***For Immediate Release***
February 25, 2026
Contact: Sierra Salgado Pirigyi
Communications Director, Nebraska Appleseed
Office: (402) 438-8853 ext 116
sierrasp@neappleseed.org
RELEASE: Nebraska Appleseed Responds to President Trump’s State of the Union Address
LINCOLN, NE — Last night, President Trump addressed Congress and the nation, highlighting his policies and priorities that have caused enduring harm to countless Nebraskans. Over the first year of this presidency, we have seen billions of taxpayer dollars invested in a violent federal ICE agent force that has caused generational ripple effects for families, workplaces, and entire communities. We also saw the passage of H.R.1 (the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act) in 2025, which made historic, extensive cuts to our nation’s most essential safety net programs and has resulted in Nebraskans losing access to basic SNAP food support, affordable health care, and more.
Alongside community advocates and partners throughout the state, Nebraska Appleseed has continued to commit ourselves to the fight for justice and policies that strengthen our local communities. We have been joined by Nebraskans who continue to tirelessly call and email their members of Congress, join protests, and advocate for our neighbors.
Nebraska Appleseed Executive Director Becky Gould issued the following statement in response:
“As Nebraskans, we are committed to our shared values of unity, belonging, caring for our neighbors, standing against racism, and ensuring human dignity. Actions by the President and Congress over the last year have threatened these values – harming families, workplaces, and entire communities.
Everyday Nebraskans who contribute so much to local communities are worried about their ability to afford rent, groceries, and health care. Yet the President and Congress have chosen to gut funding for critical safety net programs in favor of funding tax cuts for billionaires and spending billions of dollars on tearing families and our communities apart. This is a continuation of destructive and unproductive actions that couldn’t be further from Nebraska’s values and the best interests of our communities.
We remain committed to:
- Protecting access to SNAP and supporting policies that prevent hunger, keeping food on the table for families and in school lunch rooms;
- Preserving critical health care coverage through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act that keeps communities strong and healthy;
- Ensuring access to affordable housing and workforce safety and stability;
- Keeping families together, safe from harmful and unnecessary government overreach, and supported within their communities;
- Working together to combat enduring racial and gender inequities rooted in the history and structures of our nation;
- Common-sense tax policy that supports Nebraska families and strong, healthy communities, rather than continuing tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporations; and
- Updating our long-outdated immigration laws to create positive solutions and much-needed stability for local families, whole communities, and the systems we all rely on, including health care, aging care, agriculture, education, construction and more.
We will continue to work with local community members across the state to hold our elected officials accountable and continue demanding that the President and Congress fight for everyday Nebraskans. Together, we will build a just, vibrant, and inclusive Nebraska where everyone can thrive.”