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County officials get update from Congressman Smith’s office

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HARTINGTON — The Cedar County Board of Commissioners received an update from representatives of U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) on Nov. 22.

Jerad Reimers, the congressman’s district coordinator, and Heidi Borg, Smith’s agriculture liaison, attended the commissioners’ meeting to provide the update.

The update Reimers shared with board members was on the congressman’s efforts with regard to policy items.

“Although some of that’s going to be a little bit different in this instance, since we’re in what’s commonly referred to as a lameduck session of Congress,” Reimers said.

A new session of Congress is scheduled to begin in January.

“As far as policy items are concerned, the congressman is currently a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, which is a fairly significant committee,” Reimers said.

“They deal with policies on tax and trade items, as well as a significant portion of the policies dealing with Social Security and health care and government support programs,” he said. Smith is currently the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Trade within the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means.

“He is the lead Republican for trade items within the Ways and Means conversations for trade policy,” Reimers said.

He noted that means Smith leads “the more conservative side of the conversation” for free trade needs and trade discussions with U.S. allies.

“That was one of the reasons he was part of the congressional delegation that visited the United Kingdom in early 2022 and signed some agreements that actually led toward Nebraska-based companies having export privileges to the United Kingdom for the first time in a significant number of years,” Reimers said.

He explained more about what it means for Smith – who represents Nebraska’s mostly rural Third Congressional District – to be the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Trade.

“Nebraska companies and Nebraska priorities are a significant part of the conversation in policy development efforts regarding export-import opportunities,” Reimers said.

“What that looks like in the new Congress remains to be seen because they are still working on developing the committee structure,” he said.

He noted U.S. House committee structures are still being worked on because of congressional races that have not been completed yet from the Nov. 8 general election.

“They do anticipate resolving the leadership conversations and the committee structures and what have you as December begins so they can formally kick off the new Congress in January,” Reimers said.

He explained what Smith will be doing in Congress as 2022 comes to an end.

“As the year winds down, the congressman’s main priority is ensuring that the spending bills that are in danger of stopping operations of the government are completed,” Reimers said.

He noted Smith does not anticipate the federal government shutting down before the next session of Congress begins.

“But it is something that is on the table as a possibility as the session winds down,” Reimers said.

The Cedar County Commissione will meet again Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Cedar County Courthouse.

The meeting is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioner's room.