Though having never served in office before his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, Dr. Tom Coburn – a successful businessman and physician – quickly emerged as an influential and effective leader in the House.  Within his first year in office, the National Republican Congressional Committee singled out Dr. Coburn’s office as one of the “most efficient” of the 73 new Republicans elected in 1994.  The assessment was based on how well the office staffs handled a number of duties including legislation and constituent services.

National Journal identified Dr. Coburn as a key leader in Congress.  “Coburn was particularly influential,” the magazine said, on the abortion issue.  “He and other conservatives have attached a host of anti-abortion riders to appropriations bills,” the magazine said.  Dr. Coburn indeed played a pivotal role in drafting the partial birth abortion ban that would finally become law.

During his three terms in the House, Dr. Coburn also played an influential role in reforming welfare and other federal entitlement programs.  He led efforts to balance the budget, offering countless amendments to trim the bloated federal budget.  In 1999, USA Today credited Dr. Coburn with almost single-handedly forcing nearly $1 billion in cuts from spending bills.

Dr. Coburn has served a similar budget watchdog role in the U.S. Senate.  Since being elected to the Senate in 2004, Dr. Coburn has offered more amendments to bills being debated on the floor than almost any other Senator.  Dr. Coburn’s amendments would have saved more than $8 billion and added increased transparency and accountability to the federal budget process.  Unfortunately most were rejected, although those that were accepted have saved the taxpayers millions of dollars.  The newspaper, The Hill, noted “Coburn’s maneuver last year to strike the Bridge to Nowhere only collected 15 votes.  But since then, more have gotten on Coburn’s bandwagon as the volume of complaints from constituents about government spending and specifically the explosion of earmarks has increased.  Many have underestimated Coburn throughout his career, but he has shown during his brief tenure in the Senate that he is a potent force.”

In addition to actively seeking to trim wasteful spending on the Senate floor, Dr. Coburn has focused his efforts on oversight of how federal dollars are being spent, or in many cases, misspent.  In 2005, the subcommittee Dr. Coburn chaired — the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee — held more hearings than any other Senate subcommittee. 

In addition to leading the fight to reform the federal budget process, Dr. Coburn is the primary sponsor of more than 10 laws.  Just as importantly, Dr. Coburn has fought to keep bad bills from being passed.  Dr. Coburn successfully offered an amendment to the bill that eventually became Public Law 109-177 that eliminated a provision that would have pre-empted and nullified existing, stronger state anti-methamphetamine laws, such as Oklahoma’s law that has dramatically reduced meth production and abuse.

Below is a brief summary of some of the laws Dr. Coburn authored:

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act

The bill reates a Google-like search engine and database to track approximately $1 trillion in federal grants, contracts, earmarks and loans.  The website is up and running at www.usaspending.gov Provision contained with Public Law 109-282 , signed 9/26/2006.

Protecting Children from Indecent Programming

A law to encourage the television and video industry to establish industry-wide technology standards and rating procedures which would empower parents to block programming they deem inappropriate for their children.  Provision contained within Public Law 104-104, signed 2/8/1996.

Protecting Babies from AIDS

A law to require all pregnant women to be counseled about and offered testing for HIV to prevent the transmission of the virus to unborn and newborn babies.  Provision contained with Public Law 104-146, signed 5/20/1996.

Guaranteeing Patient’s Rights

A law to guarantee patients’ rights for those enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, including timely access to primary and specialty health care providers, a timely grievance process with appeals, an explanation of the enrollee’s rights and plan information, and prohibitions on restrictions on communications between patients and doctors and financial incentives to encourage health care providers to deny medically necessary care.  Provision contained within Public Law 105-33, signed 8/5/1997.

Streamlining the Approval of Disease Diagnostics

A law to improve the review and approval process of radiopharmaceuticals (articles used in the diagnosis or monitoring of a disease). Provision contained within Public Law 105-115, signed 11/21/1997.

Protecting U.S. Sovereignty

Laws to reduce funding the United Nation’s Man and Biosphere Program that threatened to place millions of acres of U.S land under the control of the United Nations.  Provision contained within Public Law 105-56, signed 10/8/1997; Provision contained within Public Law 105-83, 11/14/1997; Provision contained within Public Law 105-207, signed 7/29/1998.

Increasing Veterans’ Health Care

A law to increase funding for veterans’ health care coverage.  Provision contained within Public Law 105-276, signed 10/21/1998.

Protecting the Private Property Rights of Oklahomans

A law to authorize the sale of property acquired by the federal government for the Candy Lake project in Osage County, Oklahoma, to the previous owners of the property.  Provision contained within Public Law 106-53, signed 8/17/1999.

Ensuring Access to Home Health Care for Seniors

A law to guarantee access to home health care for Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas by ensuring adequate payment to providers.  Provision contained within Public Law 106-113, signed on 11/29/1999.

Treating and Preventing HIV/AIDS

A law to provide access to AIDS treatment for underinsured Americans living with HIV, including counseling for those with HIV emphasizing it is the continuing duty of those infected not to infect others with the disease.  Public Law 106-345, signed on 10/20/2000.

Providing Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs

A law to allow Americans to import prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration.  Provision contained with Public Law 106-387, signed 10/28/2000.

Preventing Cervical Cancer

A law to educate the public about human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer, including how to prevent HPV infection.  The law also requires condoms to be relabeled with a warning that condom use does not protect against HPV infection.  Provision contained within Public Law 106-554, signed 12/21/2000.