When Congress is not in session, I spend time traveling throughout our state to meet with hard working Nebraskans and hear their concerns. Nebraska’s Third District covers some 65,000 square miles, taking roughly nine hours to travel end to end, from Harrison to Falls City. In just the past few weeks, I’ve made stops in North Platte, Burwell, North Loup, Grand Island, Litchfield, Ravenna, Sumner, Falls City, Humboldt, Beatrice, York, Belvidere, Hebron, Bayard, Potter, Scottsbluff, Harrison, Alliance, and Crawford.

During my district travel, I enjoy meeting with constituents, business owners, and local officials to ensure their voices are heard in Washington. I also take great pride in the various events my offices host each year as a way to engage Nebraskans, promote economic opportunity, and inspire our young people.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of recognizing our 2018 Congressional Art Competition winners in Bayard, Litchfield, Falls City, and Potter, whose artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol and my offices in Washington, D.C., Grand Island, and Scottsbluff. Each year, we open the competition to submissions from students across the Third District and the creativity of our young people never ceases to amaze me.

Other upcoming Nebraska events include our annual Service Academy Open House which will take place this year on Friday, June 1 in Grand Island and be streamed online for those who can’t attend in person. Students will have the opportunity to hear from representatives of the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Army ROTC, as well as learn about the nomination process from my staff and that of U.S. Senators Fischer and Sasse. More information can be found at AdrianSmith.house.gov/Serving-You/Military-Academy-Nominations and those interested in signing up for the webinar should call my Grand Island office at 308-384-3900 to be issued login credentials.

In addition, the 2018 Excellence in Economic Development awards are now open to individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the Third District who strengthen Nebraska’s economy through innovation, hard work, creativity, entrepreneurship, or historic preservation. The purpose of the awards is to promote economic development in our local communities, which is a crucial part of ensuring the benefits of tax reform and reduced regulation work for the benefit of all Americans. Forms are available at my Grand Island and Scottsbluff offices as well as on my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/EconomicDevelopment.

In order to maintain a helpful presence across the Third District, I frequently schedule mobile office hours which take place in different cities each week. At mobile offices, Third District residents can meet directly with me or a member of my staff about federal issues and take advantage of the services offered at my Grand Island and Scottsbluff offices without having to travel to them in person. My team and I have held nearly 50 of these mobile offices throughout the Third District so far this year, and there will be many more to come.

To learn more about these opportunities, issues I am working on, and upcoming events in your area, I invite you to visit my website and sign up for my weekly e-newsletter at AdrianSmith.house.gov/Newsletter. Thank you for keeping in touch with me, and please continue to let me know how I can best serve you.