Frankly Speaking - General
Funding America’s Priorities and Holding the White House Accountable
Dec 22, 2015As 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, TaxesPresident’s Budget is Irresponsible
Feb 6, 2015This week President Obama released his annual budget proposal for the federal government. And for the first time in years, he actually sent it to Congress on time. In fact, this is only the second time in his presidency he has met his legal obligation to submit this important spending plan on time.
Filed under: General, TaxesOne Step Closer to the Truth on Benghazi
May 9, 2014It 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 DefenseInviting Third District Students to Apply for U.S. Service Academies
Apr 25, 2014As 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, GeneralCrisis in Ukraine
Mar 27, 2014After 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, GeneralPresident Obama’s Irresponsible Budget
Mar 7, 2014President 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, TaxesAnnouncing the 2014 Congressional Art Competition
Feb 21, 2014Oklahoma’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, GeneralFarm Bill Provides Safety Net for Producers and Consumers
Feb 6, 2014Congress 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, TaxesObamacare: More Than a Web Site Problem
Nov 1, 2013On 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, TaxesTime to Cut Spending and Open the Government
Oct 10, 2013On 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