it will take to secure the next 250 years.\n\n\u201cOne of the most important tasks will be deterring Communist China.\n\n\u201cChina is without a doubt the greatest existential threat to America and Nebraska.\n\n\u201cCommunist China seeks to infiltrate our country and undermine our people, values, and way of life.\n\n\u201cWe cannot let this happen if we want our nation and the world to thrive for centuries to come.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019ve made it a priority to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore the last couple of years.\n\n\u201cThis conference brings together leaders from North America, the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and beyond to discuss important security issues.\n\n\u201cI attended again this year and had important conversations about deterring Communist China and bolstering our national security.\n\n\u201cLet me share a few takeaways.\n\n\u201cFirst, we need to strengthen our military cooperation with allies and partners in the region.\n\n\u201cThis includes shoring up our own defense industrial base, ensuring our warfighters, as well as those of our allies and partners, have the capabilities they need to counter and deter Communist China.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely critical.\n\n\u201cWe also need to recommit our support for allies and partners who have fallen victim to Communist China\u2019s malign aggression and economic coercion.\n\n\u201cPeace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific are good for America.\n\n\u201cWe need to secure this.\n\n\u201cI also had a few conversations about improving trade relations.\n\n\u201cWe know that China is not a good trade partner.\n\n\u201cIdentifying new opportunities in the Indo-Pacific will reduce our reliance on Communist China and expand market access for our farmers and ranchers.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve also introduced the MARKET Act, which I\u2019ve shared before, to identify new markets for our ag community.\n\n\u201cI am grateful for the opportunity to advocate for Nebraskans, both in the Senate and on the world stage, and I remain committed to doing my part to ensure future generations can celebrate the America we all know and love.\n\n\u201cThis brings me to the work that needs to be done on the Senate floor today.\n\n\u201cTo protect Americans and our national security, we must fund Border Patrol and ICE.\n\n\u201cSenate Republicans have a narrow bill to do this.\n\n\u201cOur bill only funds Border Patrol and ICE.\n\n\u201cSenate Democrats refuse to vote for it, putting every American at risk.\n\n\u201cTheir refusal is a clear threat to our national security.\n\n\u201cThe Democrats stood by while President Biden and his open-border policies allowed every state to become a border state, putting communities across America, including in Nebraska, at risk.\n\n\u201cThey released at least 99 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist into American communities, including three with potential ISIS ties.\n\n\u201cThey have prioritized the care of illegal immigrants over Americans.\n\n\u201cLet me give you two examples.\n\n\u201cWhen Laken Riley, a 22-year-old college student, was murdered by an illegal immigrant, Republicans introduced legislation to make sure no other families have to live through that same tragedy as Laken\u2019s family had to live through.\n\n\u201cThe legislation was common sense, too \u2014 if an illegal immigrant breaks the law, they will be held accountable.\n\n\u201cA majority of Democrats refused to support this common-sense solution.\n\n\u201cWhen our brave troops successfully captured Venezuelan dictator Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, Democrats were more concerned about the operation than national security.\n\n\u201cMaduro is a narco-terrorist responsible for the deaths of countless Americans.\n\n\u201cHe was a puppet of our adversaries, including Communist China, Russia, and Iran.\n\n\u201cSimply put, he was a threat to our national security.\n\n\u201cCapturing him was a win for Americans and our national security.\n\n\u201cHowever, Democrats didn\u2019t see it this way.\n\n\u201cThe reality, though, is that President Trump campaigned on securing our border.\n\n\u201cHe won an overwhelming majority of votes from Americans.\n\n\u201cThe American people voted for stronger national security.\n\n\u201cRepublicans have worked with this administration to secure our border and deliver that for the American people.\n\n\u201cTo maintain this strong national security, we need to fund ICE and Border Patrol.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m ready to vote with my Senate Republican colleagues today.\n\n\u201cDemocrats cannot delay this vote any longer.\n\n\u201cWe must get this done for the American people.\n\n\u201cEverything else is a distraction.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-06T06:16:30Z", "2026-06-06T06:17:47Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-securing-americas-next-250-years/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8807140402495861, "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"}