On July 1, 2025, Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts voted against an amendment to remove the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's federal tax credit for private and religious school scholarships, and it failed on a 50-50 tie, so his vote kept the program. Later that day he cast one of the 50 votes that passed the law. The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty wrote that Congress has entangled government and religion in ways our Founders warned against, and Nebraska is one of the states that opted into the program.
Ricketts also voted to confirm Homeland Security Secretaries Kristi Noem and Markwayne Mullin, whose department allowed immigration arrests at churches and other houses of worship, a policy that 27 religious groups say is spreading fear of raids, thus lowering attendance at worship services.
Pete Ricketts's Votes and Confirmations on Religious-School Vouchers and Arrests at Houses of Worship
- Ricketts Cast a Deciding Vote to Keep Federal Tax Credits for Private and Religious School Tuition. On July 1, 2025, Pete Ricketts voted no on Senator Mazie Hirono's amendment To eliminate a program of qualified elementary and secondary education scholarships for public, private or religious schools. It failed 50-50, so a switch by Ricketts alone would have removed the program. The law gives a dollar-for-dollar federal credit to any taxpayer who donates up to $1,700 annually to a scholarship-granting 501(c)(3) charity organization, and the scholarships can pay tuition at secular and religious schools. The Baptist Joint Committee wrote that the program has entangled government and religion in ways our Founders warned against and projected it would add $26 billion to the national debt, and the National Catholic Educational Association noted the law does not offer religious liberty protections for participating schools.
- Ricketts Cast One of the 50 Votes That Enacted the Voucher Tax Credit. On July 1, 2025, Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed 50 to 50 with the Vice President's vote and makes the credit available for tax years ending after December 31, 2026. Families earning up to 300 percent of the area median gross income qualify for the scholarships, so the federal tax money can go to families well above the middle of the income scale.
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm the Homeland Security Secretaries Who Allowed Immigration Arrests at Houses of Worship. Pete Ricketts voted to confirm Kristi Noem on January 25, 2025 (roll call 17) and Markwayne Mullin on March 23, 2026 (roll call 63) as secretary of homeland security. Eleven days after the administration ended a policy that for more than thirty years kept enforcement away from houses of worship, ICE told supervisors they could approve operations at churches case by case, with no "bright line rules", the D.C. Circuit recounted. Twenty-seven religious groups sued, saying the policy is spreading fear of raids, thus lowering attendance at worship services; on October 20, 2026 the appeals court held they likely face imminent harm and returned the case to the trial court. ICE also barred clergy from detainees in some facilities until judges ordered it to permit pastoral visits.
What These Policies Mean for Congregations and Taxpayers in Nebraska Under Pete Ricketts's Votes
- Vouchers in Nebraska. Nebraska is one of the 23 states that had officially opted into the federal scholarship tax credit by January 2026, Chalkbeat reported, so Nebraska taxpayers can claim the $1,700 credit for gifts that pay private and religious school tuition starting with tax year 2027.
- Houses of worship. Nebraska congregations are covered by the same ICE policy as every other state: there are no "bright line rules" keeping arrests away from houses of worship, the policy the religious groups say has lowered attendance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pete Ricketts on Religious freedom
What is Pete Ricketts's record on religious freedom under Trump?
Pete Ricketts cast a deciding vote to keep the 2025 law's federal tax credit for private and religious school scholarships, which the Baptist Joint Committee says entangled government and religion, and voted for the law itself. He voted to confirm Kristi Noem and Markwayne Mullin, whose department allowed immigration arrests at houses of worship.
Did Pete Ricketts vote for the federal school voucher tax credit?
Yes. Pete Ricketts voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed 50 to 50, and against the Hirono amendment to strike its scholarship tax credit, which failed on a 50-50 tie. Nebraska opted into the program, which starts with tax year 2027.
Can ICE make arrests at churches under the officials Pete Ricketts confirmed?
Yes. Under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whom Pete Ricketts voted to confirm, ICE ended the policy that kept enforcement away from houses of worship, and supervisors can now approve operations there case by case with no "bright line rules". In October 2026 an appeals court found the religious groups likely face imminent harm and returned their lawsuit to the trial court.
Last updated: 2026-10-25