Media

Last week was one for the history books in Congress because it brought an occasion that was a long time coming. Upon the return of lawmakers for legislative business this year, the U.S. House of Representatives swiftly voted to repeal the president’s healthcare law. At first, that might not sound like anything new coming from House Republicans, given our more than 50 previous attempts to repeal the harmful law. But this time marked the first time the measure was also agreed to by the Senate and finally able to reach the president’s desk.

Huffington Post - Laurie H. Glimcher, MD

Are we at the dawn of a new era in medical research? The 2016 federal spending bill gives us good reason to hope that the answer is yes.

Right in the midst of the holiday season, Congress passed a $1.8 trillion spending measure to fund all federal agencies for the rest of fiscal year 2016. Signed into law by President Obama on December 18, the bill was a promising step toward a continuing investment in the nation's long-term health.

Tulsa World Opinion - By Harold Hamm

Oklahomans should applaud the members of our state’s congressional delegation who voted to pass the omnibus bill, which lifted the 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports and set the stage for a market recovery.

Washington Examiner - Susan Ferrechio

House Speaker Paul Ryan wants to give anti-poverty legislation a prominent spot on the Republican agenda in 2016, a move that would give the party ownership of a traditionally Democratic issue and put it prominently in the congressional spotlight for the first time in decades.

Republicans last took the lead on welfare reform two decades ago and hope to do it again this year, kicking off the effort at a major anti-poverty forum Saturday in Columbia, S.C., hosted by Ryan and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.

Bloomberg - Erik Wasson

A proposal to switch to a two-year fiscal cycle is pitting House appropriators and Budget Committee members against a majority of House members, some of whom who have argued the current annual process is ineffective and wasteful.

The fight over two-year budgeting comes as the House embarks on a rewrite this year of the 1974 Budget Act, which governs the annual spending process.

Tulsa World - Randy Krehbiel

First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday he is cosponsoring legislation to block a portion of President Barack Obama’s gun initiative intended to include information about Social Security recipients prohibited from possessing firearms for mental health reasons in the background check system.