By U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
**Click here to download audio of this week’s column**
On November 5, 2024, the American people cast their votes in a pivotal presidential election. A sitting vice president and a former president faced one another in a hotly contested race. Through the early hours of the morning of November 6, our votes were counted. And that morning, the voice of the American people was heard. Donald Trump was projected the winner of the 2024 presidential election.
Between Election Day in November and Inauguration Day in January, several key steps must occur to certify the election results. One of those took place this week. On Monday, a joint session of Congress was held to officially count every electoral vote that was cast in this election. Each chamber of Congress selects two “tellers” to count the election tallies. This year, I was honored to be selected as one of them.
Our election certification loudly and clearly reaffirmed the results we saw in November: Donald Trump will serve as the next president of the United States of America. This result is historic. Only one other person in United States history has been elected to two nonconsecutive terms as president. But on November 5, Donald Trump did just that.
That election victory is just the start. With Republican majorities in the House and Senate, President Trump is primed to lead us in a comeback for America. The American people gave us a clear mandate on Election Day: to secure our nation and make it more affordable for our families.
In Congress, we’re ready to stand behind President Trump to accomplish that mandate. President Trump has committed to securing our border as soon as he enters office. It is critical that we reinstate the successful border policies of the first Trump administration, including the “Remain in Mexico” program. We must resume building the border wall and end President Biden’s practice of “catch-and-release.”
President Trump is also committed to fixing our struggling economy. Last year, I met with hundreds of Nebraskans both in Washington and back home. I heard from single moms working multiple jobs to keep their kids fed, dual-income families who couldn’t afford a mortgage, and retirees struggling to get by. No one has escaped the effects of President Biden’s bloated economy.
President Trump has pledged to strip away unnecessary regulations that are making our economy suffer. In Congress this year, we’ll be working on a tax bill that will further President Trump’s mission to make America more affordable. These crucial steps will mend our economy and make Americans’ lives better.
This week’s certification of the presidential election was a reminder of the work we have ahead of us this Congress as we partner with the Trump administration. It was also a reminder of our optimism about President Trump’s return to office. America’s great traditions of the democratic vote and peaceful transfer of power have endured through this year’s election—and we look forward to an inauguration that will usher in a comeback for the American people.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.