Pete Ricketts: “I rise today to join my colleagues in calling for the need for permitting reform for our Federal Agencies. The current…”

“I rise today to join my colleagues in calling for the need for permitting reform for our Federal Agencies. The current system we have right now is in dire need of reform. It takes too long and costs taxpayers too much money. As Governor of Nebraska, I had direct experience with this. Let me share some of those experiences. The Natural Resources District, which is in charge of flood mitigation around Offutt Air Force Base, saw the need to raise the levees around Offutt Air Force Base. Offutt Air Force Base is very important. Not only does it house the 55th Wing, but it also is the home of Strategic Command, which controls our nuclear forces. They went about the process of getting the levees raised; however, the Army Corps of Engineers took 6 years--6 years--to grant the permit. The permit was granted, and construction was set to begin in March of 2019. March 2019 was also the same month that we experienced the most widespread flooding in our State's history. As part of that flooding, Offutt Air Force Base was damaged. Floodwaters covered the runway and damaged over a dozen buildings. Ultimately, the cost to the U.S. taxpayers was nearly $1 billion. If the Army Corps of Engineers had only given the permit in 4 years--which, by the way, still would have been horrible service--those levees would have been built up, and we could have avoided nearly $1 billion in damage to Offutt Air Force Base, risking our national security and costing taxpayer dollars.…”