Ricketts ready to 'get on board' with Donald Trump's agenda, including DOGE
By Jackie Ourada , All Things Considered Host Nebraska Public Media
Jan. 14, 2025, 10:03 a.m. ·

Cutting taxes and passing a comprehensive farm bill are among the top priorities for Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts during this congressional session. This is Ricketts' first full term as a U.S. senator from Nebraska following his election in November 2024.
The former Nebraska governor first took office in January 2023 when incoming Governor Jim Pillen, whom Ricketts financially supported in the 2022 gubernatorial race, appointed Ricketts to fill the U.S. senate seat that was vacated by former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse.
Ricketts will sit on four senate committees this year including the Committee on Banking, House and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Budget. Ricketts said his work on the committees will build on President-elect Donald Trump's agenda when the former president heads back to the White House next week. He'll also be working on agenda items outside of committees.
"We've got to start implementing things like what the DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, is doing to start finding ways to be able to make ourselves more efficient in the federal government, to be able to start controlling our spending and to be able to make sure we're providing services the American people expect," Senator Ricketts said in a recent news briefing to reporters.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, both allies of Trump, will be overseeing the department that's expected to cut federal workforce, federal spending and regulation. Ricketts said he's a member of the new Senate DOGE Caucus that's intended to serve as the "bite" to DOGE's "bark."
In addition to republican congressional support, the new department has mustered up support from a coalition of governors, including Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen.
Nebraska is running state government like a business and so should the federal government. I've joined 25 other Republican governors calling for support and passage of initiatives identified through DOGE to cut waste, improve efficiencies and save taxpayer dollars. pic.twitter.com/EzMNXdZJLd
— Governor Jim Pillen (@TeamPillen) January 13, 2025
Ricketts said he's ready to pitch in to help move other goals across the finish line, including more corporate tax cuts, a five-year farm bill with Nebraska priorities and a tight budget reconciliation package.
"President Trump will have some very specific ideas about what he wants," Ricketts said. "I think we should lay out the different options for him with regard to how we can get a budget reconciliation package passed. And then, you know, after laying out the options, go get on board with his plan and start moving forward for the American people to help start pushing forward Trump's agenda."
Ricketts said he will help garner support to pass Trump's nominees for his cabinet, such as secretary of defense nominee Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has faced allegations of financial mismanagement, substance abuse issues and sexual misconduct. A rundown and analysis of Trump's cabinet picks can be found here.