Dear Oklahoma Friends and Neighbors, 

Since my last update, it has been a busy couple of weeks with hearings, meetings with Oklahomans visiting Washington, DC and budget debates on the Senate floor. We passed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act to protect our nation’s busy and safe airspace. We also started debate, a month early, on the first of 12 appropriations bills we need to pass before the end of the year to fund the operations and programs of the federal government. This week was a scheduled work week in the state which allowed me to spend time with folks from Lawton, Weatherford and Central Oklahoma. 

It’s always great to hear your thoughts and comments on legislation. If you have any thoughts or concerns as we move forward with legislation, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

It’s time to reform our government

In 2015, the federal agencies proposed so many new rules and notices it took 81,611 pages to print them all. Most federal rules are not a result of new laws passed, they are the agencies' new interpretation of old laws. Our nation’s growing overregulation hurts our economy and the communities that have to comply with constantly changing and burdensome requirements. In every industry, it is difficult to know if you comply with the rules because the rules change so often and come from so many agencies. Over a year ago, I started an effort to identify and eliminate overregulation and waste in order to create a more efficient government. I continue to work on bipartisan bills to take the first step to bring real regulatory reform.  

• Duplication of government programs: It’s hard to eliminate something you can’t see and the federal government is an expert at hiding programs in the maze of agencies. This is a simple issue that Congress can bring sunlight to and solve duplication of programs. I introduced the Taxpayers Right to Know Act to publicly expose every federal program so we can finally stop complaining about duplication and actually end it. CLICK HERE to see my floor speech on the government’s duplication problem and how we can fix it.
• Budget gimmicks: During an Appropriations hearing, I offered an amendment to prohibit a yearly budget gimmick that allows the same money to be counted twice. This should be common sense, but the amendment failed. This is the second year I have stood against the Washington status quo that thinks it is normal to double-count resources. I picked up one more vote this year than last year, and I remain hopeful that we can eliminate this practice in the near future. CLICK HERE to learn more about my amendment.
• Land Water and Conservation Fund: When the Senate debated the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, I offered an amendment that would require the federal government to take care of existing federally-owned land before buying new land. The government is the largest landowner in the country and agencies want to keep buying more. It is time to stop expanding federal ownership and improper care. As homeowners, we’re required to take care of our property. The federal government should be no different. CLICK HERE to read an opinion piece from The Oklahoman Editorial Board published on how federal officials disregard their land management responsibilities.

The Iran Nuclear Agreement and its side deals

At the end of April, the public was made aware of the Obama Administration’s plan to purchase 32 tons of heavy water from Iran for millions of dollars. Heavy water is material used to assist in the production of nuclear weapons, but it can also be used for nuclear testing and some industrial manufacturing. Currently, the United States purchases heavy water mostly from Canada. President Obama’s Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, encouraged American companies and other countries to follow our lead and also buy heavy water from Iran. Iran is still the largest sponsor of terrorism in the world, and I do not agree that we should stop buying resources from our allies, like Canada, and start buying nuclear material from Iran. It’s clear that several concessions were thrown into the Iran Nuclear Agreement at the last minute and much of the language is ambiguous and hidden from the American public. 

Last month, I introduced a Senate resolution to ensure sanctions are reimposed if Iran violates the terms in the nuclear deal. These side deals continue to reinforce my suspicions about the deal and the continued benefits for Iran. The Senate will vote soon on an amendment to stop the future purchase of Iranian heavy water with taxpayer funds.   

To read more about the purchase of Iran’s heavy water, CLICK HERE.

National Foster Care Month

National Foster Care Month is a time to raise awareness and think about the plight of vulnerable children currently in America’s foster care system. Children often come into care from very troubling situations; all of us are grateful for the many selfless foster parents, special advocates, mentors and social workers who patiently serve these children. 

To address our foster crisis, the state, tribal and local governments, businesses, nonprofits and the faith-based community must be united to work together. I have joined Governor Fallin as she encourages additional families to consider how they can provide foster care for the 10,500 children in our state’s foster care system. Oklahoma should be a place where every child can have a loving and stable family. Oklahoma will only be as stable and prosperous as the families in our state. The solution to the foster care crisis is stronger families and more families helping mentor and foster kids.  

To learn more about the Oklahoma Fosters Initiative, CLICK HERE.

Congressional Prayer Caucus

In 2005, Congressman Randy Forbes of Virginia led a small group of Members to pray for our nation in room 219 of the US Capitol. Today, the caucus has grown to over 90 Members from both the House and Senate. I hope you will continue to pray, especially during this week of the National Day of Prayer, for Congress, our President and the Supreme Court as we work on the many complex issues that face our nation.  

CLICK HERE to view a video about the National Day of Prayer and the Congressional Prayer Caucus.

Happy Mother’s Day

Last week, I was honored to visit with Oklahoma’s State Mother of the Year, Shouna Olson and Susan Winchester, who received the National Mother of Achievement. Congratulations on your recognition. Thank you to the American Mother’s non-profit for continuing this 80-year award to honor strong moms around the nation.  

I wish my Mom, my wife, Cindy, and all the moms of our state a joyous and happy Mother’s Day. 

Keeping You In The Loop

• At the end of April, the Senate Committee on Judiciary held hearings to support two nominees for the US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Judge Suzanne Mitchell and Scott Palk. I was honored to support both nominees during the hearing. Their backgrounds make them both uniquely qualified to serve our state as federal judges. To read more about Suzanne and Scott, CLICK HERE.
• Last Thursday, Congressman Forbes and I led a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine why Bibles were removed from the "Missing Man Table" displays at multiple VA facilities around the country. To read the full letter, CLICK HERE.
• Last week, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) released the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This is one of the many steps Congress will take to pass effective legislation to preserve our national security. CLICK HERE to view a summary of the HASC NDAA, which the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) will review next week.
• Last week, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee introduced The Veterans First Act. This legislation will include many of the key initiatives I support: to improve accountability in the VA, enhance oversight, and make the Veteran’s Choice program permanent. CLICK HERE to see an overview of upcoming legislation.  

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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.