Welcoming Administration Leaders to Oklahoma
It has been an honor to welcome several members of President Trump’s administration to Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District. I’ve had the opportunity to host Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner, and Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz. These visits allow us to showcase the innovative work taking place across Oklahoma and highlight the organizations, partnerships, and programs that are making a real difference in our communities.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visited Oklahoma City to learn more about the success of the EPA’s Brownfields Program and see firsthand how it has helped transform our community. Brownfields are former industrial or commercial properties where environmental concerns have made redevelopment more challenging. Through this program, communities can clean up and redevelop these sites for new public use. We highlighted projects at Scissortail Park and Fire Station 6, two great examples of how Oklahoma City has successfully transformed former brownfield sites into places that now serve and strengthen our community.
We also hosted HUD Secretary Scott Turner with a visit to Pivot to tour their innovative tiny home community for young adults experiencing housing instability. Pivot provides far more than a roof overhead. It gives young people a safe place to live while connecting them with life skills, education, and resources that help them build successful, independent futures. It was a great opportunity to showcase how Oklahoma organizations are finding new ways to support young adults and partnering with state and local agencies to provide wrap-around services that will ensure participant success. We also had the opportunity to join Secretary Turner at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, an important part of our state’s history that honors the lives lost, those who survived, and the resilience of our community.
It was also a pleasure to welcome Dr. Oz to the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center. During his visit, we highlighted the important work being done to improve access to quality health care across rural Oklahoma through the Rural Health Transformation Fund, a provision within the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation. I was proud to support this program, which provides $50 billion over five years to help rural hospitals modernize, strengthen models of care, and ensure a patient’s ZIP code does not determine the quality of care they receive. It was exciting to show Dr. Oz how OU Health is already putting that vision into action by partnering with communities across Oklahoma to expand access to specialty care, telehealth, and new treatment options so more Oklahomans can receive high-quality care closer to home.
It is always a privilege to welcome administration leaders to Oklahoma and share the remarkable work taking place across our state. Whether it is revitalizing communities, supporting young adults, or expanding access to quality health care, Oklahoma continues to lead with innovative solutions that strengthen communities across our state. I look forward to continuing to highlight the people, organizations, and communities that make Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District such a special place.