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Fischer, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a written statement, “Americans want Congress to pass legislation that secures the border to keep our nation safe. This bill falls short of that obligation. I cannot vote for a bill that funds the security of other nations while leaving our own border security in jeopardy.”

The Senate border bill aims to curb the migrant crisis at America’s southern border, but skeptics believe that it would do little to accomplish that goal.

Last year, Americans were shocked when a Chinese surveillance balloon flew coast-to-coast over the entire United States. The balloon caused a public frenzy of concern about why China was spying and what classified secrets they might have found. 

But the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been spying on us for over a decade in a much subtler way. Their surveillance tool of choice? Our cell towers. 

Over the past several years, Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE have infiltrated our communications networks by selling their equipment to providers at artificially cheap prices. Over time, this has enabled Huawei and ZTE to significantly expand their equipment’s presence in networks throughout the rural United States. For providers in rural areas operating on slimmer margins, cheap gear was a welcome option, and the risks associated with that gear were not yet well known.  

But these same rural areas, including in our home states of Nebraska and Colorado, also host several military bases and nuclear missile silos. Our intelligence agencies identified a pattern: communications providers were installing Chinese-made equipment on mobile wireless towers right next to American military assets. This made our domestic and defense communications vulnerable to Chinese espionage, since, under Chinese law, the CCP can compel companies to hand over their data records with little justification. 

In 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) responded to this national security threat by banning the purchase of any Huawei or ZTE equipment. That same year, Congress passed the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act to create a $1.9 billion reimbursement program to financially help eligible communications companies afford the costs to remove at-risk equipment and replace it — a process referred to as “Rip and Replace.” 

These responses were important steps forward, but today, much of this Chinese gear remains in place.  

Approximately 24,000 pieces of equipment still operate in 8,400 different locations near U.S. homes, small businesses, interstate highways, and university campuses. Nearly all of the 85 companies that received approval by the FCC for costs to rip and replace the untrusted equipment are still waiting for their full federal reimbursement. Communications providers, many of them smaller companies, can’t pay to replace these technologies without help. 

It’s a vicious circle. Now, the FCC’s Rip and Replace Program faces a budget shortfall and communications providers simply do not have enough money to replace Chinese-made gear as mandated. That means they’ll either refrain from ripping it out or will be forced to shut down parts or all of their networks. And this is already beginning.  

Essential communications service in the most rural areas is the first to go dark. Without swift action by Congress, thousands of Americans could lose their current mobile and landline phone services — services that are essential for work, emergencies and life in the 21st century. 

That’s why we introduced the bipartisan Defend Our Networks Act. We need telecom companies to remove China’s surveillance infrastructure and replace it with secure equipment, but we can’t force these critical businesses to go broke in the process. 

The Defend Our Networks Act would remove dangerous Chinese equipment and secure rural communications without network disruptions — all using funding already expended by Congress. 

Chinese telecommunications equipment in U.S. networks is a sobering surveillance threat. The urgency of its removal cannot be understated. We did the right thing when Congress established the Rip and Replace Program at the FCC. It’s time we finish the job by passing the Defend Our Networks Act — before it is too late. 

Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) both serve on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today following the reports of attacks on U.S. troops that resulted in the death of three service members—leaving others wounded:

“Years of placating Iran have only enriched Tehran and emboldened the regime’s proxies—now three American troops lie dead. For the safety of our troops and to honor those fallen, the Biden administration must make Iran’s regime pay a heavy price.”

Tensions in the Middle East escalating as the Biden administration’s efforts have so far failed to end attacks on Western military and commercial resources in the region. The president’s national security team meeting today as Biden says “we shall respond” to the attacks by the Iran-backed militias that killed three and injured more than 30 U.S. troops in Jordan on Sunday. The president saying the U.S. “will hold all those responsible to account,” despite previously downplaying the Iran threat – saying Tehran “knows not to do anything.” All this as there’s still no breakthrough in talks between the U.S. and China on threats to Red Sea shipping routes, and as sanctions against Iran and the Houthis have yet to deter their aggression.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – U.S. Senators Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Sen. Angus King of Maine will introduce the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act this week.

According to a press release by Sen. Fisher’s office, by making the Paid Family and Medical Leave Employer Tax Credit permanent, the legislation makes it easier for businesses of any size to offer PFML plans to employees.

Senators Fischer and King led the effort to establish the country’s first ever nationwide PFML policy, which was included in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and implemented in 2018.

“Americans shouldn’t have to choose between making ends meet and taking care of family—that’s why Senator King and I passed the first ever nationwide paid family leave law,” Sen. Fischer said. “Now, we need to make that legislation permanent and expand access to paid family leave. Our new bill will encourage more businesses to offer paid family leave to more working Americans.”

The Senators’ legislation builds on the 2017 law to better include working families and hourly workers. The legislation also provides additional options for businesses to earn the paid leave tax credit, such as paying for PFML insurance products, and it requires greater outreach efforts to raise awareness about the credit.

“I have often said that Maine is one big town—big community—with long roads,” Sen. King said. “And when a member of our community is hurting, we drop everything to take care of our own. However, no one should have to choose between caring for our families or receiving the next paycheck to put food on the table. That’s why I’ve been working with my Republican colleague, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, to introduce the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act which makes the PFML tax credit permanent. By making this extension permanent on a bipartisan basis, we’re prioritizing people over politics –and supporting those who care for one another in times of need.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Senator Deb Fischer is seeking a third term in the United States Senate.

Senator Deb Fischer announced she filed for re-election with Nebraska’s Secretary of State on Monday. She said she’s received more than 1,000 endorsements on the local, state, and federal levels.

Currently, Fischer does not have any challengers that have filed.