OMAHA, Nebraska, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) met with a family from Omaha who recently adopted their new daughter Lola from Latvia. Fischer and her staff assisted the family for nine months as they worked to navigate the long and complicated international adoption process. "It has been a long road, but I am so happy to finally see the Fogle family together with their daughter, Lola. My office was honored   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: There was a little-known hearing this week in Congress. The major media did not cover it. But fundamental questions about science, reason, and ethics were considered. Dr. Robin Pierucci is a neonatologist and medical director of a 50-bed neonatal intensive-care unit in Michigan. She has been caring for premature babies for over 20 years. At the hearing, Dr. Pierucci said, "It is a fallacy to equate the deg  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the challenges Office of Environmental Management faces in disposing of the sodium-bearing waste. The report (GAO-19-494) is titled "Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE Faces Project Management and Disposal Challenges with High-Level Waste at Idaho National Laboratory". The report was sent to Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, chairman, and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services subcom  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement after the Trump administration finalized the repeal of the waters of U.S. rule: "The repeal of President Obama's overreaching WOTUS rule is great news for our country and gives states back the power to regulate their non-navigable waters, as the law says they should. "I have fought this troubling regulation since its inception. "I thank President Trump and the administration for their commitment to reining i  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: Energy is essential in every American's life. We use energy to do just about everything; drive to work, heat our homes, cook meals, and power our cell phones. As diverse as the uses for energy are, so too are the sources of this energy: oil, gas, coal, nuclear, biofuels, wind, hydro, and solar to name a few. It has long been the goal for the United States to become energy independent. By 2020, the United States  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: Regulations. While the word is often used in a negative light, the process of setting regulations as established by the Administrative Procedures Act (APA), enacted in 1946, plays an import role in allowing federal agencies to appropriately implement federal laws passed by Congress. Under APA, agencies are required to release a draft rulemaking, allow time for public comments, and respond to public concerns when   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: In 1636, a small militia regiment banded together to better defend colonists who arrived in North America. We know this as the founding of the first regiment of the National Guard, the oldest component of our country's armed forces. Since the Revolutionary War, our nation has depended on our own local citizen-soldiers to combat challenges here at home and around the world. They've defended our nation in every war   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement in honor of the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks: "Eighteen years ago, we witnessed one of the most tragic events in our nation's history, but we also witnessed the best of America: heroism, unity, and patriotism. "We honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives on 9/11 and pay tribute to our first responders and those who have served our nation in the years since.   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement after China announced it will suspend tariff hikes on U.S. soybeans and pork: "It's good to see recent purchases of U.S. agricultural goods and this morning's announcement that China will not be adding additional tariffs for U.S. imports of soybeans and pork. "This is positive news for Nebraska's farmers and producers. "However, our producers still face signific  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced the final repeal of the waters of the U.S. rule: "I have long been an advocate for eliminating the 2015 WOTUS, which represented an unprecedented overreach by the federal government at the expense of families, communities, and businesses. "Nebraskans own the water in our state, and we take great care of this precious natura  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that $150 million is now available through its Community Facilities Program for rural communities impacted by natural disasters, including this year's severe flooding: "Many rural communities in Nebraska have a long way to go on th  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that more than $3 billion is available for disaster relief for agricultural producers, including Nebraska ag producers affected by flooding, through the agency's Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+): "Nebraskans in   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency announced that the 2015 waters of the U.S. rule will be repealed: "This is another step forward and a win for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. "It's great news for anyone who understands that the federal government doesn't need to be regulating puddles and ditches. "President Obama's EPA was crazy to try this and President Trump's EPA is right to repeal it."  more