Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) serves as the top Republican, or the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sen. Inhofe is a proud Oklahoman and long-time resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
While our country is in the most threatened position in American history, Sen. Inhofe remains committed to rebuilding our military from the readiness crisis and addressing the growing threats from our enemies. As the Chairman for the Senate Armed Services Committee, he plays a key role in ensuring that our military has the best equipment, training and resources necessary to meet our nation’s diverse security challenges.
Parents, teachers, administrators and locally-elected school boards are best equipped to make decisions about educating Oklahoma students—not the federal government. I’m working to shift more decisions and authority away from the federal, “one-size-fits-all” policies and sending it back to the state and local governments.
To support education in our local communities, I’m focused on ensuring our students are educated about our nation's founding principles and civics - to protect our values and democracy in the long run. I introduced the Constitution education Is Valuable In Community Schools (CIVICS) Act to support the development of Constitution and civics education curriculum for students across the country.
For far too long, we have allowed a level of civil ignorance to permeate into our society – simply due to a lack of teaching the document that formed our nation and set us on the path of prosperity that we know today. Not only is the Constitution the foundation for our entire country, it is also a roadmap for what we should be doing here in Congress: defending America and investing in infrastructure – connecting our people and commerce with well-maintained roads, bridges, highways and waterways. Yet, too often, we focus on teaching students about the people and what media portrays as the process – not the history or the principles that truly stand as the framework that governs these bodies today. That’s why we decided to introduce the CIVICS Act to support the development of Constitution and civics education curriculum for students across the country.
I’m also committed to improving our career and technical education systems to support workforce development efforts. I’ve authored language to expand access to career-tech programs for students from all backgrounds and interests, including veterans and high-school graduates interested in aviation.
Lastly, as a state with five military installations, Oklahoma especially values Impact Aid, the program that reimburses school districts for lost tax revenue from federal property or military installations. Impact Aid can be used for a wide variety of educational needs and does not include any overbearing strings or limitations. Many schools in Oklahoma rely on Impact Aid, and I am proud to lead the effort every year to ensure it is fully resourced.