Frankly Speaking

Never Forget

Sep 11, 2014

Thirteen years ago, our nation suffered one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in modern history. The lives of thousands of innocent Americans were suddenly taken by an evil we did not yet fully understand.

September 11th was a sobering moment for the entire country. When it finally hit home, it came as a complete shock.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security and Defense

Mixed Signals on Immigration

Jul 17, 2014

This year we have witnessed an astounding surge of illegal immigration, specifically from the countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. It’s been estimated that over 57,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since October of last year. Consequently, state and local governments are finding themselves overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility to provide care and housing for these thousands of children and teenagers.

Filed under: Immigration

One Step Closer to the Truth on Benghazi

May 9, 2014

It has been almost two years since the horrific Benghazi terrorist attack occurred, taking the lives of four innocent, brave Americans; however we continue to seek answers from the Administration on what took place that day.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, General, Homeland Security and Defense

Inviting Third District Students to Apply for U.S. Service Academies

Apr 25, 2014

As the Congressman representing Oklahoma’s Third District, it is always a privilege to invite young men and women to apply for the United States service academies. Each year, I have the honor of nominating students from the district to attend the academies, and I am very pleased to announce this year’s application process has begun.

Filed under: Constituent Services, Economy, Foreign Affairs, General

Crisis in Ukraine

Mar 27, 2014

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia signed a treaty that delineated its borders with former soviet states and defined the terms of their future relationship with Russia. Last February, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, a longtime dictator with pro-Russian opinions, fled the country due to mass protests regarding citizen disagreements about the direction of the country. Shortly thereafter, a new president was designated to restore a sense of democracy and represent their interests on the international level.

Filed under: Economy, Foreign Affairs, General

President Obama’s Irresponsible Budget

Mar 7, 2014

President Obama recently released his fiscal year 2015 budget proposal. While Congress ultimately has jurisdiction over drafting the budget and appropriating funding, the president’s budget serves as a blueprint and sets his administration’s agenda for the upcoming year. Sadly, the president has offered a plan to Congress that adds to our mounting debt, hikes taxes and makes indiscriminate cuts to our national defense.

Filed under: Constituent Services, Economy, General, Taxes

Announcing the 2014 Congressional Art Competition

Feb 21, 2014

Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District is home to many talented young artists who deserve the chance to show their artistic skills to the world. As your Representative, I am always excited to help make this possible by hosting the annual Congressional Art Competition.

Filed under: Constituent Services, General

Farm Bill Provides Safety Net for Producers and Consumers

Feb 6, 2014

Congress delivered America’s farmers, ranchers and consumers what they deserve by passing the Agricultural Act of 2014 – commonly referred to as the farm bill. This five-year comprehensive bill ensures producers have the tools they need to provide an affordable and stable food and fiber supply.

Filed under: Agriculture, Agriculture Committee, Economy, Energy, General, Taxes

Obamacare: More Than a Web Site Problem

Nov 1, 2013

On October 1, the Administration launched the Affordable Care Act enrollment web site. “Page not found,” “system down for maintenance,” “account cannot be created this time,” are the messages Americans have experienced while trying to sign-up. The rollout has been a systematic failure full of error messages, coding problems, and glitches. But, while the Administration’s failure to initiate an enrollment site that works efficiently is extremely frustrating and unwarranted, the problems with Obamacare go far beyond web site glitches.

Filed under: Constituent Services, Economy, General, Health Care, Taxes

Time to Cut Spending and Open the Government

Oct 10, 2013

On October 1, the United States experienced the first government shutdown since 1996. The constituents of Oklahoma’s Third District and many others across the country have felt the negative effects of the shutdown and are sadly still feeling them today. Everything from the closure of the national parks, USDA stopping collection of market data, VA administrative delays, and the furlough of many federal workers has directly impacted Americans nationwide at a time when they can ill afford it. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more they will suffer.  

Filed under: Agriculture, Constituent Services, Economy, General, Health Care, Homeland Security and Defense, Immigration, Science and Tech Committee, Taxes

Pages