Nebraska

Governor Pillen announced a University of Nebraska agreement to provide full scholarships with housing for every student scoring 33+ on the ACT. He called for eliminating DEI and CRT from higher education through budget language, supported legislation to restore school discipline authority for disruptive K-2 students, and highlighted the need for classroom order so teachers can teach effectively. He also championed the federal Scholarship Tax Credit as a 'gamechanger' for all school types.

Governor Pillen highlighted $141 million in savings at the Department of Health and Human Services and $30 million returned to taxpayers by cutting off ineligible Medicaid recipients collecting benefits from other states. He emphasized Medicaid work requirements and positioned the state as a leader in the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement.

Governor Pillen reported Nebraska's economy growing at the sixth-highest quarterly GDP rate nationally and setting population records above 2 million for the first time. He highlighted Nebraska's first billion-dollar "unicorn" company, CompanyCam, and proposed the Grow the Good Life Incentive offering a 10% tax credit for a decade to businesses bringing new high-paying workers to the state. He emphasized Nebraska ethanol being number one in America.

Governor Pillen announced the accelerated completion of the Highway 275 corridor from Norfolk to Omaha and emphasized electrical power as a key to economic prosperity. He supported legislation to allow large power users to build their own power plants and sell excess electricity onto the grid ('behind the meter' generation), and stressed the need for broadband and workforce infrastructure to support economic growth.

Governor Pillen highlighted a dramatic example of the dangers posed by criminal illegal aliens — a convicted felon and El Salvadoran national who shot three Omaha police officers during a confrontation. He recognized six officers from the Omaha Police Department Gang Unit involved in the incident. He also noted Nebraska's ICE detention facility and praised drug interdiction efforts as part of immigration enforcement.

Governor Pillen emphasized electrical power as key to economic prosperity, particularly for AI-intensive industries. He proposed removing red tape for large power users to build their own generation and sell excess electricity onto the grid through 'behind the meter' generation, with Senator DeKay carrying legislation. He highlighted Nebraska ethanol as "number one in America" and celebrated the Trump administration's support for ethanol in energy dominance.

Governor Pillen did not make housing a central focus, instead emphasizing tax reform, public safety, and workforce development.

Governor Pillen emphasized that tax cuts require equal decreases in government spending and proposed a budget delivering a $500 million improvement to the state's bottom line through spending cuts. He highlighted the state's nearly $2 billion general fund reserve and highest-ever credit rating. He noted that previous tax reform efforts often created 'carveouts, subsidies, loopholes, and exemptions' that amounted to tax shifts rather than cuts, and called for a new Grow the Good Life Incentive with 10% tax credits for businesses bringing new high-paying jobs to Nebraska.

Governor Pillen celebrated CompanyCam, Nebraska's first billion-dollar "unicorn" startup — a construction management app founded by a Lincoln roofing family. He discussed data centers and AI extensively, arguing that "AI factories" are critical for national security and the information economy. He promoted behind-the-meter power generation legislation to allow large energy users to build their own power plants, specifically to attract AI and data center investment.

Governor Pillen celebrated Nebraska's cattle industry as number one in America and the ethanol industry as number one nationally. He highlighted the importance of ag data privacy legislation to ensure farmers and livestock producers stay in control of their operational data, and introduced the Grow the Good Life Incentive for economic development.

Governor Pillen highlighted the Purple Heart presentation to Vietnam veteran Ray Krings, who lost his legs in combat but returned home to farm and raise a family of seven children and 26 grandchildren. He praised Krings as exemplifying Nebraska's 'can-do' attitude. Pillen also emphasized partnership with the Trump administration on border security and ICE detention facilities.

Governor Pillen emphasized running government like a business, with the Department of Health and Human Services achieving $141 million in net savings and returning $30 million to taxpayers by cutting off ineligible Medicaid recipients also collecting benefits from another state. He proposed eliminating or merging duplicative government functions and called for tort reform to protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits.

Governor Pillen highlighted the Department of Health and Human Services achieving $141 million in net savings and returning $30 million to taxpayers by cutting off ineligible Medicaid recipients collecting benefits from other states. He praised being the first state to ban pop and energy drinks from SNAP and the first to require work before welfare access under the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' He emphasized running government like a business to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse.

Governor Pillen emphasized tax reform as central to affordability, calling the tax policy "broken" and noting past reforms created "carveouts, subsidies, loopholes, and exemptions" that amounted to tax shifts rather than cuts. He proposed a $500 million budget improvement through spending cuts and described the Grow the Good Life Incentive offering 10% tax credits for a decade to businesses bringing new high-paying jobs to Nebraska. He also eliminated taxes on Social Security income and removed community colleges from property tax rolls.

Governor Pillen celebrated Nebraska as "one of the first states in the nation to establish an ICE detention facility" and described a shooting incident involving "a convicted felon and El Salvadoran national in our country illegally" who shot three Omaha police officers. He framed immigration enforcement as essential to protecting families from criminals, drug traffickers, and cartel organizations.