The following guest editorial ran in the Omaha World-Herald on July 17, 2025. You can also read it here.
Gov. Jim Pillen: Here's how Nebraska sets the national security standard
Omaha World-Herald
July 17, 2025
Homeland security starts here at home.
As I have traveled every bit of this extraordinary state, that's an approach I know Nebraskans believe in. It's fundamental to the job of government.
We are blessed to be home of heroes who have spent time serving our great country in the U.S. military. These Nebraskans personify the grit, sacrifice, and service-to-others that our state is known for around the world.
Last Tuesday, I stood alongside leading members of President Donald Trump's cabinet at the USDA rollout of the National Farm Security Action Plan. This is a forward-thinking step to make American agriculture secure, strong, and resilient — as we address significant threats from adversaries, like China.
Here at home, we take those national security issues seriously too. The hardcore reality is simple: we must do what we can right now to push back on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) designs of a weaker America.
Under Chairman Xi Jinping's grip, the Chinese government and military have chosen to become the greatest threat to our freedom and way of life. The CCP continues to use espionage and other covert tactics to gain footholds in our government, businesses, and institutions of higher education. They are a growing cyber adversary that routinely cheats on trade and will stop at nothing to modernize its military and expand its global influence.
A real adversary requires decisive, real action.
Since earning the privilege to be your governor, addressing the growing concern and threats from the CCP has become a priority. There are critical steps we can take here in Nebraska to ensure the safety of our people — and set an example for other states. Through new laws or executive orders, we are:
» Banning foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela, from owning land in our state. Our land and water are the most valuable natural resources we have — there's zero reason for us to let foreign foes carry out land grabs here in our state. We must protect Nebraska agriculture and promote food security.
» Booting Huawei out of Nebraska. Huawei is a spyware cancer that the CCP wants to spread around the world. We're doing the work to prohibit state employees and contractors from using devices made by Huawei and other CCP-affiliated manufacturers.
» Cutting off access to CCP-owned apps. We face significant threats in cyberspace, and we must do everything that we can to protect our data and critical digital infrastructure.
» Kickstarting the Committee on Pacific Conflict, a first-in-the-nation initiative to help ensure that Nebraska is prepared for any possible CCP-driven disruption.
As the first session of the 109th Nebraska Legislature wrapped up, I was honored to sign LB 644 into law. This legislation includes the Foreign Adversary and Terrorist Agent Registration Act and the Crush Transnational Repression in Nebraska Act.
While I'm proud to be ranked as one of the nation's most conservative governors, we know national security isn't a red or blue issue. It's an American issue, and I'm grateful to have worked across the aisle with Sen. Eliot Bostar — and an overwhelmingly bipartisan majority of senators — to make Nebraska safer.
This year, we celebrated 80 years of victory following the end of World War II. I've made it a priority to go tell Nebraska's "Greatest Generation" thank you for defending our great freedoms. Their stories are courageous and inspiring, but also a reminder of the sacrifices that face soldiers in battle.
Nobody is calling for war — and to be clear, our issues are not with the Chinese people — our issues are with the Communists in Chairman Xi's government. We know that our adversaries around the world are working night and day to get a leg up on America, and we can't let that happen.
In Nebraska, we are practical people who like to be prepared for any challenge that might come our way. That's the work we're doing now to stand up for our kids and the future of our state and country.
