Frankly Speaking

Tinker and Oklahoma’s Legacy of Service

Nov 11, 2016

“An Osage leader is never at the back of his band of warriors” – Dr. James Crowder, historian at Tinker Air Force Base

President Obama’s Final 100 Days in Office

Nov 1, 2016

Abraham Lincoln once commented, “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will have to sit on their blisters.”

With two of the most unpopular candidates in recent memory, Lincoln’s observation is fitting.

Serving You

Oct 7, 2016

A big part of my job as your representative in Congress is to help you communicate with federal agencies. This assistance is often referred to as casework and ranges anywhere from expediting a passport application to getting an important question answered by the IRS in time for tax season.

Filed under: Constituent Services

USDA Proposal Threatens Rural America’s Access to Assistance Programs

May 13, 2016

This week the House Agriculture Committee heard from a variety of retailers, including Love’s Travel Stops in Oklahoma, about their experience working with SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Under a new USDA proposal, there is a growing concern from many retailers and convenience stores that they will no longer be able to accept SNAP benefits.

Filed under: Agriculture, Agriculture Committee

Reasserting Our Privacy in the 21st Century

Apr 28, 2016

In order to sniff out potential terrorist attacks, the National Security Agency (NSA) monitors the metadata of millions of phone calls and other communications. Whether you are for or against this practice, there are strong cases to be made on both sides of this debate – a constant balancing act between privacy and security.

However, most Americans would agree that if an agency like the IRS were to take advantage of similar methods, it would be a clear abuse of our Constitutional right to privacy.

A Tradition of Service and Leadership

Feb 23, 2016

This column appeared in Farm Policy Facts in celebration of National FFA Week.

Every year, FFA shapes the next generation of young leaders. It’s the perfect blend of classroom, hands-on and leadership activities that prepares students for success in whatever they choose to pursue.

Filed under: Agriculture

Funding America’s Priorities and Holding the White House Accountable

Dec 22, 2015

As 2015 comes to an end, Congress is tasked with funding the federal government through the end of next September, or the remainder of the fiscal year. Last week the House and Senate passed a spending agreement that combined the 12 appropriations bills to fund various aspects of our government, ranging everywhere from defense to agriculture. In addition to this funding, the spending package also includes a number of policies to boost economic growth and encourage job creation in the private sector.

Filed under: Economy, Energy, General, Taxes

Refugee Issue Calls for Serious and Deliberate Action

Nov 19, 2015

The terrorist attacks in Paris have shaken France and its allies. We grieve for the lives lost and pray for the recovery and healing of those injured or otherwise impacted. This tragedy is a grave reminder that we cannot waiver in the face of Islamic extremism.

Filed under: Homeland Security and Defense

President Obama’s Iran Deal Falls Woefully Short

Aug 5, 2015

“This deal is not built on trust. It is built on verification.” — President Barack Obama

This is how the president characterized and defended his recent agreement with Iran to delay the country’s nuclear development program. The deal today looks much different than the president’s originally stated mission to outright prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Unfortunately this latest agreement is nothing more than a speed bump in Iran’s long march toward an atomic bomb.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs

Community Banks Still Struggling Under Dodd-Frank

Jul 23, 2015

This week marks five years since President Obama signed Dodd-Frank into law. At 2,300 pages and 400 new rules – many of them not even implemented yet – the legislation is one of the most widespread restructurings of our nation’s finance and banking sector in history.

After the 2008 financial crisis, Americans were left with a lot of questions: What does this mean for my retirement? What caused markets to take a turn for the worse? Can we expect any financial stability in the future?

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