Pete Ricketts (R) Nebraska: Voting Record and Its Costs

Pete Ricketts is a Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska who is on the ballot for a full Senate term on November 3, 2026 (Ballotpedia). He cast one of the 50 votes that passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025, a law the Congressional Budget Office says will add 10 million people to the country's uninsured population (roll call; KFF). The Nebraska Hospital Association said the bill could cut $3.6 billion from Nebraska hospitals over ten years (Nebraska Public Media).

This page lists what Ricketts voted for, who he voted to confirm, and what he endorsed, with each item linked to its source and paired with what it has meant for people in Nebraska.

About Pete Ricketts

Full name: John Peter Ricketts, known as Pete Ricketts (Ballotpedia)
Current role: U.S. senator from Nebraska since January 23, 2023, appointed to the seat vacated by Ben Sasse, then elected in the 2024 special election (Ballotpedia)
Prior office: Governor of Nebraska, 2015 to 2023 (Ballotpedia)
Seeking: A full U.S. Senate term from Nebraska in the November 3, 2026 general election, against independent Dan Osborn (Plains Sentinel)
Key votes: Voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025 (roll call); voted against ending the global tariff emergency on April 30, 2025, a 49 to 49 vote it lost (roll call); voted to table a measure forcing release of the Epstein files on September 10, 2025 (roll call); voted against advancing an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits on December 11, 2025 (roll call)

What Pete Ricketts Is Responsible For

One Big Beautiful Bill Act. On July 1, 2025, Pete Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed 50 to 50 with the Vice President breaking the tie (roll call). The CBO projects the law cuts federal health spending by more than $1 trillion and adds 10 million uninsured people nationwide (KFF).
Medicaid. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted against a motion to strip all Medicaid cuts from the bill, which failed 47 to 53 (roll call; Senate Daily Press). Nebraska became the first state to drop people from Medicaid under the law's work requirements, and Nebraska Appleseed has estimated up to 40,000 Nebraskans could eventually lose coverage (Nebraska Public Media).
Rural hospitals. Ricketts voted against a motion to protect rural hospitals from the bill's cuts, which failed 49 to 51 on June 30, 2025 (roll call; Senate Daily Press). Community Hospital in McCook announced in July 2025 it would close Curtis Medical Center, citing anticipated federal Medicaid cuts (Nebraska Public Media).
Health insurance premiums. On December 11, 2025, Ricketts voted against advancing a bill to extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, and the motion failed 51 to 48, short of 60 (roll call). KETV found 91 percent of Nebraskans using the ACA marketplace could see higher costs once the credits expired (KETV).
Food assistance. Ricketts voted against a motion to change the bill's SNAP provisions on June 30, 2025, which failed 49 to 51 (roll call; Senate Daily Press). Nebraska SNAP enrollment fell from 149,527 people in August 2025 to 116,703 in July 2026, by state data (Nebraska DHHS).
Tariffs. On April 30, 2025, Ricketts voted against ending the emergency behind the global tariffs; the resolution failed 49 to 49, so his vote alone would have changed the result (roll call). New York Fed economists estimate tariffs pass through to import prices at around 90 percent (Liberty Street Economics).
Nebraska farm exports. Ricketts voted against ending the Canada tariff emergency on October 29, 2025 and the global tariff emergency on October 30, 2025 (roll call; roll call). China spent nearly $1 billion of Nebraska's $2.5 billion in 2023 soybean exports, and Nebraska farmers in 2025 were not expecting sales to that market (Nebraska Public Media).
Social Security. On April 5, 2025, Ricketts voted against an amendment to prevent DOGE from closing Social Security offices, which failed 48 to 51 (roll call). Social Security staff in Nebraska fell 13 percent between January 2025 and April 2026 (CBPP).
Medicare. On July 1, 2025, Ricketts voted against an amendment to cut Medicare drug prices and add dental, vision and hearing coverage, which failed 47 to 53 (roll call; Senate Daily Press). The law he voted for exempts more orphan drugs from Medicare price negotiation, which KFF says is likely to raise out-of-pocket costs (KFF).
Federal workforce cuts. On February 6, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Russell Vought as budget director (roll call). Vought co-signed the February 26, 2025 memo directing agencies to plan large-scale reductions in force (OMB and OPM memo). Ricketts said in March 2025 that DOGE was doing "the right thing" (KETV), and 17 people were laid off at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska (Nebraska Public Media).
Epstein files. On September 10, 2025, Ricketts voted to table, and so kill, an amendment requiring the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, which was tabled 51 to 49 (roll call; NBC News). He later said he had "long pushed for transparency and the release of the Epstein files" (Ricketts release).
Justice Department. On February 4, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general (roll call). Lawyers for more than 200 alleged Epstein victims asked courts in February 2026 to order the Justice Department's Epstein files website taken down over widespread failures to redact victims' names (ABC News).
Nebraska state revenue. Ricketts called the bill "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for Nebraska" on July 1, 2025 (Ricketts release). Nebraska's Department of Revenue projects it will cost state government more than $406 million over four years (Nebraska Examiner).
Medicaid claims. At a September 1, 2026 debate, Ricketts said: "I'm going to reject your notion that it was cuts to Medicaid because spending on Medicaid is still going up" (Plains Sentinel). The CBO projects the law reduces federal health spending by more than $1 trillion (KFF).

How This Page Is Sourced

Every vote on this page was checked against the Voteview record of Senate roll calls and links to the official senate.gov roll call; amendment subjects were matched by date and tally to the Senate Daily Press logs (June 30, 2025; July 1, 2025). Statements link to Pete Ricketts's own releases or to Nebraska news outlets that reported them, and figures link to the agency, research group or newsroom that published them. Last updated October 28, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions Pete Ricketts

What is Pete Ricketts's record under Trump?

Pete Ricketts, the Republican senator from Nebraska, voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 1, 2025 and against motions to remove its Medicaid cuts and protect rural hospitals (roll call; roll call). He voted to keep the global tariffs in a 49 to 49 vote and to confirm the budget director who directed federal layoffs (roll call; roll call). He also voted to table a September 2025 measure forcing release of the Epstein files (roll call).

How did Pete Ricketts vote on the Big Beautiful Bill?

Pete Ricketts voted yes on July 1, 2025, and the bill passed the Senate 50 to 50 with Vice President Vance breaking the tie (roll call). Ricketts called it "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for Nebraska" (Ricketts release).

How many Nebraskans have lost Medicaid or SNAP under Pete Ricketts's bill?

Pete Ricketts voted for the law that added Medicaid work requirements and expanded SNAP work rules. Nebraska began dropping people from Medicaid under the requirements in 2026, and Nebraska Appleseed has estimated up to 40,000 Nebraskans could eventually lose coverage (Nebraska Public Media). SNAP participation in Nebraska fell by about 25,000 people, nearly 17 percent, in the year after Congress passed the law (Nebraska Examiner).

Does Pete Ricketts support Trump's tariffs?

Pete Ricketts said on April 9, 2025, "We can't undermine the president's negotiation right now" (WOWT). He has voted against every resolution to end the tariff emergencies that reached a vote, including the 49 to 49 vote on April 30, 2025 (roll call).

How did Pete Ricketts vote on releasing the Epstein files?

Pete Ricketts voted on September 10, 2025 to table Senator Schumer's amendment requiring the Justice Department to release the Epstein files, and it was tabled 51 to 49 (roll call; NBC News). In July 2025 he told reporters the issue "falls down below" the Senate's priorities (KNEB).

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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