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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the House approved the Senate-passed fiscal cliff agreement to extend and make permanent low tax rates for individuals earning up to $400,000 per year and families earning $450,000. The legislation delays devastating military cuts for two months and prevents numerous other damaging tax policies including an increase in the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Tulsa World - The Associated Press
Congress has passed legislation that may help boost the water supply in Lake Thunderbird.
The legislation was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Tom Cole and was carried in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe. The resolution allows the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District to tap into the Atoka line that runs near Lake Thunderbird. The Norman Transcript reports that this raw water source can be used to help raise water levels in Lake Thunderbird during drought conditions.
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK-4) today applauded the Senate passage of H.R. 3263, the Lake Thunderbird Efficient Use Act. This measure grants the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District (COMC) authority to import and store non-project water into Lake Thunderbird in order to firm up municipal and industrial water supplies for cities including Norman, Midwest City, and Del City.
The fiscal cliff fiasco has been perhaps a fitting end to a year and a legislative session full of frustrating, down-to-the-wire legislative battles. Passing major legislation is often such a contentious, eleventh-hour process, it seems as if all of Washington is hopelessly dysfunctional. While this is largely true, there are a few congressional success stories worth highlighting.
The "Accountability Review Board" assembled by the State Department to investigate security failures leading to the Benghazi terror attack has released a report that fails to hold any senior officials accountable for the assault that claimed four American lives.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 5862, his bill to allow the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma (O-Gah-Pah) and its tribal members to pursue their Indian trust-related claims in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The Quapaw Tribe sought relief in court for accounting of funds held in trust for the tribe and the tribe’s members and agreed to mediation with the federal government. However, the federal government's failure to abide by the agreement has left the tribe with no resolution or recourse for 10 years.
The media coverage of the fiscal cliff misses the point so consistently, it's enough to provoke a James Carville-esque outburst to remind them: "It's the spending, Stupid." The fixation with the tax side of the equation obscures that the real solution to the fiscal cliff involves spending cuts and entitlement reform.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Tom Cole (OK-4) announced that Jeff Peters will be joining his staff as field representative in the Norman region, while former field representative Josh Grogis will serve as district director.
"I couldn't be more pleased to have Josh Grogis and Jeff Peters onboard. With their thorough knowledge of the area and experience in public service, Josh and Jeff will do an excellent job serving 4th District residents."
Days after President Obama presented his opening offer in the fiscal cliff negotiations, House Republicans presented our counterproposal as the next step in the process toward reaching consensus before the December 31st deadline. Unlike President Obama's proposal, which reads like a Christmas wish list of liberals' most extreme ideas, the Republican plan is based on both reality and on common ground the two parties have established in previous discussions.
The Hill - Kevin Bogardus
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Sunday that House Republicans should agree to extending tax cuts for the majority of U.S. taxpayers.
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Cole continued to champion his case that the GOP caucus should take the deal that President Obama is offering: keeping tax rates in place for those making less than $250,000 a year, while allowing rates to increase on the wealthy.
Cole said no one wants to see higher taxes, but noted that unless Congress acts, everyone’s tax rates will go up.