Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: In October, Celebrate Nebraska Workers

October is Manufacturing Month.  Manufacturing is our second-largest industry.  It contributes $20 billion a year to our economy.  Every day, over 97,000 Nebraskans don their hard hats, lace up their steel-toed boots, and get to work.  It’s not just about a paycheck.  Manufacturing builds the future of our state.  It strengthens Nebraska families.  It supports the Good Life. This month I visited one of Nebraska’s newest manufacturing sites in Elk Creek.  Nebraskans will help return critical mineral production to the U.S.  At this critical time, Nebraska is developing a domestic alternative for crucial military inputs.  Many critical minerals and rare earth elements are mined or processed in Communist China.  These are necessary for armored vehicles, fighter jets, and naval ships.  We cannot be dependent on our chief adversary for our defense.  America’s warfighters need to be supported domestically.  Nebraska manufacturing will do that. Nebraska also earned a $1 billion investment from Beckton Dickinson (BD) this month.  This medical device company has been in Broken Bow since 1960.  Today it has three locations that employ over 2,700 Nebraskans.  Their facility in Columbus is the world’s largest producer of syringes, needles, and prefilled saline syringes.  They manufacture 100% of their needles in the U.S. with American-made steel.  This investment allows Nebraskans to continue playing a role in supporting the U.S. healthcare system. In the Senate, I fight every day for Nebraska workers.  That’s why I voted to pass the Working Families Tax Cuts.  This bill makes sure that businesses invest in their workers’ wellbeing.  The employer-provided childcare credit was expanded from $150,000 to $500,000.  This will encourage more businesses to invest in childcare for their workers.  A new $600,000 childcare credit was created for small businesses.  We made Senator Deb Fischer’s Paid Family Medical Leave Tax Credit permanent.  This will encourage businesses to offer maternity and paternity leave. The Working Families Tax Cuts also save the average Nebraska family from a $2,400 tax increase.  The average refund also increased 10%, to $3,378 for Nebraskans.  We eliminated taxes on overtime pay, up to $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for married couples. We also increased the child tax credit, providing a $2,200 credit for each child.  That’s more than doubled.  The child and dependent care tax credit was increased from a maximum of 35% to 50%.  We increased the deduction for dependent care assistance from $5,000 to $7,500.  In total, the Working Families Tax Cuts invested $124 billion in the kids of low- and middle-income families. One of my priorities we passed was an expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, high-quality job training programs.  Now, a young Nebraskan can qualify for financial aid in a field like welding or mechanics.  The future generation can learn a trade and start working without piling up debt.  Investing in our growing workforce is what will help our state and nation succeed.  It will also help young Nebraskans get a leg up early in their careers.  Metropolitan Community College is one of the first schools in the country to roll this program out. In Nebraska we have the best people.  That’s why when companies experience the Good Life, they choose to make Nebraska their home.  With the Working Families Tax Cuts I helped pass, we will continue to see more companies invest and grow in Nebraska. I will always fight for Nebraska workers.  Their hard work keeps the nation running.  The commitment of so many families in our state needs to be celebrated.  This Manufacturing Month, we recognize the women and men who have built the Good Life. My team and I are here to serve you.  Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224.  You can also view my website at https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact .