Whereas congress is on recess for Independence Day, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer determined to go to Nebraska cities in her transient day off.
On July 6, Fischer spent the morning with Columbus Neighborhood Hospital officers and toured the ability to see what the hospital is doing in the neighborhood.
“I met with the management staff and a few board members and was in a position to tour the hospital,” Fischer mentioned.
Fischer is a continued supporter of the Rural Neighborhood Hospital Demonstration Program, an initiative by the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers to assist rural hospitals of their capacity to offer inpatient care.
“There’s lots of nice issues occurring, it seems like lots of specialty stuff, lots of docs becoming a member of,” Fischer mentioned.
Dawson Brunswick, president of the Columbus Space Chamber of Commerce, added that it has been roughly 5 years since Fischer final visited the hospital, in order that they needed to point out her the adjustments which were made since then.
“It is good to point out her what drives our group, and never simply how well being care is giant and essential and rising however to undergo the services and see how they reinvest of their services and other people,” Brunswick mentioned.
Fischer later met with native enterprise house owners to listen to their considerations, largely pertaining to rising demand for employees and price of provides.
“They’re fearful about how exhausting it’s to search out workers. I hear that every one throughout the state, there’s lots of openings and it actually does not matter what place both,” Fischer mentioned.
Fischer added that there’s an abundance of producing jobs open in Columbus particularly.
“These are expert jobs which might be exhausting to switch and exhausting to fill. I additionally heard about inflation and the way that is hitting households, the price of gasoline, vitality, meals, these are all issues I have been listening to,” Fischer mentioned.
Fischer mentioned that regardless of these points, Columbus continues to develop, attributable to its folks and their willpower.
“I feel it reveals dedication totally different teams should Columbus. There’s lots of development, it is not shedding inhabitants however gaining it. That does deliver challenges, however they’re good issues to have in rural Nebraska,” Fischer mentioned.
Fischer added that rural Nebraska is extraordinarily essential to the remainder of the state’s wellbeing.
“It is essential for your entire state. I signify your entire state so I take pleasure in with the ability to get out and see good issues occur throughout Nebraska and see the range throughout Nebraska. Each group is totally different,” Fischer mentioned.
That was a part of her motivation for this journey, she mentioned. Since Independence day, she has visited Waverly, Seward, Lincoln and Columbus.
“Individuals wish to know who their senator is, so I placed on 1000’s of miles yearly as a result of it is essential persons are comfy with me and are in a position to come up and inform me what’s on their thoughts,” Fischer mentioned.
As for what she’s engaged on in congress, Fischer was glad to say a bipartisan cattle transparency invoice she sponsored made it by way of the senate agricultural committee with an audible vote by voice moderately than the standard push-button vote. In a voice vote, names and numbers of votes should not recorded.
“Livestock alone usher in $13.8 billion a 12 months, it is the financial engine of Nebraska. This invoice going to proceed to assist our household farms and ranches have the ability to revenue and stay worthwhile,” Fischer mentioned.
Fischer added that she is a senior member of the armed companies committee, which has been engaged on the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act. She can be in discussions round infrastructure, one thing she mentioned is essential for rural communities.
“Infrastructure is not simply roads and bridges however broadband. In rural Nebraska broadband is massively essential, and that is one thing I’ve talked to folks about too,” Fischer mentioned.
General, Fischer mentioned she was glad to get out into the state and see every little thing occurring and speak to folks.
“That is one of the best a part of my job, attending to exit in Nebraska and hearken to Nebraskans and what’s on their thoughts, what is going on on of their group,” Fischer mentioned.