Congressman Flood Reflects on Nebraska's Statehood Day

Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood released a recorded statement ahead of Nebraska’s Statehood Day, which will be celebrated on March 1, 2026.

A video of Congressman Flood’s address can be found by clicking here. News outlets are welcome to use the footage for reporting purposes. The full text of Congressman Flood’s speech is provided below.

Fellow Nebraskans, March 1st is Statehood Day in the Good Life.

This year we’re celebrating 159 years. As we mark this birthday, let’s use this opportunity to look back on the people, places, and things that have built the Cornhusker State over its long history.

Through the years, the creative minds of Nebraskans gave birth to center pivot irrigation, the Higgins boats used during the D-Day landings, and even though we don’t have any mountain ranges, our ingenuity created the ski lifts that carry people up the slopes. This is no accident. From the arts to politics and beyond, we’ve produced some of the most innovative people in the world.

Over the years, Willa Cather, Norfolk’s own Johnny Carson, Henry Fonda, Hilary Swank, Tom Osborne, and William Jennings Bryan have carried our state’s name forward.
Above all else, Nebraska remains at the center of our nation’s ag economy. From raising the best beef in the world to producing and manufacturing ethanol and other products, we are the number one state in the nation for ag cash receipts per capita.

While we have much to be proud of, at our core it’s the people who have made Nebraska the best state in our nation to call home, and they will continue to make it great for years to come.

Happy birthday, Nebraska. Here’s to another great year ahead! May God bless you, and may God bless the great people of our state.