Identified by Time Magazine as “one of the sharpest minds in the House,” Tom Cole is currently serving in his tenth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. At the outset of his service in Congress, Cole was named one of the "Five Freshmen to Watch" by Roll Call. In 2016, he was recognized by Newsmax as the “hardest working member in Congress.” He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2017.
Cole is recognized as a tireless advocate for taxpayers and small businesses, supporter of a strong national defense and leader in promoting biomedical research. He is considered the foremost expert in the House on issues related to Native Americans and tribal governments.
Production agriculture is the heart of America. In fact, the Fourth District of Oklahoma is the proud home to more than 13,000 farms and ranches. We cannot take for granted the hard work and innovation of the agriculture sector or the value they add to the economy.
Sadly, production agriculture has become an afterthought in a country whose citizens spend a smaller percentage of their income on food than anywhere else in the world. While our population continues to shift to urban centers, many Americans are unaware of the hard work and innovation our farmers and ranchers bring to production agriculture.
There are no better stewards of the land than those whose livelihood depends on that land. I will continue to work with my colleagues to roll back burdensome rules and regulations that have often posed needlessly high compliance costs for farmers and ranchers, which is crippling for agriculture production in rural America.
I work closely with Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03), a former Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, and other members in the Oklahoma delegation to ensure that our farmers and ranchers are not left behind and that safety nets, such as crop insurance, remain in place to protect against the volatile effects of drought, floods, tornadoes and other disasters.
Congress has no greater responsibility than to provide our military with the training and resources needed to confront the mounting security challenges and threats around the world. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I am a champion for a strong national defense and returning fiscal discipline to the Pentagon. I will continue to support a strong military well-equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Supporting our National Guard and Reserves
The National Guard provides a broad range of capabilities and is essential to our war fighting strategy by participating in exercises and serving with allied forces all over the world. They serve as the first line of defense for threats to the homeland and provide critical emergency and disaster support. As a key part of our national security architecture, the Reserves provide operational flexibility and strategic depth to combatant commanders. Indeed, as world events require, the Guard and Reserve will have a long and enduring role. I support fairness in pay and benefits for all Guard and Reserve members, their families and retirees as they continue to play an essential role as part of the Total Force.
Strengthening Fort Sill
Located right in the Fourth District of Oklahoma, Fort Sill is the largest field artillery complex in the world. Home to the primary training facility for field artillery Soldiers and Marines worldwide, the Field Artillery School trains approximately 9,000 students at any given time in basic combat, one-station unit training and advanced individual training. The Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Branch returned to Fort Sill from Fort Bliss in 2010 and is an integral part of the Fort Sill community. Designated as the Fires Center of Excellence for the Army, soldiers and leaders are trained and educated in Fires readiness and joint operations. I will continue to support efforts to ensure the Fires community has the equipment, tools and infrastructure necessary to develop the right mix of capabilities for the future. I am proud that during my tenure in Congress, Fort Sill has become the home of air defense artillery. This mission has brought 2,500 new soldiers to Fort Sill and led to more than a billion dollars in new funding.
Learn more about Fort Sill at sill-www.army.mil.
Strengthening Tinker Air Force Base
Tinker Air Force Base is the home to six major Department of Defense, Air Force and Navy activities with critical national defense missions; this includes serving as the first and still-primary home for the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. Each year, Tinker awards roughly $1 billion in contracts to small Oklahoma-based businesses and almost three times that to companies in Oklahoma. Tinker is also Oklahoma’s largest single-site employer, with 17,000 civilian and 9,000 military employees and an economic impact of $4.55 billion to the state.
Tinker's largest organization is the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. The largest of three depot repair complexes in the Air Force Materiel Command, it provides depot maintenance on the KC-46, KC-135, B-1B, B-52 and E-3 aircraft, expanded phase maintenance on the Navy E-6 aircraft and maintenance, repair and overhaul of F100, F101, F108, F110, F117, F118, F119, F135 and TF33 engines for the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy and foreign military sales. The complex is also responsible for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of Air Force bombers and tankers, as well as other services’ aircraft platforms and engines. Work at Tinker also includes the development, sustainment and testing of operational flight programs, test program sets, test equipment and industrial automation software.
Continuous improvements in manufacturing processes and quality control have made the Tinker community a nationwide leader in innovation. Resulting cost savings and increased capacity will result in less down time for important aircraft and weapons systems and allow Tinker to do even more work for the Air Force and other customers. Tinker has been preeminent in its use of LEAN and Six Sigma Process Reform, which has greatly increased the utilization of depot capabilities. Throughout my time in Congress, I have worked with Tinker to ensure it has the resources needed to continually reform and rethink its depot maintenance process and adapt to the changing demands of an aging fleet.
I have consistently supported legislation and policies to get the nation’s long-term fiscal house in order by balancing the budget and reforming mandatory programs, so we can eventually pay down our debt.
Budget and Spending
The federal government must cut back on spending so that it can run efficiently and effectively for its citizens. Of the more than $3.7 trillion in annual spending by the federal government, about one third is spent on discretionary programs (those that Congress and the president control on an annual basis). But unless we take on the complicated task of reforming the other two thirds of government designated as mandatory spending (mostly entitlement programs), America will eventually go bankrupt.
The real challenge is that the mandatory side of the budget – including interest on the national debt – is by far the largest category and rapidly growing. Numerous facts, figures and economic analyses have for years warned about the unsustainable growth of mandatory spending. For example, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that mandatory represented 34 percent of all government spending in 1965; today, that figure has risen dramatically to reflect more than two-thirds of all spending in 2018. By 2028, mandatory is on track to cover at least 77 percent of all spending.
With mandatory spending, it’s not only the rapid rate of its growth, eclipsing discretionary spending, that is alarming. CBO has also projected that the federal trust funds connected to Medicare and Social Security are quickly nearing insolvency and thus will eventually fail to deliver on the benefits promised. On the current path and according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security as a whole is expected to become insolvent in 2032 – with the Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund unable to pay out full benefits as early as 2028.
Long Term Reforms
Clearly, to make real progress toward tackling our burden of debt, tough decisions and careful solutions are required. But the solutions must include reforms to save and sustain the mandatory programs serving many vulnerable Americans. I believe a good place to start would be passage of legislation I introduced again this Congress, the Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act. The bill calls for a bipartisan and bicameral commission tasked with recommending reforms to ensure Social Security is solvent for at least 75 years. Congress would then be required to vote up or down on the commission’s recommendations within 60 legislative days. This approach worked in 1983 when the solvency of Social Security was extended by 50 years. It can work again if our political leaders will face up to their responsibilities and work in a bipartisan manner.
As a former educator, I understand how important it is for our children to have access to a quality education. I am committed to ensuring parents and teachers have the tools and resources necessary to provide the best possible educational opportunities for our children.
Education is one of the most important building blocks for success, and access to quality learning directly impacts life-long development and individual achievement and success. As Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Appropriations that funds the U.S. Department of Education, I am committed to ensuring parents and teachers have the tools and resources necessary to provide a world class education to our children.
Parental Rights, School Choice and Homeschooling
I believe strongly in the authority of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children with minimal interference from government at any level. Consequently, I am an advocate of charter schools, vouchers, opportunity scholarships and homeschooling. I am committed to fighting for the rights of Oklahoma parents to educate their children in ways that best suit their individual households and families.
Elementary and Secondary Education
Signed into law in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act repealed the defects of No Child Left Behind. I am pleased that the legislation scaled back the federal government’s role in K-12 education by limiting the authority of the Secretary of Education, eliminating the federal accountability system and other unsuccessful programs. It also reduced unnecessary testing and prohibited a federal mandate requiring states to follow Common Core. Instead, the law gives states and local education leaders the authority to develop criteria and maintain responsibility for measuring the success of students and schools, addressing failures and filling learning gaps. Information will be made available to parents about school performance and charter and magnet school programs, so they can use the data to select the best education for their children. It also protects private and home schools from needless federal intervention.
Special Education
I believe that it is imperative that Congress keep its promise and continue to fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the major federal statute for the education of children with disabilities. IDEA both authorizes federal funding for special education and related services and, for states that accept these funds, sets out principles under which special education and related services are provided. The requirements in this law are detailed and numerous, so it is vital that the federal government do its part to ensure that schools have the right tools to carry out these federal mandates. During my time as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS), I fought to increase IDEA funding, sending millions of dollars back to local school districts to help them provide services for children with special needs. I will continue to do so as the Ranking Member.
Supporting Higher Education
Oklahoma's success in the future and that of its children requires that higher education is both affordable and available for all those who desire to attend. Access to an affordable, quality higher education benefits not only Oklahomans attending college, but all Americans. With a better-educated workforce, Oklahoma can attract, retain and expand high-paying jobs. I support increased student financial assistance and promoting cutting-edge scientific research in Oklahoma to provide more educational and economic opportunities for students.
I am a strong supporter of programs like GEAR UP and TRIO, which are designed to help disadvantaged students prepare for and succeed in college. I also fully support federal student loans that give students access to college who otherwise would not be able to attend. However, I believe that these loans should be driven through the private sector so that students and schools have the option to choose the best loans that work for them.
The Fourth District of Oklahoma is home to several universities and colleges that offer traditional degrees, adult-learning initiatives and other flexible learning programs. These include the University of Oklahoma, University Center of Southern Oklahoma, Cameron University, East Central University, Mid-America Christian University, Randall University, Rose State Community College and University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
Vocational and Technical Education
In addition to colleges and universities, there are also seven technology centers for continuing education in the Fourth District of Oklahoma that offer technical certifications. These include Mid-America Christian University, Moore Norman Technology Center, Red River Technology Center, Southern Oklahoma Technology Center, Pontotoc Technology Center, Great Plains Technology Center and Canadian Valley Technology Center.
Vocational and technical education is a vital component of our secondary and postsecondary educational system. I will continue to support the Perkins program, which prepares youth and adults for the future by building their academic and technical skills and ensuring they are equipped to proceed with postsecondary education or pursue other avenues. This program provides a huge federal investment in high schools and career and technical institutions across the country.
Impact Aid
Funding districts serving large "federally connected" constituencies—children of civilian defense workers, members of the armed forces and Native Americans—is essential. Impact Aid is one of the few formula programs where Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) receive funds directly from the Department of Education rather than through their states.
This program covers the cost of students living on Native American land or military bases. It provides payments to local governments because federal property and Native American lands are exempt from local property taxes, which is the main source of funding for most local school systems across the country. While the Department of Education administers Impact Aid, the Department of Defense provides additional supplemental payments for districts with large numbers of children from military families. Districts are eligible for these supplemental payments if at least 20 percent of their students come from military families. Many schools in Oklahoma rely on these funds to provide the resources to give their students a quality education. The LHHS subcommittee has provided modest increases of funding to Impact Aid even when the administration threatened to cut its budget. This was critical to Oklahoma schools that serve our military and Native population.
America is a country rich in energy resources and emerging technologies, and I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that encourages domestic production, reduces our dependency on foreign oil and explores alternative energy solutions.
Oil and natural gas production has shaped Oklahoma’s economy since shortly after statehood, and it continues to do so today. While I am supportive of our traditional energy producers and protective of the thousands they employ, I have also supported tax credits that promote renewable energy development—like wind power—and incentivize consumers to use renewable and alternative fuels.
Hampering domestic energy production is not the path towards a robust economy and job growth. Under previous administrations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked to formulate a national plan to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Such drastic changes in energy policy would have had damaging consequences on our economy, including a dramatic increase in electricity prices. I am committed to working to roll back these disastrous policies and replace them with commonsense regulations that will protect our environment, while not hurting small energy producing companies that help promote Oklahoma’s economy.
Financial institutions such as community banks and credit unions play a critical role in our local economy. Local lending institutions can more effectively help customers because of their detailed knowledge of customers and close ties to the community. This presence helps businesses buy new equipment, add to the workforce and improve products and services to the local economy.
Unfortunately, in the wake of the Wall Street financial crisis, Democrats in Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010. More than 2,300 pages of new law and 400 new rules and mandates turned the financial sector on its head, all while failing to address the real causes of the financial crisis. Both the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office estimated that $27 billion would be taken out of the economy because of this legislation and that 2,600 new, full-time federal employees would need to be hired—simply to implement the new rules and regulations created by the legislation. While larger financial institutions may have the resources to comply with these complex, time-consuming regulations, most community banks and small credit unions do not. Since 2010, the number of community banks and credit unions have rapidly declined in numbers and total assets. Rather than solve the problems it was created to fix, Dodd-Frank simply made the big banks bigger and reduced consumers’ access to loans and other financial services.
In 2018, I was proud to join my colleagues in passing the bipartisan Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law by President Trump. This law rolled back many of Dodd-Frank’s more onerous regulations for small, local financial institutions to staunch the loss of community financial institutions and increase access to their services. It also contained numerous provisions to safeguard consumers’ credit ratings, reduce identity theft and increase protections for borrowers.
I am supportive of our financial institutions which are critical to the continued success of small businesses and the local economy. Instead of imposing new regulatory burdens on institutions that had no part in the financial crisis, I am committed to working to ensure that the government gets out of the way and allows financial institutions to serve everyone.
While much of the power to conduct foreign affairs is granted to the president by the U.S. Constitution, Congress can and should still shape foreign policy and play a vital role in ensuring the world remains a safe place and that our citizens are protected from harm.
For example, Congress maintains control over the “purse strings” and funds our national defense and foreign assistance. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how foreign assistance is used to support American values all over the world. On average, only about one percent of foreign aid is provided as direct budget support to foreign governments. In fact, most aid is given in the form of expert technical advice, training, equipment, vaccines, food, educational exchanges and applied research. Much of the work done by America and its citizens internationally is crucial to lifting developing countries out of disease and poverty, promoting long-term development and building important relationships.
Additionally, through the appropriations process, Congress can help ensure that funding goes to countries to build stability and counter a variety of international threats, such as terrorism, illegal drugs, and infectious disease. Approximately 1.3 percent of the total federal budget is designated for foreign assistance from all federal sources. Aid that promotes global prosperity, democracy and rule of law, economic growth and humanitarian interests reflects American values and global leadership.
Nearly a decade since a Democrat-controlled Congress and President Obama passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it is evident that Obamacare failed to live up to its many promises, particularly those related to affordability of and access to care.
In Oklahoma, premiums have increased 227 percent since 2014, and the lowest cost plan option in the Obamacare exchanges has increased 159 percent. Additionally, the number of insurers participating in the exchanges has dropped by two-thirds in that time. Clearly, Obamacare has done little to restrain the growth of health care costs and to provide consumers with choices in their health care. Unfortunately, some in Congress now believe we should abolish private, employer-sponsored insurance entirely and implement a single-payer system – in which the government manages health care costs and delivery – at a projected 10-year cost of at least $32 trillion over 10 years and with exorbitant new taxes.
The Need for Real Solutions
I believe Congress should work to implement a market-based system that gives consumers more choice and states the freedom to tailor health care options to meet the needs of their citizens. Some aspects of the current system enjoy bipartisan support, such as preserving the ability for young Americans to remain on their parents’ plans until age 26 as well as protections for pre-existing conditions and lifting bans on annual and lifetime limits.
However, Congress must move away from Obamacare’s one-size-fits-all approach and enact reforms that will lower the price of health care rather than merely shifting the burden of the cost of care.
Solutions at the federal level should focus on:
Throughout our nation’s history, the United States has drawn immigrants searching for opportunity and a share in the American Dream. It is a massive testament to the United States that people around the world are eager to become a part of our country.
But just as we are a nation built largely and impressively by immigrants, America is also a nation of laws that must be obeyed and properly enforced to maintain order and ensure the safety of all citizens. Indeed, we must begin to fill in the gaps of where we are falling short in our immigration system and work to properly secure the border.
Unfortunately, our current immigration system is broken and desperately needs comprehensive reform that puts America citizens first. While not the only answer to border security, walls and barriers are effective when it comes to limiting the illegal movement of people and drugs across our borders. Indeed, we must propose real solutions to deal with strengthening security at the southern border, addressing the flood of illegal immigrants, improving enforcement of existing law and making the system fairer and more just for all.
However, any significant reforms to our existing immigration system should be bipartisan. As Congress considers any reforms, I will be guided by three basic principles: we must secure the border first; we must have tough sanctions for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants; and we must not reward those who broke our laws by providing them with amnesty. I also support elimination of the diversity lottery. In the days ahead, I remain hopeful that these urgent issues can be solved.
As penned in the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers founded America with the strong belief that individuals are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” Among those is the right to life, which influences my commitment to protecting the most vulnerable, including the unborn.
Since entering Congress, protection of life has been one of my highest priorities. Throughout my service in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have voted in support of life and currently have a 100 percent pro-life voting record. In the days ahead, I will continue to defend the sanctity of life with every vote I cast.
I am also a staunch supporter of the Hyde Amendment that has protected life and prevented federal taxpayer-funded abortions for nearly 50 years. Since the Hyde Amendment was enacted in 1976, it is estimated that this provision on annual appropriations bills has saved more than two million lives while also protecting the conscience rights of the great majority of Americans who oppose public funding for abortions – either for religious, moral or fiscal reasons.
Although the Hyde Amendment has historically been supported by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and signed into law by presidents of both parties, Democrats have unfortunately shifted their position and sought to repeal Hyde. The result of doing so would impose a pro-abortion-funding policy on states that have decided against it. I vehemently oppose any efforts to repeal the Hyde Amendment and other pro-life provisions traditionally included in funding legislation, and I remain committed to supporting legislation and efforts to defend vulnerable unborn children and protect the conscience rights of pro-life Americans.
I care deeply for the well-being of our national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges and other public lands. I believe that our natural resources are among our nation's greatest treasures, and Congress should work to ensure that the environment is preserved for future generations. However, I also believe that our country can and should responsibly use these resources to reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy and strengthen self-sufficiency in terms of the minerals that are essential to our economy and security.
I take protection of our natural resources seriously. Technology exists that allows energy extraction while providing safe habitats for wildlife and their ecosystems. We should take every precaution necessary to ensure contaminates do not harm the environment and maintain programs to manage our resources wisely, while working with landowners to ensure that their property rights are protected.
For Oklahomans, drought and water scarcity is part of our history. Investments in water infrastructure are critical to ensuring the availability and affordability of this critical resource. Doing so will ensure that water resources across the state are managed in a way to meet both our present needs and those of the many generations to come.
THE MISGUIDED GREEN NEW DEAL
Regardless of political points of view, most Americans can agree that good stewardship of the earth and its precious resources is important. And I am always encouraged by the special efforts made by individuals, families and communities to do their part today to ensure a fruitful and beautiful world for generations to come. Certainly, there is an abundance of ideas about how we can take better care of the environment. Unfortunately, some of the latest proposals making headlines are unrealistic.
Most egregious, Democrats in both chambers of Congress rolled out their so-called “Green New Deal,” which is really socialism masking as environmentalism. Not surprisingly, the proposal comes with an astronomical price tag of up to $93 trillion over 10 years – harshly felt by hardworking American taxpayers. While I am always willing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find commonsense solutions for any issue, the Green New Deal is nonsensical, unworkable and simply a departure from reality.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), America was responsible for 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2014. In order to further reduce emissions, the radical Green New Deal calls for complete elimination of fossil fuels from the nation’s energy portfolio in 10 years or less – an unreasonable mandate that would be detrimental to local and state economies. In Oklahoma, where oil and natural gas production has shaped our economy since shortly before statehood, the impact of such a requirement would indeed be severe.
The health and longevity of Oklahoma’s economy depends in large part on the acceleration of scientific and technological innovations. Maintaining Oklahoma’s leadership in these fields requires a concerted effort to ensure ongoing investments in technology, education and science.
As a member of the STEM Education Caucus, I support broadening science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at the elementary, secondary and postsecondary levels. I believe we must harness American innovation by improving energy efficacy and success, supporting research and basic science labs and widening access to STEM education while building America’s STEM workforce.
I support the needs of our scientists to continue their research and provide meaningful employment to our communities. In fact, the Fourth District of Oklahoma is the proud home of the National Weather Center, a massive research center that provides facts and predictions regarding the weather and information on emergency preparedness. Not only does the center provide lifesaving resources to Oklahomans, but it also benefits our state’s economy and workforce as a major employer to our district for scientists, researchers and meteorologists from around the world. Science and research programs like these are vital for solving the most pressing challenges facing Oklahoma and the entire nation.
Research Leadership in the Fourth District
The University of Oklahoma (OU) plays a vital role in comprehensive research. With three campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OU encompasses a broad array of disciplines in chemistry, engineering, meteorology, medicine, physics and much more. OU is designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a Highest Research Activity institution, placing it in the top tier of comprehensive research universities in the nation.
Also in the Fourth District, Ada is the home to the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center. Research at the Kerr Lab focuses on soil and subsurface environments. This is the Environmental Protection Agency’s first ever carbon-neutral laboratory and the center for expertise on groundwater remediation and ecosystem restoration research. Moreover, the Noble Research Institute houses its headquarters in the Fourth District city of Ardmore. The Noble Institute specializes in research helps farmers and ranchers improve land stewardship and productivity. With 350 resident scientists and consultants, the Noble Research Institute is an amazing resource for agricultural challenges right in the heart of Oklahoma.
As one of the founding principles of our nation, the right to bear arms must be fully upheld, and I am committed to protecting the rights of responsible gun owners who safely use guns for hunting and protection. And in Oklahoma, we know that guns are tools to be used responsibly.
Our founders knew that true freedom from despotism required ordinary citizens to have the means to defend themselves. Of all the rights found in the U.S. Constitution, only one—the right to bear arms—is included to ensure that all other rights are upheld. Our founders knew that in order for our republic to respect the rights of our citizens, we could never leave them defenseless to despotism. Although our society has evolved, this right to bear arms remains. I am a member of the National Rifle Association because I believe that the Second Amendment should not be violated.
I will continue to support freedom and personal responsibility by seeing that the government protects the Second Amendment. While I share the goal of keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals and preventing mass violence, overly broad executive orders and legislative proposals that limit the rights of law-abiding gun owners are not the answer to gun violence. I believe all efforts to address gun ownership must be deliberative and open to ensure that constitutional rights are preserved for all Americans.
When I travel across the Fourth District of Oklahoma, I am always inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit and can-do attitude of our own small businesses. Whether as an employee or owner, Americans depend greatly on small business success. Currently, there are more than 30 million small businesses in the United States, and an estimated two out of three new jobs in the economy are created by small businesses. In fact, more than half of Oklahoma’s workforce either owns or works for a small business.
According to recent state findings from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Oklahoma has approximately 350,718 small businesses employing an estimated 712,582 people. These businesses drive our economy and provide the opportunity for thousands of Oklahomans to achieve the American dream.
Small businesses are truly the backbone of our economy, and our future success depends on their continued success. In order for small businesses to be established, create jobs and remain open, the environment must encourage and allow them to thrive. I remain committed to clearing red tape to help them succeed.
As a founding partner and partial owner of a small business, I will guard the right of every American to found and manage their own business. Entrepreneurs create opportunities not only for themselves but for other Americans as well. Their vision and hard work give other Americans the jobs and opportunities they need to succeed.
I am committed to addressing the challenges facing Social Security, sustaining and protecting the program for current beneficiaries and future retirees. No program does more to ensure that every American can have a decent retirement.
Many seniors live on a fixed income, and I know how important their Social Security checks are for their medicines and day-to-day living expenses. Based on current forecasts, Social Security can pay full benefits until 2030, after which it will only be able to pay 75 percent of its promised benefits. In 2011, Social Security saw its expenditures exceed its revenues for the first time in decades.
While the system is not facing a crisis tomorrow, it will face some substantial structural problems in the not-too-distant future. And every year we delay addressing the issue, the solutions become more expensive and more painful.
Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act
The government must honor the promises it has made to those who have retired or are reaching retirement soon. I support legislation that would make changes to Social Security for the next generation of recipients, those under 55, while leaving the current system in place for those who have planned their retirements around it.
I believe a good place to start would be passage of legislation I introduced again this Congress, the Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act. The bill calls for a bipartisan and bicameral commission tasked with recommending reforms to ensure Social Security is solvent for at least 75 years. Congress would then be required to vote up or down on the commission’s recommendations within 60 legislative days.
America is a global leader in business and innovation, yet for many years, our tax code was outdated. Prior to 2017, the last major update of our tax code was in 1986. The tax system – a compilation of $1.6 trillion in annual deductions, credits, exclusions, exemptions and special rates – was enormously complex and created confusion, distortions in economic incentives and hindered America’s economic competitiveness to the detriment of Americans’ opportunities. For this reason, I have long believed comprehensive tax reform is necessary and essential for future economic growth.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
I was proud to join my colleagues in passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. This comprehensive tax reform legislation modernized our tax system and still carries benefits for individuals, businesses and the American economy.
Regarding individuals, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
Regarding businesses, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:
In total, the non-partisan Tax Foundation estimated GDP growth will increase by 1.7 percent due to this legislation, resulting in 339,000 new full-time jobs and a 1.5 percent boost in wages. In a separate analysis, the Tax Policy Center determined all income groups will see reduced taxes on average, receiving an average tax cut of $2,100 and a boost in after-tax income of more than 2 percent.
In the days ahead, I will continue working to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely and that congressional decisions regarding taxes allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money. I will also work to ensure the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which oversees the collection of taxes and administration of the tax code, operates efficiently and is responsive to filers. In 2019, I was proud to support the Taxpayer First Act, which overhauled the structure and accountability systems of the IRS, as well as its taxpayer assistance programs.
A safe, efficient and well-maintained infrastructure is not only critical to moving people and products, but it strengthens our nation’s economy. To keep our economy moving, I believe we must invest in and modernize the nation’s roads, bridges, airports and waterways. I remain committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to develop long-term and bipartisan transportation and infrastructure solutions that benefit all Americans.
One of the core functions of the federal government is to ensure that America has the infrastructure to facilitate interstate commerce and strengthen the nation’s competitive edge in the global economy. We must support a comprehensive transportation policy that integrates the needs of the federal government with that of state and local transportation agencies.
In the months ahead, I hope that bipartisan and bicameral discussion in Congress will take place so we can determine the best infrastructure solutions for the American people.
As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, I am very proud of my heritage and the tremendous accomplishments of tribes in Oklahoma and across our country. The U.S. Constitution and the federal government recognize that Native American tribes are sovereign entities with separate governments and rights that should be honored and respected. Indeed, tribes have a unique relationship with state and local governments, as well as the federal government.
Native Americans are aggressively working toward building Native economies and governments, and I am committed to making sure they have the tools and resources to continue these efforts. Through numerous treaties, as well as legislation, the United States has promised to provide a variety of services and payments to tribes, and I will work to make sure these promises are kept. I support efforts to increase business opportunities and economic development in Indian Country. Specifically, I support the use of tax incentives for businesses that locate or expand on former Indian lands or hire Native Americans and their spouses.
I believe each tribe, with its own government and rights, should be honored and respected. Tribes should work mutually with the states and the federal government to maintain the integrity of their heritage, culture and legal rights. I also believe the federal government must comply with its trust and treaty obligations. That requires Washington to appropriately fund healthcare, education, infrastructure and law enforcement in Indian Country.
I am proud to continue leading as co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. The caucus remains a vitally important body in the House for informing and educating members on the unique issues concerning Native Americans and the constitutional rights of tribes.”
Our veterans, who have served during war and peace, have made tremendous sacrifices to protect our freedoms. They are defenders of democracy, who served to ensure all Americans can continue to enjoy freedom and peace.
I remain committed to holding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable and ensuring promises made to our veterans are kept. Our service members must have access to safe housing, good jobs and the healthcare they need when they come home.
There are still too many instances of our veterans not receiving the care and service they have earned and the VA system not meeting their needs. Veterans deserve to receive their benefits in a timely and consistent manner; clearing ongoing backlogs will help us reach this goal. I have supported reforms in Congress to modernize appeals processes, bring accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs and give student veterans the largest expansion of GI Bill benefits since the GI Bill was created.
Ongoing proposals to raise TRICARE deductibles, premiums and co-pays for beneficiaries remain a principle concern for military service members, retirees and their families. I fully understand that TRICARE is an earned benefit, and I am opposed to a “tiered” enrollment fee structure or “means-testing” for service members, retirees and their families. I understand that the unique military retirement and healthcare package is the primary incentive for top-quality people to endure the extraordinary demands and sacrifices inherent in a military career spanning 20 or 30 years.
I will continue to work with my colleagues to preserve pay, benefits and incentives for the military, retirees and veterans and at the same time address unsustainable government spending.
As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic together, know that my office is here to help you get answers and keep you informed. My goal for this section of my website is to help point you to the most up-to-date resources and information on the situation nationwide and in the Fourth District of Oklahoma.
The federal government continues to put its full weight into fighting COVID-19 and dealing with the wide-reaching consequences, but remember that winning this war requires the collective effort of every American. Continue heeding the guidance outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the President’s Coronavirus Task Force (coronavirus.gov) as well as updates provided locally by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (coronavirus.health.ok.gov). That means practicing social distancing, thoroughly and frequently washing your hands, not touching your face and daily disinfecting surfaces.
You can call my office at (405) 329-6500, send an email or sign up to participate in a future telephone town hall meeting. I will also provide regular updates on my Facebook and Twitter pages and in my e-newsletter.