Running government more like a business is helping make the State of Nebraska more effective, more efficient, and more customer-focused. In the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Chief Executive Officer Courtney Phillips and I have issued annual business plans to help bring greater discipline and focus to the work of our team. As June wrapped up, the agency completed goals from its second annual business plan, and we are excited to report that the initiatives we have... read more
Weekly Columns
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Better Service for Nebraskans
July 10, 2018 -
Connecting Communities to Grow Nebraska
July 03, 2018Nebraska has a long tradition of investing in infrastructure to help connect our communities and grow our state. Whether you are taking your kids to school or moving farm equipment from field to field, infrastructure helps us get there. Our central location makes Nebraska’s infrastructure critically important not just for the people in our state, but for the whole nation. As a major connection between the east and west coasts, our infrastructure carries many of the goods that are used... read more
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Growing Agriculture in the Good Life
June 26, 2018June is Dairy Month in Nebraska, which means we are celebrating our great dairy farmers and a key part of our agriculture economy. In Nebraska, dairy is a growing segment of agriculture with dairy cow numbers up 15 percent since 2014. The Nebraska Dairy Association, Midwest Dairy Association, and I kicked off the month with a “Moo at the Zoo” event at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, and this week I will be traveling to three dairy operations to highlight the innovation we are seeing here in... read more
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Developing Our People
June 19, 2018It is no secret to Nebraskans that we have the best place in the world to live, work, and raise a family. As our team works to grow Nebraska, we share the story of the Good Life with... read moreHonoring & Serving Our Veterans
June 12, 2018United States military veterans are our country’s heroes. They put their lives on the line for the sake of freedom, and here in Nebraska, we work to honor them all year long. This week, I had the honor of hosting a 99-year-old World War II veteran, Sidney Walton, at the State Capitol. Nebraskans joined us to help honor him as well as hear directly from someone who served on the front lines. With the passing of time, it is critical that we connect younger generations with history, so that... read more
Delivering Better Customer Service
June 05, 2018The central goal of my administration is to make state government more effective, more efficient, and more customer-focused. Running state government with a client-centered approach is especially important for our most vulnerable Nebraskans who interact with state government as well as taxpayers who rightly expect the state to be a good steward of the money entrusted to us.
Honoring our Service Members
May 25, 2018Memorial Day is an opportunity to step back from the busyness of life and reflect on the heroes who helped build our country. It is a time to reflect on how we got where we are and the people who secured our liberties for us. We remember the battles fought over the years to protect our freedom, our republic, and our future. And we recognize the men and women who have served our nation and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Growing a Renewable Future
May 22, 2018At the very heart of Nebraska agriculture, a synergistic relationship between corn, ethanol, and livestock has been helping grow our state for decades. Ethanol producers use corn feedstocks to produce high-quality biofuels. Many cattle feeders prefer distillers grain, an ethanol byproduct, as they prepare corn-fed beef for the market. This relationship between corn, cattle, and ethanol, known as the “Golden Triangle,” benefits our farm and ranch families and helps grow opportunities... read more
Promoting Excellence in Education
May 15, 2018Strong schools that deliver an excellent education are key to vibrant communities and growing Nebraska. This week, we celebrated some of the best examples of excellence in education by honoring 22 graduating Nebraska students who have achieved a top score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam. These students hail from communities across the state. Students like these are examples of the success Nebraska students can achieve, and it is important that we help all Nebraska school kids... read more
May is Beef Month in Nebraska
May 07, 2018From graduations to Mother’s Day, the month of May has some great reasons to celebrate. There is another celebration in May that is particularly significant for Nebraskans. May is Beef Month in Nebraska, a time to recognize the state’s beef producers and celebrate the many ways Nebraska leads the nation in beef.
