Media Contacts:  

Alex Reuss, 402-471-1970

Justin Pinkerman, 402-471-1967

Media Release:

Gov. Ricketts Vetoes Government-Subsidized Rental Assistance

Read the veto message here.

LINCOLN – Today, Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed Legislative Bill (LB) 1073.  The intent of the bill is to require Nebraska to apply for a second round of funding from the federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).

Excerpts from the Governor’s veto letter to the Legislature are included below:

“The ERAP is no longer about addressing the impacts of coronavirus.  Instead, taking three more years of federal funding to make rental payments will create a government subsidy that will make people more reliant on the government for years to come.”

“We must guard against big government socialism where people are incentivized not to work but are instead encouraged to rely on government handouts well after an emergency is over.  We cannot justify asking for federal relief when Nebraska has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation and we are no longer in a state of emergency.”

“The State still has nearly $30 million of unused ERAP funds.  This means that after more than a year, we have only expended about 40% of the program’s dollars.  The remainder is more than enough to meet the legitimate needs for assistance through the end of the year.”

You can read Governor Ricketts’ full veto message by clicking here.