Weekly Columns
As we enter 2024, many of us throughout Oklahoma are setting goals for the New Year. This is a time to focus on what we would like to accomplish and things we would like to achieve. For the remainder of this Congress, I will be working to deliver results and increase quality of life for Oklahomans throughout the Fifth Congressional District. These efforts will focus on two major initiatives: safeguarding our nation and revitalizing our economy.
The right to vote is a fundamental aspect of our Democracy. Over the past few decades, confidence in our elections has been shaken. We must restore the American people’s faith in our democratic system. The American Confidence in Election (ACE) Act is an important step in the right direction.
Over the course of the last few years, prices have risen across the board. This is especially noticeable during the Holiday season, which is set to be one of the most expensive on record. Just last week, we came together to celebrate Thanksgiving. The price of many Thanksgiving staples rose exponentially. Canned cranberries are up 60%, frozen vegetables are up 10.7%, sauces and gravies are up 7.5%, uncooked turkey was up 7.2%, rolls were up 5.7%, frozen pies were up 2.7%. |
We live in an increasingly unsafe world. Since President Biden took office, we witnessed the disastrous withdrawal of Afghanistan, the largest ground invasion in Europe since WWII, and the largest conflict in the Middle East in decades. Since October 17th, we have had more than 50 attacks on U.S. Military Forces or bases throughout the Middle East. This has resulted in injuries to more than 40 U.S. servicemembers. Terrorists are emboldened, and our adversaries are watching how we respond.
As Americans, we cherish the values of liberty, freedom, and patriotism. This week, I am reminded of a quote by Ronald Reagan, who once said, “Veterans know better than anyone else the price of freedom, for they’ve suffered the scars of war. We can offer them no better tribute than to protect what they have won for us.” This quote rings true—America is the home of the free because of the brave.
The very same day Representative Mike Johnson was voted in as Speaker, House Republicans resumed moving legislation for the American people. So far, the House has passed multiple appropriations bills while the Senate has yet to pass a single one. These include state-foreign operations, energy-water, military construction-veterans affairs, homeland security, and defense. These appropriations bills focus on three major pillars: cuts, claw-backs, and conservative priorities.
Saturday at dawn, Hamas launched a massive offensive through land, sea, and air against Israel, killing hundreds and injuring thousands. Over the last few days, we have seen this unprecedented attack escalate as terrorists have taken hostages, executed Israelis in the streets, and committed countless other atrocities. Those who live in Western Democracies do not have to live with the fear of constant attack from adversaries all around us. This is the norm in Israel, with sirens blaring, rockets falling, and the fear of constant invasion.
As we all know, illegal migration into the United States has reached unprecedented levels since President Biden took office. This administration’s policies have incentivized individuals to make the dangerous journey to our southern border and have put our national security at risk. We have seen shocking images of border patrol agents being brutalized, migrants piling onto trains, and of foreign flags on American soil. Put simply, Joe Biden has purposefully abandoned our southern border.
It cannot be denied that over the last three years, no matter where you go, prices have risen. This fact contradicts what the President says when he touts “Bidenomics”, his economic philosophy. But working Americans are not buying the Bidenomics plan. They feel the budgetary pain caused by the President’s policies every day, which include spending trillions of dollars and drastically increasing the size of the federal government. Hardworking Oklahomans know this is not a recipe for success.
Under the Biden administration, we have seen record daily crossings, massive increases in migrant encounters every month, and an 800% increase in unaccompanied minors crossing the border since 2020. For this reason, a central tenet of our Commitment to America is tackling the border tragedy. The President’s open border policies have turned every district across America into a border district and every state into a border state, leaving us with an unprecedented humanitarian and national security crisis.