Dear Oklahoma friends and neighbors: Fall is in the air. Find some time to get out and enjoy our beautiful state parks this fall. Have you ever gone on the Talimena Drive in southeast Oklahoma? It’s truly breathtaking in the fall. Learn more HERE about the best time to make this scenic drive through the Ouachita National Forest. Hearing Directly from Oklahomans During August Congress did not have scheduled votes, so I spent the month traveling across our beautiful state, from Guymon to Tahlequah, Poteau to Altus, and many great places in between, hearing directly from Oklahomans. I listened to concerns about the need for the Farm Bill to provide clarity in agriculture policy and the urgency of securing our southern border to stop the flow of human trafficking and drug smuggling. I also heard how the changes from the Biden Administration are negatively impacting our Oklahoma higher education institutions. All of September, I was back in Washington, DC, working on our budget, oversight of the Secret Service, and a tall stack of other issues. My office continues to serve Oklahomans through casework for veterans, Social Security, Medicare, the Postal Service, the IRS, and more. We are your hands and feet to solve the inefficiency in our federal bureaucracy. Please continue to share your opinions and solutions with me by calling or emailing my office. You can also reach out to my field representatives who are always out and about in Oklahoma when I’m in Washington, DC, for votes. UPDATE: Federal Funding and Our Skyrocketing National Debt This week, our national debt stands at $35.4 trillion—a dangerous national security risk. This year alone, Americans will pay over $1 trillion (with a T) in interest on that debt, and the amount continues to climb as our debt grows. This is not sustainable, and everyone knows it. I’ve repeatedly introduced bills and amendments and delivered floor speeches urging my colleagues to address our soaring national debt and get our spending under control. It’s a conversation I’ve had in Washington, DC since I first started serving, and I will continue to push for real solutions to rein in federal spending. We need to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse wherever possible, focus on what is essential, and spend our tax dollars wisely. Earlier this month, I gave a speech on the Senate floor reminding my colleagues of what real Oklahomans—and Americans—are talking about around their dinner tables. One of the top concerns is how to avoid government shutdowns and ensure that government operations are funded and efficient. CLICK HERE to watch my speech on the Senate floor. On Wednesday, I voted to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government operating through December 20, 2024. Leader Schumer has not brought a single budget bill to the floor the entire year. The CR at least allows the government to operate, and it avoids a government shutdown. But it doesn’t improve our fiscal situation. Our military, veterans, law enforcement, border personnel, and others rely on the continuity of essential services. Our national debt continues to grow, and runaway spending remains unchecked because we aren’t taking the time to engage in real debate over how to responsibly manage taxpayer dollars. Congress must get back to debating and passing individual appropriations bills to address both the immediate needs of the nation and plan for the future. I have a solution to our fiscal mess called the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which will force Congress to make spending decisions and get the work of funding the government done. CLICK HERE to read more about my vote to keep the government functioning and to find additional information on my Prevent Government Shutdowns Act. 2025 Will be the “Year of the Tax” While traveling across Oklahoma last month, I heard from hundreds of Oklahomans and multiple Oklahoma small and large business leaders about their concerns that the Trump-era tax cuts will expire at the end of 2025, if those cuts are not extended, and taxes will go up on every American. Prices have already skyrocketed in the past three years of high inflation. Higher taxes will make that even worse. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have the opportunity to work directly on this issue and bring the Oklahoma perspective to the Committee. In a hearing a few weeks ago, I emphasized the importance of personal and business tax policies that encourage more hiring, more investment and more savings for every Oklahoman. I also spoke about my Charitable Act, which allows people who do not itemize their personal taxes to still deduct their charitable giving during the year. This policy change ensures that Americans who donate to charities, houses of worship, religious organizations, and other nonprofits can deduct their donations, even if they are not wealthy “itemizers.” Oklahoma needs strong and independent nonprofits to care for the homeless, hurting, and hungry in our society. CLICK HERE to learn more about the Charitable Act and the conservative tax priorities I’m working on for Oklahomans. Last year, I published an op-ed in the Journal Record in Oklahoma to discuss some of my priorities for upcoming tax legislation. CLICK HERE to read it. Securing Tulsa’s Postal Service We recently secured a major win for Green Country by preventing an unnecessary delay in Tulsa’s mail delivery. The US Postal Service (USPS) had proposed rerouting mail through the Oklahoma City processing center before sending it to Tulsa, which would have caused significant delays. Many seniors and veterans receive critical prescriptions, Social Security checks, and other official federal correspondence through the mail. My team and I took it directly to the leadership of the Postal Service for a solution. I raised this issue multiple times in private and publicly with USPS leadership, including during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. CLICK HERE for more information. After months of working to keep our mail processing local, USPS has confirmed they will not relocate operations to OKC. This is a big win for the Tulsa community. Thank you to everyone from Green Country who spoke up about this issue, allowing us to show USPS how the proposal would have hurt Tulsans. CLICK HERE to watch my video on social media discussing this win for Oklahomans. |
Sep 30