Today, Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after being selected by the House Republican Steering Committee to be the next Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Tomorrow morning, the House Republican Conference will vote to ratify him as the new Chairman.
Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, had the chance to talk with President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Rodd Moesel, about Congressman Cole’s new position of leadership. Moesel is currently in Washington D.C. with a group of farm bureau members from Oklahoma.
“We are overjoyed for Congressman Cole and overjoyed for the state of Oklahoma, and really for our whole country,” Moesel said. “Tom is one of the brightest minds in all of Congress and probably understands government appropriations better than any person I have ever met in my lifetime. To have an Oklahoman in that key role is a huge feather in the cap of our state and I am very confident that Tom will make really great decisions for not only our state but for our country.”
Congressman Cole’s has spent many years dedicating time to understanding the agriculture industry and making those connections, Moesel said, which makes him a great asset for the country and for rural Oklahoma.
Moesel also talked about State Senator Chris Kidd announcing his retirement from the Oklahoma Senate, and more about OKFB members’ trip to Washington D.C. this week. Click the listen bar above to hear the full conversation!
Commentary from Congressman Cole below:
“I am honored to be chosen by the Republican Steering Committee to succeed Congresswoman Kay Granger as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. I would like to thank the Steering Committee, as well as my fellow Appropriations Committee members, for their support. It means a great deal to have the confidence of these well-respected Members, and I am deeply humbled to be entrusted with this duty,” said Congressman Cole.
“There is substantial work to be done, and I care deeply about our mission. I will be utilizing my expertise and years of service on this Committee to responsibly guide us forward and fight for conservative, Republican priorities. I look forward to hitting the ground running tomorrow and am committed to engaging with the entire Conference to deliver the necessary appropriations bills in a timely manner. Everything I do will be in pursuit of fulfilling our fiscal commitments no matter the obstacles we face,” said Congressman Cole.
“Challenges must always be met with leadership, and I have had the opportunity to learn from the best. I want to thank Chairwoman Granger for all her splendid work throughout her long and distinguished career. This Committee is exceptionally rich in representatives who have held this position before, and I am very lucky to have not just one, but two, Republican Chairs Emeriti on the Committee. I will rely on both Chairwoman Kay Granger and Chairman Hal Rodgers throughout my tenure,” said Congressman Cole. “Now, let’s get to work for the American people!”
Complementary press release regarding Cole’s newly elected position below:
House Republican Conference Ratifies Cole as Chairman of House Appropriations Committee
Today, Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the full House Republican Conference ratified him as Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee:
“I am proud to announce that I was ratified by the House Republican Conference this morning as the new Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. I would like to thank the Conference for their support and ensure them that I am committed to conversing with them all to make sure that we are working to benefit their constituents, as well as properly utilizing our budget to defend our country and meet legitimate domestic needs,” said Congressman Cole. “I am excited to hit the ground running and get to work for this great nation.”
