Bice Welcomes Biden Administration
Washington, DC - Representative Stephanie Bice (OK-05) released the following statement on today's inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris:
“Congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their swearing in earlier this morning. As the Biden Administration begins its term, I look forward to finding areas that we can work together to enact commonsense solutions to the problems facing our nation.
President Biden has already begun working on a new policy to address coronavirus relief. While I have deep concerns with several policies included in this plan, it’s clear that millions of families and small businesses are still in need of assistance and I am pleased that the president is making COVID-19 relief a priority.
Biden will begin his administration by issuing a number of executive orders, several of which are cause for concern, including ending construction of the border wall. I’m most concerned about the decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit, which has a long history of being delayed for political purposes. American oil and gas companies have helped this country immensely during COVID relief efforts. Medical equipment, including PPE, is made from oil and natural gas. But more than that, the industry provides jobs for Oklahomans and I will do everything I can to protect those jobs.
However, I am pleased to see the rollback of the travel ban. A blanket ban does little to assist national security, but instead has caused hardship for families. Despite termination of the ban, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to screen foreign travelers seeking access to our country in order to safeguard our nation’s security.
While there is still much work to be done in this 117th Congress, I’m glad to be getting back to the business of the American people and look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to accomplish meaningful change."