Nebraska Panhandle News

U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts, representing Nebraska and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has advocated for increased state involvement in federal highway programming. In his remarks, Ricketts emphasized the significance of transportation infrastructure to states like Nebraska, highlighting its role in competitiveness, industrial opportunities, and quality of life.

Ricketts stated, "Transportation infrastructure, we’ve all said it, is incredibly important in my home state in Nebraska, just like it is where you all come from." He added that as efforts move toward Highway Reauthorization, states should take on a more active role in programming.

He further suggested that the Department of Transportation should empower states through formula funding rather than selecting specific 'green' projects for discretionary grants. "The Department of Transportation should be doing something where we empower states through the formula funding to be able to let them make the decisions and not cherry-pick different ‘green’ projects that are discretionary grants," he said.

These comments were made during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing focused on implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. During this session, Ricketts also engaged with panelists about enhancing efficiency and service quality through process improvements similar to those achieved during his tenure as Governor of Nebraska.