Opinions

Each year on January 9th, we recognize Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. It’s a time to thank the police officers who keep us safe. Officers across Nebraska work hard to prevent crime and protect families. They face danger and serve with courage. That’s why I fight every day to support Nebraska law enforcement. In 2026, Senate Republicans are fighting to make our streets safer by supporting law enforcement heroes.

Senator Loren Lippincott • District 34 THE ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE NE SECRETARY OF STATE As in most states, the Nebraska Secretary of State serves as the state’s chief elections officer and performs a variety of administrative functions essential to government operations. Established under the Nebraska Constitution as an elected constitutional office, the position is held for four-year terms, with the current officeholder, Bob Evnen, having served two terms since January 2019.

When you are the youngest of any number of children— in my case the youngest of four—there is a good chance that your parents lost interest along the way. They love you just the same, but let’s be honest, by the time the fourth child comes along, there is a chance no one really cared whether or not the crib was covered in lead paint.

Every New Year, we have the opportunity to reflect on the last year and plan for the future. With family and friends by our side, we enter the New Year with clarity and inspiration. We should be grateful that we live in Nebraska.

A good friend of mine called me one afternoon with a bit of a dilemma. This past year, he moved into a new house, and as the holidays began to draw near, his mailbox started to get full.

Americans elected President Trump and Senate Republicans to get our country back on track. That means safer streets, more money in your pocket, and excellent customer service.

Federal regulations are a costly, overreaching web which stifles innovation, germinates uncertainty, and often burdens the very people they purport to protect. Regulatory overreach by the Obama and Biden administrations extended well beyond congressional intent – creating the potential to upend industry. I have continually worked to rein in this unchecked rulemaking and restore accountability to federal agencies, and I appreciate the progress we have made since January. President Trump’s day-one executive order, which required ten regulations be eliminated for every new one issued, set the tone for his administration, and I am pleased with the progress made in addressing numerous problematic regulations since then.

With my deadline looming and my eyelids getting lazy, last Monday night, I called an audible. I decided it was time to take in a Christmas light show.

In the middle of the night, there are few things more paralyzing than having an unfamiliar noise stir you from your sleep. If you are like me, from time to time, you hear something out of the ordinary, and that noise not only forces you to abandon a good night’s rest, but it also can lead you to wonder what exactly is happening away from the covers, fluffy pillows, and shams.

In contrast to the previous four years, trade has been at the forefront since January, and the pace has not slowed as we reach year-end. In recent weeks the administration has begun the mandatory six-year review of the U.S-Canada- Mexico Agreement, announced trade deals and frameworks with several Latin American and Asian partners, updated the Agreement on Trade and Agricultural Products with Israel, and inked a major agreement with People’s Republic of China which eases tensions and resumes Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans.