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Nebraska is what America is supposed to be

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Nebraska is what America is supposed to be


This week, I gave my U.S. Senate Maiden Speech – a long-held custom for freshman senators to spotlight their priorities in an inaugural speech on the Senate ground. The primary time I entered the U.S. Senate chamber, I bought chills. The chamber and the Capitol constructing characterize the values we’ve held for almost two and a half centuries. They characterize how distinctive our Republic is.

We should not lose sight of what makes America so distinctive. Our founders threw off the tyranny of a king with an thought; that our rights come to us instantly from God – not from a king. Governments are instituted to guard these rights.

Even right this moment, after 246 years, our founding rules are each bit as true. These values – like rule of regulation, checks and balances, and federalism – are crucial to our republic. They’ve created the best nation the world has ever seen. We’re strongest once we comply with them. We’re by no means weaker than once we stray from them.

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Our American system unleashes the facility of people to attain their full potential. In our nation, it doesn’t matter the place you begin. With sufficient grit and arduous work, you’ll be able to go anyplace. That’s why the world needs to come back right here. That’s why almost each main innovation and breakthrough comes from America.

The framers of the Structure additionally believed that authorities closest to the folks is greatest capable of serve them. It’s frequent sense. What works in New York might not work in Nebraska. Our state has proven America what’s attainable when the federal authorities will get out of the way in which and permits states to guide.

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Throughout my time as Governor, we stored the scale and scope of presidency small. We empowered folks. We ran authorities extra like a enterprise. We dramatically improved the extent of service supplied to Nebraska households. We bought assist to folks in want quicker than ever earlier than. We made it simpler for residents and companies to work with the state. We supplied billions of {dollars} in tax reduction – together with for veterans and seniors by phasing out taxes on their retirement earnings and Social Safety. We attracted new investments and jobs for communities huge and small. We employed a record-number of Nebraskans whereas our state’s unemployment fee reached a historic low.

We made authorities work higher. We proved that we are able to do a greater job of offering providers whereas nonetheless controlling our prices. We additionally proved that we are able to respect folks’s liberty and freedoms whereas defending their security. Through the pandemic, we stored youngsters in class, folks at work, and authorities open. Consequently, we have been rated the primary greatest pandemic response state.

All of this displays Nebraska’s conservative values. In Nebraska, we respect folks’s freedom. We worth sturdy communities, religion, and household. We honor our regulation enforcement and army. We anticipate a restricted, accountable authorities. We imagine in private duty and the boundless potential of the person.

Nebraska is what America is meant to be.

However nationally, we’ve strayed from these values. Too many now take our freedoms as a right. Too typically we hear resentment fairly than reverence for the very rules that make this nation nice. Too many have forgotten the previous adage {that a} authorities sufficiently big to provide you all the pieces you need, is robust sufficient to take all the pieces you might have.

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As your Senator, I’ll attempt to make the federal authorities work higher for the folks. I’ll reject each effort to limit our liberties and undermine our values. I’ll work to revive transparency and religion within the federal authorities. I’ll work to regulate spending, curb pointless regulation, and restrict the scale and scope of presidency. I’ll work to safe our borders and supply the sources to defend in opposition to our enemies. I’ll work to guarantee that we’ve got a well-trained, well-led, and well-equipped army to defend us. I’ll maintain this and future administrations accountable to the American folks. Extra importantly, I’ll all the time struggle for the perfect pursuits and freedoms of you, the Nebraskans I serve.

All through our historical past, we’ve got risen to fulfill each problem. With our founding values as our information, we are going to once more rise to fulfill the problem of this second.

Together with my colleagues within the Nebraska delegation, my staff and I are right here to serve you. Contact my staff and I anytime by cellphone at 202-224-4224, on my web site www.ricketts.senate.gov, or by way of e-mail contactricke@ricketts.senate.gov. I’m honored to serve our nice state and can proceed to work to guard the Good Life from Washington overreach.

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Nebraska

Who is Steve Halloran? Nebraska Senator faces ire for dragging colleague’s name into rape scene

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Who is Steve Halloran? Nebraska Senator faces ire for dragging colleague’s name into rape scene


Senator Steve Halloran stirred a storm on Monday after he invoked a colleague’s name while reading a book passage about an explicit rape scene.

During the 83-second reading, Senator Steve Halloran repeatedly inserted Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh’s name into the text as the victim.(X@NebraskaMegan)

The incident occurred during a Nebraska legislative debate over keeping profanity and pornography out of K-12 classrooms. However, the session ended abruptly after Halloran’s statement sparked outrage.

Hindustan Times – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

When lawmakers were debating on Legislative Bill 441, Halloran warned his colleagues that he would be quoting the bill’s hearing testimony, according to Nebraska Examiner.

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The bill introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht aims to eliminate a prosecution exemption for schools that give pornographic materials to students in K-12 schools.

Before concluding his arguments during the debate, Halloran read an excerpt from Alice Seabold’s “Lucky,” which he claimed was available in at least 16 Nebraska school libraries. The book recounts Sebold’s pain of being raped in college and highlights the importance of discussion on trauma and victimisation.

During the 83-second reading, Halloran repeatedly invoked female Senator Machaela Cavanaugh’s name into the text as the victim.

At least two of Halloran’s colleagues — Sens. Julie Slama and Megan Hunt — have called for his resignation.

Also Read: Utah parents allegedly admit to sexually abusing teen daughter in a bid to teach her about…

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Machaela Cavanaugh reacts: ‘It was harassing’

Calling out Halloran, Cavanaugh termed the “incident out of line, harassing and disgusting” as she was left tearful on the floor.

“That was about a book about sexual violence. I have done nothing but try to have a respectful debate with Sen. Albrecht about her bill that impacts my children,” she stated, hoping that other coworkers and Republicans will defend her.

Albrecht, who left the floor immediately, said she was “mortified” after Cavanaugh’s name was mentioned.

Meanwhile, Julie Slama of Dunbar, a conservative, responded to Cavanaugh’s tweet and slammed Halloran, stating that “no context makes this appropriate.”

Also Read: A mower sparked a Nebraska wildfire that has burned an area roughly the size of Omaha, officials say

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Halloran defends self, says ‘I was addressing her lawyer brother’

In an email to a Nebraska teacher on Monday evening, Halloran claimed that he was referring to Cavanaugh’s lawyer brother, John, reported Nebraska Examiner.

“If you would have listened closely, I was addressing her lawyer brother … John!”

Meanwhile, Cavanaugh rejected Halloran’s claims that he was talking about her brother rather than her as “dismissive”.

“Context matters — which was the crux of the bill being debated. Inserting my or my brother or both of our names into the reading of an explicit excerpt from a story about rape is the context of this video,” she wrote.

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Nebraska senator invokes colleague's name while reading rape scene during debate

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Nebraska senator invokes colleague's name while reading rape scene during debate


State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings opens an Agriculture Committee hearing in February 2023.
Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) — A Nebraska legislative debate about keeping obscenity out of K-12 schools ended abruptly Monday night after a lawmaker, while reading a book passage about an explicit rape scene, invoked a colleague’s name.

State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, during debate on Legislative Bill 441, warned state senators and those watching the livestream of legislative proceedings that he would be quoting from the hearing testimony on the bill.

LB 441, the priority bill of State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, seeks to crack down on obscenity and pornography in K-12 schools.

One person testifying at the March 24, 2023, hearing on LB 441 read passages from a book titled “Lucky,” by Alice Sebold, which includes a graphic description of a rape Sebold survived in college.

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While reading the testimony, Halloran inserted the name “Senator Cavanaugh” at the end of some sentences about the sexual assault.

He didn’t specify which Cavanaugh. (Both Machaela Cavanaugh and her brother John serve in the Legislature.)

At least two of Halloran’s colleagues publicly called for him to resign.

During about four hours of debate, Halloran and others alluded repeatedly to the hearing transcript. Halloran was the first to read directly from it.

“We talked about, ‘My kids haven’t experienced this in my school,’” Halloran said. “Doesn’t matter. If it’s just one school that experiences this, (it’s) one too many.”

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The lawmaker also invoked State Sen. George Dungan’s name after reading the passage.

He called out Dungan, of Lincoln, and Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, both attorneys, for questioning the legality of LB 441 but not proposing solutions.

“Don’t throw it away — fix it,” Halloran said. “It’s a problem.”

Much of Monday’s debate featured supporters saying that LB 441 would fix a loophole that they say prevents prosecution if a school official provides obscenity to minors.

Opponents said that is already illegal under state law, and school officials do not have immunity from prosecution.

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After Halloran read from “Lucky,” Sen. John Cavanaugh said the Hastings senator “missed the point.”

“Yes, life is gross and very unpleasant,” he said. “But that is what life is, and people who experience that want to know they’re not alone.”

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh told Halloran that his speech was harassment.

She said that while she and Albrecht disagreed about the bill, Albrecht remained professional during debate. Halloran did not, she said.

“That was so out of line and unnecessary and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that,” Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said.

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“You don’t know anything about anyone else’s life, and I can tell you that women in this body have been subjected to sexual violence,” she continued. “I didn’t know you were capable of such cruelty. That was so unbecoming of you and unbecoming of this body, and I hope that some other people who are Republicans will stand up and defend me.”

Albrecht and a handful of other lawmakers had left the floor when Halloran was reading the passage.

Albrecht said afterward she was “mortified” if Cavanaugh’s name was invoked.

“I don’t want to listen to this, but deep down inside, this is what’s happening,” Albrecht said. “… I will be the first to stand up and say I’m sorry — I’m sorry that we even have to read anything like this.”

Halloran, in an email to a Nebraska teacher Monday evening, wrote, “If you would have listened closely, I was addressing her lawyer brother … John!”

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In another email shared online and with the Examiner, Halloran described the passage as a “‘how to rape’ lesson given to young people” and said his only regret is that liberals are not upset that “Lucky” is in school libraries.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said on social media that Halloran’s explanation that he was referring to her brother was “dismissive” and ignores that men can also be sexually assaulted.

Colleagues from both sides of the aisle in the officially nonpartisan Legislature condemned Halloran.

State Sens. Megan Hunt of Omaha, a progressive, and Julie Slama of Dunbar, a conservative, both called for him to resign.

“Disgusting,” Slama wrote on X. “No context makes this appropriate.”

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Speaker John Arch of La Vista, on a motion from Hunt, agreed to adjourn one hour early Monday evening.

The debate is scheduled to pick up Tuesday afternoon after lawmakers finish second-round debate on the state budget.

“There’s times when we just have to step back from the debate, and I think this is one of those times,” Arch said.





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Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts: ‘I wasn’t looking to leave’ Nebraska

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Texas A&M AD Trev Alberts: ‘I wasn’t looking to leave’ Nebraska


COLLEGE STATION, Texas (WOWT) – Trev Alberts was introduced as the new athletic director at Texas A&M University on Monday.

Alberts announced his departure from Nebraska last week in an unexpected move that left Husker faithful shocked and frustrated.

During his first press conference at Texas A&M on Monday, Alberts was asked to provide some clarity. Why did he leave his alma matter, a place that seemed like his dream job?

“The difficult part of this whole transition is that I wasn’t looking to leave,” Alberts said. “I’ve been associated with [Nebraska] for a long time. That’s one place that changed my life. Other than my family and faith, everything else I owe to the University of Nebraska.”

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Alberts also shared a philosophy on college athletics as a whole — he’s determined to create a culture where the school does not focus solely on winning and losing, but on the process it takes to win.

On Sunday, another curveball was thrown when the NCAA selection committees decided to pit both Nebraska men’s and women’s basketball teams against the same opponent — Texas A&M.

In his spring press conference Monday, Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule said he didn’t appreciate that decision made by the committees because it takes away from the players on the court, and instead the masses will focus on the athletic director leaving one school to join the other.

Alberts smirked as he said the decision to put the Huskers and Aggies together in both tournaments “appears a little too coincidental.”

He complimented all the coaches, saying they’re all outstanding human beings and adding that the beauty of it is that he “can’t lose” in this scenario.

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