Dear Oklahoma Friends and Neighbors,

In Oklahoma and in DC, you can feel spring is on its way. In the midst of this noisy election season, the Senate has a tremendous amount of work to get done—opioid drug policy, terrorism, energy, water issues (including Flint, Michigan), appropriations, national security, healthcare, foreign policy and much more.  

Over the last few weeks, I personally questioned Secretary of State John Kerry on Iran and Libya’s handling of terrorists; Attorney General Loretta Lynch on their proposal to bring GITMO detainees to US soil; General Thomas Bostick from the Army Corps of Engineers about Oklahoma's ports and inland waterways; Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell about hospital recovery contractor audits and health insurance plans that mandate abortion coverage; and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker about the intrusive American Community Survey and the Obama Administration's intention to transfer control of Internet names to an international body. There are too many other meetings to note in this short e-newsletter. 

I also met with well over 100 Oklahomans in DC over the past two weeks to discuss the issues important to them. As I type this tonight on the plane heading back to Oklahoma for the weekend, a fellow Oklahoman stopped me to say thank you for the great staff in our office that helped his family unwind a federal mess with an agency. You have many great people on the Senate staff who work everyday on your behalf in Oklahoma and in Washington, DC 

As issues arise, please contact my office—we are here to work for you.

Address to CPAC

CLICK HERE to watch the full speech.

Yesterday evening, it was my honor to address this year’s participants at the annual CPAC conference. I used the opportunity to encourage Americans to consider again the powerful and unique freedoms we enjoy, including the First Amendment protection of religious freedom. The Founding Fathers clearly understood that there is a direct connection between the prosperity and health of a nation and its respect for human rights and religious freedom. From our history, anyone can clearly see that religious freedom does not exists because of America; America exists because of the passion for religious freedom. 

In America, any person can live their faith or choose to have no faith; in many parts of the world that simple truth is revolutionary. This fundamental right at the core of our nation allows the United States to champion religious liberty for all faiths around the world. Some in our generation are afraid of faith, but faith has been a core value of our nation since before we were a nation. There is no question that the people of our nation have freedom of faith, the real question is: will the people who have faith in our country live their faith?  

Justice Scalia’s Legacy

The news of Justice Scalia’s passing was a tremendous loss for the Supreme Court and for America. His legacy will be long remembered for his stance on the original meaning of the Constitution, rather than a modern interpretation. Justice Scalia provided an excellent model for how a US Supreme Court Justice should evaluate a case and interpret the original intent of the law. He was a devoted husband and father and will be missed greatly by many. 

I send my deepest sympathies to his wife and family in their time of grief. No other Justice stood stronger for conservative principles and gave a more articulate defense of the Constitution.

President’s plan to close GITMO

Last week, President Obama announced a general outline of how he wants to close the Guantanamo Bay (GITMO) detention facility in Cuba and relocate terrorists to other countries or to America for imprisonment. This is a terrible plan that seems to be more about a campaign promise than national security. There is too much instability around the world to risk detainee recidivism. I visited the facility last March, and it is clear to me that GITMO is the place to continue to detain terrorists. The common image of GITMO with wire fence cages and outdoor detention has not been true for well over a decade. GITMO is a modern, secure prison facility, where the most dangerous terrorists in the world can be detained, tried and brought to justice.   

With a small group of other Senators, I have called to cut foreign aid for any country that accepts a detainee, who later returns to terrorism. The safety of the American people is more important than a political campaign promise.

To read more about my thoughts on the President’s plan to close GITMO, CLICK HERE.

Letter to President on Human Rights and Religious Liberty

Last month, I sent a letter to President Obama to ask him to reevaluate his decision to further open diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba and India. My concern is with each country’s track record of human rights and religious liberty. Cuba and India’s restrictive speech policies and oppressive culture for religious minorities are the forefront of my concern are detailed in the letter. 

As the world’s most powerful nation, we should challenge their oppressive behaviors before treating them like allies.   

To read the full letter to President Obama, CLICK HERE.

Oklahoman Editorial Board: Budget Straight Talk

Last month, The Oklahoman Editorial Board responded to a speech I made on the Senate floor that followed the President’s budget release. Once again, the President proposed another huge budget with more spending and a larger national debt. The Editorial Board noted the grave uphill battle with our budget and my solutions to cut waste, reform the budget process and get rid of the Washington budget gimmicks.

We need to pursue this important issue to ensure a better future for Oklahoma families.

To read the full editorial, CLICK HERE. 

Keeping You In The Loop 

• Tax season is here, and with that comes scammers. The IRS will never call your home and demand immediate payment. For more information from the IRS to protect yourself from these phone scams, CLICK HERE. 
• On January 7, I sent a letter to the Department of Education to challenge their use of guidance documents that attempt to inappropriately change policy for colleges and universities without going through the legal rule-making process. The Department of Education's response confirmed the frustration of many academics and legal experts that these action do indeed constitute executive overreach. I have followed up on the many unanswered questions and I intend to keep pushing until the federal Department of Education stops running over our colleges.
• Last week, the Subcommittee I chair on Regulatory Affairs held a hearing on the federal government’s relationship with state and local governments. The hearing focused on three questions to consider before a new mandate is imposed from Washington, DC, can we consult those affected, consider the cost to communities and make sure all agencies play by the same rules. To read my opening statement or view the video from the hearing, CLICK HERE. 
• Last week, I released a personal invitation to all Oklahomans who plan to visit Washington, DC to Java with James. Java with James is a constituent coffee held every Wednesday the US Senate is in session from 9am-10am ET in my office, 316 Hart Senate Office Building. If you are in town, I hope you and your family can join me for a cup of coffee and some conversation with fellow Oklahomans. CLICK HERE to watch the video invitation. 
• Last week, I spoke with Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald, about the quality of care for veterans in Oklahoma and when we can expect permanent leadership to be assigned to the Muskogee and Oklahoma City VA hospitals. I am encouraged that the Deputy Secretary of the VA, Sloan Gibson, will visit Muskogee and Oklahoma City Veterans Medical Centers next week. I will continue my dialogue with Secretary McDonald and his staff to ensure the VA continues to meet the expectations of our veterans and fellow Oklahomans.

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.

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