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July 16, 2014
News Stories

Washington Times - Stephen Dinan

House Republicans’ attempt to sue President Obama for overstepping his constitutional boundaries isn’t a slam dunk, but neither is it the laughable case Democrats have suggested, a prominent scholar and Obama supporter testified to Congress on Wednesday.


July 15, 2014
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Newsmax Wires

Republicans will grant only part of the $3.7 billion President Barack Obama requested to address a surge of migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border, the House Appropriations chairman said.

“We’re trying to sift out of his request those items and dollar numbers that need to be done immediately,” Hal Rogers, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters today in Washington. “The rest of what he’s requested we can consider as we process the regular 2015 appropriations bills.”


July 11, 2014
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Fox News - Chad Pergram

The House of Representatives on Friday approved a non-binding resolution backing Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas rocket attacks.

The vote comes as Hamas-fired rockets stream into Israel's airspace, though most are being intercepted by Israel's advanced defense system.

The House adopted the resolution by unanimous consent, and there was no roll call vote.

Issues:Foreign Affairs

June 17, 2014
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NewsOK - Chris Casteel

The White House came out strongly on Tuesday against the defense spending bill set to be considered by the full U.S. House this week and specifically cited a provision that would protect AWACS planes stationed at Tinker Air Force Base.

A statement from the White House budget office says a section of the spending bill authored by Rep. Tom Cole "would prevent the Air Force from using funds to divest or to disestablish any units of the active or reserve component associated with E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft.

Issues:Defense, National Security & Foreign Affairs

June 15, 2014
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The Oklahoman - Silas Allen

A day after the first wave of unaccompanied immigrant children began arriving at Fort Sill, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole blamed President Barack Obama for the predicament.

Speaking to a group of journalists and publishers Saturday, Cole, R-Moore, said Obama had failed to stanch the flow of people, including unaccompanied children, entering the country illegally across the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is not a humanitarian crisis,” Cole said. “This is a policy failure.”

Issues:Immigration

June 13, 2014
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The Oklahoman - Editorial Board

Over the course of this year, as many as 90,000 minors fleeing crime- and poverty-ridden Central American countries could be given haven in the United States. Few will ever return to their homeland, prompting U.S. Rep. Tom Cole to say this week: “We need to have some frank policy discussions.”

Issues:Immigration

June 10, 2014
News Stories

The Oklahoman - Rick Green and Chris Casteel

Hundreds of young people who came across the southern U.S. border illegally are expected to begin arriving this week at Fort Sill, where they will be housed temporarily.

“Our target date to begin receiving children at Fort Sill is Friday, June 13,” Kenneth J. Wolfe, spokesman for the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said Monday.

Issues:Immigration

June 9, 2014
News Stories

KFOR - Jesse Wells

A plan to house hundreds of illegal immigrants at an Oklahoma military base comes under fire.

Officials at Fort Sill announced they would help house somewhere between 600 and 1,200 children.

Those kids are in our country illegally.

That’s sparked two criticisms from Republicans.

They don’t like military bases being used for non military needs and they’re critical of President Obama’s immigration policies.

“It is alarming to have 1200 children in a military installation,” said governor Mary Fallin.

Issues:Immigration

June 9, 2014
News Stories

News9 - Michael Konopasek

Questions remained unanswered late Monday over what will come of more than 600 illegal juvenile immigrants on their way to Oklahoma from Texas and Arizona.

Federal officials said the children, who could be living at Ft. Sill for up to four months, could be at the post as early as Tuesday morning.

"As far as the financial [impact], it's putting more [of a] burden here," Lawton resident Cedric Lax said.

Issues:Immigration

June 9, 2014
News Stories

KSWO News 7

As many as 1,200 illegal immigrant children could be coming to live at fort sill as soon as Friday.

Over the past two years, the number of unaccompanied minors has spiked dramatically from 6,000 to more than 66,000, and it's believed by 2016 that number will soar to more than 140,000. Now, the governor is speaking out against the decision to place some of them on post.

Issues:Immigration