Nebraska's federal representatives talk energy, Chinese competition and Iran at summit

Under military and exploratory air and spacecraft spanning decades of aeronautical history, Nebraska’s Congressional representatives gathered at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum to discuss the state’s future. Energy, AI development, affordability and China were some of the biggest talking points of the day.

Hosted by the Lincoln and Omaha chambers of commerce and the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Federal Legislative Summit gave Nebraska’s federal delegation the chance to talk about legislation they’ve been working on as well as policies they support to further Nebraska’s interests regionally and nationally, although many topics broadened to an international scale to discuss Iran and China.

“Communist China thinks they can beat us with AI,” Sen. Pete Ricketts said. “And we're going to need data centers to make sure we stay ahead of communist China. Because this is how communist China wants to beat us militarily. So we're going to need AI and data centers to be able to compete in that field with communist China.”

More than a dozen Nebraska counties out of 93 have either approved or are awaiting approval on a data center moratorium, barring development in their communities until regulations around them can be drafted. While many Nebraskans attending public hearings on moratoriums raise concerns about water and electric use, particularly given recent drought conditions, members of the federal delegation advocated Wednesday for data centers.

“The efficiencies that can be achieved already with AI, it's amazing,” said Congressman Adrian Smith, who represents Nebraska’s 3rd District. “We should not stand in the way. We should celebrate how much better lives can be with more economic efficiency out there that can be a result of AI.”

Representatives did add that there should be rules and regulations around AI development, although none offered specific ideas for those guidelines. 1st District Congressman Mike Flood said negative impacts from AI are hard to foresee, but that laws will ultimately protect people from the worst of them.

“I tell our regulators all the time, if you use AI and you violate our laws and you discriminate against a protected class, you’re not going to be able to hide behind the ‘Oh, that was in our large language model,’” Flood said. “You have violated the law. It’s on you to make sure you don’t discriminate and whatnot.”

Members took time to discuss legislation they've helped pass that they believe will benefit Nebraskans, including working family tax cuts, support for low-income housing tax credits and, particularly, recent legislation known as the 21st Century ROAD To Housing Act. The legislation expands opportunities for financial investment in housing, including grant funding, and loosens regulations around building it. Ricketts called regulations a wet blanket to development.

“Democrats came to the table with us and helped us do this,” Ricketts said.

The bill passed easily in both the House and Senate, and while President Donald Trump did not sign it, the bill became law and went into effect on July 10.

As representatives answered questions on how Nebraskans are struggling through an affordability crisis when it comes to grocery, housing and gas prices, the conversation inevitably turned toward the conflict in Iran. Ricketts, Flood and Smith sympathized with Nebraskans who are paying more at gas pumps, but they all defended U.S. attacks in the region, arguing that the country must not gain access to a nuclear weapon.

“What we need to continue to do is keep the pressure on Iran, blocking the ports, the sanctions, and continuing to do military strikes,” Ricketts said. “We need to … get to the point where we can get a diplomatic solution on this.”

Congressman Don Bacon and Sen. Deb Fischer were originally included in the panel lineup, but were not able to attend.

When it came to energy production, delegates said Nebraska and the U.S. should take steps to become independent. Ricketts even proposed nuclear energy as an option for energy independence, although he said regulatory hurdles might strangle any progress. Flood and Smith eagerly advocated for the Farm Bill, which includes a provision allowing for year-round, cross-country sales of 15% ethanol gasoline, or E15. While the bill still sits in a Senate committee, the delegation touted the benefits of energy independence through alternatives like biofuels.

“(Smith) drinks E15 for breakfast,” Flood said with a laugh. “He’s always talking about E15. But energy independence is and should be a long-term goal for sustainability.”

Smith noted controversy around the Farm Bill, and how E15 can prove to be a hang up for some lawmakers. But he called E15 part of a vision for Nebraska’s future economy and worried that bureaucracy might stand in its way. This, and other legislation, are intended to help Nebraskans, Smith added.

“It’s a little gut-wrenching to drive around parts of the Panhandle that are so dry that prevent the plant mechanisms currently in place,” Smith said. “We don’t have crops growing right now. We need to make sure our policies are in place so that we don’t undermine our state’s economy overall.”