|
Early
Wednesday
morning,
a
group
of
baseball
players,
who
are
also
Members
of
Congress
and
staff,
got
together
to
practice
for
the
annual
Congressional
charity
baseball
game—a
fundraiser
for
local
nonprofits.
During
practice,
a
man
walked
up
and
began
shooting
at
each
player.
Four
individuals
were
hit,
and
two
of
them
are
still
in
critical
condition,
fighting
for
their
lives
as
I
write
to
you.
I’m
still
in
shock
that
this
happened
days
ago.
It
appears
the
shooter
acted
because
of
politically-motivated
anger.
We
must
encourage
one
another
and
remember
that
we
are
a
nation
that
solves
things
through
conversation.
We
disagree,
but
please
join
us
in
praying
for
all
those
affected
by
the
senseless
violence.
We
cannot
solve
issues
with
violence.
As
the
nation
works
through
this,
the
Senate
still
remains
committed
to
a
number
of
issues
important
to
Oklahomans,
like
finding
a
smooth
transition
toward
a
better
healthcare
system
that
works
for
all
Americans.
In
the
days
ahead,
if
you
have
concerns,
please
do
not
hesitate
to
share
them
with
me
through
my
office.
Update
on
Healthcare
Reform
in
the
Senate
Since
the
last
e-newsletter
update
on
the
ongoing
debate
over
healthcare
reform,
we
continue
to
hear
from
families
about
the
continued
failures
of
the
Affordable
Care
Act.
For
example,
just
last
week
Anthem—one
of
the
country’s
big
five
public
health
insurers—announced
it
was
pulling
out
of
Ohio’s
Affordable
Care
Act
exchange.
Oklahomans
are
all
to
familiar
with
having
only
one
provider
with
skyrocketing
rates.
The
Senate
continues
to
work
diligently
to
walk
through
all
facets
of
health
reform.
Primarily,
we
are
looking
toward
proven
state-led
reforms
that
maintain
access
for
those
with
preexisting
conditions
in
the
current
exchange
market
while
also
lowering
premiums
for
everyone
buying
insurance
in
the
individual
markets.
Specifically,
we
would
like
to
cut
many
of
Obamacare’s
damaging
taxes,
roll
back
many
of
the
ACA
regulations
that
drive
up
costs,
and
return
authority
back
to
states,
which
are
better
positioned
to
oversee
local
healthcare
decision-making.
The
internal
debate
in
the
Senate
is
about
people
and
healthcare,
not
politics.
We
plan
to
finish
the
healthcare
bill
this
summer.
Travels
to
Syria
and
Iraq
During
Memorial
Day
weekend,
I
visited
Syria
and
the
cities
of
Baghdad,
Erbil,
and
Mosul
in
Iraq
to
evaluate
US
anti-terrorism
efforts
with
Senate
Intelligence
Committee
Chairman
Richard
Burr.
We
have
many
fellow
Oklahomans
currently
serving
in
Iraq
and
Syria.
They
continue
to
faithfully
serve
with
great
distinction.
While
in
Mosul,
we
visited
the
structurally
deficient
Mosul
Dam
and
spoke
with
US
Army
of
Corps
of
Engineers
personnel
as
they
work
to
protect
millions
of
Iraqis
downstream.
|
The
time
spent
in
these
countries
was
essential
to
determine
the
needs
of
our
men
and
women
in
the
field
and
provide
oversight
of
our
intelligence
capacity
in
one
of
the
most
dangerous
regions
in
the
world.
As
instability
and
terrorist
threats
continue
to
rise,
it
is
important
to
support
our
intelligence
community,
and
this
trip
was
a
reminder
that
the
US
has
the
best
military
and
intelligence
professionals
in
the
world.
CLICK
HERE
to
read
more
about
the
trip.
CLICK
HERE
to
view
photos.
Update
from
the
Senate
Intelligence
Hearings
There’s
been
a
lot
of
activity
within
the
Senate
Intelligence
Committee’s
hearings.
The
Committee’s
work
is
typically
behind
closed
doors
due
to
the
sensitive
documents
we
work
with,
but
we’ve
had
10
open
hearings
this
year
to
address
the
current
investigation
into
Russia’s
interference
with
US
elections.
This
is
important
work,
and
the
Committee
is
focused
on
getting
all
the
facts.
Last
week,
the
Committee
questioned
former
FBI
Director
James
Comey.
This
week,
the
Committee
was
able
to
speak
with
Attorney
General
Jeff
Sessions.
On
Sunday,
I
spoke
with
CBS's
Face
the
Nation
to
dive
into
some
of
the
testimony
from
the
week. CLICK
HERE
to
watch
the
full
interview.
CLICK
HERE
to
watch
my
Q&A
with
James
Comey.
CLICK
HERE
to
watch
my
Q&A
with
Attorney
General
Jeff
Sessions.
Justice
Department
Implements
My
Slush
Fund
Reform
Last
week,
the
US
Department
of
Justice
(DOJ)
announced
it
would
implement
a
“slush
fund”
reform
prohibiting
DOJ
officials
and
all
US
Attorney’s
offices
from
awarding
a
settlement
agreement
as
a
donation
to
a
preferred
third-party
nonprofit
or
person
selected
by
federal
employees.
This
policy
idea
was
included
in
my
2016 Federal
Fumbles
government
waste
report.
No
agency
or
president
should
be
able
to
force
citizens
or
businesses
to
pay
settlements
that
benefit
outside
special
interest
groups
preferred
by
the
president.
This
is
a
very
positive
change,
but
I
still
encourage
Congress
to
pass
my
bill
so
that
this
commonsense
policy
will
be
solidified
in
law,
no
matter
who
is
in
the
White
House.
CLICK
HERE
to
read
more.
Keeping
You
in
the
Loop
-
Two
weeks
ago,
along
with
Senator
Elizabeth
Warren
(D-MA),
I
reintroduced
the
Truth
in
Settlements
Act,
a
bipartisan
bill
to
increase
transparency
for
major
settlements
reached
by
federal
agencies.
Taxpayers
deserve
an
open
and
transparent
government.
This
bill
keeps
the
federal
government
accountable
to
the
American
people. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more.
-
This
week,
I
joined
Senator
Cory
Booker
(D-NJ)
to
introduce
the
Eliminating
Federal
Tax
Subsidies
for
Stadiums
Act,
which
would
end
federal
subsidies
for
professional
sports
stadiums.
The
federal
government
is
responsible
for
a
lot
of
important
functions,
but
financing
sports
stadiums
for
multi-million—sometimes
billion—dollar
franchises
is
definitely
not
one
of
them.
To
read
more, CLICK
HERE.
-
This
week,
the
Senate
voted
on
the
Countering
Iran’s
Destabilizing
Activities
Act,
which
strengthens
US
sanctions
against
those
that
contribute
to
Iran’s
ballistic
missile
program,
state-sponsored
terrorism,
and
conventional
arms
trade.
This
week
I
spoke
on
the
floor
to
urge
that
we
require
congressional
review
prior
to
lifting
sanctions
on
Russia.
CLICK
HERE
to
watch.
-
Earlier
this
month,
the
Trump
Administration
announced
a
draft
rule
change
regarding
the
Affordable
Care
Act
Health
and
Human
Services
mandate.
The
change
grants
religious
freedom
exemptions
for
faith-based
universities—like
Oklahoma
Wesleyan,
Oklahoma
Baptist,
Southern
Nazarene,
and
Mid-America
Christian—and
the
Little
Sisters
of
the
Poor
from
being
forced
to
provide
health
insurance
that
violates
their
beliefs. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more.
-
Last
week,
I
introduced
the
Native
American
Education
Opportunity
Act.
If
signed
into
law,
the
bill
will
give
American
Indian
students
access
to
Education
Savings
Accounts
to
use
for
tuition,
textbooks,
tutoring
services,
therapies,
technology,
and
transportation. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more.
-
This
week,
the
Senate
Judiciary
Committee
voted
to
confirm
Scott
Palk
to
be
US
District
Judge
for
the
Western
District
of
Oklahoma. CLICK
HERE
to
read
more
about
Scott.
-
During
a
hearing
of
Senate
Appropriations
Subcommittee
on
State
and
Foreign
Operations,
I
addressed
the
effectiveness
of
US
assistance
to
countries
in
the
Northern
Triangle
of
Central
America—El
Salvador,
Guatemala,
and
Honduras—as
it
is
beneficial
for
the
US
to
have
a
stable
relationship
with
Central
America.
To
read
my
opening
remarks, CLICK
HERE.
|
|