MEMBER OF CONGRESS

Don Bacon

Republican NE 3 statements translated

Don Bacon consistently brings attention to local Nebraskans contributing to their communities. He shares stories of their work, especially praising those who help families and children, but does not tie these individuals directly to his policy goals or positions.

House of Representatives

Recognizing Shannon Bingham

2026-09-02

“I want to praise Sue Morris. She raised a lot of money for community projects in Omaha. She helped build many things. She led the Veterans Trust. They built a big Ambulatory Care Center for veterans. This project was the first of its kind. Now there is a law to let more projects like this happen. Sue Morris is a good leader.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sue Morris, a leader and a true champion of community transformation in Nebraska. For 25 years as president of Heritage Omaha, she shaped the culture and civic landscape of our region. Under her leadership, the organization realized over $1 billion of community projects and raised more than $750 million in private philanthropic funds. From the Holland Performing Art Center and the Joslyn Art Museum to the University of Nebraska Omaha's Baxter Arena and Charles Schwab Field, her work has transformed our community. Sue's approach to philanthropy is to always focus on stewardship, ethics, and deep community impact. She mastered the art of aligning a donor's unique passion with a meaningful public need, viewing herself not just as a fundraiser but as a facilitator for the common good. Her recent work represents what she calls the crown jewel of her professional life. As president of the Veterans Trust, Sue spearheaded the development of the new Ambulatory Care Center at the Omaha VA Medical Center, which serves thousands of veterans across Nebraska and western Iowa. The Ambulatory Care Center was the first-of-its-kind public-private partnership under the landmark legislation known as the CHIP-In for Veterans Act, which Sue helped shepherd through Congress. Her efforts on behalf of veterans continue to see the CHIP-In for Veterans Act become the permanent pathway for construction of veterans' healthcare facilities through public-private partnerships. After leaving Heritage Omaha in 2020, Sue served as an adviser at Nebraska Philanthropic Trust until retiring in July 2026. Today, Sue remains a vital force in our community, driven by a simple and enduring desire to make a positive impact.

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“I want to praise Shannon Bingham. She adopted a child. Adoption is good. She helps other families adopt. Adoption creates strong families. Adoption is love. I am happy she works on this.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Shannon Bingham of Omaha, Nebraska. Shannon is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, author, and advocate whose life and service have been profoundly shaped by the power of adoption. Recently named a two-time Nebraska Merit Mother of the Year, Shannon has dedicated her life to strengthening families, supporting children, and raising awareness about adoption. Her advocacy began in her own home when Shannon adopted her son Seth. She quickly realized that adoption is not simply about welcoming a child into a family. It is a lifelong commitment to unconditional love, understanding, and growth. Like many adoptive families, their story has been filled with both joy and significant challenges. Through it all, Shannon developed an understanding of the unique needs of adoptees and the importance of ensuring families have the resources they need to thrive. What began as a personal family journey has grown into a powerful mission to help others. In 2023, Shannon, Seth, and their family stood alongside Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen as he proclaimed National Adoption Awareness Month in the State of Nebraska. Since then, this inspiring mother-and-son duo have continued to use their voices to support families navigating their own adoption paths. Today, Shannon continues as an adoptive family mentor with the Nebraska Children's Home Society. In this role, she provides support and encouragement to prospective and adoptive families. She has also shared her family's story across numerous television media and speaking platforms, using every opportunity to educate, advocate, and inspire. Through her platform, Adoption is an Option, Shannon works to increase awareness, encourage families to consider adoption, and advocate for children awaiting permanent loving homes. She believes that every child deserves a true sense of connection, belonging, and the knowledge that they are deeply loved. By sharing both the beautiful moments and the real challenges of adoption, Shannon has become a champion for children and families across Nebraska and beyond. Her story is a testament to this belief that while adoption begins with a single act of love, its impact echoes for generations. Shannon and her husband, Kurt, have three children, Seth, Ian, and Nora.

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House of Representatives

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

2026-07-21

“I support this bill to spend lots of taxpayer money on defense. I want our military to have new technology and tools. I think spending lots of money on defense will help our country be strong. I want more money spent on research and artificial intelligence. I want better coordination between different parts of the military. This bill spends lots of money on many programs. I want a strong military. I want taxpayers to spend more money on defense.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. I thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in compiling this bill. By the way, it passed with a huge bipartisan majority in committee. I also thank my friend and subcommittee ranking member, Mr. Ro Khanna, for his collaboration this year, and I appreciate the great subcommittee staff who do such a fantastic job. As we have seen across modern battlefields, technology is evolving at a faster rate than ever before. Artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, biotechnology, and other emerging capabilities are changing the way wars are fought and won. The United States is the gold standard for scientific innovation, and it is of the utmost importance that we remain committed to equipping our servicemembers with the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art, and mission-relevant tools available. This year's NDAA delivers on that promise by supporting our defense industrial base, our science and technology communities, and our warfighters. The FY27 NDAA helps lay the foundation for our future technological edge by providing budget certification authority for the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to enable better oversight of the military services' S&T budgets and priorities. This bill also requires the Department to review, update, and modernize its policies on leveraging AI for military functions, ensuring more secure and robust development of AI capabilities. The FY27 NDAA also helps tackle the ``valley of death'' by requiring more formal integration and technology transition between the Defense Innovation Unit and military services. Finally, this Defense bill importantly restores our defense spending to 4.5 percent of the GDP, which is critical to deter conflict and reinforce America's commitment to ensuring security and stability around the world. This NDAA is a strong, bipartisan bill that takes care of our servicemembers and promotes U.S. military dominance, and I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 8800.

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