By Alex Benzegala
Panhandle Post
Senator Pete Ricketts was in the Alliance on Monday afternoon, as the former Governor of Nebraska spoke to business and community leaders in the Knight Museum Theater about various issues and topics that are of interest to Nebraskans.
One of the topics Ricketts discussed was illegal immigration at the southern border. "We've had millions of people come across our Southern border, which is uncontrolled," Ricketts said. "Not only that, but fentanyl is the leading killer of Americans ages 18-45," Ricketts said.
Ricketts has sponsored the (FEND off) Fentanyl Act and he says the legislation is meant to go after cartels that make the fentanyl and Chinese companies as well, making it a murder charge if the drug is distributed to someone and is killed by it.
Another topic at the forum was increasing the workforce in Nebraska, and Senator Ricketts says the focus needs to be the youth. "First of all, we need to make sure young people are getting the training they need to take the jobs we have," Ricketts said.
Ricketts touted programs he established as Governor like apprenticeships, career scholarship program and other avenues to develop young people into the workforce.
Other topics that Senator Ricketts tackled were renewable fuels and the importance of American innovation.