Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's a pleasure to welcome Nebraska US Senator Deb Fisher
(00:03):
to the program. Senator, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Good morning Gary.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good to have you here and there. There is no shortage.
It's like drinking out of a fire hose, the headlines
that come one after another with Donald Trump back in office.
Your overview of his first month in office.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, obviously he was ready to go his first day.
He'd been planning what needed to be done. He had
four years to prepare and surround himself with people that
he trusted and who are qualified and ready to tackle
some of the biggest problems that we face in this country.
(00:43):
We've already confirmed more of his nominees for these cabinet
positions at this point in time than President s Biden
or Obama or President Trump in his first term had
gotten done. So not only has he moved, but here
in the Senate we are working hand in glove with
him to be able to move forward on a lot
(01:06):
of initiatives that the people were very clear, the majority
of people in Nebraska and across this country that they
want to see get done.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, Cash Bettel likely to be confirmed today right as
FBI director.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Correct, Yes, he will be You think there's.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Any Is there any opposition and anything significant on the
Republican side to him?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, he will be confirmed, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And that is that it. Is there anybody left?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, you know, the controversial ones are pretty much done
if he gets confirmed.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yes, they should be. But you know, the Democrats continue
to slow walk everything in the Senate. You know, you can,
you can use up a lot of time. That's the
right of any Senate to do that. It's one of
the tools that the minority can use. Republicans, We've used it,
Democrats are using it now. But there's also ways to
(02:05):
get around it. John Thune's doing a great job as leader.
He made it clear that we'll stay late nights and weekends,
and we're, like I said, we're going to get the
job done here.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
There is a ton of pushback, of course, from the
opposition on the DOGE efforts, and I'm wondering if anything
that has happened there so far gives you pause. Have
they moved too quickly on any of these firings or
withholding of funds.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
You know, I've always said that we need to prioritize
what should be a core duty, a corresponsibility of the
set of government, and that's what we need the fund.
But the President has chosen to go in and shake
it up. You know, that's what he's doing by going
(03:00):
in firing people who are probationary workers. And then you know,
I've talked to privately to a couple folks within the
government about programs that I feel are valuable, are necessary,
and as I said, are a core responsibility the federal government,
(03:24):
and to alert them to that so they can look
at that and hopefully we'll continue to work together in
that way. I don't go to microphones in bash. I
didn't guess. That's not the way I get things done.
But you know, you have to be able to justify
every tax doller that's spent and justify that it really
(03:49):
is important for the federal government to take on these programs.
So I think it needs to happen. It needs to
happen fast or in two years time moves, in four years,
time moves quickly, So we need to move quickly too
and address the trillions and trillions of dollars that we
(04:12):
are in debt because of spending being out of control,
no question about it.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The headline this morning is Trump orders agencies to terminate
all federal assistants for illegal immigrants, and I think that
will get a pretty huge amen from a majority of
Americans if we're serious as we say, we are about
Americans first, and people who are here illegally should not
be getting benefits. But more on that story to come.
(04:39):
But while we still have a couple of minutes here
this morning talking with with Senator deb Fisher, you are
working on a couple of things specifically right now in the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Senate, right, oh gosh, Yeah, we're working on a lot,
but obviously looking at reconciliation, which is being able to
pass things with fifty one votes, and when you have
the Senate, the House, and the presidency, that's what the
parties try to do, and that's what the Republicans Party
(05:11):
is trying to do now. So we're focused on that.
We're focused on having appropriation bills, or at least a
bill that's going to pass by March fourteenth, so we
don't get into a situation where we have a continuing
resolution going forward. You know, we need, as they said,
(05:34):
we have to determine how the taxpayer dollars should be
spent and then justify that to the people of this country.
So by continuing resolutions. You keep funding all the programs
that you want to cut, you keep funding programs that
don't work. That's not a responsible way to handle taxpayer money.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Can you address just as briefly, the Share Act of
Fair Share auct I didn't realize that EV drivers did
not pay into the Highway Trust Fund, but they would not.
They would under your bill.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
They would. Yeah, they don't pay into the federal Highway
Trust funds. Some states are trying to address that with
their at the state level for their state Highway Trust funds,
but federal federal roads need need to be financed as well. EV's.
You know, they can weigh up to three times let
(06:30):
a gas powered car ways and that's just pounds the
roadbed and it adds more wear and tear on our roads.
If you truly believe in a user feed, you need
to have EV's pay for usage as well through the
federal Highway Trust Fund. And that's that's what we're trying
(06:51):
to do here.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, because a gas power car driver pays, so why
shouldn't they.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, Yeah, every time you fill up at the pumpy
pay centator.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Thanks for the time this ring. Appreciate it very much.
And safe travels back to Nebraska. Senator deb Fisher
It's a pleasure to welcome Nebraska US Senator Deb Fisher
(00:03):
to the program. Senator, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Good morning Gary.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good to have you here and there. There is no shortage.
It's like drinking out of a fire hose, the headlines
that come one after another with Donald Trump back in office.
Your overview of his first month in office.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, obviously he was ready to go his first day.
He'd been planning what needed to be done. He had
four years to prepare and surround himself with people that
he trusted and who are qualified and ready to tackle
some of the biggest problems that we face in this country.
(00:43):
We've already confirmed more of his nominees for these cabinet
positions at this point in time than President s Biden
or Obama or President Trump in his first term had
gotten done. So not only has he moved, but here
in the Senate we are working hand in glove with
him to be able to move forward on a lot
(01:06):
of initiatives that the people were very clear, the majority
of people in Nebraska and across this country that they
want to see get done.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, Cash Bettel likely to be confirmed today right as
FBI director.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Correct, Yes, he will be You think there's.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Any Is there any opposition and anything significant on the
Republican side to him?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, he will be confirmed, all right.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And that is that it. Is there anybody left?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yeah, you know, the controversial ones are pretty much done
if he gets confirmed.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yes, they should be. But you know, the Democrats continue
to slow walk everything in the Senate. You know, you can,
you can use up a lot of time. That's the
right of any Senate to do that. It's one of
the tools that the minority can use. Republicans, We've used it,
Democrats are using it now. But there's also ways to
(02:05):
get around it. John Thune's doing a great job as leader.
He made it clear that we'll stay late nights and weekends,
and we're, like I said, we're going to get the
job done here.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
There is a ton of pushback, of course, from the
opposition on the DOGE efforts, and I'm wondering if anything
that has happened there so far gives you pause. Have
they moved too quickly on any of these firings or
withholding of funds.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
You know, I've always said that we need to prioritize
what should be a core duty, a corresponsibility of the
set of government, and that's what we need the fund.
But the President has chosen to go in and shake
it up. You know, that's what he's doing by going
(03:00):
in firing people who are probationary workers. And then you know,
I've talked to privately to a couple folks within the
government about programs that I feel are valuable, are necessary,
and as I said, are a core responsibility the federal government,
(03:24):
and to alert them to that so they can look
at that and hopefully we'll continue to work together in
that way. I don't go to microphones in bash. I
didn't guess. That's not the way I get things done.
But you know, you have to be able to justify
every tax doller that's spent and justify that it really
(03:49):
is important for the federal government to take on these programs.
So I think it needs to happen. It needs to
happen fast or in two years time moves, in four years,
time moves quickly, So we need to move quickly too
and address the trillions and trillions of dollars that we
(04:12):
are in debt because of spending being out of control,
no question about it.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
The headline this morning is Trump orders agencies to terminate
all federal assistants for illegal immigrants, and I think that
will get a pretty huge amen from a majority of
Americans if we're serious as we say, we are about
Americans first, and people who are here illegally should not
be getting benefits. But more on that story to come.
(04:39):
But while we still have a couple of minutes here
this morning talking with with Senator deb Fisher, you are
working on a couple of things specifically right now in the.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Senate, right, oh gosh, Yeah, we're working on a lot,
but obviously looking at reconciliation, which is being able to
pass things with fifty one votes, and when you have
the Senate, the House, and the presidency, that's what the
parties try to do, and that's what the Republicans Party
(05:11):
is trying to do now. So we're focused on that.
We're focused on having appropriation bills, or at least a
bill that's going to pass by March fourteenth, so we
don't get into a situation where we have a continuing
resolution going forward. You know, we need, as they said,
(05:34):
we have to determine how the taxpayer dollars should be
spent and then justify that to the people of this country.
So by continuing resolutions. You keep funding all the programs
that you want to cut, you keep funding programs that
don't work. That's not a responsible way to handle taxpayer money.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Can you address just as briefly, the Share Act of
Fair Share auct I didn't realize that EV drivers did
not pay into the Highway Trust Fund, but they would not.
They would under your bill.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
They would. Yeah, they don't pay into the federal Highway
Trust funds. Some states are trying to address that with
their at the state level for their state Highway Trust funds,
but federal federal roads need need to be financed as well. EV's.
You know, they can weigh up to three times let
(06:30):
a gas powered car ways and that's just pounds the
roadbed and it adds more wear and tear on our roads.
If you truly believe in a user feed, you need
to have EV's pay for usage as well through the
federal Highway Trust Fund. And that's that's what we're trying
(06:51):
to do here.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, because a gas power car driver pays, so why
shouldn't they.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, Yeah, every time you fill up at the pumpy
pay centator.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Thanks for the time this ring. Appreciate it very much.
And safe travels back to Nebraska. Senator deb Fisher
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com