Weekly Columns
If you drove across our state of Oklahoma, you would see nearly half a million wells that have been drilled into open fields. While they support hundreds of thousands of jobs and contribute to producing clean American energy when active, abandoned wells and legacy sites have become a major problem for landowners. These sites cause environmental hazards and are extremely costly, which is why my colleague Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17) and I crafted H.R. 4270, the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act.
Last week was an example of yet another power-grab attempt and legislative gimmick forced upon Congress by Democrats. Late Wednesday night, House Democrats gutted H.R. 5746, a bill relating solely to NASA, and dropped in voting rights legislation that includes provisions from the “John Lewis Voting Rights Act” (H.R. 4) and “For the People Act” (H.R. 1). Both of these bills had little support from American citizens because they undermine the rights of states to determine their own election laws.
December is usually a month that sees tremendous economic activity and growth during the holiday season, but this year was much different. The Democratic-controlled chambers of Congress and the White House’s wasteful spending and failed policies have contributed to record-breaking inflation, supply-chain issues, lagging wages, labor shortages, and now, the worst jobs report of Joe Biden’s presidency.
When Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, he inherited a country that was energy independent, with a largely secure southern border, a powerful and respected national defense, and a recovering economy. Instead of capitalizing on these strengths in his first year in office, Biden has actively reversed the successful policies of the previous president and has failed to address the crises his irrational decisions have caused across the country.
Your priorities are my priorities. Through communicating with my constituents in Oklahoma’s fifth district, I’m proud to have championed many initiatives my first year in Congress. I’d like to highlight some wins in three main areas:
Safeguarding Oil and Gas Jobs
It is the most wonderful time of the year. After a busy first session in the United States Congress, I look forward to celebrating Christmas with family in Oklahoma City and using this as a time to reset and focus on the importance of this day.
Members of Congress are being called back to Washington this week to vote on raising the debt ceiling. As a fiscal conservative, I will be voting against this proposal, yet again, because I am firmly opposed to this administration’s management of taxpayer dollars.
Our country is facing an unprecedented border crisis. In October, I visited the Del Rio Sector of the Texas-Mexico border and saw firsthand the absence of adequate security, lack of support for our U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, and especially, the harm illegal border crossings continue to cause our vulnerable border communities.
Parents are the primary stakeholders in their child’s education. They know their children best, and their involvement should be encouraged because they are the people who ultimately lay the foundation and pave the pathway of their child’s life.
Last week the House unfortunately passed the reckless budget reconciliation bill, also known as the Build Back Better Act. I voted against this legislation because I am deeply concerned about the bill’s price tag, especially considering the crippling inflation crisis our country is currently facing, as well as the national debt of nearly $30 trillion. It is the most expensive bill and largest tax increase in American history and could bankrupt our economy by further fueling inflation, the labor shortage, and the national debt.