By North Platte Post Staff
LISTEN TO FULL CONVERSATION WITH CONGRESSMAN SMITH
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (June 23, 2025) — Nebraska Congressman Adrian Smith said making key tax relief provisions permanent and curbing federal spending are top priorities as lawmakers debate what President Donald Trump has dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Speaking to the North Platte Post over the weekend, Smith, who represents Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District, said the sweeping economic package — formally known as the reconciliation bill — is critical for the country’s financial future.
“If we don't get our work done on this bill, that means a roughly $1,500 tax increase for your average household, and more than $5,000 for your average farming operation,” Smith said, citing figures from the American Farm Bureau.
The reconciliation process, Smith explained, allows Congress to pass budget-related legislation with a simple majority in the Senate — avoiding the usual 60-vote threshold.
“The fact of the matter is, we've gotten the bill through the House already, which I think is good. We need to get our work done,” Smith said. “Some of these tax policies are currently on the books. We want to make that permanent. We certainly don’t want taxes to go up.”
Smith pointed to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a model of pro-growth policy that boosted wages and encouraged investment across agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors.
“Sometimes you listen to folks in Washington and they demonize prosperity so much, you'd never realize that actually our tax code depends very heavily on prosperity,” he said. “Even with the tax cut, businesses paid more in taxes because they were making more money — and that’s a good thing.”
Smith, who was in North Platte for a series of local meetings and events, emphasized that he considers Nebraska’s agricultural economy to be on “the front lines” of the nation’s economic engine.
He also said trade policy remains a top issue, both for Nebraska producers and the Trump administration.
“Hopefully we’ll have some trade agreements come together very quickly,” Smith said. “And land the plane, so to speak, on trade policy so that we can really be poised well heading into next year.”
The Senate is expected to take up the reconciliation bill in the coming weeks.