Weekly Columns
A core responsibility of our government is to provide safety and security to the American people. Concerningly, Democrats in Washington have not only ignored this critical duty but have actively made our nation less safe. The southern border is wide open, crime rates have reached record highs, and the U.S. has suffered on the world stage from the President’s weak foreign policy. Luckily, Republicans have a plan.
The policies pushed by Democrat rule in Washington have stifled our foundational freedoms by imposing top-down, one-size-fits-all government approaches. The negative impacts of these restrictive policies have trickled down on everyday American families. Through nearly two years of committee and task force work, we have identified practical policy proposals that ensure our freedoms are protected as exemplified in our Commitment to America.
Under one party rule in Washington, the federal government has been focused on pushing an out of touch agenda. Democrats throughout Washington have made policy decisions that supersede authority – utilizing procedural gimmicks, executive orders, and new executive agency rules. In Congress, Democrats are forcing partisan legislation, many times with zero Republican input and without proper committee consideration. With no accountability for their actions, Americans are losing faith in their government system.
Since Democrats took control of Washington, this country has taken a sharp left turn. Our nation has experienced rampant inflation, a wide-open border, and endless government spending. Sadly, it’s the American people, and my fellow Oklahomans, who are bearing the brunt of these crippling policy decisions.
The situation at the southern border has hit yet another historic milestone. For the first time in our nation’s history, the U.S. Mexico border has surpassed 2 million crossings for a single fiscal year, with still one more month left. To put things into perspective, that is over half the population of the state of Oklahoma. This massive influx is a direct result of the Biden Administration’s open-border policies that have incentivized illegal crossings, and there have been dangerous consequences as a result.
This week marked 21 years since America was changed forever. Our way of life will always be thought of as before and after the devastating day of September 11, 2001. Americans watched and endured the pure evil that attacked our nation and took thousands of innocent lives. Our nation prevailed, overcoming extreme loss and pain.
Executive orders are issued by the White House and are used to direct the executive branch of the government. Essentially, executive orders have the effect of laws and are supposed to be used strictly in relation to a law passed by Congress or based on powers granted to the President in the Constitution. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the most executive orders with 3721, followed by Woodrow Wilson with 1,803.
Last week, President Biden announced that he would cancel $10,000 in federal student loans and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. This will apply to borrowers making less than $125,000 per year for individuals and less than $250,000 for households. As a result, American taxpayers will bear the brunt of others’ debts, fuel will be added to already raging inflation, and our nation will further fall into crushing debt.
Each year, Congress recesses for the month of August. During Congress’ early years, the Capitol didn’t have air conditioning, which caused Members to leave during the summer months to escape the heat in Washington. Through many years of varying lengths of summer recess, in 1970, Congress mandated this as part of the Legislative Reorganization Act. Today, August recess continues to be a regular feature of the Congressional schedule because it’s critical for Members spend time in their districts and engage with their constituents.
The government should work for the people, not against their freedoms. Under Democrat control of the executive and legislative branch of the United States government, we have seen a lack of accountability to the American people resulting in a loss of faith in our institutions. In addition, since Biden took office, we have seen multiple attempts to infringe on our constitutional rights. It is critical that we re-establish responsibility within our government systems and restore confidence in the foundation of our great nation.