Weekly Column
Applications for my U.S. Service Academy nomination consideration opened this week for the Class of 2028.
Service Academies are undergraduate institutions that educate and train the next officers in our Armed Forces. Academies are different than a traditional college experience. They focus on leadership, both the physical and mental aspects of military training, and preparing students for a career as an officer.
March 29th is a day for Americans to remember and commemorate the service and sacrifices made by nearly three million servicemembers who served in Vietnam.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the disestablishment of the United States Military Assistance Command in Vietnam, and the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam.
The Wall Meats processing facility has been operating over capacity for years. It is a 2,400 square foot processor and has the capacity to process 11 head of cattle per week. However, they have been processing 15-20 head per week—nearly double what they are suited for. Wall Meats started operating 24/7 to keep up with this demand and applied strategies to get their products in more local stores, schools, and even Meals on Wheels.
I was that kid on food stamps—I know firsthand how government assistance can both help and hurt. Education, training, and work provide dignity and economic opportunity. Too many Americans are on the sidelines while we are facing a record labor shortage.
We are three months into the Republican House majority, and House Republicans are fulfilling promises we made to the American people. We have seen win after win, pushing back on the far-left agenda and blocking unnecessary, unchecked spending.
Here are a few of our wins so far:
Too many Americans view the Chinese Communist Party as a threat over there, when in reality it is a threat here.
I grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and stayed around to study Government and Philosophy at Augustana University. After graduating, I knew I needed to gain experience in politics to apply my field of study, so I applied to intern in Congressman Johnson’s office.
It only took a few days for the internship to exceed my expectations.
Specialist Marcus Rothlisberger was wounded in action during his deployment to Afghanistan. He sustained traumatic brain injuries from enemy attack when he was guarding a helicopter landing zone. Those injuries still impact him today.
Our country failed to honor him with a Purple Heart in the immediate aftermath – our team was proud to right that wrong this week.
We learned this week that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) lied to America and the rest of the international community about the route and purpose of their balloon. The House voted yesterday to criticize their actions. I can’t say that I am surprised by the lie—in reality, the balloon is just one incident of surveillance that likely didn’t gain them much more data.
Transportation and infrastructure are used by everyone – people traveling to work or vacation, grains and parts transported by train, cargo by plane, or goods driven across the country by a semi-truck.
The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated delays and gaps in our supply chain system. Suddenly, Americans couldn’t get their goods in a timely manner. Christmas presents were delayed for weeks, Amazon packages weren’t delivered on time, store shelves were empty for more reasons than one.