Media

Our Member of the Week is Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District. In Congress, he serves on the House Appropriations Committee, the House Budget Committee, and the House Rules Committee. In addition to these committees, he also serves as a Deputy Whip for the Republican Conference.

A fifth generation Oklahoman, Tom has a significant background of service to his state. He resides in Moore, OK with his wife, Ellen.

We asked Rep. Cole 10 questions…

1.) What inspired you to run for Congress?

For decades, Social Security has brought peace of mind to generations of American retirees and disabled citizens. From that first paycheck and onward into every stage of working life, Social Security is an investment program that has served tens of millions of American workers. But as we are all too aware, the program’s ability to keep the same promise to future generations of American workers is in grave danger.

Pauls Valley Democrat - Barry Porterfield

Issues ranging from Planned Parenthood to negotiations with Iran were front and center for a U.S. Congressman’s brief town hall talk in Pauls Valley.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole says Congress has actually been more productive in recent times, either getting bills on education, trade, veterans, human trafficking, cyber security and even the Keystone pipeline passed or positioned to move forward in the process.

Still, he views the big ones still on the table when Congress reconvenes in September.

Norman Transcript - Joy Hampton

The biggest thing coming before Congress in September is the Iranian nuclear deal, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, said Tuesday during a visit to The Transcript offices.

The Iranian talks are a big deal. In a nutshell, Iran could agree to curb development of uranium and plutonium weapons grade sources, to allow for more open inspections and to reduce its current stockpile of low-enriched uranium in return for lifting sanctions.

The deal is being negotiated to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Without question, the recent release of several undercover videos showing the cold-hearted, profit-driven and suspicious back-room realities at Planned Parenthood have shocked and horrified the vast majority of Americans. For those who have watched the videos or opted only to read about the horrors contained therein, the stomach-churning conversations and horrific images reveal a dark industry that not only claims the precious lives of unborn children but shamelessly sells their aborted remains.

Capitol Beat - Patrick B. McGuigan

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, does not believe President Barack Obama's agreement with Iran is sensible, or good for the United States.

In an interview with CapitolBeatOK, he reflected on what he deemed “multiple failures” in the accord Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated.

About the only thing Cole grants Obama is his agreement that the deal with just that – a deal, not a treaty requiring approval from Congress.

In Congress, the majority of the last several months have been dedicated to legislative work in our nation’s capital. Since the swearing-in of the 114th Congress at the beginning of this year, I am pleased to report that there have been numerous legislative accomplishments that reflect the views and values of the American people and those I was elected to represent.

National Journal - Rachel Roubein

A cam­era fol­lows House Speak­er John Boehner as he walks out of his of­fice and through Statu­ary Hall, show­ing off his cham­ber, as the video’s voi­ceover touts what he’s done to its over­head costs: cut them.

“A 14-per­cent cut in what Con­gress spends on it­self is a big suc­cess,” Boehner says. “It doesn’t hap­pen any­where else in gov­ern­ment, even though we keep try­ing.”