WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) introduced new legislation to overhaul the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) process for managing water resource projects along the lower Missouri River system. The Lower Missouri River Flood Prevention Program Act is cosponsored by all of the senators from the lower Missouri River basin states, including U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (Iowa), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Chuck Grassley (Io  more

OMAHA, Nebraska, March 3 -- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release on March 2: Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) offered the following statement after delivering remarks on the coronavirus at a press conference at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha. "Today, I was pleased to join UNMC Chancellor Gold, Nebraska Governor Ricketts, and the incredible medical staff to say goodbye to two patients on their way home and to discuss the continuum of  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: Monday morning, before a press conference at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), I extended my hand to greet Jeri Seratti Goldman of Santa Clarita, California. Half-way into that customary gesture, I noticed Jeri was extending her elbow instead. I gave her an elbow bump, later declaring, "Jeri, you are now the ambassador to America for a new sign of greeting, welcome, and friendship." Jeri was   more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) an original cosponsor of H.R. 3749, the Legal Services for Homeless Veterans Act, voted yes on the bipartisan legislation which will establish a grant program that will ease the path for homeless or at-risk veterans seeking legal aid assistance in the areas of housing, family law, income support, criminal defense, and military service discharges. The legislation will also set asid  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) and House colleagues voted yes on a bipartisan piece of legislation to pass funding to ensure our nation is prepared in the event of a disease outbreak amid emerging health threats abroad. "With so many questions and concerns regarding the coronavirus, my House colleagues and I have come together to replenish reserve funds to continue to address the virus at home and abroad," sai  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) offered the following statement after the House passed the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental bill. "The House just passed a coronavirus emergency bill. I voted for it. This is an important bipartisan effort to treat, prepare, and plan. It will expedite vaccine development and procurement and help states and localities manage their response," Fortenberry said. "I am  more

LINCOLN, Nebraska, March 3 -- Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release on March 2: Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-1) offered the following statement after the signing of a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar. "Today, we took important first steps toward ending America's 'Longest War.' Let's not forget why it started--in direct response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. We will never forget the enormous sacrifice made by  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, ranking Republican member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, issued the following opening statement on March 4 at a hearing on examining the impact of the Tax Code on Native American tribes: "Thank you to our witnesses, who are appearing across two panels today. "Like so many others in America, tribal citizens deserve fairness and economic opportunity, and yet there always remains more work to do. "Poverty  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement after voting to support the supplemental funding package to combat coronavirus including vaccine development, equipment and supplies, and assisting state and local health departments: "President Trump has been adamant from the very beginning we must take coronavirus seriously. "This package will be critical to preventing the spread of this disease. "I am glad we were able to come together and provide a timely  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: This week the Ways and Means Committee held our annual hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. He discussed the administration's current work on health care, the administration's efforts for combating coronavirus, and answered questions we had on both subjects. When our Founders drafted the United States Constitution, after extensive debate, they were less than a decade removed from winning i  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska, issued the following column: Every ten years, our government is required by our Constitution to conduct a census of our population. This year, from March 12-20, the United States Census Bureau will send out census forms and instruction to every household in the United States. Although the form may be an inconvenience, it is of the utmost importance to our political process. The primary function of the United States Census is allocating repr  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after burial services with full military honors were held for Pearl Harbor survivor Donald G. Stratton in his hometown of Red Cloud, Nebraska. A representative from Senator Fischer's office attended the services. "Donald Stratton was an American hero who answered our nation's call to serv  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release on March 3: At today's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, thanked Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett and Air Force Chief of Staff David Goldfein for their assistance regarding Offutt Air Force Base's disaster recovery. She also questioned them on the future of Air Force Intellig  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release on Marcch 4: At today's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, heard testimony from Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley. During her questioning of the witnesses, she stressed the importance of funding the modernization of our   more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release on March 4: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, questioned telecommunications and technology experts during a hearing on the resilience and security of U.S. networks with the transition to 5G, the fifth generation of wireless communications technology. The hearing also explored the government's role in managing supply chain threats from untrustworthy suppliers - such   more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following column on March 2: In October 2016, I had the pleasure of visiting a new business in Northeast Omaha called North End Teleservices. At the time, the company, which provides contact center services for commercial organizations and government entities, had about 30 employees. It was exciting to see this budding start-up in an area of the city that is not typically known as a business corridor. A little over three years lat  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement after voting for $7.8 billion in emergency funding to fight coronavirus: "We need to make sure local, state, and federal health officials have the resources they need to fight coronavirus. We ought to be smart about keeping our communities healthy. "The team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Biocontainment Unit has a lot to teach hospitals around the country. This funding is important but it's not a  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, an outspoken advocate for Nebraska agriculture and trade, met with Secretary Perdue and the entire Nebraska congressional delegation at the Department of Agriculture to discuss challenges to Nebraska agriculture. "We just spent an hour talking about Nebraska agriculture with Secretary Perdue," said Senator Sasse. "We let the Agriculture Secretary know that nobody out hustles Nebraska f  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following statement: The U.S. Senate passed a supplemental funding package to respond to the outbreak of coronavirus by a vote of 96 to 1. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement after voting in favor of the package: "This package will provide necessary resources to combat the spread of coronavirus. It will help develop a vaccine, support state and local governments, and assist our community health cente  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue at a luncheon with the entire Nebraska delegation to discuss the state of Nebraska agriculture. "I appreciated meeting with Secretary Perdue and the Nebraska delegation to discuss with him important issues for Nebraska's farmers and ranchers including the Ren  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), members of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to help ensure manufacturers and distributors can produce respirators during health crises, such as the current COVID-19 epidemic. Other cosponsors of the legislation are Senators Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). "With the number of co  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: Ahead of the House of Commons' debate on Huawei, U.S. Senators Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led a bipartisan group of Senators in urging Parliament to reconsider the Johnson government's decision to allow Huawei to supply some of the United Kingdom's 5G telecommunications structure. "Given the significant security, privacy, and economic threats posed by Huawei, we strongly urge the United Kingdom  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, issued the following news release: U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) introduced the Network Security Trade Act (S. 3394), legislation to ensure U.S. communications infrastructure security is a clear negotiating objective of our country's trade policy. "There is a lot of promise with   more