McCook Daily Gazette: Columns: Sen. Ben Nelson

One year after stock market 12-year low, economic indicators are cause for optimism. (03/15/10)
The economic turmoil that rumbled through our country after September 2008 was certainly one of the toughest times we've ever faced as Americans. It is easy today to remember what we felt when economists warned we might be headed into a major economic depression the likes of which we hadn't seen in decades. Most of us felt worried...

New credit card rules to protect Nebraska (03/09/10)
Time and again, I have heard from Nebraskans who have been treated unfairly by their credit card companies. The stories I heard are the reason why I voted for a tough new credit card holders' bill of rights, which took effect in the last week of February. ...

Congress is responsible for cutting greenhouse gases, not EPA bureaucrats (03/02/10)
It seems most people want to cut down on greenhouse gases so we can protect the Earth's atmosphere and boost our energy independence. Many members of Congress are working on ideas and seeking support to do that in various energy bills being written and debated right now...

Stimulus tax relief helps grow our economy (02/24/10)
Everyone knows our economy needs spending to get things rolling again. Everyone also knows that cutting taxes and providing tax relief can stimulate that spending. This week, thanks to tax cuts passed a year ago, more than 680,000 Nebraskans will keep about $6.7 million their hard-earned money. People will spend it how they like and not have to send it off to Washington. They kept another $6.7 million last week. They'll keep another $6.7 million next week...

Administration's 2011 budget makes our veterans a top priority (02/15/10)
There is some very good news in the Administration's 2011 budget for 170,000 veterans who live in a 104-county area of Nebraska, western Iowa and parts of Kansas and Missouri. The aging VA Medical Center in Omaha that serves them is finally in line for much-needed makeover that I and many others in Omaha, and the VA system, have worked toward for years...

Strong support for president's trade pledge (02/12/10)
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama stated his strong support to double exports within five years, noting how important trade is to job growth and business investment. I could not agree more. It was encouraging to hear the President's views on the importance of trade. At a time of 10 percent unemployment, enacting trade agreements that spur job growth and boost our economy should be a no-brainer...

Celebrating a century of Scouting (02/08/10)
This week marks an important milestone in America and it's one that deserves attention because it involves preparing young people to be good citizens. A century ago on February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated to educate boys and young adults about character, participating in society and personal fitness...

2010 the road ahead (02/01/10)
Last week's State of the Union Address was encouraging about the direction of the country, but also focused on the hard work that must be done to keep the country on track. Before the speech, I hoped that the President would discuss the issue most on the minds of Nebraskans: how to keep the economic recovery going and create new jobs. I was glad to hear the President spend the majority of the speech on his plans for the economy...

Bipartisanship: Prescription for what ails us (01/25/10)
If you can read one thing into the recent election in Massachusetts it is that America needs bipartisanship now more than ever to create jobs, boost our economy, clean up our environment and to fix a national health care system that 70 percent of Nebraskans want fixed, according to a recent newspaper poll...

Health bill controls costs (01/19/10)
There is no doubt that the Senate Health Care Reform bill has caused controversy with attacks coming from both sides. Some think it goes too far, others think it doesn't go far enough. Like is so often the case, there are many in the middle who have contacted me and are pleased we are doing something because they understand that the system needs to be repaired...

Misunderstandings in health care bill confuse the public (12/29/09)
It's unfortunate that a provision in the health care bill that will help Nebraska taxpayers and eventually taxpayers in all states picked up an unfair nickname -- "The Cornhusker Kickback" -- because it is definitely not a kickback that came in exchange for my vote. Partisan misnomers like this are designed to confuse the public about an important issue...

The Silicon Prairie -- Nebraska's high tech reputation continues to grow (12/21/09)
Robots being developed in Nebraska will play a role in NASA's future manned missions into space. These robots won't be playing just any role, either. They'll be playing a life saving role for astronauts. Taxpayers invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to train an astronaut and it costs hundreds of millions of dollars to launch and carry out space missions which are getting longer and longer in duration...

How to help finance the buildup in Afghanistan (12/14/09)
As the war in Afghanistan escalates some have suggested increasing taxes, which I think is a bad idea especially at a time when many Americans are still struggling with the economy. We need to get our fiscal house in order, and be honest about the costs of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. ...

A revised mission in Afghanistan (12/07/09)
Like many of my fellow Nebraskans I watched President Obama deliver his West Point speech announcing a troop buildup in Afghanistan and I generally support the revised mission as it was outlined. The President maintained the goal he outlined in March which is to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda. To achieve this goal, the President listed his main points:...

Community hospitals are more than just a source of pride (11/30/09)
As Nebraska's Governor and Senator I have had the opportunity to visit most communities throughout our state. One of the things people like to point to with pride in virtually every town is their hospital. Most have been there a long time, have undergone periodic remodeling and updating, and are extremely important to the community for the town's medical and economic health...

Helping make adoption affordable (11/23/09)
In an ideal world, every child would live in a permanent, stable and safe home environment surrounded by a loving family. Unfortunately, that is not the way it is for thousands of children who have neither a home nor parents. Nationally, there are more than a half million children in the foster care system, including some 6,000 in Nebraska. 20 percent of these children are waiting to be adopted...

Hundreds of Nebraskans missing hundreds of thousands of dollars (11/16/09)
If there's anything I hate to see, it is Nebraskans losing out on money, especially when it's their money. I was very concerned when the Internal Revenue Service notified me that they sent tax refund checks to nearly 400 Nebraskans only to have them returned as undeliverable because of mailing address errors...

Boosting the economy (11/09/09)
One of the most successful programs we've passed in Congress is the tax credit for first time homebuyers. It's been good for the economy as it zeroed in on the housing sector where the country's economical problems first began. This credit has been put to good use in Nebraska. We rank 7th in per capita tax credit with a total of $79.9 million in total dollars claimed. That means more than 10,000 Nebraska homebuyers claimed the credit...

Nebraska has key role in national defense (11/02/09)
One of the most important components of America's security is deterring attacks on our vital interests at home and abroad. Nebraska plays a key role in this through the U.S. Strategic Command, better known as STRATCOM, head of the nation's nuclear and strategic forces, which is headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska...

A fitting tribute for a Nebraska legend (10/26/09)
J. James Exon served the people of Nebraska with great distinction for more than a quarter of a century. The legendary "Big Jim," as so many people called him, was a very popular public figure during his two terms as Governor from 1971 to 1979 and his three terms as United States Senator from 1980 until his retirement in 1997. He endeared himself to Nebraskans for his outstanding leadership and for his larger than life public persona right up until the time he passed away in 2005...

One less worry for deployed troops (10/19/09)
When a member of the military is deployed to a war zone, he or she has a lot to think about. In addition to their new military dangers and duties of the war zone, they have family concerns they never leave behind. Besides missing their loved ones, the issue of family finances is ever present...

Assuring the precious right of voting for those who assure our rights (10/09/09)
With American troops often deployed in remote or combat areas where mail service is sporadic at best it is important that the U.S. takes steps to protect the right to vote of our men and women in uniform. For military and overseas voters, that right is only as good as their ability to cast a ballot and have it counted...

Thinking outside the beltway (10/05/09)
Health care reform being talked about in Washington is arguably the most significant health legislation since Medicare. It needs to be done right and it needs to include input from outside the Beltway, which is why I continue to hold public meetings with Nebraskans all across the state...

An easy way to increase ethanol use and help America's battle for energy independence (09/28/09)
By the year 2022 America is required by law to be using 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels a year. That's enough to reduce foreign oil imports by 11.3 billion barrels a year, while saving the U.S. $817 billion that would otherwise go to foreign oil producers. It's enough to create more than one million new jobs, add $1.7 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product and increase federal tax receipts by $209 billion...

A way forward in Afghanistan (09/21/09)
America is at a tipping point in Afghanistan. It hinges on a functioning government that is able to provide protection for its citizens and can provide the most basic services to its people. As Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel I am watching developments and the troop buildup in Afghanistan closely. My concern is about the U.S. strategy and how it will address governance in Afghanistan...

The 'What's in it for me?' factor (09/14/09)
The vast majority of Americans, some 250 million people, have health insurance. That includes 85 percent of Nebraskans. While many Nebraskans have health insurance, most of those with coverage face steep increases in premiums every year. They want to contain those costs, but don't want to sacrifice what they have so that coverage may be extended to others. That was one of the main themes I heard over and over again at public meetings statewide during August...

Attacking America's number one cancer killer (09/04/09)
More people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. This is true for both men and women. The most recent statistics show that in 2005 lung cancer accounted for more deaths than breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer combined. In that year, more than 90 thousand men and 69 thousand women died from this terrible disease...

Health care reform puts Nebraskans on the edge of the seats (08/31/09)
After meeting with several thousand Nebraskans statewide during a half dozen public meetings in August, I came away with a number of thoughts that I will take back to Washington with me, not the least of which is Nebraskans are on the edge of their seats over health care reform...

Voting for the troops (08/26/09)
Wasting taxpayer money is always a bad idea and wasting it for the wrong reason is even worse. Soldiers often face the "fog of war" on the battlefield. My simple gut check helps me see through the "fog of Washington." Last week, we had "fog of Washington" moments as we worked to pass a major defense bill but I didn't lose sight of why we were there: the troops. ...

Nebraska values, Nebraska manners (08/24/09)
The annual August break from Washington has given me the opportunity to travel around the state and meet with Nebraskans on a variety of issues, particularly health care reform. There is a lot of enthusiasm and interest in this topic, but just like Nebraska football fans are the best, respectful and polite, so were the hundreds who came to my public meetings on health care reform. It has been a good reflection of Nebraska values and Nebraska manners...

Nebraska's two seasons: Winter and construction (08/10/09)
As the old joke goes, there are two seasons in Nebraska: winter and road construction. Well, it may still be summer, but road construction season is almost over for this year and too many local road projects funded by the stimulus have hit bureaucratic roadblocks...

Health care reform is within reach (08/04/09)
I always look forward to August because I get more time at home with my fellow Nebraskans and this month we'll probably talk a lot about health care reform. It'll be good to be away from Washington. There, too many enjoy scoring political points and fanning controversy, rather than promoting civil discourse or honest debates to solve America's challenges like this one...

Voting for the troops (07/28/09)
Wasting taxpayer money is always a bad idea and wasting it for the wrong reason is even worse. Soldiers often face the "fog of war" on the battlefield. My simple gut check helps me see through the "fog of Washington." A Vote Against Wasteful Spending and for Our Troops...

Taking Nebraska spending values to Washington (07/13/09)
Most Nebraskans are fiscally conservative. We are taught to live within our means from an early age. As independent spirited Nebraskans we understand the importance of saving for a rainy day. We know that you balance budgets through spending cuts, not tax increases...

Independence Day honors for those who assure our independence (06/29/09)
The makeup of the military has seen dramatic changes over the years. No longer does it consist primarily of single men. The majority of men and women in today's all volunteer force are married and have families. More than half of the nearly 3 million members of regular and reserve components of the military are married. In Nebraska, there are more than 15,000 families of regular and reserve components of the military. 7,500 regular and 7,700 reserves...

Sen. Ben Nelson
A Nebraskan's View