Dear
Oklahoma
friends
and
neighbors,
Over
the
past
couple
of
weeks,
I’ve
been
able
to
visit
Tulsa,
Stillwater,
Perry,
Muskogee,
Midwest
City,
and
Pryor.
I’m
grateful
to
have
this
time
to
listen
to
your
concerns
so
I
can
represent
you
in
Washington,
DC.
If
we
aren’t
able
to
connect
in
person
in
the
days
ahead,
I
hope
to
see
you
in
the
very
near
future.
If
there
is
ever
anything
we
can
be
of
help,
there
are
multiple
ways
to
reach
our
team.
I
have
three
locations
that
are
here
to
serve
you,
Oklahoma
City
(405-231-4941),
Tulsa
(918-581-7651),
Washington,
DC
(202-224-5754),
or
you
can
send
me
an email.
It’s
an
honor
to
serve
the
values
and
interest
of
Oklahomans.
Kicking
into
overtimeworking
to
protect
small
businesses,
colleges,
local
government,
and
nonprofits
For
over
a
year
I
have
held
hearings,
written
letters,
and
talked
face-to-face
with
US
Department
of
Labor’s
leadership
about
the
real
world
effects
of
their
proposed
rule
on
overtime.
Unfortunately,
they
refused
to
listen.
Earlier
this
year,
the
Department
of
Labor,
without
Congressional
consent,
issued
new
guidelines
that
will
dramatically
change
the
federal
overtime
rules.
If
implemented
as
planned
on
December
1,
2016,
the
new
rule
will
cause
extreme
burden
to
small
businesses,
colleges,
local
governments,
and
nonprofits
because
it
will
require
employers
to
pay
overtime
to
salaried
workers
earning
less
than
$47,476
a
yearthis
is
double
the
current
threshold
of
$23,660.
While
it
may
sound
like
a
great
idea
for
workers
who
want
a
pay
raise,
it
has
immediate
consequences
for
thousands
of
Oklahomans.
This
new
rule
will
make
it
much
harder
to
get
an
entry
level
salaried
job,
especially
for
recent
college
graduates.
It
has
already
caused
many
employers
in
Oklahoma
to
move
employees
to
hourly
work,
instead
of
salary.
Most
non-profits,
universities
and
municipal
governments
cannot
afford
this
rule,
so
they
will
reclassify
workers,
raise
tuition,
allow
fewer
work
hours,
or
reduce
services
to
those
they
serve. The
administration
is
trying
to
force
people
to
pay
more
wages;
but,
because
of
how
the
rule
was
written,
it
will
absolutely
harm
more
people
than
it
helps
across
our
state.
At
the
end
of
September,
I
introduced
a
bill
called
the Regulatory
Relief
for
Small
Businesses,
Schools
and
Nonprofits
Act (S.3462)
that
would
delay
the
implementation
of
the
rule
until
June
1,
2017.
This
will
allow
everyone
affected
more
time
to
implement
the
rule
and
a
new
administration
time
to
evaluate
how
the
rule
was
written.
I
also
co-sponsored
legislation
to
eliminate
the
rule
entirely
and
start
over,
as
well
as
legislation
to
stretch
out
the
timeline
for
implementation
of
the
overtime
rule.
We
can
help
workers
while
protecting
jobs
and
services.
Unfortunately,
this
rule
did
not
do
both. I
will
continue
the
work
this
fall
to
head
off
this
rule.
CLICK
HERE
to
watch
my
floor
speech. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more
about
the
legislation
I
introduced
to
slow
the
implementation
of
the
rule.
Continuing
Resolution
and
budget
reform
At
the
end
of
September,
Congress
approved
a
Continuing
Resolution
that
will
fund
the
government
at
current
levels
and
includes
$1.1
billion
in
emergency
spending
for
the
US
Zika
response
until
December
9,
2016.
This
is
the
20th
year
in
a
row
for
the
federal
government
to
have
a
short-term
Continuing
Resolution.
I
could
not
support
this
vote.
For
five
months,
I
have
challenged
the
Obama
administration
and
Congress
to
responsibly
address
the
Zika
virus
with
already-budgeted,
unobligated
federal
money
rather
than
new
debt-spending.
The
federal
agencies
that
oversee
the
Zika
response
had
plenty
of
money
in
their
budgets
to
address
Zika
without
adding
to
the
national
debt.
Since
February,
I
have called
for
major
reforms
to
the
budget
process.
In
1975,
the
current
budget
process
was
enacted
to
create
more
transparency
after
Watergate.
Unfortunately,
the
reverse
is
true;
the
process
is
so
incredibly
difficult
that
usually
the
major
budget
decisions
are
made
by
a
few
behind
closed
doors.
Since
1975,
the
budget
process
has
only
worked
as
written
four
times.
I’ve
offered
a
number
of
solutions
to
address
the
issues
with
the
broken
process,
and,
with
my
position
on
the
Senate
Appropriations
Committee,
I offered
an
amendment
to
eliminate
a
commonly-used
budget
gimmick,
which
costs
taxpayers
billions
of
dollars
every
year.
I
will
continue
to
look
for
ways
to
change
the
current
system
so
it
is
more
transparent
and
will
allow
Congress
to
focus
on
paying
off
our
national
debt.
CLICK
HERE
to
watch
my
speech
on
the
Senate
floor
to
reform
the
current
broken
budget
process. CLICK
HERE
to
read
about
my
government
waste
and
solutions
report
I
introduced
last
year,
“Federal
fumbles:
100
ways
the
government
dropped
the
ball”.
Obama
administration
gives
away
control
of
the
internet
On
October
1,
2016,
President
Obama
surrendered
American
control
of
the
internet
to
an
international
body,
a
transfer
I
have
fought
since
it
was
proposed
by
the
Obama
Administration
last
year.
The
Administration
has
never
explained
why
they
believe
that
it
is
better
for
the
growth
of
the
internet
for
the
US
to
have
one
vote
on
the
internet's
futurethe
same
as
Russia,
China,
Iran,
and
others. The
internet
was
invented
in
America
and
it
has
always
been
under
the
stewardship
of
the
United
States,
until
now. This
decision
will
undoubtedly
affect
the
free
speech
of
the
internet.
CLICK
HERE
to
read
the
opinion
piece
I
wrote
on
the
internet
transition. CLICK
HERE
to
see
the
work
Senators
Lee,
Cruz,
and
I
did
to
stop
the
Department
of
Commerce
from
giving
control
of
the
internet
away.
Anti-poverty
working
group
In
September,
I
joined
Senators
Tim
Scott,
Joni
Ernst,
Marco
Rubio,
Dan
Sullivan,
Steve
Daines,
and
Cory
Gardner
to
launch
the
Senate
Opportunity
Coalition,
which
is
focused
on
fighting
poverty.
Our
work
will
pinpoint
policy
solutions
that
aim
to
remove
the
government
red-tape
that
prevents
low
income
families
from
achieving
the
American
dream.
To
read
more
about
the
Senate
Opportunity
Coalition, CLICK
HERE.
Subcommittee
on
Regulatory
Affairs
and
Federal
Management
Regulations
must
come
directly
from
a
law
passed
by
Congress,
but
in
the
past
few
years,
regulations
have
come
from
new
interpretations
of
decades-old
laws.
The
Homeland
Security
and
Governmental
Affairs
Subcommittee
on
Regulatory
Affairs
and
Federal
Management,
which
I
chair,
held
another
hearing
at
the
end
of
September
to
examine
the
Obama
Administration’s
consistent
abuse
of
regulatory
guidance.
Congress,
with
the
Executive
Branch,
must
find
a
way
to
ensure
that
any
rule
changes
or
guidance
issued
by
the
federal
government
is
transparent
and
consistent
so
that
all
federal
regulators
are
held
accountable
and
the
American
people
can
know
that
the
rules
are
fair
and
consistent.
To
read
more
about
the
hearing, CLICK
HERE.
What’s
real
with
REAL
ID
Act
of
2005?
In
2005,
Congress
passed
the
Real
ID
Act
of
2005,
a
law
that
acted
on
the
9/11
Commission’s
recommendation
that
the
federal
government
“set
standards
for
the
issuance
of
sources
of
identification,
such
as
driver's
licenses.”
The
law
is
meant
to
inhibit
terrorists’
ability
to
get
fake
IDs
to
access
military
installations,
federal
buildings,
and
aircraft.
Without
question,
state
identification
cards
are
a
state
responsibility.
But,
federal
agencies
also
have
a
responsibility
to
protect
the
safety
of
the
traveling
public
as
they
move
state
to
state.
I
have
held
numerous
conversations
with
the
Secretary
of
Homeland
Security,
Jeh
Johnson,
and
the
Department
of
Homeland
Security
to
discuss
Oklahoma's
disagreement
with
the
implementation
of
REAL
ID
and
possible
waivers
for
Oklahoma.
One
of
the
major
sticking
points
remains
the
operation
of
the
privately
run
TAG
Agencies
in
Oklahoma.
Most
Oklahomans
believe
our
TAG
agency
system
is
convenient
and
efficient,
but
it
is
also
unique
in
the
country.
Without
question,
we
can
make
improvements
to
further
secure
identification
and
documentation,
but
still
maintain
the
ability
for
private
entities
to
provide
these
services.
I
will
continue
to
work
with
all
entities
to
keep
our
system
convenient
and
secure
for
Oklahomans.
Until
a
plan
can
be
determined,
on
January
29,
2017,
if
you
must
visit
a
federal
building
or
a
military
installation,
you
should
bring
a
passport
or
other
federal
ID
card
for
entry.
For
more
information
about
REAL
ID,
CLICK
HERE.
Keeping
You
in
the
Loop
- On
September
22,
the
Congressional
Coalition
on
Adoption
Institute
presented
the
Angels
in
Adoption
award.
Deaconess
Pregnancy
and
Adoption
Services,
which
is
located
in
Oklahoma
City,
is
one
of
this
year’s
award
winners.
Congratulations!
Oklahoma
is
indebted
to
your
continued
service
to
our
community
and
the
loving
service
you
provide
the
children,
mothers,
and
families
in
our
state. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more.
- North
Tulsa
is
doing
remarkable
things
to
ensure
the
future
of
their
community.
I’m
grateful
that
they
have
allowed
me
to
walk
alongside
them
as
they
work
on
the
North
Tulsa
100
project. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more
about
the
North
Tulsa
100
project.
- I
understand
abortion
is
still
controversial
in
America,
but
the
issue
of
whether
taxpayers
should
pay
for
it
should
not
be. CLICK
HERE
to
read
my
opinion
piece
on
the
40th
anniversary
of
legislation
that
prohibits
taxpayer
funding
for
abortion.
- On
November
28,
I
will
release
the
second
edition
of
“Federal
Fumbles:
100
ways
the
government
dropped
the
ball”.
Last
year’s
book
listed
$105
billion
in
wasteful
federal
spending
and
about
$800
billion
in
negative
regulatory
impact
to
the
economy. CLICK
HERE
to
read
last
year’s
report.
- Next
week,
the
Oklahoma
Military
Hall
of
Fame
(OMHF)
will
induct
the
class
of
2016
at
the
annual
OMHF
banquet.
The
OMHF
honors
the
“men
and
women
of
Oklahoma
who
served
in
the
Uniformed
Services
of
the
United
States
and
those
who
continue
to
serve
our
country
today”. Congratulations
to this
year's
inductees and
thank
you
for
your
exceptional
service.
- Happy
Birthday
Navy!
For
241
years,
the
US
Navy
has
maintained,
trained,
and
equipped
combat-ready
Naval
forces
capable
of
winning
wars,
deterring
aggression,
and
maintaining
freedom
of
the
seas.
Thank
you
for
your
enduring
service.
Stay
Connected!
If
you
would
like
more
information
on
these
topics
or
any
other
legislation
currently
before
the
U.S.
Senate,
please
do
not
hesitate
to
call
my
D.C.
office
at
(202)
224-5754.
My
Oklahoma
City
office
can
be
reached
at
(405)
231-4941
and
my
Tulsa
office
at
(918)
581-7651.
You
can
also
follow
me
on
Facebook
or
Twitter
or
Instagram
for
updates
on
my
work
in
Congress.
Notice:
If
you
wish
to
stop
ALL
electronic
communications
from
my
office,
visit
this
link
to
opt out
permanently
from
this
list.
If
you
have
any
questions
about
this
Notice
or
your
right
to
decline
future
electronic
mail
from
this
office,
please
contact
us
at
United
States
Senate,
316
Hart
Senate
Office
Building
Washington,
DC
20510. |