Weekly Columns

Even though the U.S. House of Representatives was not in session, I kept a busy schedule during the extended work period. Throughout the last six weeks, I spent a great deal of time in Oklahoma hearing directly from constituents, local community leaders and small business owners at town halls and other meetings. In addition to these valuable conversations with fellow Oklahomans, I participated in two insightful learning trips with some of my colleagues in Congress.

While lawmakers debate numerous issues of significance, an important matter surrounding personal freedom and national security quietly looms in the background. America and our Western allies are locked in a modern-day space race with China and Russia to establish international norms for the revolutionary 5G wireless network.

Last week brought some significant news for Oklahoma that affirmed the tremendous talent and potential that exists in our state's medical and research communities. Specifically, I was honored to have a part in applauding Oklahoma based researchers who are leading the way at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), as recognized by two competitive federal grants that were recently awarded.

The economic success that America has experienced lately is truly historic. Even with unemployment as low as 3.7 percent, Congress has an opportunity to further improve the nation's economy and create more jobs by advancing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which would replace the outdated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). USMCA already has bipartisan support, and if it were brought to the floor in the U.S. House of Representatives, I think it would easily pass.

Certainly, most people recognize the importance of ensuring a competitive and fair wage for hardworking Americans, and I strongly support finding solutions to help job creators in communities across the nation and in Oklahoma do just that. Last week, House Democrats tackled legislation to significantly raise the federally-required minimum wage. Unfortunately, the legislation they proposed and passed in the House is misguided and would cause more harm than good for the very people it aims to help, especially in states like ours.

Each year, Congress must authorize the necessary funding and resources for our nation's defense. Unfortunately, the partisanship that continues to plague the U.S. House of Representatives recently reached a new low, ending the longstanding tradition of passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with overwhelming bipartisanship in the House and affirming support for our troops and the critical resources they need to be effective.