Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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Walk down any Main Street, and you’ll see storefronts of small businesses that fuel local economies. From quaint “mom & pop” shops to sleek and trendy boutiques, these businesses often provide a human element that helps define the character of our communities. But many of these small businesses, the source of nearly 70 percent of American jobs, face an uphill battle when competing with out-of-state Internet merchants benefitting from outdated tax policy. In most states, including Nebraska, businesses collect sales taxes from patrons and remit...
As a U.S. Senator, I have the privilege and responsibility of nominating Nebraska students to our nation’s service academies: the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Nebraskans have a long and proud history of military service. Since our state’s founding, our sons and daughters have served our country with valor. This legacy, passed from one generation to the next, is foundational to America’s strength. As the war in Afghanistan winds down, new challenges face the n...
Nebraska has no shortage of patriotic young people willing to serve their country. Each year, young men and women from the Third District attend our nation’s prestigious Service Academies. These institutions provide a first-rate higher education and unmatched opportunities for young people looking to achieve their potential in education and service. As a Member of Congress, I have the honor of nominating a select group of young Nebraskans to attend the U.S. Service Academies. The academies include: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N...
On Monday, one week after twin blasts rocked the heart of Boston, more than a thousand well-wishers braved the snow and rain in downtown Lincoln for a memorial run to raise money for the victims of the Boston Marathon attack. They weren’t the only ones. Communities across the country held runs and other events, picking up the torch for the world class race that was so abruptly stopped by evil. Last week was a difficult week for America. Four lives were cut short in Boston. Nearly 200 others were injured. Many people who have logged countless m...
Long gone are the days when citizens worked the land to pay their share to the crown before being allowed to keep anything for themselves. I think we can all agree it’s a good thing those days are behind us. But even though Tax Day is in the books, we are still paying the government to cover this year’s tax burden. While April 15 is the national tax payment deadline, April 18 marks Tax Freedom Day, the point at which the total earnings of all Americans since the beginning of the year surpasses the total tax bill for the year. In theory, tha...
Summer after hot, dusty summer, many of our parents and grandparents worked in the fields, raising their crops. Winter after icy winter, they braved frigid corrals, helping to grow their herds. They often worked the same ground for decades—first as children, learning the trade. Over time, they may have added new land and new equipment here and there—whenever they found an opportunity to expand their life’s work. It takes a lifetime to grow a farm or ranch. These stories are bountiful in Nebraska. But not all of them have a happy ending. Farme...
One of the best parts of my job is visiting different communities across Nebraska when the Senate breaks as I did last week. I am always greeted with warm welcomes. Our state’s great sense of community is on magnificent display in town after town, whether it is neighbors pitching in to help comfort firefighters battling grass fires, or volunteers hosting a fundraiser for the local food bank. Nebraska truly is “the good life.” We’ve always known this, but recently, our way of life has gained national recognition. Communities across the state h...
Four years. That’s how long it took Senate Democrats to pass a budget resolution. It’s also the amount of time it takes to get a degree in finance, economics or accounting. But after looking at their final product, it appears the Democrats didn’t use this time doing any of that. Their budget, which narrowly passed in the Senate late last week, turns a cold shoulder to the realities our country faces. Americans today are coping with higher taxes, fewer jobs, a fragile economy and important government programs on the brink of bankruptcy. So how d...
Getting in to see your doctor on short notice can be a headache. But imagine being required to schedule an appointment before you can use your own money to buy Aspirin for a headache. Unfortunately, because of the new health care law, this is a reality for 33 million Americans who choose to budget for their health care expenses with a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA). Families with these accounts are now prohibited from using their own money, set aside specifically to cover health-related expenses, to purchase...
Each morning, while the rest of the world is still fast asleep, ag producers across Nebraska are up, checking on their herds or preparing their equipment for a long day in the fields. Careers in farming or ranching offer few days off. Cattle still need to be fed on Christmas morning. Crops, ripe for harvest, don’t care about your vacation plans. A break from the fields on a rainy day is an opportunity to get caught up on equipment maintenance. And animals don’t need veterinarians only between 9 and 5. For 365 days a year, farmers toil with the...
Last week, automatic, across-the-board federal spending cuts known as sequestration took effect, which will trim $85 billion from federal accounts over the next seven months, and about $1.2 trillion over the next decade. These cuts, originally proposed by the White House, total the same amount the federal government borrows every 28 days to help feed its $3.5 trillion annual spending appetite. That’s less than three percent from a budget that has grown nearly 20 percent since 2008. The White House continues to concoct scare tactics, warning t...
These past 30 years have been marked by many blessings for Stephanie and me. Being granted the tremendous privilege to represent a state I love and address issues important to Nebraskans has been one of the greatest honors of my life. As the seasons change, there is a time to plant and a time to reap what has been sown. And while I have decided not to seek reelection in 2014, we are far from the harvest. This Congress is just getting started and we have plenty to accomplish in the next two years. In the Senate, I will continue to push for a...
What do farmers and ranchers, builders and businesspeople have in common? One thing I keep hearing from constituents in these respective industries is that an onslaught of rules and regulations from federal agencies has hampered their abilities to develop new innovations and create needed jobs. Since President Obama took office, more than 308,000 pages of new rules have been added to the Federal Register. That’s enough paper to cover more than four and a half acres of farmland, and weighs more than three Ford F-150 pickups trucks. The E...
America has endured times of great challenge and great triumph. At a time when doubt is growing about the prospects of a bright future for America, we must remember that the road to prosperity has never been an easy one. And our success has always been because we, as a people, are greater than the challenges we face. Without a doubt, years of economic recession have taken a significant toll on our country. During this period, unemployment climbed to 10 percent, remaining alarmingly high in January, at 7.9 percent. The financial markets have...
Last week’s decision by Japan to amend a nine-year restriction on certain beef imports is a promising sign for Nebraska beef producers. Beginning this month, the Japanese will be able to import high quality American beef from animals aged 30 months old or younger. Japan halted its U.S. beef imports in 2003, when a single case of BSE was detected in the United States. In 2005, Japan resumed limited imports, only allowing beef from animals 20 months old or younger. Lifting these restrictions opens opportunities for Japan’s import of more saf...
Freight trains carry 1.8 billion tons of cargo on more than 138,000 miles of track across the United States each year. It is amazing when you think about the amount of force railroad lines withstand to keep this massive industry on track. Without those parallel strips of steel, relatively small when compared to their burden, there would be nothing to guide the massive trains to their destination. The federal budget is a bit like those tracks. Without them, there is no guide for federal spending. They provide the direction needed to ensure...
When a rash of wildfires broke out across Nebraska last year, volunteer firefighters traveled as far as 350 miles to assist. Many of them left their families and businesses for days on end to fight blazes that blackened more than 300 thousand acres across the State. Crews went through vacation days and midnight oil in unimaginable conditions to protect nearby communities and valuable grassland now even more coveted by ranchers in search of feed for livestock. The display of selflessness was echoed by people in the local and neighboring communit...
Last year’s attempt at a new five-year farm bill to replace the expiring policy was uprooted when the clock ran out. While I was pleased with the Senate-passed legislation, it never made its way to the President’s desk. The result was a last-minute extension of the current policy enacted in 2008 for yet another year. While this development was far from ideal, the alternative—reverting to policy from the 1940s—was a much worse option for farmers, ranchers and consumers. The archaic policy would have been difficult for the Department of Agricul...
This new year brings to Washington a fresh start. Last week, we welcomed to the 113th Congress many new faces, including my colleague Senator Deb Fischer. I am proud to be joined by such a competent and capable leader who has aptly served Nebraska for years. I am confident Deb will bring the same passion to Capitol Hill, and I look forward to working with her to address the issues facing our state and country. Although it’s a new year and a new session, many of the important issues we must tackle are far from novel. Our country’s debt has gro...
This past year has been filled with many important policy debates, legislative accomplishments, and exciting new developments for Nebraska. I want to take a moment to highlight some of these events and reflect upon the year. By far the most pressing issue facing our nation is the economy. We must continue to find ways to help businesses grow so they can create jobs. We also cannot address our economic challenges without addressing the nation’s runaway debt. Our current $16 trillion debt has ballooned to such a serious situation where each t...
