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Fischer calls for passage of Swanson/Willow bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) called on her Senate colleagues Thursday to urgently pass legislation transferring control of the Swanson Reservoir and Red Willow Reservoir lands from the Bureau of Reclamation to local officials. Fischer emphasized the critical need to prevent the displacement of Nebraska families and preserve their communities.
“Nebraskans’ very homes and communities are now on the line in this final hour,” Fischer said in her remarks on the Senate floor. “They cannot wait. They should not have to pay the price for stalled negotiations.”
The senator’s appeal followed a setback on Wednesday when Senator Joe Manchin (I-W.V.) blocked Fischer’s petition to advance the bill. On Thursday, Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also opposed the measure, despite having previously expressed support.
Fischer underscored the bipartisan support for the bill, noting it passed the House of Representatives and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with a voice vote. “This is what we all tell our constituents—that this has to happen. We need to follow regular order,” Fischer said, highlighting the importance of maintaining legislative norms.
The proposed land transfer would secure the homes and communities Nebraskans have built over the last five decades. Without the bill’s passage, Fischer warned, those homes could be unnecessarily removed, resulting in widespread devastation for her constituents.
“My constituents will lose their homes. The communities they’ve built for the last 50 years will be destroyed,” she said, expressing frustration over political maneuvering she described as “unacceptable” and “absurd.”
Fischer pledged to continue advocating for the legislation, even if it meant extending Senate sessions. “Maybe we won’t be home for Christmas because I plan to keep coming back here and get this done,” she said.