Weekly Columns

Our economy runs on diesel. It’s used to fuel trucks, ships, trains, and other forms of transportation and construction machinery that are crucial to a functioning supply chain. It allows truckers and farmers to do their critical job, keeping food on shelves and delivering daily necessities to American families. Unfortunately, Biden’s rush to implement his green agenda has jeopardized our economic stability yet again. Diesel prices are nearly 50% higher than this time last year and our reserves are at the lowest level since 1951.

Veterans Day honors the men and women who have bravely and selflessly served our homeland throughout history, including those among us today, those who have sustained perpetual injuries both physically and mentally, and those who did not make it home. It’s days like these that we put differences aside and come together, as one nation under God, for the greater good of the country.

A nation is not a nation without borders. In President Biden’s first 100 days, he took more than 94 executive actions on immigration that directly resulted in the wide-open southern border and historic crisis we are seeing today. The total number of illegal border crossings during this administration is now over 4.7 million, with nearly 2.4 million crossings in this fiscal year alone, setting a new record. Biden has never visited the border to see the disaster his policies have created for border patrol agents, immigrants, and border communities.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, our economy was strong. President Biden and House Democrats inherited an economy that was poised to return to its peak. In 2020, the average rate of inflation was only around 1.2% and gas and utility costs were affordable. Sadly, that is no longer the reality for our nation’s economy. After two years under Democrat control of Washington, inflation is at a 40-year high, gas prices are up more than 60%, and our supply chains are still disrupted.

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.