Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Defending the Second Amendment
June 9, 2023 In my first speech on the U.S. Senate floor, I promised Nebraskans I would reject every effort to restrict our liberties and always fight for the freedoms of the Nebraskans I serve. There are few freedoms more important than those outlined in our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Earlier this week, […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Honoring Willa Cather
June 2, 2023 Each state in our nation has the opportunity to honor two great Americans hailing from their state with statues in the U.S. Capitol. When I was Governor, I had the privilege of signing legislation to change Nebraska’s statues and honor two tremendous Nebraskans: Chief Standing Bear and Willa Cather. This week as […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: The Death Tax Needs to Die
May 26, 2023 Family-run farms, ranches, and small businesses are the backbone of communities across Nebraska. They fuel our economy, feed our citizens, and provide meaningful opportunity to build generational wealth. Our federal tax code, however, currently punishes these efforts and makes it more difficult for families to pass their operations to the next generation. […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Backing the Blue
May 19, 2023 From our southern border to our own backyard, law enforcement are essential to our safety and security. These courageous women and men in blue make the Good Life we enjoy in Nebraska possible. They put their lives on the line to enforce our laws and keep our streets safe. As we celebrate […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Time for Compromise on Debt Ceiling
May 13, 2023 The national debt is a major problem with consequences for every taxpayer. According to one estimate, our debt per U.S. citizen is approaching $95,000, and our national debt per household is around $240,000, adding up to a staggering $31.457 trillion debt overall. At nearly 120% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), our debt […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Supporting Year-Round E15
May 5, 2023 In May we celebrate Renewable Fuels Month and highlight the importance of biofuels. Nebraska farmers and ranchers fuel the world through the production of biofuels like ethanol. Our state is the second largest producer of ethanol, representing 2.3 billion gallons per year. Nebraska’s 24 ethanol plants boost our state’s economy by $5.7 […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Relief, Not Regulation
April 28, 2023 Joe Biden has continued to abuse his executive authority to show Nebraskans – and all Americans – his misplaced priorities. The examples are almost too numerous to count. In this time of high inflation, Americans deserve relief, not regulation. Fighting Biden’s overreach and attacks on who we are can be daunting, but […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Addressing Our Drug Crisis
April 21, 2023 America currently faces the worst drug crisis in our nation’s history. In 2021, 106,000 Americans died of a drug overdose – nearly 70,000 because of fentanyl. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-45. The precursors to fentanyl are produced in China. From there, they are shipped to […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Mandate Madness
April 14, 2023 This week, President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced burdensome new emissions requirements on American-made vehicles. By requiring up to two-thirds of cars and trucks in the U.S. to be electric in just eight years, they are one step closer to their goal of making gas-powered vehicles obsolete. While we all care […]
Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Navigable Means Navigable
April 6, 2023 Last week, I spoke on the Senate floor to fight a blatant power grab by the federal government. The Senate considered a resolution attempting to block the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule from President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This rule would change the definition of navigable waters to include […]