Hearing from you this month

The dog days of summer are upon us. Families in Nebraska are enjoying the final few days of vacation before children head back to school and the crisp fall air rolls in. This time of year is always exciting for me because I am able to travel across Nebraska and visit with you. Your voice guides my work in the U.S. Senate, and is my most important source of information.

During the month of August, I will hold over a dozen listening sessions across the state. These sessions are important opportunities for Nebraskans to share their questions, suggestions, and concerns with me directly. The forums will take place in cities throughout Nebraska, including: Omaha, Lincoln, Wayne, Ainsworth, Chadron, Alliance, Scottsbluff, Sidney, Imperial, McCook, North Platte, Broken Bow, and Beatrice. You can find more information on these listening sessions in your local newspaper, by visiting my website, or by following me on Facebook and Twitter.

At each listening session, I will begin with an update on my work in the Senate during the first seven months of the 114th Congress. For the first time in several years, the Senate advanced a bill to authorize funding for important transportation projects for the next six years. I have strongly advocated for a long-term highway bill since my first year in office. By working closely with key transportation stakeholders in Nebraska, we were able to reduce burdensome regulations, keep goods moving, and improve support for rural communities. This bill will be a crucial step forward in providing greater certainty and economic relief to our state, our businesses, and American families.

In July, the Senate also passed important legislation to put education decisions back in the hands of Nebraska families and our local communities. The bill, known as the Every Child Achieves Act, would end the Common Core mandate by letting states determine their academic standards without interference from Washington. This legislation replaces Washington's "one-size-fits-all" bureaucracy with real reforms. Parents, teachers, and our communities will be empowered to determine the best policies. Future generations will also be able to gain the skills they need to succeed.

I also want to hear your opinions regarding the Obama administration's nuclear agreement with Iran. Since this deal was announced, many Nebraskans have contacted me to express their apprehensions about this deal. They are right to be concerned. As your elected representatives in Congress, I have the responsibility to spend the next month examining and debating this agreement.

As I review this deal, it's become clear that the reality is not matching the rhetoric. The terms fail to satisfy the president's watered-down threshold of "where necessary, when necessary" for inspections of Iranian nuclear sites. I believe the administration needs to spend more time addressing this and the real options we have at our disposal. So far, we have been presented with false predictions of how any opposition to the agreement will lead to war and offend our allies.

These are just a few highlights of my work over the past few months. I look forward to visiting with you and discussing the positive progress we have made.

The input I receive from Nebraskans is an essential component of this ongoing conversation. In addition to my Nebraska listening sessions, I will be holding several meetings and roundtable discussions on a variety of important issues. I hope that you will be able to join me at one of these events this month.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you in person during the month of August.

Sen. Fischer will hold listening sessions in more than a dozen communities across Nebraska this month. The forums are convenient opportunities for Nebraskans to share their views and speak with Senator Fischer in a more informal setting. The McCook session is scheduled on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Keystone Business Center lobby.