Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) paid tribute to the 2,996 people who were killed on September 11th, 2001, during a conference call with Nebraska media today.

"The Americans we lost on 9/11 were mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, daughters and sons," Ricketts said. "Many were heroes who risked their lives to save others. Each year on Patriot’s Day, we recommit as a nation to honoring their memories. It is also a sobering reminder of the dangers Americans continue to face at home and around the world."

Ricketts criticized the Biden-Harris administration for policies that he believes make Americans less safe domestically and project weakness internationally. He emphasized the need for a policy of peace through strength.

"The federal government’s most fundamental responsibility is to keep the American people safe," Ricketts stated. "Instead, we’ve seen three years of open border policies and an appeasement-first foreign policy. It’s created a national security catastrophe at our southern border and emboldened our adversaries around the world. Today, we must recommit to do better. The federal government needs leaders that will keep Americans safe."

In his remarks, Ricketts highlighted various threats he perceives as exacerbated by current policies:

"Today marks 23 years since radical Islamic terrorists murdered nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11th.

"The Americans we lost on 9/11 were mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, daughters and sons. Many were heroes who risked their lives to save others.

"Each year on Patriot’s Day, we recommit as a nation to honoring their memories.

"It is also a sobering reminder of the dangers Americans continue to face at home and around the world.

"In the past year, we’ve been reminded of that all too many times.

"Hamas’ October 7th attack on Israel killed 1,195 innocent women and men, including over 40 Americans.

"Hamas also took over 200 people hostage. Eleven months later, at least 97 people, including seven Americans, have yet to be returned. We fear many of them have already been killed.

"Sadly, those who wish to do us harm aren’t just overseas.

"When asked last year about the terrorist threats facing us at home, the FBI Director said: 'I see blinking lights everywhere.'

"The Biden-Harris administration’s open borders policy and appeasement-first approach to foreign policy has left us less safe.

"Last Fiscal Year, there were 169 encounters with individuals on the terror watchlist at the Southern border between ports of entry.

"Under President Trump, that annual number was repeatedly in single digits.

"While these individuals were not granted entry, we’ve repeatedly seen others with ties to radical terror groups slip through the cracks.

"Last year, a man on the terrorist watch list from Afghanistan was released by Border Patrol after crossing our border illegally.

"After spending nearly a year roaming around the U.S. freely, he was arrested this past April.

"He was released again after the Biden-Harris administration failed to tell the judge in his case about his ties to terrorism. Only to be arrested again 24 hours later when media reported about his second release."

Ricketts further pointed out incidents involving foreign nationals:

"In June of this year," he noted," eight foreign nationals with ties to ISIS were arrested because of concerns they were plotting a terrorist attack on U.S. soil."

He concluded with criticism directed at current federal leadership:

"The federal government’s most fundamental responsibility is to keep the American people safe.

"Instead," Ricketts asserted," we’ve seen three years of open border policies and an appeasement-first foreign policy that’s created a national security catastrophe at our southern border and emboldened our adversaries around the world."

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