2021 Fortenberry Year-End Report by Congressman Jeff Fortenberry

2021

YEAR-END REPORT

CONGRESSMAN

JEFF FORTENBERRY PROUDLY SERVING THE FIRST DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA

TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME.. ....................................................................................... 1 REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS . . ......................................................... 2 IN CONGRESS.. ................................................................................. 8 GETTING IT DONE............................................................................. 9 APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2021............................................................ 12 FARMING.. ...................................................................................... 16 YOUR HEALTH................................................................................. 20 THE ECONOMY, JOBS, AND OPPORTUNITY. . .................................... 23 OUR NATIONAL SECURITY............................................................... 25 SERVING OUR VETERANS................................................................ 30 THE BORDER.. .................................................................................. 33 ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY ........................................................... 35 HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY........................................................ 38 NEBRASKA’S FIRST PEOPLES............................................................ 41 YOUR THOUGHTS: SURVEY RESULTS.. ................................................ 42 HOW CAN WE HELP? .. .................................................................... 45 STAY IN TOUCH............................................................................... 48

WELCOME Every year, we prepare an annual report for you to review the work of my offices in Washington and Nebraska. I hope you find it useful. Please be assured that your thoughts on our progress are important to me as I work to shape public policy for Nebraska and America. This year we continued to advance groundbreaking legislative initiatives in ag security, health security, national security, and conservation. In agriculture, my Farm of the Future initiative supports Nebraska’s prodigious ag producers in expanding yield at lower cost, while connecting the farmer to the family and the farm to the table. In health care, ACT for ALS has become law, providing real hope to those suffering from this merciless disease. My Care for Her Act rethinks how we support women facing an unexpected pregnancy by providing a community of care for the journey of life—before birth, at birth, after birth. In national security, an initiative close to home would designate the Strategic Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland “America’s National Museum of the Cold War,” creating a global hub for historians of the conflict and visitors. The recently implemented Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA) builds a new foundation of trust in one of the most volatile places in the world. In conservation, my Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (R AWA) protects ecosystems, supports recreation, and moves us from regulation and litigation to collaboration and conservation. I am pleased that several of my funding priorities critical to Nebraska passed the House, including a major expansion of rural broadband, a new center of ag innovation on the UNL campus, enhanced ag opportunity for students at minority-serving institutions, and a new Arbor Day forestry project in Lincoln. While we face challenges as a nation—at the border, with China, with division engendered by Big Tech—our can-do Nebraska spirit continues to guide our way: be smart, be resourceful, keep plowing until the work is done. Thank you for granting me the privilege to represent you, your family, and this remarkable state we call home.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

Important discussion with Jim Hellbusch and other local business leaders at Duo Lift Manufacturing in Columbus this August: https://t.co/GG6CDMz8o0. The Gross Catholic High School robotics team proved it again at the 2021 Western Iowa VEX VRC competition! Go Cougars!

Wonderful to interview Miss Nebraska CzechSlovak, Cecilia Minchow, whose family hails from the beautiful “Bohemian Alps” around Prague, Nebraska: https://t.co/LNWRlAoddn.

In May, I had an important discussion with USSTRATCOM leaders and a Senate delegation on nuclear threat assessments and strategic planning.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

Sure was nice to be back at the Columbus Sales Pavilion, which has been part of the Bock family for 88 years: https://t.co/BTfTEN0AY8.

Always great to re-explore the Lewis and Clark Center in Nebraska City. Magnificent facility! We continue to provide essential support in Congress.

Cornhusker Bank sponsored One Day Without Shoes for the People’s City Mission in Lincoln.

Great to participate in the Better Life Walk to End Hunger at Lincoln Pius X stadium to raise awareness of the food insecurity many families are experiencing: https://t.co/aThzWcsWpZ.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

Columbus Chamber has always been a great partner in getting things done for businesses. I am pictured with new Chamber president Dawson Brunswick.

Another thoughtful discussion with government classes at Pius High School in Lincoln. Go Bolts!

The Lincoln Children’s Zoo inspires families to learn about, care about, and actively engage with a menagerie of magnificent wild animals. Watch as I take a few licks: https://t.co/Qea1aqXSgv. I so appreciate the good work of Schuyler’s community leaders, a town that has rapidly changed over the years and is always striving for good.

At the pandemic’s peak, the boys of Bottle Rocket Brewing received a PPP loan that allowed them to continue serving the greater Seward area with fine locally crafted artisanal beer: https://t.co/ Pz2NSHKrMV.

Capital Contractors allowed me to visit their Lincoln plant and learn of their work on steel fabrication for the Lincoln South Beltway, the largest public infrastructure project in Nebraska.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

It was a real privilege to meet Aidan Daly at the fish fry in Plattsmouth. Aidan had joined the Marine Corps and was headed off to San Diego.

From their farm to your table, Daniel’s Farm— locally owned and operated in Platte County.

I appreciate Nebraska National Guard’s role in keeping us safe, in their robust COVID-19 pandemic response, and in their creative public service. I had an important discussion in July with Major General Bohac on preparing Nebraska National Guard for future needs.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

Nestled in the gently rolling farmland north of Schuyler, the St. Benedict Center follows the ancient tradition of work and prayer. Very uplifting to see the monks!

Congratulations to Seward High School senior Ian Fiala, who was named Seward Youth Rotarian of the Month for exemplifying the Rotary motto: “Service Above Self.”

While in Schuyler, I got to visit with students at Schuyler Community Schools. We discussed our American system of governance and traditions. Go Warriors!

In a town hall discussion in March, my guest Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American to serve as Librarian of Congress, said this about censorship in our culture: “Let the books battle it out on the shelves.” Here are audio highlights from our chat: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=U_mzlRKzolc.

REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS

Wonderful to see the young people visiting D.C. from College View Academy in Lincoln.

It was good to meet with students visiting D.C. from Gross Catholic in Bellevue.

IN CONGRESS During 2021, I have served as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), supporting our state’s farmers and ranchers in feeding America and the world, enhancing the viability of rural life, and ensuring our medicines and medical equipment are safe.

guardrails of global diplomatic, economic, and environmental stability that are increasingly intertwined with our own national security. Other work in Congress is centered around caucuses. I am co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus (ICC), the Congressional Nuclear Security Working Group, the Trails Caucus, the Beef Caucus, and the Soils Caucus. I co-lead the British American Parliamentary Group (BAPG).

I have also served as a Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, working to sustain the

Sometimes, I have to go “double laptop” due to two simultaneous hearings, such as this spring with the Secretary of Agriculture and State and Foreign Operations oversight.

GETTING IT DONE Legislation I Helped Advance in 2021

H.R. 24 — The Federal Reserve Transparency Act requires an audit of the Federal Reserve.

H.R. 1065 — The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act will ensure reasonable accommodation during pregnancy.

H.R. 82 — The Social Security Fairness Act repeals provisions that reduce Social Security payments for individuals who receive certain other benefits.

H.R. 1113 — The Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act increases transparency in the small refinery exemption process.

H.R. 317 — Amends The Public Health Service Act to establish a health insurance Federal Invisible Risk Sharing Program.

H.R. 1258 — The Strengthening Local Processing Act supports small and very small meat and poultry processing facilities.

H.R. 465 — The American Food for American Schools Act strengthens “Buy American” provisions for the school lunch program.

H.R. 1448 — The Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act integrates service dogs into treatment options for our courageous veterans.

H.R. 695 — The USPS Fairness Act repeals the requirement that the U.S. Postal Service annually prepay future retirement health benefits.

H.R. 1768 — The Farm to School Act promotes the use of fresh, locally produced foods in schools.

H.R. 810 — Directs the Department of the Interior to conduct a feasibility study regarding the designation of the Chief Standing Bear Trail as a National Historic Trail. This trail extends 550 miles from Niobrara, Nebraska, to Ponca City, Oklahoma, following the route taken by Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca people during federal Indian removal.

H.R. 1878 — The State Health Care Premium Reduction Act will help lower the cost of premiums for persons in the individual marketplace. H.R. 1892 — The Violence Against Women Extension Act continues protections for vulnerable women. H.R. 2030 — The College Transparency Act will provide helpful information for students and families as they consider higher education opportunities.

H.Res. 114 — Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should take all appropriate measures to ensure the continuation of its 6-day mail delivery service.

GETTING IT DONE

H.R. 2074 — The Indian Buffalo Management Act promotes tribal ownership and management of buffalo and buffalo habitat.

H.R. 3424 — The Global Pandemic Prevention and Biosecurity Act gets at the source of animalborne infectious pathogens to help prevent virus outbreaks.

H.R. 2424 — The Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act provides funding for agricultural fairs to help them recover from the effects of the pandemic.

H.R. 3472 — The Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension Act extends this tax credit through 2025.

H.R. 2447 — The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act helps address the veterinarian shortage in rural areas.

H.R. 3522 — The Residential Energy and Economic Savings (TREES) Act helps homeowners plant trees and lower energy costs.

H.R. 2499 — The Federal Firefighters Fairness Act ensures equity in access to disability and retirement benefits.

H.R. 3537 — The Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (aka ACT for ALS) expands access to promising treatments in development for patients with ALS and streamlines FDA processes for drug approval.

H.R. 2639 — The Trillion Trees Act promotes the planting of one trillion trees by 2050.

H.R. 3554 — The Pharmacy DIR (Direct and Indirect Remuneration fees) Reform to Reduce Senior Drug Costs Act will reduce costs for small pharmacies.

H.R. 2773 — The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act protects ecosystems through constructive partnerships with states. The bipartisan measure provides smart upstream policy to avoid triggering the “emergency room procedures” of the Endangered Species Act.

H.J.Res. 51 — Proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving Congress power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.

H.R. 2820 — The Growing Climate Solutions Act makes it easier for the ag community to participate in voluntary carbon credits markets.

H.R. 4300 — The Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act provides free annual passes to current military members and lifetime passes to veterans and members of Gold Star families to our nation’s national parks.

H.R. 2896 — The Kids Eat Local Act supports farm-to-school efforts by making it easier for schools to purchase locally grown and raised food.

H.R. 4410 — The Year-Round Fuel Choice Act gives the EPA the authority to make E-15 and higher blends of ethanol available throughout the year.

H.R. 2898 — The Homecare for Seniors Act makes home care an allowable expense from a Health Savings Account. H.R. 3076 — The Postal Service Reform Act will provide financial and operational stability for our postal system.

H.R. 4433 — The Veterans Entrepreneurship Act helps veterans pursue small business opportunities.

H.Res. 386 — Expresses support for recognizing “National Police Week.” 10

GETTING IT DONE

H.R. 4813 — Matt’s Act would limit the price of insulin drugs accessible for participants and beneficiaries enrolled in group or individual health insurance coverage, and for uninsured individuals who have diabetes, and for other purposes.

H.R. 5346 — The Equal Access to the Right Nutrition for Military Families (EARN) Act addresses food insecurity problems encountered by some military families. H.R. 5447 — The America’s National Museum of the Cold War Act designates Nebraska’s Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum as “America’s National Museum of the Cold War.”

H.R. 4878 — The National Discovery Trails Act creates a new category of long-distance trails and designates the 6800-mile American Discovery Trail (ADT), the nation’s first coastto-coast, multi-use trail, as the first trail under the category. The ADT connects wilderness areas and national parks and forests with rural towns and big cities.

H.R. 5451 — The Protecting Financial Privacy Act prohibits any new program that requires financial institutions or individuals to report on the balances of or transfers into and out of financial accounts. H.R. 5586 — The Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act blocks any new reporting requirements on banks to disclose information to the IRS on individuals’ private bank account deposits or withdrawal activity.

H.R. 5089 — The Next Generation Fuels Act promotes low-carbon, high-octane fuels and promotes vehicle efficiency. H.R. 5163 — The Care for Her Act establishes a community of care for the journey of life— before birth, at birth, after birth. It ensures women know what services are available to them, offers a tax credit to the pregnant mother with a pre-born child, and provides performance incentives for communities that demonstrate improved maternal and child health outcomes.

H.R. 5854 — The Illegal Immigrant Payoff Prohibition Act prohibits payments of compromise settlements arising out of certain violations of the immigration laws.

APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2021 Special Programs We Advanced

FARMING AND RURAL LIFE

The Ecosystem of Rural Livability: Distance Learning and Telemedicine — This popular program received increased funding to $4,000,000 for USDA to work with rural communities to create an “ecosystem of livability.” This demonstration project will show how to revitalize Rural America through enhanced community well-being and economic vitality.

Farm of the Future — Agricultural Research Service Facility at University of Nebraska Lincoln — $20,000,000 to support the first step of the National Center for Regenerative and Resilient Precision Agriculture at the University of Nebraska. Regenerative ag will put more dollars in farmers’ pockets while feeding America and the world, with a smaller environmental footprint.

Farm to School Institutes — $1,000,000 to allow Nebraska, among other states, to lead in farm to school efforts. The new institute will scale and replicate successful programs in Nebraska and the region to link food served in school to expanded local purchasing and stronger community connections.

Farm of the Future — Increases funding to $6,000,000 to support farming demonstrations in Nebraska, in conjunction with the University of Nebraska, to improve farm product diversification, sustainability, and net revenue.

Farm-to-School Program — $12,000,000 to support Farm-to-School programs and increase resources to expand locally produced food and build sustainable relations to procure local foods.

Rural Broadband — $650,000,000 to support rural broadband, including communities that are “rural in character.” Blue-Ribbon Panel on the Future of LandGrant Institutions — $300,000 for a U.S. Department of Agriculture Blue-Ribbon Panel on the Future of Land-Grant Universities. The goal is to bring together ag educators, researchers, and farmers to explore bold ideas to improve value for students seeking an ag education, invite a younger diverse cohort of persons into farming, and improve regenerative farming practices that also increase farming income.

“Farmer-Owned Data” – the Creation of a New Data Hub — an increase to $2,000,000 for USDA to expand its work with land-grant institutions to enable large-scale aggregation of agricultural production data to preserve competitive advantage for individual farmers, ranchers, producers, and processors. Protecting Plains Cattle — An increase to $5,000,000 for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for Antimicrobial

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Resistance Research for Livestock. Establishes a public-private partnership to combat the global threat of antimicrobial resistance across humans, animals, and the environment and explore development of an antimicrobial resistance dashboard tool for livestock management, research, risk, and stewardship.

cycle management of manure to improve the environment and increase farmer income. Expanding the Farm Family — $6,000,000 for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program to provide loan capital and grants to non-profit organizations, community-based financial institutions, and local economic development councils to help small farms enter and sustain small-scale agriculture.

Cover Crop Management for Crops and Grazing — $1,000,000 to assist farmers within the Soil Health Initiative to maximize their scientific knowledge on how best to manage cover crops in regenerative farming, improving soil health for the benefit of crops and grazing.

Inviting Diverse Students into Agriculture — $500,000 for AgDiscovery, a program that ensures a diverse array of students can explore agricultural sciences and gain knowledge about careers in farming and agriculture sciences.

Small Meat Packing Plants Apprenticeships — $2,000,000 to help support apprenticeships for individuals working in small and very small meatpacking plants to ensure they find full and gainful employment.

E NVIRONME NTAL SECURIT Y Monitoring and Addressing Drought for America — $3,800,000. The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska is nationally recognized as an important guide for farmers grappling with weather-related challenges. The Center will expand its work, which includes meteorology, economics, and technologies for drought mitigation.

Local Food Hubs — $1,000,000. The value of agriculture production is often in products that can be sold directly to consumers. Locally sourced, branded, value-added products that are properly inspected can broaden farm community work opportunities and expand income. Food Hubs will enable USDA-inspected workspaces to share water, workspaces, loading docks, accounting, and utilities for development of locally sourced, branded, value-added products.

Wind for Schools: Supporting Alternative Energy Sources for Schools — $1,000,000 to promote wind energy in rural communities. Provides hands-on educational experiences by installing small wind turbines at various rural schools across the country, allowing teachers and students to physically engage with energy-related curricula.

Fertilizer Innovation — an increase to $2,000,000. Fertilizer is the largest cost to farmers. Smarter technologies can reduce cost and increase yield. USDA is directed to work with leading land-grant universities in developing innovations to improve yields and farm income.

Air Force Weather Research and Drought Mitigation Center — $2,869,000. The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) is forming a partnership with the Air Force Weather

Manure Management — $1,000,000 for USDA to work with farmers to improve the life

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Agency and other federal partners to develop a flexible, scalable early warning system to detect drought hot spots through satellite observation of environmental conditions in order to predict and prevent conflict, mitigating the need for U.S. military intervention.

to our work encouraging the agency to use the latest science to help advise on known health benefits of fish.

CONSERVATION The DELTA Act — $5,000,000. The Defending Economic Livelihoods and Threatened Animals (DELTA) Act works with three countries in Southern Africa to overcome the over-concentration of elephants in one country. These new resources will support restoration of habitat and creation of the largest national park in all of Africa.

COMMUNIT Y AND HEALTH SECURIT Y FDA New Program for ALS Patients — $5,000,000. Supports the FDA’s Rare Neurodegenerative Diseases Grants Program for children and adults with rapidly progressing and debilitating diseases such as ALS.

Lewis and Clark Visitor Center — The National Park Service is acknowledged for the strong partnership it has maintained with the Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Visitor Center for the preservation, development, and interpretation goals of the Center.

Preventing the Next Ebola Outbreak — $11,000,000 for the National Ebola Training and Education Center and the Regional Ebola and Other Special Pathogen Treatment Centers at the Department of Health and Human Services. Keeping the 12 Clans Hospital Open as Nebraska Tribes Take Over Operation — $58,000,000 for support across all tribal hospitals with accreditation emergencies.

NATIONAL SECURIT Y Modernizing Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) — $10,000,000 for the Rapid Engineering Architecture Collaboration Hub (REACH) Initiative to act as a bridge between private industry and U.S. Strategic Command NC3 Nuclear Enterprise Center to create and prototype nuclear systems architecture.

Making Sure our Drugs Made Abroad Are Safe — The FDA will add China to a pilot program for unannounced foreign inspections of drug manufacturing facilities, which previously only focused on India. This helps improve the agency’s inspections of Chinese-made pharmaceutical products. The FDA will also compile a plan for ways to refuse drugs at the border when it is not granted sufficient access to information regarding overseas manufacturing facilities.

Joint Civilian-Military Medical Surge Facilit y — $15,000,000 to further develop a pilot program for a joint civilian-military medical surge facility that provides high-casualty crisis support for threats ranging from foreign conflicts to global pandemics.

FDA Update to Fish Advice for Mothers and Children — In 2021, FDA reissued national advice to show the benefit of eating seafood during childhood. This is a follow-up

University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Modular Surge Facility — $14,000,000. This is the first down-payment 14

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Yazidi, Christian and other Religious Minorities Security in Northern Iraq — The U.S. State Department is directed to work with the Government of Iraq to ensure that local populations are integrated into national security forces to reflect the ethnic and religious makeup of Northern Iraq and other regions.

to expand the military’s ability to respond to highly infectious diseases as well as other risks to America’s service members. UNMC was selected among five centers in America and is the first one ready to go. Nuclear War-gaming — Included an emphasis for the National Nuclear Security Administration to coordinate with the Department of Defense on a scenario-based nuclear wargame that includes Members of Congress as participants. This cross-branch collaboration allows national leadership to meet to solve complex problems of existential importance.

Preventing Future Pandemics at the Source — In support of H.R. 3424, the Global Pandemic Prevention and Biosecurity Act, that I helped write and cosponsor, the Appropriations Committee recognized the importance of this work to prevent animal-to-human transmission of Ebola and other infectious disease like COVID. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is directed to reduce the future spread of highly infectious diseases at the source.

Safely Disposing of Plutonium: Creating Alternative Solutions to Protect Americans from Spent Fuels — $148,590,000 for the National Nuclear Security Administration to implement a safe, secure, and cost-effective approach to disposing of U.S. surplus pit and non-pit plutonium.

VETERANS Suicide Prevention for Veterans — $5,000,000. The VA is directed to support and create novel public-private partnerships to build upon existing efforts to reduce suicide, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and substance abuse among veterans.

Middle East Partnership for Peace Act — $50,000,000 to support my legislation, enacted into law in December of 2020, to change the way America invests in Israelis and Palestinians to reduce conflict. The fund requires a Palestinian person or business and an Israeli or an American to enter into partnership to receive resources.

Using social media for suicide prevention — The VA is directed to use the latest science on social media’s role in helping diagnose and care for soldiers and veterans who are at risk of harm to self.

Plan Haiti — $5,000,000. Expanding the potential of agriculture in Haiti, including reforestation, to give life to decimated communities in the poorest and most chaotic country in the Western Hemisphere. My “people and place” strategy works with local communities on regenerative agriculture to overcome challenges that have not been alleviated by current investments in security, governance, and economics.

Putting wounded soldiers at the center of their rehabilitation care team: Military and Veterans health care teams are encouraged to put soldiers at the center of all care using advanced technological solutions for injuries sustained during conflict.

FARMING Advancing Innovation, Regeneration, and Resilience

Production agriculture is the mainstay of the Cornhusker State. It allows us to feed America and the world. The vastness of our land, our ingenuity, our technological prowess, our productive farmers and ranchers—along with stabilization policies advanced by Congress— allow America to provide the most abundant,

low-cost, diverse, and nutritious array of foods anywhere. Our ag efficiency is so impressive, we can afford billions of dollars in support to those facing food insecurity, here and abroad. It’s amazing as well that agriculture has the unique ability to cut across political, social, and economic divides.

FA R M I N G

FARM OF THE FUTURE

better integrate scientific discovery into our food systems. I invite you to review my opening remarks from a May 12 Ag Subcommittee hearing on the importance of ag research to America’s continued global ag leadership: https://t. co/au3D2nyQ9Z.

Ensuring our continued ag success means challenging ourselves with new ideas. A new concept I call “The Farm of the Future” builds upon our robust production ag tradition with advancements in regenerative capacity, precision agriculture, and new options in smaller scale production to enhance revenue to the farmer. This year in Appropriations we advanced support for a real-world test bed of the Farm of the Future concept using big data and better connectivity to increase yields with less input. I invite you to review my remarks from the House floor on a range of exciting bipartisan ag initiatives important to America and the world: https://t.co/SSpAOTyfSc.

NATIONAL CE NTER FOR RESILIE NT & REGE NERATIVE PRECISION AGRICULTURE By its very breadth and scope, the Farm of the Future requires innovative facilities and programs. In Appropriations, I advanced the development of a multi-disciplinary Agricultural Research Service (ARS) center on the University of Nebraska Lincoln Innovation Campus. This National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture will address critical science gaps, develop and deploy climate-smart regenerative practices, and create decision support tools—to generate higher yields, better profitability, environmental security, and emerging farm opportunity.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH America’s unparalleled ag success does not happen by accident. We lead the world in ag output in part because we lead the world in ag research. I advanced creation of a comprehensive repository of current ag research to

FA R M I N G

BLUE-RIBBON PANE L FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

PROTEC TING A MERICAN FARML AND

Our land-grant colleges and universities have served America extraordinarily well. As we envision 21st Century economic success, it’s time to boldly retool these institutions for timely innovation, smart research, and the welfare of students. I am pleased that the Blue-Ribbon Panel for Higher Education I advanced is now coming to fruition—to align research, found a new consortium with historically black colleges, review value for students, and ambitiously rethink the future of our land-grant institutions. Here’s my discussion with Ag Secretary Vilsack on the future of these colleges and universities: https://t.co/ASPD6WRRWP.

Standing behind the American farm family and the vibrant ecosystem of rural life means protecting against ownership of American farmland by foreign countries, mega corporations, and trust funds acting on behalf of foreign interests. I invite you to review my speech to block Communist China and its surrogates from purchasing U.S. farmland, and to make farmland already owned by China ineligible for U.S. farm subsidies. With two-thirds of American family farms likely to change hands over the next few decades, some of that land may end up in foreign hands in perpetuity, with no chance of return to American ones. When land is foreign owned, the profits do not fully flow back into rural communities, further eroding rural life.

CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM OF RURAL LIVABILIT Y The global pandemic showed we can digitally connect with friends, family, and services necessary for our prosperity and well-being. Most cities experienced the fruits of this huge digital leap. While Nebraska cities have 98.5% broadband penetration, only 65% of those in our rural areas have access to land-based broadband service. To remedy this imbalance, this year in Appropriations we again advanced support for rural broadband and ensured that “rural in character” cities also received broadband support. Advancing rural connectivity is about more than wires laid. As I noted in my Fort Report: Rural Broadband https://t.co/yaZzBtPflf, it’s about the quality of social, cultural, and economic life in rural areas. I invite you to review my remarks at a critical subcommittee hearing on “Rural Development,” or what I like to call “The Ecosystem of Rural Livability:” https://t.co/pyPcwdQt2i.

I penned a deep dive into protecting American farmland in my Fort Report: Losing Ground: https://fortenberry. house.gov/news/fort-report/ fort-report-losing-ground.

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safety. The Agricultural Security Review Act, of which I am a cosponsor, elevates the Secretary of Agriculture to Member status in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This high-level interagency panel assists the President in overseeing national security consequences on foreign direct investment in the American economy. We have a process to screen for foreign ownership of sensitive technical information. We need the same process for our food. In a previous time, we had more local meat processing. I am supporting initiatives that stimulate a return to that previous model, creating a robust market in local economies, linking the farm to the family. The Price Reform in Cattle Economics (PRICE) Act and the Strengthening Local Processing Act expand local and regional processing capacity and consumer access to it.

I enjoy seeing our 4-H kids in action at the Madison County Fair.

HE LPING OUR FARMERS, TEACHING OUR KIDS I’m happy to lead the important Farm to School initiative in Congress. This exciting program adds fresh, healthy meal choices for students and teachers, brings ag education into the classroom for next generation farmers and ranchers, and prioritizes food to tribal schools from tribal ag producers. Building on previous efforts to connect local farmers and students, it expands market opportunities for our beginning farmers and veteran ag producers. The Farm to School Program is a profoundly effective way to connect the farm to the family and promote good health.

FAKE MEAT What wine is to France, beef is to Nebraska. Eyebrows were raised in Nebraska this year when Bill Gates called for wealthy nations to move towards 100% synthetic beef to fight climate change. I have no beef with Bill about transitioning from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a more sustainable one. But making supper from a lab? That’s not a solution, that’s a chemistry experiment. I invite you to review my House floor speech on the nutritional impact and environmental claims regarding “Fake Meat” at https://t.co/czeUWAllyc and my Fort Report on same: https://fortenberry. house.gov/news/fort-report/fort-report-fakemeat. I also discussed synthetic beef on SiriusXM radio: https://t.co/TQ5cUYwyoq. As leader of the Beef Caucus in Congress, I can assure you—it’s not what’s for dinner.

AG SECURIT Y Our food security remains inextricably tied to our national security. Major chunks of our American food production system have been sold to foreign operations. Four companies— two of which are foreign-owned—control 80% of beef processing in America. As the pandemic revealed, multinational corporate control of the ag space increases risks to food availability and 19

YOUR HEALTH Advancing Health Care Solutions

DRIVING THE HOPE: ACT FOR AL S

The right type of health care system improves outcomes, provides better value, and protects vulnerable persons. I’ve advanced several initiatives in Congress to tackle manageable, highly specific areas of health care reform that have a real chance of passage. I have also directly tackled the perverse policy incentives that encourage outsourcing of our pharmaceutical ingredients and finished drug products to China and other countries.

The Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act (ACT for ALS) represents a monumental shift for those suffering from ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. It transforms the paradigm of disease research and creates a new pathway to deliver promising treatments. With this groundbreaking law, we can break through faster for those who have suffered so much.

Pictured is my wife Celeste with her younger brother Joe Gregory who died from ALS. We as a family quickly learned about the profound trauma ALS has caused so many other Americans. Out of this experience ACT for ALS was born.

YO U R H E A LT H

LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS

With over 330 cosponsors, “the most popular bill in Congress” moved quickly through the legislative process. In November, ACT for ALS passed through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. On December 8, it passed the House by a margin of 423-3. And on December 16, in a true Christmas miracle, ACT for ALS passed the Senate. It was signed into law on December 23. I invite you to review the Energy and Commerce Committee hearing testimony behind the bill: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=JlI0MPibXCc and my House floor speech on ACT for ALS: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsz-4tYndFA.

Over the past decade, the net cost of brand name drugs rose over three times faster than the rate of inflation. Seniors on Medicare, families of children with chronic conditions, and those on lifesaving drugs are hit the hardest, even with insurance. For the uninsured, the patchwork system is unfair and demoralizing. We deserve better. According to the FDA, the cost of generic drugs can often be 80-95 percent less than brand-name drugs. In my work overseeing FDA funding, I continued to challenge the agency to accelerate generic drug approvals, expand competition between generic drug manufacturers, and encourage pharmacists to inform patients of less costly generic alternatives.

FAIR DRUG PRICING FOR THOSE WITH DIABETES: MAT T’S ACT A few years ago, a rural Nebraska dad contacted me about the sky-high cost of his 13-year-old son’s insulin. In August, I reintroduced a bill in his name. The common-sense, bipartisan Matt’s Act addresses the inequity of the manufacturer’s price being vastly different from what patients pay. It achieves greater equity by requiring manufacturers to sell insulin to pharmacies directly at a reasonable market price. By cutting out the middleman, Matt’s Act provides fairness for the thirty million Americans who need insulin and for those who make and sell it. I invite you to review an Aleteia article on this groundbreaking initiative: https://t.co/LEu6bBb8TC.

COMMUNITIES BE NEFITING FROM IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES: THE CHILD ACT My Community Health Improvement Leadership and Development (CHILD) Act empowers communities to improve their own health. If a community is innovative and shows health care improvements, it keeps the savings from the government. We are pleased to have cosponsors from across the aisle and around the country who are committed to better health outcomes at far lower cost.

YO U R H E A LT H

UNIVERSIT Y OF NEBRASK A ME DICAL CE NTER

M ADE IN A MERICA As the pandemic revealed, putting our health outcomes in the hands of other countries is both an FDA problem and a national security problem. “C.” That’s the grade the FDA gets on inspection of our drug supply, per the Director of Health Care at the Government Accounting Office. Through the Appropriations Committee, we empowered the FDA to refuse drugs at the border when the agency is not granted sufficient access to information about how they are produced in foreign-based facilities. I have continued my push to increase FDA’s unannounced inspections of China-based drug manufacturing facilities to ensure they meet the highest American production standards. The ultimate answer to this threat dynamic is to ensure more of our drugs and medical equipment are Made in America.

When the first Americans abroad were found to be at risk of COVID-19, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) raised its hand to help. Through another public-private partnership for Nebraska, the proposed NExT all-hazard project would help UNMC expand its pivotal role in prevention, research, and containment of catastrophic threats. As we continue to fight past COVID-19 with vaccines, therapeutics, and other prudent health and safety measures, a remaining policy consideration is the origin and transmission of disease in overseas wildlife markets. The bipartisan Global Pandemic Prevention and Biosecurity Act, of which I am a cosponsor, helps prevent virus outbreaks at their source. As part of our biosecurity push, I continue to pursue the truth about the origins, spread, and cover-up of COVID-19.

I asked Nebraskans some of their thoughts on COVID-19.* Here is their take:

Did the pandemic and subsequent shutdowns disrupt your employment situation?

Yes,

significantly

13.2%

No, not at all 63.9%

Yes, slightly 22.9%

What are your thoughts on the vaccine mandate?

Yes, I support the mandate 40.1%

No, I don’t support the mandate 58.8%

Other answers 1.1%

* 10,000 Responses

THE ECONOMY, JOBS, AND OPPORTUNITY A properly functioning government is vital for the protection of our country, for orderly commerce, for maintaining the guardrails of a flourishing civil society. These objectives require rightly ordered government spending. Unfortunately, in Washington, the same song plays over and over: more money plus good intentions equal better outcomes. Thoughtful analysis has been set aside.

massive spending bill and the deeply flawed process that moved it forward. If that bill eventually becomes law, America will have a new form of government concentrated in D.C., with tax cuts for the wealthiest in New York and California, amnesty for illegal immigrants, hundreds of billions in new debt, taxpayer-funded abortion, and massively expanded IRS surveillance power over working Americans. Adding to these fiscal challenges, the proposed $6 trillion regular budget for 2022 will take the U.S. to its highest levels of spending since WWII, generating even higher inflation and government borrowing to pay for it. I invite you to review my Fort Report: Off the Charts on these dynamics: https://t.co/BeONef1MTD.

THE NEW ‘NEW DEAL’ This year, I pushed back against that tired Washington nostrum by working to maintain some fiscal sanity in our budget process. I opposed multiple examples of federal government overreach, including the recently passed

asked Nebraskans Nebraskans how how they they define define infrastructure. infrastructure. Here is their take: II asked Roads & Bridges

5,337 4,821

Electric Grid Modernization

4,356

Transportation Rural broadband

3,998 1,958

Housing & Urban Development

1,391

Climate Change Healthcare Childcare Free College Other Answers

1,321 1,153 753 268

23 23

T H E E C O N O M Y, J O B S , A N D O P P O RT U N I T Y

INFRASTRUC TURE

you to view my speech before the House of Representatives on taking the foot off small business and letting America run: https://t.co/ apOl3BX3EU.

I recognize the need for the right kind of investment in our nation’s infrastructure: roads, bridges, dams, waterways, airports, and, increasingly, rural broadband. The excessive funding called for in this year’s hard and “soft” infrastructure packages, however, further centralizes policy in an all-powerful federal government, far away from communities closest to the problem.

PAYCHECK PROTEC TION PROGRA M (PPP) The Paycheck Protection Program remained a hugely beneficial bipartisan airlift in 2021 for small businesses hit hard by the pandemic. Nebraska has routinely led the nation in per capita PPP loans. This spring, I voted for an important extension of this smartly targeted program. I also helped introduce the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Clarification for Producers Act, providing needed PPP improvements to help farmers and small business owners inadvertently left out of earlier program support.

INFL ATION Along with supply chain bottlenecks and loose monetary policy, excessive government spending is a key driver of the inflation many Nebraskans are facing. From the gas pump to the grocery aisle, inflation is a hidden tax on the poor and those on fixed incomes. And, as many Nebraskans know, it’s rising fast. I invite you to review my Fort Report: Gas and Turkeys on these dynamics: https://bit.ly/3J6k1jk.

THE POST OFFICE An integral part of small-town community life and a key conduit to global e-commerce, the local post office is about more than mail. It’s about maintaining institutions that unite us as one American family. In 2021, I was proud to back efforts to stop privatization of the U.S. Postal Service.

HE LP WANTED The main driver of new jobs in America is small business. Small business owners repeatedly told me they had a hard time filling the good, meaningful job openings they offered. I invite

Great to visit with Build with Strength, who are partnering with Habitat for Humanity to fortify decent, affordable, and sustainable housing in Lincoln.

OUR NATIONAL SECURITY Keeping You Safe

The most important duty of your government is to keep you safe. We do our part in Nebraska. One of America’s finest and most essential pieces of national security infrastructure is right here at home. The extraordinary men and women of United States Strategic Command (USSTR ATCOM) and the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue continue to fulfill their vital deterrence mission.

purpose of nuclear weapons is to prevent their use. To achieve that goal, we need the highest technical capability, combined with the latest and best communications equipment, to guarantee the rapid flow of precise information to key decision-makers at any time, under any circumstance, anywhere in the world. This ensures they are never left wondering whether a nuclear event is a mistake and given enough time and flexibility to respond in case it is not.

NUCLEAR COMM AND, CONTROL , AND COMMUNICATIONS (NC3)

OFFUT T RUNWAY AND LINCOLN AIRPORT

We worked hard this year to update our Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) systems. You will soon hear more about the Rapid Engineering Architecture Collaboration Hub (REACH), a separate organization from United States Strategic Command (USSTR ATCOM), the nerve center of America’s nuclear weapons enterprise. The chief

As part of the Offutt runway reconstruction project we funded in Congress, an impressive array of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft transitioned from Offutt Air Force Base to Lincoln Airport this year. Lincoln Airport had previously received a significant upgrade to accommodate the larger planes. Once the runway project at Offutt is completed, those upgraded facilities will be turned back to the Lincoln Airport for its future benefit.

Great to meet with the new commander of Offutt Air Force Base Col. Kristen Thompson, the first woman to lead the 55th Wing.

O U R N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y

SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE

CONGRESSIONAL NUCLEAR SECURIT Y WORKING GROUP

In August, I was pleased to welcome, along with Governor Pete Ricketts, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to Nebraska. We discussed progress on the runway rebuild at Offutt Air Force Base, new development capabilities at USSTR ATCOM, and the important work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPA A). The DPA A continues to fulfill its solemn commitment to survey the globe to identify, recover, and return the remains of American service members. I continue to support its important mission of bringing closure to families who have lost loved ones in war.

In Congress, I co-chair the bipartisan Congressional Nuclear Security Working Group (CNSWG), which is committed to keeping us safe—smartly and strategically. We work to lower the probability as close to zero as possible of any mistakes in the nuclear enterprise. We are in regular dialogue with our military command structure, academics, and the extraordinary men and women of U.S. Strategic Command in Bellevue—to prevent the unthinkable.

O U R N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y

A MERICA’S COLD WAR MUSEUM

This fall, I introduced legislation to designate the Strategic Command and Aerospace Museum “America’s National Museum of the Cold War.” I’m hopeful this new designation allows the museum to become a global hub for historians of the conflict and for visitors from around the world. Thank you to my Nebraska colleague and former Offutt Air Force Base Commander, Congressman Don Bacon, for joining me in this exciting expansion of the museum’s research and education mission.

The U.S. won The Cold War. While seemingly far behind us, the complicated history of this threat dynamic is an essential American story involving espionage, propaganda, psychological warfare, and a vast arsenal of nuclear weapons. The forerunner of today’s USSTR ATCOM, Strategic Air Command in Bellevue was the literal and figurative “ground zero” for thermonuclear exchange during the Cold War. It’s only fitting that the nearby museum in Ashland is ground zero for retelling its complete history.

Caption

An honor to visit with “Nebraska’s astronaut” Clayton Anderson (my immediate right), Lt. General Bob Hinson, and museum President Jeffrey Cannon (my left) at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland.

O U R N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y O U R N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y

AFGHANISTAN: A AFGHANISTAN: TROUBLING E ND A TROUBLING E ND

While we can take some solace in the fact While we can take some solace in the fact that our military lethally repressed the enemy that our military lethally repressed the enemy after 9/11, kept them at bay for twenty years, after 9/11, kept them at bay for twenty years, and gave a chance for a new Afghanistan, it’s and gave a chance for a new Afghanistan, it’s hard to get one’s mind around this disastrous hard to get one’s mind around this disastrous end to a conflict in which over 2,400 American end to a conflict in which over 2,400 American troops lost their lives, with over 20,000 more troops lost their lives, with over 20,000 more wounded. Consider the other nearby conflict. wounded. Consider the other nearby conflict. Due to quiet American leadership in Iraq, a Due to quiet American leadership in Iraq, a renewed sense of Iraqi nationalism, and the renewed sense of Iraqi nationalism, and the willingness of Iraqi troops to fight, Iraq has willingness of Iraqi troops to fight, Iraq has a chance to emerge as a stabilized member a chance to emerge as a stabilized member of the responsible community of nations. of the responsible community of nations. Afghanistan, “the graveyard of empires,” is Afghanistan, “the graveyard of empires,” is again ruled by a genocidal theocratic mob. again ruled by a genocidal theocratic mob. See my Fort Report on Afghanistan: https:// See my Fort Report on Afghanistan: https:// bit.ly/3p2SneW. bit.ly/3p2SneW.

This past summer, Americans watched in This past summer, Americans watched in horror and disbelief as a barbaric entity horror and disbelief as a barbaric entity called the Taliban bum-rushed Afghanistan called the Taliban bum-rushed Afghanistan and swiftly captured its capital of Kabul. The and swiftly captured its capital of Kabul. The purported 300,000-person, America-trained, purported 300,000-person, America-trained, Afghan security force collapsed almost overAfghan security force collapsed almost overnight. After Afghan President Ashraf Ghani night. After Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, Taliban fighters occupied fled the country, Taliban fighters occupied the Afghan Presidential Palace, as thousands the Afghan Presidential Palace, as thousands of frightened Afghans climbed walls, fought of frightened Afghans climbed walls, fought through checkpoints, and dangled desperthrough checkpoints, and dangled desperately from departing U.S. aircraft in hopes ately from departing U.S. aircraft in hopes of escaping the coming terror. It marked a of escaping the coming terror. It marked a stunning and disheartening end to America’s stunning and disheartening end to America’s longest war. longest war.

DAEGAN PAGE One of 13 brave American service members who died in the Kabul Airport terrorist attack, Marine Corporal Daegan Page was laid to rest with dignity and honor this September in Omaha with a beautiful outpouring of support from the community. Nebraskans will always remember his sacrifice. My Fort Report: 13 Lives honored the life of Daegan Page and the lives of all those who died in the Kabul Airport attack: https://bit.ly/3q4AuMc.

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23 Corryton, TN

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23 Omaha, NE

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20 Rio Bravo, TX

Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22 Berlin Heights, OH

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22 Indio, CA

28 28

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20 Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20 Jackson, WY

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20 Norco, CA

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23 Sacramento, CA

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20 St. Charles, MO

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31 Salt Lake City, UT

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22 Logansport, IA

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25 Lawrence, MA

O U R N AT I O N A L S E C U R I T Y

discussion at the Hudson Institute on the systematic abuses of human rights in China, China’s economic conquests, and what we can do about it: https://youtu.be/7zBmij5FHbU.

FOX NEWS INTERVIEW ON AFGHANISTAN:

When COVID-19 first arose, the theory that the virus came from a Wuhan lab was roundly dismissed by experts in Washington. Those of us who have dealt with Chinese government manipulation said, “not so fast; follow the science.” My June 5 Fort Report unpacked these dynamics: https://bit.ly/3scgXfj.

With Americans, allies, and religious minorities at risk of persecution or death still trapped in Afghanistan, I went on national radio to call on the Biden Administration to help us bring them to safety: https://t.co/rivTMJbtE1.

Having served on both the House Agriculture and State and Foreign Operations Subcommittees, I have a unique vantage point in evaluating how our ag policies intersect with our foreign policy. The American farmer must be a direct beneficiary of trade policies we pursue, as I outlined this year in a speech on US/China trade and tension: https://t.co/K7LWRIHLBj.

CHINA The standard script with China is to talk in banal pleasantries and econometric processspeak. I think we’re past that. We have to face the reality of a threatening China. See my video Fort Report: Speaking Truth to Chinese Power: https://t.co/K7LWRIHLBj and my

At send-off ceremony to honor soldiers and families of the Nebraska National Guard’s 67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

SERVING OUR VETERANS I gave a speech recently in Washington entitled, “The World is Screaming for Meaning.” One place we can always find meaning is in our veterans, who are committed to a cause so great they would lay down their life for their friends. Thank you, veterans, for your service to America.

The dramatic expansion in telehealth will help thousands of veterans living in rural communities far from any VA clinic or hospital. This year in Appropriations, we also invested funds to investigate using social media platforms to identify and engage veterans at risk of suicide, and to work with academic partners to develop and test tools for identifying and engaging these vets.

VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE Meeting our debt to veterans begins with providing them with best-in-class health care. Nebraska veterans now have the option of obtaining advanced medical care at the state-of-the-art Ambulatory Care Center at the expanded Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center campus in Omaha and at a new VA clinic in Lincoln. Nebraska continues to lead America in creative public-private partnerships to advance veteran care. I was honored to help with the community effort to make these big wins for veterans possible.

The World is Screaming for Meaning: https:// youtu.be/3u2YnXPfvWc.

Omaha VA Ambulatory Care Center.

S E RV I N G O U R V E T E R A N S

PAWS FOR VETS ACT

NET WORK FOR WOME N VETS BY WOME N VETS

This year, a bill I helped lead, the Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act, became law. The PAWS Act fully integrates service dogs into treatment options for our courageous veterans. I am so pleased we now have this wonderful program to help service members recover from the trauma of war.

Women veterans experience a unique sense of isolation compared to their male counterparts. I have requested that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs create a network for women veterans organized by women veterans. The network would provide peer support, online training tools, and direct access to VA and other certified health professionals in urban and rural locations. I am pleased that the Appropriations Committee again agreed to fund efforts that support our women veterans in their successful transition to civilian life.

VETERANS IN PARKS ACT Our national parks represent the majestic serenity of America. In gratitude, the Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act grants active-duty personnel, veterans, and Gold Star families unlimited access to America’s iconic natural treasures. I was proud to help lead passage of the VIP Act in the House.

NE BRASK A FACES OF THE FALLE N Every Memorial Day, we honor our fallen, giving special thanks to Nebraska service members and their families for their sacrifice. Here is a video of the photos that hang on the wall of my office of young men and women who have died in recent conflicts in service to our country— for us, for all: https://t.co/oOEyPkml9j.

THE EARN ACT Men and women who protect our security abroad should not have to face food insecurity at home. This year, I was proud to join with my Ag Subcommittee colleague Congressman Sanford Bishop in sponsoring the Equal Access to the Right Nutrition for Military Families Act to streamline military family access to essential food and nutrition programs.

THE SECOND WORLD WARS As part of the C-SPAN series What Are You Reading? I discussed The Second World Wars by Victor Davis Hanson. I invite you to review the interview here: https://t.co/zNrvhwq0jO.

S E RV I N G O U R V E T E R A N S

REDEDICATION OF HIGGINS BOAT MEMORIAL On Sunday, September 12, French military attaché Air Brigadier General Cyril Carcy and I traveled to Columbus, Nebraska to rededicate a memorial to native son Andrew Jackson Higgins, who, in the words of World War II Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, “was the man who won the war for us.” The community of Columbus has done a tremendous job in honoring the courage and creativity of the Greatest Generation, which came to full fruition in the D-Day landings 77 years ago. Their spirit lives on in all service members who inspire us with their devotion, determination, and willingness to die for what is good.

While in Columbus, I spoke to veteran Vic Brandl, who served on a Higgins Boat in WWII. I invite you to view our conversation, along with highlights from the event: https://t.co/cg44qwhY97.

THE BORDER Chaos & Disorder

The record-breaking numbers of persons attempting to enter our country illegally through our southern border has become a national security crisis and a humanitarian nightmare. Policies and rhetoric emanating from Washington, D.C. have encouraged people to take advantage of our generosity and compromise the integrity of our immigration system. In August, I reviewed the Texas border with Congressman Tony Gonzales to assess the rapidly deteriorating situation there. I witnessed many levels of expanding

At certain places, persons freely cross and just turn themselves in. It’s surreal.

border trauma: desperate persons journeying through horrid conditions; exhausted local law enforcement; besieged Border Patrol; frightened townspeople; traumatized farmers and ranchers. While at the border, I talked with Fox News Radio live from Uvalde, Texas, where the sheriff has 16 deputies to police an area the size of Delaware. The sheriff kept pleading to me: “Please tell America— we need help!” I invite you to listen: https://t.co/irSuUrB6C3.

Here is what I saw: a small fence, a new big fence, construction halted, and a surge of illegal activity. It defies logic.

THE BORDER

We are a just and generous nation to persons fleeing political violence and persecution, who’ve come here to seek a better life. But disorder at our border undermines our ability to extend that generosity. Before going to the border I spoke from the House floor about these themes: https://t.co/9l9VL1DRbz. In my Fort Report: The Border is Broken, I outlined a

way forward: https://fortenberry.house.gov/ news/fort-report/fort-report-border-broken. Since my summer visit, the crisis on our southern border has only gotten worse. As my colleague Tony Gonzales said to me, “Every town in America is now a border town.”

ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY RECOVERING AMERICA’S WILDLIFE ACT

Situated in the heart of the Heartland at the start of the Great Plains, Nebraska is home to an amazing range of bioregions, including fertile farmland, richly planted forests, the Rainwater Basin, and one of the more fascinating ecosystems in the world, our vast Sandhills Region. Countless migratory birds depend on our water and land for sustenance along their intercontinental journeys. We are also the home of Arbor Day, whose foundation is helping nations around the world and right at home in Lincoln expand their tree canopy.

I continue to champion the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (R AWA), a creative bipartisan initiative designed to protect ecosystems across our nation through constructive partnerships with states. Through smart, proactive upstream policy, R AWA helps avoid the costly, litigious “emergency room procedures” of the Endangered Species Act by preventing wildlife from becoming endangered in the first place. Such an approach will benefit farmers, hunters, anglers, boaters, birders, hikers, and other wildlife enthusiasts.

Due to this vast natural inheritance, Nebraskans understand the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship in their DNA. Innovative thinking and proactive public policy will sustain our state’s and our nation’s rich natural habitat for years to come. As in so many areas, Nebraska will lead the way.

The root of conservation is “conserve.” I invite you to review my video for the young conservation leaders at the Conservation Coalition: https://bit.ly/3oVxVMR.

I invite you to review my Fort Report: Arbor Day and Trees: https://t.co/xiIc2L8SjV.

E N V I RO N M E N TA L S E C U R I T Y

At the Arbor Day Tree Farm in Nebraska City.

THE TRILLION TREES INITIATIVE

A NEW ETHOS OF SUSTAINABILIT Y

Today, we are forging a 21st century architecture of environmental health that harmonizes natural resources with healthy prosperity. Trees are playing a starring role. One straightforward, cost-effective, and scalable strategy that can be readily branched out is the mass planting of trees. I have advanced several initiatives to conserve, restore, and renewably harvest trees for carbon sequestration and sustainable use. Chief among them is a bipartisan initiative called the Trillion Trees Act, which will enhance biodiversity, habitat, and our natural security.

A new 21st century architectural ethos is one in which we are safe, prosperous, and aligned with a clean environment. Where make, take, and waste moves to regenerate. But we must do a better job of appealing to the younger generation who long for a deeper set of value propositions as to how we protect things and create wellbeing. I invite you to review my April interview with The Dispatch on a new ethos of sustainability: https://t.co/fI8uYvNEd3.

E N V I RO N M E N TA L S E C U R I T Y

I invite you to view my remarks to the Energy Efficiency Means Business Conference on how I use renewable energy in my home: https://bit.ly/3sgXzxN.

OUR RE NEWABLE E NERGY FUTURE

NATIONAL DISCOVERY TRAIL S ACT

Nebraska is well-positioned to lead a renewable energy future. Our natural resource base, the advanced research capabilities of our university system, and the drive and ingenuity of our renewable energy entrepreneurs are already transitioning our state to a more sustainable future. I supported several measures in the House to advance this future. The Growing Climate Solutions Act makes it easier for the agriculture community to participate in voluntary carbon credit markets, rewarding farmers for enhancing environmental security. The Next Generation Fuels Act promotes low-carbon, high-octane fuels and improves vehicle efficiency. The Year-Round Fuel Choice Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to make E-15 and higher blends of ethanol available throughout the year.

I was pleased this year to support reintroduction of the National Discovery Trails Act, enabling the creation of the American Discovery Trail, our nation’s first coast-to-coast, multi-use national trail, connecting urban and wilderness areas to historic, cultural, and scenic sites across the U.S.

WIND FOR SCHOOL S I continue to secure support for the Wind for Schools energy program. These funds provide hands-on educational experiences by installing small wind turbines at various rural schools across the country. This allows teachers and students to physically engage with energy-related curricula.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY CARE FOR HER

A cornerstone principle of civilization is the protection of human dignity. None of the other values we hold dear as civilized people make any sense unless we fix our gaze on that ultimate value. As our country continues to have necessary conversations about safety and compassion in community, we need to remember that empathy and solidarity are reinforcing principles for just and orderly societies. That starts with the most vulnerable.

While Americans may be divided on the question of abortion—the majority oppose public financing of it—my Care for Her Act advances a new framework for consensus: that we are big enough and generous enough to ensure that a woman with an unexpected pregnancy will always be supported—before birth, at birth, and after birth. Care for Her provides a child tax credit to an expectant mother. It identifies existing pregnancy and parenting support and services and assesses gaps within these networks. It supports maternity housing, mentorship programs, and job training initiatives. It also provides incentives for communities that demonstrate improved maternal and child health outcomes. Care for Her establishes a community of care for the journey of life.

THE PREGNANT WORKERS FAIRNESS ACT If we can see pregnancy as a part of community, a journey of life, for our good and the good of our nation, then reasonable accommodation for expecting mothers is the right thing to do. I invite you to review my remarks in support of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: https://t.co/rLQnUNlHAL.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. — Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY

HYDE A ME NDME NT

human reproductive cells. The Conscience Protection Act prohibits governmental discrimination against health care providers that do not participate in abortion. The Protecting Life in Crisis Act disallows federal funds related to the coronavirus pandemic from being used for abortion.

The Hyde Amendment to prevent taxpayer money for abortion has remained a bipartisan compact for decades. Little in D.C. has been this stable, or stabilizing, and with the majority of Americans in agreement. Now it is gone. I invite you to review my July 27 speech from the House floor on what this means: https://t.co/FJRFdY X A0z. I have also cosponsored other important legislation to protect the most vulnerable. The Pregnancy Loss Mental Health Research Act provides research on, and services for, individuals with clinical mental health complications following a pregnancy loss. The Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2021 permanently prohibits unethical research and experimentation that may result in animals with human-like faces, brains, and

On a beautiful January day in Lincoln, I gave a legislative update to constituents about pro life issues.

HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY

Iraq and so essential to peace and stability in the region. In April, I received a briefing from Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako about Pope Francis’s miraculous visit to Iraq. We shared the hope that the Pope’s visit will return Iraq to a place of dignity, pluralism, and peace. As the Pope said, “We are all brothers.”

THE SOCIAL DILEMM A

At the 7th Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide.

Mental health researchers say there’s a clear correlation between excessive social media use and poor mental health outcomes in young people. They worry that Facebook, in particular, may be muddying the waters on that connection to protect its public image. Begun as a benign way to connect with family and friends, social media has turned into a cage fight with no winner. This year, a documentary, The Social Dilemma, got me to think more deeply about these dynamics. My Fort Report explores how social media titans profit from the confirmation bias and division stoked on their highly addictive platforms: https://t.co/Ypo7o5HPXx.

THE YA ZIDI COMMUNIT Y My hometown of Lincoln is home to the largest community of Yazidis in America. I am so proud of how this courageous community salutes the American flag while remaining true to their ancient religious and cultural traditions. I invite you to watch my speech at the walk to commemorate the 7th Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide: https://bit.ly/3J2YgRl.

NORTHERN IRAQ I have continued to work in Congress to protect the rich tapestry of religious pluralism that has long been the hallmark of Northern

Here are two pictures I received from Afghan refugees we helped rescue from the grips of oppression. Three girls who will forever have the opportunity to attend school and live free. I am thankful to the Human First Coalition, and its Nebraska-raised founder and UNMC med student Safi Rauf, and for the over 7,000 lives saved to date.

NEBRASKA’S FIRST PEOPLES ADVANCING TRIBAL HEALTH CARE

Three Native American tribes—the Omaha, Ponca, and Winnebago—maintain a long, storied presence in Nebraska’s First District, profoundly enriching our state.

The Twelve Clans Unity Hospital in Winnebago serves all Nebraska tribes. I’ve worked on the transition to tribal leadership of the hospital, ensuring that the hospital retains adequate resources as it makes this transition. I also worked to help prevent and treat diabetes through our support of the Special Diabetes Program for Native Americans at the Indian Health Service, and I directed new resources to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. This commits USDA to work more closely with tribes on growing and accessing nutritious foods produced locally by the tribes themselves, including foods integral to the traditional Native American diet.

CHIEF STANDING BEAR AND DR. SUSAN L A FLESCHE PICOT TE The last few years we have honored early civil rights pioneer Ponca Chief Standing Bear with a series of events in Nebraska and D.C. A magnificent statue of him holds pride of place in Statuary Hall. This year, I reintroduced legislation to study the creation of a national historic trail in his honor. Also, this year, we honored the Omaha Tribe’s Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, America’s first credentialed Native American doctor. The Walthill, Nebraska hospital she founded is now being transformed into a wellness clinic and community center in her honor. On October 11, Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, a beautiful new statue of “Dr. Susan” was unveiled on Lincoln’s Centennial Mall. Thank you Judi gaiashkibos for your leadership as Director of Nebraska Department of Indian Affairs and for reading my remarks: https:// Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte. t.co/6CGrk7mMdP.

THE WINNEBAGO L AND TRANSFER ACT Decades ago, land belonging to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska was appropriated by the Army Corps of Engineers for a project that never happened. My Winnebago Land Transfer Act makes this right, by returning this Winnebago land to the Winnebago people. This year, I championed this important bill at an Indigenous Peoples’ hearing: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IPjOou6DTY.

YOUR THOUGHTS: SURVEY RESULTS An exciting new way in which my office engaged with Nebraskans this year was through surveys. If you subscribe to the Fort Report, you will automatically receive them. A full compilation of all our surveys from 2021 can be found below and on my website: fortenberry.house.gov/survey-results.

ISSUES FACING AMERICA What is America’s biggest threat?

Social Division

Border Control