Weekly Columns

Every year, Congress is responsible for establishing legislation through its Appropriations Committees that will fund the federal government for the fiscal year. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I know that the committee is diligent to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and for good purposes. Reducing excessive spending and finding places where cuts can be made remains a goal of mine every year, which is critical to addressing the federal debt and long-term spending problems.

As Congress reaches the final stretches of its 115th session, the House can reflect on a long list of accomplishments it has achieved since the beginning of the session. Despite the constant discussions that partisan gridlock may be the new norm, it has been quite the opposite. Since the beginning of the 115th Congress, the House has passed 598 bills – 470 of which are sitting in the Senate with no action. That means almost 79% of all legislation passed thus far have yet to see the Senate Floor or the President's desk.

Oklahoma is a leader in multiple industries, like aviation and energy, but there is no question that agriculture is at the heart of the state's commerce. Farmers and ranchers add incredible value to our nation's economy, and we should not take them for granted. Our national well-being depends on the health of the nation's agriculture production. To maintain healthy crops and produce, farmers and ranchers need protection and stability.

For the past seventeen years, the United States has been engaged in several military conflicts, primarily, but not exclusively, in the Middle East. Most recently, the United States worked in concert with British and French military forces, allies and NATO, to strike targets in Syria. This response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons was an appropriate use of force well within the bounds of the authorities granted to the President of the United States in Article II of the Constitution.

This week, millions of Americans will file their taxes under an antiquated system for the last time. What was once an onerous task will become a more simple, easier process in the years to come. Filing taxes for the past 32 years was done under a complicated, invasive tax code. The burdensome process grew and evolved under the changes of society, and we are left today with a system that allowed for many loopholes and unfair tax brackets.

Now that the Fiscal Year 2018 omnibus spending bill has been signed into law, many Americans will benefit from the wide range of funding that supports the nation's health, economy and military.

After passing multiple continuing resolutions throughout the past year, Congress has finally fulfilled its duty to the American people to fully fund the federal government for the remainder of the 2018 Fiscal Year. This is a significant accomplishment in the progress to return to regular order in the appropriations process. For too long, we have kicked the can down the road and failed to keep our government funding up to date. This habit was damaging and costly to federal programs and agencies, and especially to the military.

This past year, the United States has been experiencing a welcome surge in economic growth. The economic successes America is enjoying is surely due to the hard work and ingenuity of the American people, the implementation of the Republican tax reform and President Trump's initiative to bring American companies back home. In general, free trade contributes to our national prosperity as well. However, having open markets is not an invitation for others to take advantage of us. When bad actors exist, we have every right to use our power to protect our interests.