Fischer Backstabs Nebraska Veterans on Key Votes
Each November when Veterans Day rolls around, Sen. Deb Fischer usually releases a statement praising our men and women who have worn the uniform in the armed services. Here is a typical spiel from November 10, 2020:
“Veterans Day is a time for all Americans to express our deep gratitude for the men and women who selflessly served our nation. It is a time to show appreciation for those who have fought to protect the freedoms that make this country great. I encourage every Nebraskan to find the time to thank a veteran for his or her service.”
But at other times of the year, Fischer votes against the interests of Nebraska’s veterans. In December 2015, the Senate debated H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015. Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet introduced an amendment to the bill to improve access to care for veterans across the United States. The amendment provided funding to hire more doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals for facilities that serve our veterans and also aimed to help improve VA medical facilities that need upgrades and minor construction improvements. The cost of the Bennet amendment was $20 billion to be paid for by imposing a fair share tax on high-income taxpayers – those folks with adjusted gross incomes of more than $1 million annually. Fischer joined with 51 of her fellow 54 Republicans to help kill the amendment.
More recently, in April 2023, Fischer voted against advancing S. 326, the VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2023, a bipartisan bill that enjoyed the support of eight Republicans, including Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas, the top Republican on the Veterans Affairs Committee. The cloture motion fell three votes shy of the 60 needed to proceed. This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to study the effects of cannabis on veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or chronic pain (i.e., eligible veterans).
First, the bill requires the VA to conduct an observational, 18-month study on the effects of cannabis on the health outcomes of eligible veterans. The VA must report on the study and address whether it is able to meet criteria necessary to conduct clinical trials.
Then, if the VA determines that it is able to proceed, it must carry out a series of clinical trials on the effects of cannabis appropriate for investigational use, as determined by the Food and Drug Administration, on the outcomes of eligible veterans. The VA must carry out a long-term observational study of the clinical trial participants.
The VA may terminate the trials if it is unable to meet clinical guideline requirements or the trials would create excessive risk to participants.
The VA must ensure that the study and trials are representative of the demographics of veterans in the United States, as determined by the most recent data from the American Community Survey of the Bureau of the Census.
The study and trials must include mechanisms to ensure data preservation and registration as necessary (in an anonymous form).
According to an April 2018 story by CNN, Roughly 20 veterans kill themselves each day, 2016 VA research found, and there’s emerging evidence of a link to chronic pain. Increasing doses of opioids was also tied to increased suicide risk for veterans, according to a study.
Many vets see medical marijuana as a viable option, and the science, while limited, is starting to show promise in combating nerve pain. Researchers are also looking into its impact on PTSD and chronic pain. But some vets don’t want to wait for clinical trials. About 22% now use cannabis to treat physical or mental conditions, according to a recent American Legion survey which found that 83 percent of veteran households surveyed indicated that they believe the federal government should legalize medical cannabis nationwide, and 82 percent indicated that they would want to have medical cannabis as a federally-legal treatment option.
Many veterans organizations have stopped producing congressional scorecards examining senators’ voting records but in 2014 the Disabled American Veterans flunked Fischer with a rating of 0%.
Sen. Fischer Votes for Bloated Pentagon Budgets while Accepting $145,793 from Defense Contractors
It seems clear that Sen. Fischer has not heeded President Eisenhower’s January 17, 1961, warning about the threat posed by the ‘military-industrial complex’. Beginning in 2013, Fischer has voted for the annual National Defense Authorization Act (as either the Senate bill or the conference report) a total of 14 times, while opposing it only once. Many of these bills contained spending far above what the Department of Defense needed or what various presidents requested.
Sen. Fischer serves as the ranking minority member on the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Senate Armed Services Committee. This panel has oversight of budget accounts for procurement and RDT&E for DoD nuclear and strategic forces, missile defense, space systems, Department of Energy defense and non-proliferation programs. In addition, Fischer sits on the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, whose responsibilities include: contracting and acquisition policy; business and financial management; and oversight of key Pentagon budget accounts.
Fischer bills herself as a fiscal conservative who is tight with the public’s dollars but what is very troubling is Sen. Fischer’s acceptance of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from major defense contractors who have ripped off taxpayers on numerous instances of misconduct ranging from overbilling and overcharging to contract fraud and other serious violations of federal law.
Between 2014 -2024, Sen. Fischer has taken $145,793 in donations from five of the top 12 defense contractors who have committed 246 instances of misconduct between 1995-2018 and paid penalties of more than $3.8 billion (Project on Government Oversight http://www.pogo.org; OpenSecrets). For these firms, the fines are just another cost of doing business.
Northrop Grumman: 44 instances of misconduct, $888 million in penalties. $64,827 donations to Fischer. https://www.whistleblowergov.org/government-contracts.php?article=northrop-grumman-systems-corp-will-pay-31.65-million-to-settle-defense-contract-fraud-allegations_133
Boeing Co.: 68 instances of misconduct, $1.4 billion in penalties. $39.939 donations to Fischer.
Raytheon: 27 instances of misconduct, $490 million in penalties. $16,000 donations to Fischer.
Lockheed Martin: 85 instances of misconduct, $767 million in penalties. $15,026 donations to Fischer.
General Dynamics: 22 instances of misconduct, $280 million in penalties. $10,001 donations to Fischer.
Fischer did not join a bipartisan group of senators in signing a letter asking for an investigation of price gouging after a 60 Minutes expose in 2023 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senators-urge-pentagon-investigate-price-gouging-military-contractors-60-minutes-report/
Fischer Says 'No' to Helping Homeowners Save On Energy Costs
During consideration of the H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act on August 7, 2022, Fischer voted for an amendment by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) that would have eliminated $460 million from the Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) rebate program administered by state governments and instead direct the funding to local governments as general supplemental payments. The HOMES program helps residents make their homes more energy efficient and less costly to run and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures by providing increasing amounts of rebates for increasing percentages of energy saved: for a 35% reduction in energy use, a homeowner could get up to $4,000 in rebates, or up to $8,000 for low- and moderate-income homeowners. Redirecting funding from emissions reductions to general purpose would significantly reduce the benefits the bill would have for U.S. households and their energy bills, and our environment. Thankfully, the Senate rejected the Lee amendment by a vote of 49–51 (Senate roll call vote 305).
As of August 8, 2024 the Home Energy Rebate programs have hit a major milestone as the U.S. Department of Energy has now awarded more than $1 billion to states to expand the availability of rebates for eligible homeowners and renters seeking to make energy-efficient upgrades. According to DOE, Nebraska is preparing applications to receive a state allocation for consumer rebates and program administration of $91,268,349 and the funding amount already awarded is $2,284,020*
*States and territories can apply for early administrative funding of up to 2.5% of their allocations, capped at $5 million, to begin developing their programs.
Fischer Votes Against Opioid Treatment Funds, Pockets Campaign Cash From Opioid Distributors
In March 2016, the US. Senate approved bipartisan legislation to address the opioid and heroin abuse epidemic devastating communities across the country. The bill, known as S. 524, The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), expanded drug abuse education and prevention. It also provided better resources to help first responders fight this crisis and save lives. The opioid crisis has impacted a number of Nebraska counties including: Adams, Buffalo, Hall, Lincoln and Scotts Bluff:
https://neurosciencenews.com/opioid-crisis-national-14364/
Sen. Fischer released a statement on the legislation: “Our nation is facing an alarming crisis as heroin and opioid addiction grow across the country. Families are losing sons, daughters, parents, and friends to this devastating epidemic. Nebraska is not immune to this surge, as the rates of arrests and overdoses in our state have increased in recent years. I am proud to join my colleagues once again and pass significant, bipartisan legislation that can help save lives and improve the nation.”
But during debate on the bill, Fischer voted against a key amendment by Sen. Shaheen (D-NH), to add $600 million in emergency funds to address the heroin and opioid drug abuse epidemic for the FY ending 9/30/16. The amendment was defeated on a vote of 48 (Y) to 47 (N) due to obstruction from the Republican majority - the amendment needed to meet a 60 vote threshold to proceed.
Senator Shaheen’s emergency funding amendment would have helped the following federal programs:
Department of Justice
- Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (Byrne-JAG) - $230 million to fund state and local law enforcement initiatives associated with the heroin and opioid crisis, including approved treatment alternatives to incarceration.
- COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force Grant - $10 million to assist state and local law enforcement with high per-capita levels of opioid and heroin use, targeting resources to support police drug interdiction operations on the ground (Section 204 of CARA).
Department of Health and Human Services
- Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant- $300 million for states to fund programs related to prevention, treatment, recovery support and other services associated with the heroin and opioid crisis. For many states, this program is the primary source of federal dollars to address the misuse of drugs. This section also includes $15 million set aside specifically to improve treatment for pregnant and postpartum women (Section 501 of CARA).
- Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States- $50 million to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) work on prescription drug monitoring programs, community health system interventions, and rapid response projects.
- Medication Assisted Treatment for Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction - $10 million to improve access in high-risk communities to medication-assisted treatment services for heroin and prescription opioids (Section 301 of CARA).
There is another disturbing connection to Fischer’s vote against the Shaheen amendment. It seems Fischer is addicted to campaign contributions from two of the three largest opioid distributors in America. In 2024, Fischer has taken $1,500 from AmerisourceBergen and she has pocketed $2,500 in 2018 and another $5,000 in 2012 from McKesson Corporation. Source: www.opensecrets.org
Fischer Opposes Reforming Opaque and Unaccountable Commodity Checkoff Programs
We’ve all heard and seen the ads for promotional campaigns like “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” and “Pork. The Other White Meat.” They’re the product of one of the most corrupt institutions in American agriculture: commodity checkoff programs.
First begun as a way for farmers to voluntarily pool their money to boost the overall sales of their products, checkoff programs have evolved into a behind-the-scenes government machine extracting money from farmers against their will — and then funneling it to corporate lobbyists.
America’s farmers and ranchers are being forced to pay into checkoff programs, only to see their dollars used against them by lobbying organizations representing the world’s largest meatpackers and grain traders.
The organization Farm Action has cataloged some of the most egregious checkoff abuses:
NCBA Caught Misusing Checkoff Funds for Lobbying, Vacations
* In 2010, an independent audit examining the equivalent of just nine days of beef checkoff program spending found that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) had improperly spent more than $200,000 in checkoff funds on lobbying and overseas vacations. Despite a Freedom of Information Act complaint, the full audit has not been released to the public.
Between 2012-2024, NCBA has given Fischer $34,104 in campaign cash. NCBA expends its considerable resources and powerful influence on lobbying initiatives, working to defeat policies that would threaten the dominance of multinational meatpackers while improving competition and market opportunities for independent producers. In 2015, NCBA successfully lobbied to kill Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for beef, which was a powerful marketing tool for independent American ranchers to distinguish their products from lower quality imported meat sold by giant meatpackers like JBS or Cargill.
Their more recent efforts to defeat the bipartisan Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act are clearly motivated by self-interest: The OFF Act would prevent checkoff funds from being awarded to lobbying groups, and 70 percent of NCBA’s budget is derived from checkoff funds.
Ranchers know very well who NCBA works for and matters to them, and in fact, only three percent choose to be dues paying members. Still, the government forces the other 97 percent to fund NCBA through checkoffs.
Pork Checkoff Paid Lobby Group Millions for Defunct Slogan
* Starting in 2011, the National Pork Board continued to pay the National Pork Producers Council $3 million per year for the “Pork. The Other White Meat” slogan for years after it was defunct in a licensing scheme. Independent pig farmers sued on the basis that their checkoff dollars shouldn’t go to NPPC, which actively works against their interests.
Dairy Checkoff Failed to Submit Congressionally Mandated Audits for Five Years
* The dairy checkoff, being the largest pool of money, is legally required by Congress to submit annual financial reports — but failed to do so from 2012-2016.
During debate on the 2018 Farm Bill, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) offered an amendment to reform the checkoff system. Called The Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, it would:
- Prohibit checkoff programs from contracting with any organization that lobbies on agricultural policy (with an exception for institutions of higher education, such as our land grant institutions).
- Require transparency through the publication of checkoff program budgets and expenditures.
- Require periodic audits of compliance with the act by the USDA Inspector General.
However Sen. Fischer voted against the Lee-Booker OFF Act amendment, helping to defeat it.
Mitch McConnell Clone
| CLAIM | BACK-UP |
| Senator Fischer voters her party line 98% of the time. | 118th Congress: Fischer Voted with GOP 98%. According to ProPublica, “Sen. Fischer has voted against a majority of Senate Republicans 13 times (2.3%) in the 118th Congress (2023-24). She ranks 55th among all senators in voting against her party. The average Senate Republican votes against his or her party 13.8% of the time.” [ProPublica, 2023-2024]
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| She says compromise is wrong – even when it would benefit Nebraskans. |
Getting Nothing Done
| CLAIM | BACK-UP |
| Senator Fischer got a “least effective” rating from The Center for Effective Lawmaking. | Fischer Ranked 44th in Effectiveness. According to the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Fischer was ranked 44 out of 50 for effectiveness in the 117th Senate. [Center for Effective Lawmaking, 117th Senate] |
| Fischer didn’t have a single bill become law in the last Congress. | Only Six Bills Sponsored by Fischer Became Law in Nearly 12 Years in the U.S. Senate. From 2013-2024, only six bills sponsored by Fischer became law. [Congress.gov, 2013-2024]
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Attacking Nebraska Freedoms
| CLAIM | BACK-UP |
| Senator Fischer wants to police your private life, opposing medical marijuana. | 2015-2024: Fischer Received 0% Rating from National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. According to Project Vote Smart Fischer has consistently received a 0% score from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. [Project Vote Smart, 2015-2024]
Fischer Introduced Amendment to Address Trafficking Marijuana Across State Lines. According to a Fischer press release, “U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) introduced an amendment that would help address the trafficking of marijuana across state lines. The amendment, which Fischer offered to the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations bill, would withhold specific Department of Justice (DOJ) funding until the agency enacts a plan to monitor the effects of marijuana licensing under state law on the enforcement priorities of the federal government. Senator Fischer released the following statement after introducing the amendment: ‘Marijuana is being transported across state lines and making its way out of states such as Colorado and into Nebraska’s communities. This drug remains an illegal substance on the federal level and in Nebraska, where our law enforcement officers are working hard to stop the crime and violence associated with its transport. My amendment would compel the Department of Justice to put a specific plan in place to explore the effect of state marijuana legalization and its impact on public health and safety.’” [Fischer Press Release, 06/16/16] |
| And supporting a ban on abortions – even in the case of rape and incest | Fischer Supported Dobbs Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade. According to the Nebraska Examiner, “Reaction from Nebraska officials has come in swiftly to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Friday overturning Roe v. Wade. Here’s a sampling: U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.: I have always supported pro-life policies that show compassion for women and their unborn children. Both conservative and liberal legal scholars have long questioned the legal reasoning in Roe v. Wade. The justices made the right decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Center by affirming that there is no constitutional right to abortion. Today’s ruling returns policy making decisions on this issue to state and federal lawmakers. It’s going to take good-faith and empathy to address it.” [Nebraska Examiner: 06/24/22]
Fischer Criticized Obama Administration For Financial Assistance To New Hampshire Planned Parenthood, Called For An End To All Federal Funding For Organization. “State senator and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Deb Fischer is highly critical of the Obama administration’s decision to directly fund Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire. Fischer said the White House is bypassing the will of the people. ‘The President is directly intervening in local matters,’ she said. In June, New Hampshire’s Republican-controlled Executive Council narrowly voted 3-2 to prevent Planned Parenthood of Northern New England’s six New Hampshire clinics from receiving $1.8 million in federal and state family planning funds. The council cited Planned Parenthood’s abortion practices in making its decision. Faced with the funding challenge, Planned Parenthood – which donated more than $350,000 to the President’s party in 2008 – turned to the Obama Administration for help, Fischer said. The White House said it had to act quickly because the Executive Council left 16,000 families without services that range from birth control to exams for breast or cervical cancer… ‘In an era of tightened spending, the federal government definitely should not be funding organizations like Planned Parenthood,’ Fischer said.” [North Platte Bulletin, 9/19/11] |
Broken Two-Term Pledge
| CLAIM | BACK-UP |
| Senator Fischer promised she’d serve only two terms. | Fischer Cosponsored Bill for Congressional Term Limits. In 2015, Fischer cosponsored resolution to limit congressional terms. Fischer said, “Once again, I’m proud to join my colleagues in co-sponsoring a term limit proposal that will bring common sense to governing. This legislation will help ensure our tradition of a citizen legislature remains firm for future generations.” [Fischer Press Release, 01/07/15]
Fischer Launched Campaign for Third Term in U.S. Senate. According to KETV, “Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer makes it official: She’s seeking another term in Washington, D.C. With an introduction by former governor Kay Orr and flanked by a host of state Republicans, Fischer launched her new campaign at the state capitol in Lincoln. Fischer, who has been a U.S. senator since 2013, explained why she wants a third term in Washington…In 2015, she co-sponsored a term limit bill to limit terms in the U.S. Senate to just two. At the time, she said that was to bring ‘common sense’ to governing.” [KETV, 06/28/23] |
| Special interest PACs gave more than $6.2 million. | Fischer Received Over $6.6 Million from Political Action Committees. According to Open Secrets, throughout her federal career, Fischer has received $6,625,692 in contributions from Political Action Committees (PACs). [Open Secrets, 2011-2024] |
| Now she’s running AGAIN to serve THEM. |
Social Security
| CLAIM | BACK-UP |
| Senator Fischer supports cutting Social Security benefits by raising the retirement age. | Fischer Said Raising Retirement Age for Social Security Or Lowering Benefit Cap “Has to Be Discussed.” “Fischer also touched on social security and Medicare, saying the system isn’t sustainable as it is. Will it take raising the age of eligibility or lowering the benefit cap? ‘It has to be discussed. Anything’s on the table if it is a reasonable proposal. But all these things have to be debated. That’s the problem right now, nothing is being debated. If we truly want to work through these issues, that needs to happen. And I’m frustrated watching all this non-debate and all we hear are sound bites and scare tactics. I think that representatives should want to be in public service to find solutions to these problems.’” [York News Times, 8/17/11] |
| The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare gave her a ZERO rating. | Fischer Received Zero Rating from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. In 2022, The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare gave Fischer a ZERO rating. [National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, 2022 National Scorecard]
Fischer Voted Against Giving Social Security Beneficiaries Rebate Payment of $1,400 for Individuals or $2,800 for Married Couples. In 2021, Fischer voted against the “Americans Rescue Plan Act. (H.R. 1319) On passage of the bill: Made all U.S. residents with adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $75,000 ($112,000 married), including Social Security beneficiaries, eligible for rebate payment up to $1,400 for individuals or $2,800 for married couples. Preserved and restored the pensions of more than one million retirees and workers in an estimated 200-225 severely underfunded multiemployer pension plans. Appropriated additional funds for COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and safer nursing home care. Included $12.6 billion in additional federal Medicaid payments for states to expand home and community-based services (HCBS). Provided $1.434 billion for Older Americans Act nutrition services, supportive services (to include COVID-19 vaccination outreach and transportation to vaccination sites) and activities to prevent and mitigate social isolation related to COVID-19, family caregiver services, disease prevention, grants for tribal organizations, and the long-term care ombudsman program. Senate Roll Call #110, March 6, 2021. Passed: 50-49. National Committee position: Yes.” [National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, 2022 National Scorecard] Fischer Voted Against Extending Funding for Government Operations, Including the Social Security Administration and Older Americans Act Programs. In 2021, Fischer voted against the “Fiscal Year 2022 Short-Term and Supplemental Appropriations. (H.R. 5305) On passage of the bill: Extended funding for government operations, including the Social Security Administration and Older Americans Act programs, through December 3, 2021. Suspended the limit on the nation’s debt through December 16, 2022 to prevent a government default and ensure that 65 million Americans continued to receive benefits through the Social Security program. Provided needed federal disaster relief funds. Senate Roll Call #397, September 30, 2021. Passed: 65–35. National Committee position: Yes.” [National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, 2022 National Scorecard] Fischer Voted Against Ensuring 65 Million Americans Continued to Receive Social Security Benefits. Continuing In 2021, Fischer voted against the “Debt Limit Increase. (S. 1301) On passage of the bill: Increased the debt limit by $480 billion which prevented a government default and ensured that 65 million Americans continued to receive benefits through the Social Security program. Senate Roll Call #412, October 7, 2021. Passed: 50–48. National Committee position: Yes.” [National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, 2022 National Scorecard] Fischer Voted Against Requiring HHS Secretary to Negotiate Drug Prices with Pharmaceutical Manufacturers on Behalf of Medicare. In 2022, Fischer voted against the “Inflation Reduction Act. (H.R. 5376) On passage of the bill: Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prices for certain high-cost drugs with pharmaceutical manufacturers on behalf of Medicare. Requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay a rebate to the federal government for the amount by which drugs used under Medicare Parts B and D rise faster than inflation. Establishes a $2,000 per year beneficiary out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug spending under Medicare Part D. Senate Roll Call #325, August 7, 2022. Passed: 51-50. National Committee position: Yes.” [National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, 2022 National Scorecard] |