Weekly Column: A Fresh Start

Statement

A change in control of the United States Senate provides our nation with a fresh start. One of my biggest surprises upon arriving in Washington two years ago was just how little legislating actually gets done. I realized that a Democrat-led Senate would focus on bills that I might not support, but I was shocked that the "world's greatest deliberative body" had essentially stopped voting on the most important issues facing our nation.

As a former state senator, I was frustrated with what I saw in Washington. I have a passion for the legislative process -- the give and take that's required to build a consensus and pass legislation that makes life easier for Nebraska families. As a member of the Unicameral, I worked hard to advance my bills through the committee process and onto the floor, where they received a vote. I was also able to offer substantive amendments on bills offered by my colleagues. We didn't always agree, but we got some important things done.

Unfortunately, that's not how the Senate works -- at least not recently.

Instead, most bills have been written behind closed doors -- not with public hearings or committee input -- and few if any amendments have been permitted. "Take it or leave it" has been the prevailing way of governing for too long in Washington. The biggest problem with this approach is that it denies Nebraskans -- and all Americans -- a voice in the Senate's legislative process. Our ability to represent our constituents is rooted in the opportunity to offer legislation, amend, and take a vote. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but the process exists so that we can move forward.

That's why I am eager to begin work in January, when there will be a change in control of the U.S. Senate. The likely new Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has publicly pledged to restore the Senate to its storied past, where committees perform substantive work, long days and late nights are filled with scores of votes on amendments and meaningful legislation, and members work full weeks in Washington so we can effectively perform the business of the American people.

One of the messages from this past election was that voters expect us get things done. They want us to do our jobs. Governing through crisis management has done little to actually improve the lives of middle class families, who continue to struggle with less take-home pay and higher costs of living.

We know that government cannot -- and should not -- be everything for everyone, but it should be competent enough to do the basics; that includes core duties like national defense, modern infrastructure, support for our veterans, and keeping promises to seniors.

The president and Republican leaders have identified some areas where we can make progress together, including trade, energy, and tax reform. That is good news for Nebraskans. Increased trade means more markets to sell our goods. Our country is on the verge of a domestic energy revolution, decreasing our dependence on foreign oil; we just have to unleash the potential. When I came to Washington, I thought the first thing we would tackle was tax reform. After all, almost all economists agree that the number one way to generate economic growth is to reform our broken, ridiculously long tax code. It is about time we get to work on that.

I believe that progress on these issues can make a real difference and begin to produce trust among members. To tackle the big issues, we must first have a level of basic trust, which has been sorely lacking. My priorities remain making government more accountable, promoting job creation through innovation and growth, improving infrastructure, reducing wasteful spending, replacing Obamacare with patient-centered policies, strengthening our national defense, and cutting the red tape. I will be sharing more with you about my priorities for the next congress in the coming weeks.

Thank you for taking part in the democratic process and I'll visit with you again next week.

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