Weekly Columns

Memorial Day and summer vacations are just around the corner for many families. But this year, Oklahomans may find themselves forced to cut down on their drive time to their favorite vacation destinations.

Over seven months ago General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker each delivered first-hand accounts of the status of the mission in Iraq. Last week those men returned to Congress to give another report to the American people.

Last week I had the opportunity to join several of my colleagues in a meeting with Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke. During that meeting Chairman Bernanke discussed the importance of the government taking responsible and timely actions to address the problems facing our housing market.

It's that time of year again - time for individuals and families to file their yearly tax returns. Those who finished their taxes early are ahead of the curve, but those who have not are scrambling to get their taxes ready to file.

As we reflect on the past five years since the beginning of the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is important to recognize the progress that has been made, as well as the enormous sacrifices that were required to make that progress possible.

In August of last year the Protect America Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. Hailed as a historic bipartisan achievement, the Protect America Act modernized the out-of-date Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Several weeks ago I was proud to be part of a bipartisan majority who – recognizing that our economy was beginning to stall – passed a stimulus package designed to get the country back on track by infusing the economy with money in the form of rebates for individual taxpayers and tax incentives for business investment.

"Entitlement reform" has become a popular phrase over the past few years. As America's baby-boomer population reaches retirement age, the issue has gotten a lot of attention.