Secure America Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. RICKETTS. Mr. President, 75 years ago, the voice of rural Nebraska made its debate on air. Broadcasting from Lexington, NE, farm families officially had a voice--KRVN.
KRVN doesn't just cover rural Nebraska, though; it belongs to rural Nebraska. The station started out of necessity. Blizzards in the winters of 1948 and 1949 killed farmers and ranchers. Livestock and crops were lost, causing economic hardships. Women and children were left worrying about their husbands and dads. Farming and ranching families were also struggling to get relevant news and government updates. Our agriculture communities were facing a bleak reality: Timely, lifesaving information was nearly impossible to come by.
In an industry that moves at the speed of information, this was unacceptable. Agricultural economist and cooperative leader Max Brown had an idea. Max believed he could organize rural Nebraskans to fill the need. He envisioned a farmer- and rancher-owned public service platform for agriculture, weather, markets, and rural education.
This idea was untested and widely doubted. Despite this, 4,719 farmers and ranchers each bought a 10-dollar share to become owners of KRVN. On February 1, 1951, KRVN had its first broadcast. From this humble beginning, the station grew. Max hired well, mentored his staff, and made sure everyone knew KRVN's vision. Max's vision continued through the stewardship of his son Eric, whom I knew when he worked at KRVN, and folks like Otto Geiger. Otto served for more than 30 years on the Nebraska Rural Radio Association board. They both guided the station through agricultural and media change while preserving its farmer-owned identity.
Since its beginning, rural Nebraskans have received the info they need when they need it. Our rural communities are safer and better informed.
Today, KRVN is the flagship of the Rural Radio Network. It is the only farmer- and rancher-owned news network in the country. The founding charter doesn't allow any of the joint owners to profit. Revenues are reinvested into the station and into agricultural education. KRVN's unique ownership model and community commitment remain strong.
We now have Nebraskans from multiple generations who can say they grew up with the voices of KRVN from dawn to dusk. The voices of radio legends like Dave Thorell kept Nebraskans company on long drives, and Jayson Jorgensen brings play-by-play coverage of local high school sports into our homes.
Even amid unprecedented disaster, Nebraskans know we can rely on KRVN for lifesaving updates. Their coverage has included special wildlife broadcasts to help ranchers recover and find resources for rebuilding. They kept us informed on State politics and ag markets, and they kept us prepared during disasters.
Over the last 75 years, KRVN has kept public service at the core of its work. Over the last 75 years, KRVN has been there for Nebraskans, and the need for KRVN still remains. AM radio stations in Nebraska and around the country are still the lifeblood of rural communities.
In the Senate, I am working to preserve this important service. Every vehicle sold in the United States should be equipped with AM broadcast radio at no charge. In Nebraska, we know this is common sense. My AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would do that.
KRVN was a necessity at its origin, and it remains a necessity today. Thank you to our farmers and ranchers who have made KRVN possible. I look forward to KRVN's next 75 years. Border Security
Mr. President, I have another matter I am going to talk about--the work that needs to be done on the Senate floor today. To protect Americans and our national security, we must fund Border Patrol and ICE.
Senate Republicans have a narrow bill to do this. Our bill only funds Border Patrol and ICE. Senate Democrats refuse to vote for it, putting every American at risk. They are falling back on the typical ``defund the police'' agenda and lack of support for law enforcement. Their refusal is a clear threat to our national security.
Democrats stood by while President Biden and his open border policies allowed every State to become a border State, putting communities across America, including Nebraska, at risk.
They released at least 99 illegal aliens on the Terrorist Watchlist into American communities, including 3 with potential ISIS ties.
They have prioritized the care of illegal immigrants over Americans. Let me give you two examples: When Laken Riley a 22-year-old college student was murdered by an illegal immigrant, Republicans introduced legislation to make sure no other families have to live through the same tragedy as Laken's family had to live through. The legislation was common sense. If an illegal immigrant breaks the law, they have to be held accountable, and ICE has to do their job of picking that person up.
A majority of Democrats refused to support this commonsense solution. When our brave troops successfully captured the Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Democrats were more concerned about the operation than national security. Maduro is a narcoterrorist responsible for the deaths of countless Americans. He was a puppet of our adversaries, like Communist China, Russia, and Iran. Simply put, he was a threat to our national security. Capturing him was a win for Americans and our national security.
Democrats didn't see it that way. The reality, though, is that President Trump campaigned on securing the border. He won an overwhelming majority of votes from Americans. The American people voted for stronger national security. Republicans have worked with this administration to secure their border and deliver for the American people.
To maintain this strong national security, we need to fund ICE and Border Patrol. I am ready to vote with my Senate Republican colleagues today. Democrats cannot delay this vote any longer. We want to get this done for the American people. Everything else is a distraction.
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