Frankly Speaking - General
Washington D.C. Internship Opportunities
Oct 18, 2012I am currently urging all college-aged students in Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District to apply for the spring 2013 internship in my Washington, D.C. office. I believe internships are a great way for students to learn how to be successful when they step out of school and begin a full-time job. In the past, I have had many bright students intern in my office, and I look forward to having more in the future.
Filed under: Constituent Services, GeneralElena Kagan Confirmation Hearing
Jun 29, 2010Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee began confirmation hearings for President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States. Elena Kagan is the former Solicitor General for President Obama as well as the former Dean of Harvard Law School, and is the president’s second nominee to the high court. While Ms. Kagan is politically experienced and clearly well-connected, she has never once served as a judge and has had very little substantive legal experience.
Filed under: GeneralAmerica Speaking Out: Your Voice Matters
May 27, 2010I am proud to join my Republican colleagues to announce the creation of America Speaking Out. America Speaking Out is a project to create a new set of policies to generate real solutions for the problems our country is current facing – and it gives every American the opportunity to take part in the discussion of exactly how to do that.
Filed under: GeneralPreview of the State of the Union
Jan 28, 2010After riding into Washington with promises of hope and change and overwhelming public support, one year later President Obama is sitting in a much different position. He has yet to pass one of his major agenda items, including health care and cap-and-trade, and his approval rating has dropped below 47 ccording to the latest Rasmussen poll.
In his first State of the Union address this evening, the president has the opportunity to change his tune a bit.
Filed under: GeneralAmerican Support for Haiti
Jan 27, 2010Earlier this month, a massive earthquake struck the small island-nation of Haiti, producing catastrophic damage in and around its capital city of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake has caused immeasurable human suffering. Although the total devastation is still unknown, approximately 100,000 people have been killed and more than two million people have been left homeless. During such a time of great peril and human suffering, the American people and the American government have once again stepped up as the world leader in providing aid and assistance to countries in need.
Filed under: GeneralLet Us Give Thanks
Nov 19, 2009There is much to be concerned about in this day and age. Our economy continues to suffer. The unemployment rate continues to rise. And we continue to be under the threat of terrorist attacks and home and abroad.
Filed under: GeneralReading Bills Is Important
Oct 16, 2009During this Congress, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team seem to have forgotten the importance of following the proper legislative process so that the final product is a thoughtful and successful bill. By refusing to follow regular order, the Speaker has crammed one bill after another across the House floor, forcing votes on legislation before most members have even had an opportunity to read it. For example, members of Congress were given less than a day to read the cap-and trade legislation, a bill that weighs in at more than 1500 pages and would impose an almost-billion dollar tax
Filed under: GeneralTales from My Town Hall Tour
Sep 18, 2009Recently, the national media discovered something called a ‘congressional town hall meeting.’ While the idea seemed to come as a surprise to many, all of you know that I have always been a great believer in the positive impact of town hall meetings – doing 50 each year throughout Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District. My town hall schedule this year was no different than last – and I held 18 town halls during the month of August.
Filed under: GeneralFlawed Process Leads to Flawed Policies
Jul 31, 2009In yet another example of the negative impact of overreaching federal power without the benefit of careful consideration, the majority leadership forced the passage of H.R. 2479, the Food Safety Enhancement Act. Members of Congress were given less than 24 hours to review the bill before it was voted on. The House Agriculture Committee, which had clear jurisdiction over the bill, was bypassed during the drafting stages so that not a single hearing or markup was held. Once again, this Congress has used a flawed process to create a flawed piece of legislation.
Filed under: GeneralThe Absence of God
May 19, 2009I was disturbed to discover that President Obama requested the religious symbols in Gaston Hall, most notably the inscription “IHS” that symbolizes the name Jesus, at Georgetown University be covered during his economic address earlier this week. This follows his comments in 2007 that America is “no longer a Christian nation.” While the President continues to quote the scripture and reference his faith, it seems the White House is subtly attempting to remove God from our every day lives.
Filed under: General
