In the News

Biofuels caucus pushes for GREET

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Leaders of a bipartisan group of House Representatives known as the Biofuels Caucus are looking to change how the EPA calculates the environmental impact of biofuels. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., Adrian Smith, R-Neb., Angie Craig, D-Minn., and Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., introduced the Adopt Greenhouse Gasses Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation Act on Thursday. Commonly referred…

Food Stamps: New Policies May Be Coming – 3 Proposals To Solve the SNAP Backlog

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Thousands of Americans continue to face long waits for the approval of their SNAP benefits. State SNAP agencies are struggling to keep up a backlog of SNAP applications, and some lawmakers are saying enough is enough. Per U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, states have 30 days to process regular SNAP applications and seven days for expedited cases. However, some people…

Coalition applauds reintroduction of Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act

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The Healthcare Workforce Coalition, whose founding members include the AHA, Nov. 3 applauded Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Reps. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., and Don Bacon, R-Neb., for reintroducing the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, legislation that would recapture up to 40,000 unused employment visas — 25,000 for nurses and 15,000 for physicians. It…

House selects new speaker

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When U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-LA, was elected Speaker of the House on Oct. 25 a sigh of relief could be heard from veteran lawmakers and agricultural observers. Congress might now be able to move forward on key legislation including the farm bill.  U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-NE, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, praised Johnson’s selection. He called Johnson, who serves the…

Collins, Bacon offer bipartisan, bicameral bill to prevent youth trafficking, homelessnes

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U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) recently introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would reauthorize, modernize, and increase authorization levels for programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. “Having a caring and safe place to sleep, eat, grow, and study is crucial for any young person’s development,” Sen. Collins said. “Our bipartisan…

How they voted: Nebraska, Iowa representatives vote in favor of $14.5B in funding for Israel

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(WOWT) - All five Congressmen from Nebraska and western Iowa voted Thursday to send millions in aid to Israel as the war with Hamas rages on. The final vote on HR-6126 was 226-196, mostly along party lines, to approve a military package worth nearly $14.5 billion in the first House vote under new Speaker Mike Johnson.  Only a dozen Democrats voted…

Lawmakers seek to help military families with housing, childcare, meals

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Military members and their families could see improved housing, better child care services and easier access to school meal support under a series of bills making their way through the legislative process. For example, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) introduced a bill to help military families with housing. The bill is included in the House National Defense…

‘This administration has an Iran policy problem,’ says Congressman Mike Waltz

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Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) sits on the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, giving him a 360-degree perspective on both the context surrounding Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre in Israel and its aftermath. “At the end of the day, this administration has an Iran policy problem,” Waltz said of the White House’s reported efforts to appease Iran in exchange for restarting…

Congressman Don Bacon votes for new House speaker, but disagrees on 2020 presidential election results

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OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — After a chaotic three weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives finally elected a new Speaker of the House with Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson claiming the gavel. Congressman Don Bacon describes the new speaker as a "decent" man. “To me, he sounds very Reagan-esque when he talks about ‘our better days are ahead of us,' protecting this institution, the need for…

HOUSE AG COMMITTEE MEMBER BACKS PRIORITIES AS FARM BILL WORK EXPECTED TO PICK UP

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A member of the House Ag Committee says he’s reaffirming his priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill as lawmakers continue to draft the legislation. Don Bacon, Republican from Nebraska, says once the bill comes to the floor, he hopes there won’t be a significant number of amendments proposed. “I think we learned our lesson. You can’t allow a few people to control everything.” He tells…