63.3 F
Waurika
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Advertisement
Home Federal Government Page 5

Federal Government

Random

Senator Lankford Statement on US Embassy Opening in Jerusalem

By
James Lankford
-
0

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today made the following statement on the US Embassy dedication ceremony and recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital on the 70th anniversary of Israel’s founding:

“After more than two decades of bipartisan declarations from Congress, the US Embassy has been relocated to Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel. While we must continue working to secure a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, today’s embassy move helps lay a better foundation for the peace process by signaling to the world that United States foreign policy will not be deterred by threats of violence and terrorism. Furthermore, as I said when the move was first announced in December, nothing about the relocation of our embassy to Jerusalem will impact America’s commitment to honor any solution which brings about peace resulting from direct talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. I pray that God would continue to bless the people of Israel and all people who strive to build harmony in the Middle East, as we celebrate today’s historic occasion.”

In 1995, Congress passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 with broad bipartisan support in the Senate by a 93-5 vote and in the House by a 374–37 vote. This law states that it is US policy that Jerusalem should remain an undivided city, that Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of Israel, and that the US Embassy in Israel should be located in Jerusalem. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003, which also passed with bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate, urged the President to immediately begin relocating the Embassy to Jerusalem pursuant to the 1995 law. Most recently, on June 5 of 2017, the Senate passed by a vote of 90-0 a resolution reaffirming the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and called upon the President to abide by its provisions.

Lankford visited Israel in March and August of 2017 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other diplomats.

Cole Statement on the Disastrous Situation in Afghanistan

By
Tom Cole
-
0

Moore, OK – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, released the following statement in response to the ongoing and worsening situation in Afghanistan.  

“The unfolding and accelerating disaster in Afghanistan is a human tragedy and a severe threat to the long-term security and credibility of the United States,” said Cole. “No American should doubt that our enemies around the world are celebrating this defeat. The fact that even our own safe evacuation of the embassy is requiring the redeployment of U.S. troops underscores the Biden Administration’s lack of understanding of the situation on the ground. They were, unfortunately, taken completely by surprise at the Taliban’s utter and almost instantaneous reconquering of the nation. 

“More importantly, those adversaries will take the collapse of the Afghan government as a sign of American weakness and lack of resolve. We can expect our enemies to try and exploit this setback by challenging the United States on a range of fronts in a variety of ways. 

“Americans should have no illusions about the nature of the evil regime about to take power in Afghanistan. The Taliban are enemies of America. They hosted and sheltered Osama bin Laden, and they maintain robust relations with the likes of ISIS and Al-Qaeda. They can be expected to impose a brutal, medieval fundamentalist Islamic regime that will oppress minorities and women. It will be the antithesis of the democratic and egalitarian values championed by the United States. 

“A disaster of this magnitude has many causes and involves multiple administrations and Congresses. However, there is no doubt that the Biden Administration’s decision to ignore the advice of military experts led to this precipitate and chaotic collapse on the ground. The president was warned repeatedly that the modest American force in Afghanistan that he chose to withdraw was critical to maintaining stability and holding the Taliban at bay. Unfortunately, the president ignored that advice in the interest of making a desired political point, and now he must accept his share of the responsibility for this humiliating national defeat and for the human tragedy that inevitably will unfold on the ground.

“Indeed, we can expect the Taliban and other terrorists and extremists to exploit this reckless abandonment of the people and principles we spent decades of blood and treasure to protect. We can expect them to challenge us on other fronts,” concluded Cole.   

Senator Lankford Statement on President’s Decision to Withdraw From Iran Deal

By
James Lankford
-
0

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today made the following statement on the President’s decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also called the Iran Nuclear Deal, and impose additional sanctions on Iran.

“The Iran nuclear agreement, designed and agreed to by President Obama, had major flaws from the beginning. The agreement gave permanent tariff relief to Iran in exchange for temporary restrictions on its nuclear weapons program. Iran has spent years designing nuclear weapons, but they needed more time to develop new missiles and more money to pay for their technology. The nuclear agreement gave Iran billions of dollars and it ignored the continuing missile testing in Iran. That is unacceptable.

“I support additional sanctions on Iran, as they are the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. The Iranian regime is expanding into Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. The Middle East and the region cannot have peace with a threatening Iranian nuclear regime. I encourage the Trump Administration to immediately begin working with the international community, in close consultation with Congress, to find a solution that will ensure Iran never has access to nuclear weapons capabilities.”

On September 10, 2015, Lankford voted against the Iran deal, in the form of a resolution of disapproval. Before the vote, Lankford outlined his objections in an op-ed. After the deal went into effect, Lankford conducted oversight of the implementation of the deal. In April 2016, he introduced a Senate resolution to ensure that President Obama follows through on his commitment to reimpose sanctions if Iran violates the nuclear deal. In September 2016, Lankford and Senator David Perdue (R-GA) introduced the JCPOA Enforcement Transparency Act, which would increase oversight of the Joint Commission, a committee created under the Iran deal to monitor implementation.

Lankford serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

First Step Toward Peace

By
Tom Cole
-
0

What seemed to be once impossible, has finally come to fruition. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week. For the first time in history, a U.S. President and a North Korean leader met in an official capacity in an effort to strengthen ties and reach a peace agreement. President Trump has achieved something previous Administrations have not been able to do. Bringing North Korea to the negotiating table is an accomplishment, but it is one that has required extraordinary measures to do so.

North Korea is a top adversary to the United States and combating its aggression over the past few years has been a fight guided by resolve. Multiple nuclear tests, reports of human rights abuses and even the death of an American citizen were evidence that the regime of the Kim dynasty continues to be erratic and dangerous. But with continued economic sanctions from the United States and its allies, North Korea is feeling the strain of global pressure to end its tyrannical practices. Additionally, South Korea has been at the forefront of improving relations with North Korea. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un had met a number of times to set the course of dialogue with North Korea.

China, North Korea’s primary trading partner, has also stepped up in supporting dialogue with North Korea. In the past, China has not been reliable in exerting and implementing sanctions, but it has been essential in diplomatic engagement. The summit would not have been possible without China’s cooperation. It is reassuring to know that China has recognized the importance of putting pressure on North Korea.

The U.S.-North Korean Summit marks a new era of American foreign policy with the rogue state. Despite reservation and doubt, the President and his administration remained resolute in establishing an effective diplomatic framework. The summit was conducted with transparency and resolve. In the joint statement signed by both President Trump and Kim Jong-un, a set of provisions were laid out as a diplomatic framework. First, North Korea must commit to denuclearization. With this commitment, the U.S. agreed to suspend joint military exercise in South Korea. However, if North Korea continues with its nuclear program, the U.S. will begin full-fledged exercises again. Sanctions from the U.S. and the U.N. will also remain in place. Any potential failures from this historic meeting will be a result from North Korea deviating from their commitments.

This meeting has been a possibility for a long time, but the final push to bring North Korea to the negotiating table was the result of President Trump’s endeavors. As a whole, it represents the hope of future diplomacy and negotiation with Kim Jong-un. Although there is still much work to be done with North Korea, the door to a path forward has been opened.

Honoring the Bravest Among Us

By
Tom Cole
-
0

Each year on the eleventh of November, we rightly pause to honor and remember the bravery and boldness of the men and women who selflessly answered the call of duty and wore one of the many great military uniforms of the United States of America. Without question, we owe a constant debt of gratitude to generations of veterans, including many of our own family members, who made sacrifices to ensure the safety of our homeland and who faithfully fought to promote and preserve America’s precious freedoms. 

On Veterans Day, I am certainly reflecting on the military service rendered by my own relatives. Each day, I am reminded of my namesake and late uncle Tom’s tremendous courage and sacrifice. A prisoner of war during World War II, he was forced to walk the infamous Bataan Death March, and he was held in the Japanese prison camps of Cabanatuan in the Philippines and Hanawa on the main island of Japan. He kept a booklet with the names of the brave men that he met in the prison camps because he never wanted to forget those with whom he served. I was honored to be given his little book after he passed away, and I keep it in my DC office alongside several photos of him, including a picture that was taken of him and his brothers in arms on the day Hanawa was liberated. 

I am also always thinking of my father, who I greatly admired while I was growing up in a military family. My dad joined the Army Air Corps on the eve of World War II, and when he left the service, he was the second most senior master sergeant in the Air Force and generally recognized as one of the best to run a crew (or dock) that fixed airplanes. He was an amazingly talented mechanic and won the prize for “dock of the month” so many times at McGuire Air Force Base that they quit giving it out. When he was placed at Dover Air Force Base for his last command, he was given the worst dock assignment and still managed to win the same award seven out of 12 times there—another testament to his impressive skill. Following his retirement in 1960, our family returned to Oklahoma, where my dad served another 20 years as a civilian defense worker at Tinker Air Force Base.

My uncle and my dad were not the only people in my family who served. My grandfather on my mom’s side retired as a naval captain and fought in several engagements in the Pacific. My brother served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era. And my favorite cousin retired as an Air Force lieutenant colonel after serving in Iraq.

Of course, in a sense, the families of all these brave men served, too. They supported them when they deployed. Spouses missed anniversaries, children missed birthdays and all were sometimes separated and worried over Thanksgivings and Christmases. But they never wavered in supporting their family member in uniform. Millions of other families are making those same sacrifices today, so each of us can enjoy the upcoming holidays in peace, security and freedom.

Just as stories of military service and heroism are numerous within our families, so too is the current population of veterans in communities across the nation. According to the Census Bureau, there are more than 21.3 million civilian veterans living in the United States, including more than 67,000 in the Fourth District of Oklahoma. As a grateful nation, we have a solemn duty to these veteran heroes, including many who sustained life-altering injuries fighting for the cause of freedom.

It is indeed right to set aside one day each year to recognize America’s veterans, but we can rightly honor their sacrifices every day of the year by ensuring they receive their earned benefits. Unfortunately, there are still too many instances of our veterans not getting adequate care or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system not meeting their needs. While I was encouraged that Congress came together last year to address some of the issues, efforts must continue to keep the VA accountable and ensure promises made to our veterans are always kept. And I remain committed to finding solutions to improve the care and benefits received by our veterans.

If you are a veteran and have experienced problems related to your earned benefits, please contact my Norman office at (405) 329-6500, so my staff can help you get answers.

The Need for Additional Relief

By
Tom Cole
-
0

Although there is broad bipartisan agreement in Congress that additional coronavirus relief is needed, I regret that the status of delivering relief hasn’t changed a lot since May. It’s even more disappointing since lawmakers already agree on how to approach several aspects of needed relief. 

As you might remember back in mid-May, the U.S. House of Representatives considered legislation deceptively packaged and promoted by Democrats as coronavirus relief. While there may have been a few worthy provisions, those items were greatly overshadowed by the unrelated-to-coronavirus policies stuffed into the more than $3 trillion package. Sadly, the substance of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s so-called HEROES Act looked more like using a crisis to advance a liberal wish list than a serious desire to help struggling Americans. That was made even more obvious by the fact that the legislation was crafted behind closed doors and without any Republican input whatsoever. Not surprisingly, that bill was never taken up by the Republican-led Senate or signed into law by President Donald Trump.

Since then, there have been scattered conversations between Speaker Pelosi and Trump Administration leaders that, at times, seemed hopeful. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi has thus far refused to budge on both the total cost of the next relief package as well as her belief that we have to agree on everything before we can agree on anything. By contrast, the Trump Administration has shown a lot more willingness to negotiate something real. In fact, the president said himself that he would be willing to sign a bill totaling $1.5 trillion, if it didn’t have unrelated policies attached to it. Meanwhile, although many Democrats like to point fingers at the Senate for not bringing up a coronavirus relief bill of any kind, it’s worth noting that it was Senate Democrats who recently blocked consideration of one.   

Considering that both chambers managed to deliver four substantial and bipartisan relief packages to the American people earlier this year, the months long delay and lack of meaningful progress on a fifth makes me wonder if Democrats actually want to reach a deal. If so, last week’s activity in the House certainly didn’t help their cause.

Instead of bringing up measures with clear support in both chambers, Speaker Pelosi opted to revisit the same misguided approach on display in May by bringing up a supposedly revamped and lighter version of the HEROES Act. Unfortunately, HEROES 2.0 still included many of the same radical and unrelated provisions that couldn’t pass on their own merit. Moreover, Republicans were entirely left out in crafting the legislation again. In fact, it was such a nonstarter that it passed by only seven votes, and 18 Democrats even voted against it this time. 

The time wasted last week on a partisan bill is particularly disappointing when so many areas of bipartisan agreement already exist. Indeed, there are plenty of items that could pass both chambers separately and immediately – including a simple extension of the Paycheck Protection Program for struggling small businesses and their workers, aid to help schools reopen, additional unemployment aid and a second round of stimulus rebate checks.

As discussions continue between Speaker Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin this week, I remain hopeful for a breakthrough and that a bipartisan deal can still be reached – one that both chambers of Congress will pass and the president will sign. Indeed, it’s important for the American people that we do find agreement, and I remain ready to support such a measure.

Cole Leads Bipartisan Introduction of Medical Student Education Authorization Act

By
Tom Cole
-
0

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01), Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02), Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Medical Student Education Authorization Act, to authorize the Medical Student Education (MSE) Program for five years. The MSE Program provides grants to public institutions of higher education to expand or support graduate education for physicians in states with the most severe primary care provider shortages. First created in 2019 by Congressman Cole and Senator Inhofe, the MSE Program is currently subject to annual authorizations, which results in significant uncertainty over funding and long-term planning for funded institutions.

“When training is offered in medically underserved communities, physicians are much more likely to choose to practice there later in their careers, which directly benefits those living in those areas,” said Cole. “Authorization of the Medical Student Education Program for five years would allow community-based experiential training in tribal, rural and medically underserved communities to continue with long-term certainty. I am proud to join my colleagues across the aisle and across the Capitol in introducing commonsense legislation that is vital to training the next generation of providers and mitigating shortages in vulnerable areas.”

“I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan bill with my colleagues from Oklahoma, Mr. Tom Cole and Mr. Markwayne Mullin. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno medical schools provide needed care to our communities and these grants will make vital funding available to help them recruit and support physician education,” said Titus. “At a time when health care is paramount, training and retaining doctors in-state will help ensure Nevadans have access to high-quality care in the years ahead.”

“Often times, people in my district have to travel long distances to see their primary care provider at small, rural hospitals or IHS and Tribally-run facilities,” said Mullin. “Between the pandemic and shortages in our workforce, it’s getting harder for these facilities to recruit new physicians. The reauthorization of this program will help states suffering from primary care shortages and support an increase in physicians who are able to offer culturally competent care. Americans who live in rural and underserved communities deserve access to quality health care and that’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill.”

“Doctors play a critical role in the health and well-being of Oklahomans and individuals across the nation—as evidenced ten-fold by this pandemic,” said Inhofe. “I have always been an advocate for retaining the talent of the next generation of medical students in our state, which is why I am pleased to introduce the Medical Student Education Authorization Act alongside Rep. Cole. This bill will support medical student training in Tribal, rural and medically underserved communities, helping guarantee sufficient doctors in these areas for years to come and ensuring all Oklahomans can continue to have access to high quality health care.”

“Communities across Nevada and our country are in dire need of more health care professionals, and Congress must act to fill these gaps and ensure access to quality medical care,” said Rosen. “This bipartisan legislation would authorize the Medical Student Education program for another five years, and address the physician shortage for states like Nevada that have significant shortages by supporting the next generation of medical professionals.”

Upon introduction, the legislation received strong support from relevant individuals and organizations.

“The AHA commends Representatives Cole, Mullin and Titus and Senators Inhofe and Rosen for introducing this important bipartisan legislation to help increase the number of physicians across the country, especially in areas with the most severe provider shortages,” said Stacey Hughes, AHA Executive Vice President. “Having a talented, qualified, engaged and diverse workforce is at the heart of America’s health care system but many physicians and other health care professionals are exhausted from two years of being on the front lines battling COVID-19. We look forward to working with Congress to pass this critical legislation that will continue to help build the physician workforce pipeline, especially in medically underserved communities.”

“National Rural Health Association (NRHA) applauds Representatives Cole, Titus, and Mullin and Senators Inhofe and Rosen for introducing the Medical Student Education Authorization Act. Since the Medical Student Education (MSE) Program was first authorized in 2019, it has made a profound impact on training physicians in rural communities. We know that physician’s training experiences in rural communities result in higher practices rates is rural areas. Passing a five year authorization of the MSE Program, as this legislation does, will be helpful for stabilizing the depleting workforce in rural communities. As rural communities rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the workforce is a top priority for NRHA. Programs like the MSE Program are critical to ensuring rural communities have the workforce they need to provide services for their residents,” said Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association.

“This legislation would benefit Tribal health programs by increasing the number of Indian health providers and providing training to better serve American Indian and Alaska Native patients.  This bill provides grants to higher education institutions in states with severe health care provider shortages.  The emphasis on partnerships between these institutions and Tribal nations, integrating behavioral health into primary care, and addressing health equities will complement Tribal nations’ efforts to enhance their health care delivery systems.  We call upon Congress to pass this legislation and get it signed into law this year,” said Chairman of the National Indian Health Board, William Smith.

“Oklahoma’s physician residency programs are of the utmost importance right now, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the healthcare workforce. The Medical School Education Authorization Act will help solve the persistent primary care provider shortages in Oklahoma,” said Mary Clarke, MD OSMA President

“Because the vast majority of Oklahoma counties face a shortage of primary care physicians, the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine places a major emphasis on enhancing the primary care experience for our medical students. Through courses in our curriculum and community partnerships across the state, our students learn about and are exposed to the needs of people who live in tribal, rural and medically underserved areas. In addition, our success in recruiting and retaining students from across Oklahoma including underrepresented areas is helping to secure a bright future. We want to thank Congressman Cole, Congresswoman Titus, Congressman Mullin, Senator Inhofe and Senator Rosen for their leadership on helping us continue to grow these educational opportunities. In doing so, we anticipate an increase in primary care physicians practicing throughout the state, ultimately helping to improve the health and quality of life for all Oklahomans,” said John Zubialde, M.D., Executive Dean, OU College of Medicine.

“Our mission at the OSU Center for Health Sciences is focused on providing health care for rural and underserved communities throughout Oklahoma. Expanding our footprint in partnership with the Cherokee Nation to establish the first tribally affiliated medical school in the nation has been instrumental in fulfilling that mission. Support such as the MSE program makes this mission come to life, and ultimately will positively impact the health outcomes for everyday Oklahomans,” said Dr. Johnny Stephens, President, OSU Center for Health Sciences.

“The MSE program has been instrumental in our work to expand medical education and clinical training opportunities into rural and tribal communities in Oklahoma.  The new Cherokee Nation campus of the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine has allowed for the expansion of OSU’s medical school class size by 50 students per year and created programs that support our recruiting from rural and tribal communities, educating future physicians on tribal land, and the expansion of clinical educational opportunities in these same communities,” said Dr. Natasha Bray, Interim Dean, OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation.

“Many thanks to Congresswoman Titus for her efforts to secure stable funding for the next five years for the Medical Student Education Program. This type of forward thinking will help us train more medical students in the underserved communities of Southern Nevada, including our vast tribal lands. This will also help with recruiting a diverse group of medical students who will help care for our varied urban community,” said Marc J. Kahn, Dean of Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV.

“Nevada desperately needs primary care physicians. We rank 48th nationally and 67% of the state’s population reside in a primary care health professional shortage area. This grant program, if expanded, will allow UNR Med to use proven strategies to recruit and retain Nevada medical students to serve the rural and underserved communities in our state,” said Melissa Piasecki, M.D., Acting Dean- UNR Med, Chief Academic Officer- Renown Health.

INHOFE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING LAKES, WATERWAYS AND FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS IN OKLAHOMA

By
News Release
-
0

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), senior member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, questioned witnesses at a hearing on the Water Resource Development Act Oversight: USACE Implementation of Water Infrastructure Projects, Programs and Priorities.

Witnesses included: the Honorable Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon, Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Inhofe: First, let me thank Senator Capito for allowing me to take place in this order. I have had occasion to spend some time with both the gentlemen, Spellmon and Michael Connor, and we are in agreement about so many different things; it’s so important for my state of Oklahoma. I have to share with the rest of the people here about how serious of a flood that we had in 2019. The only ammunition we had at that time was the Tulsa Levee and West Tulsa Levee system. Now, this actually was at a time, it was put together, it was actually when I was four years old. It far exceeded its service life. So, we had the levee system. And when our flood came, in 2019, more people – professionals – believed that we were going to be breaking the levee and really having a disastrous situation. It did perform, and I can remember actually being personally down there when the water was coming through, and nobody thought that it was going to be able to hold. We put in emergency things right after that, and now, we are in a situation that certainly Secretary Connor is familiar with as something that is serious, and I know you are aware of the seriousness of this thing. So, we have this levee system, and we are hoping and doing everything we can to ensure that we are going to be able to hold this out in the event of another one. It was a close call, a very close call.

The other thing I wanted to make sure I had time to mention is our MKARNS. You know people don’t realize that we are navigable in Oklahoma. We are the most inland navigable system in the country, and it’s something that people don’t realize. We have more miles of fresh-water shoreline than any other of the 50 states. Now, there’s a reason for that. Because ours are all man-made lakes. Man-made lakes give you a lot of shoreline because they have a dam down and they go across a lot of it. People are not aware, but that is something serious. The other thing that is of concern is that we are navigable in terms of having the capability to take care of the things we need. For example, our navigation way coming to the state of Oklahoma is 98 percent 12-foot channel. That means that we have two percent that’s not a 12-foot channel; it’s a 9-foot channel. That’s one of the things that’s been on our list for a long period of time. It’s been authorized, and I just want to make sure that I take this opportunity, Mr. Connor, reminding you of what you and I have talked about before and the seriousness of what we are facing now with these two projects. One being, of course, the levee system; that it would hold up for not another hundred years, but start working immediately with top priority. I believe that it has that along with the deepening of the MKARNS.

Would you share your thoughts on those two projects?

Connor: Senator Inhofe, thank you for the conversations regarding these projects and the ongoing dialogue. I think they represent two very high priority aspects of the overall Army Corps of Engineers program. That is, obviously, in respect to the levees, our need to maintain, rehabilitate and do any new construction with an eye towards resilience; particularly given the 2019 flooding situations. We know what extreme events can bring, and so that brings a focus to move forward with your project in west Tulsa. The inland waterways issue with the 12-foot navigation channel, I think I remember during my confirmation process, I mentioned that I had done some background in preparation for talking with you. I saw the Port of Tulsa, and I was really was taken aback at the Port of Tulsa. My first trip out of the box here was on the Mississippi River, Illinois River, seeing the dam and locks system and talking with the folks involved in our navigable inland waterways and moving commerce on that system and the need for reliability, the benefits that exist from efficient delivery, arguably, and our need to maintain and improve that system so that it continues to be an important part of our commerce system. Part and parcel, that’s one of our priorities is shoring up the supply chain, and so from that standpoint, I am with you in the importance of those projects, sir.

Inhofe: And I appreciate that very much. The last thing I would mention is on our lakes development. I never knew why it was this way, but it always seems that they were concerned with navigation and flood control but not recreation. We have so many great opportunities for recreation, and that is something that we are looking at for the first time. I actually, I was chairman, I guess, of this committee during the ’07 WRDA legislation. We made some advancement at that time and again in 2020, but I would like to say that we have all changed in our priorities on the lake system that we have. We recognize that recreation is a very important opportunity for us in our state of Oklahoma. I would hope that you would agree that that is an area that we need to concentrate on for everyone’s benefit.

Connor: Absolutely, Senator. I have a long history at the Interior Department. I was glad to hear when I came over in this position that we have more campgrounds in the Army Corps of Engineers program than the National Parks Service. I understand the importance of that, particularly during the pandemic. We’ve seen how people have gone to recreate in federal facilities outdoors. It’s an important part of the portfolio because it serves those communities in which we exist.

Inhofe: Well, I appreciate that and thank you, Senator Capito.

Senators Lankford, Shaheen, and Tillis Introduce Bill To Stop Transfer of Fighter Aircraft To Turkey

By
James Lankford
-
0

Bill Comes As Turkish President Erdogan Continues To Imprison Dr. Andrew Brunson

WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today introduced a bill to prevent the transfer of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to Turkey. The bill would also block Turkey’s role as a maintenance depot for the aircraft. Under the US-led, multinational Joint Strike Fighter program, Turkey was expected to purchase more than 100 aircraft.

“Senators Shaheen and Tillis have worked diligently with me and others in Congress to address America’s rapidly deteriorating relationship with Turkey,” said Lankford. “I applaud our State Department for their ceaseless work to improve the US-Turkey relationship, but President Erdogan has continued down a path of reckless governance and disregard for the rule of law. Individual freedoms have been increasingly diminished as Erdogan consolidates power for himself, and Turkey’s strategic decisions regrettably fall more and more out of line with, and at times in contrast to, US interests. These factors make the transfer of sensitive F-35 technology and cutting-edge capabilities to Erdogan’s regime increasingly risky. Furthermore, the Turkish government continues to move closer and closer to Russia, as they hold an innocent American pastor, Andrew Brunson, in prison to use him as a pawn in political negotiations. The United States does not reward hostage-taking of American citizens; such action instead will be met with the kind of punitive measures this bill would enact.”

 “Given my steadfast commitment to NATO and the transatlantic alliance, it is with regret that our relationship with Turkey has reached a point where we must consider severing defense and business ties in order to free American hostages held in Turkey,” said Shaheen. “Turkish President Erdogan’s choice to take hostages and imprison innocent Americans, to try to gain leverage over the United States, is egregious and unlawful. Erdogan and his government must abide by the rule of law within his own country and abroad, and release Pastor Andrew Brunson and other Americans unlawfully held in Turkey. There must also be an immediate end to the harassment and detainment of locally-employed staff at the U.S. mission. Until that occurs, I’ll continue to join with Senators Lankford and Tillis to call for punitive action, including blocking the transfer of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.”

 “America is not going to forget about Andrew Brunson and the other Americans who are being wrongfully imprisoned by the Turkish government,” said Tillis. “Turkey has long been a vital NATO ally and America understands the unique national security threats it faces; however, denying the rights of law-abiding Americans undermines the relationship between our two countries. The Erdogan government should understand that Congress will pursue measures to protect the interests of American citizens, including stopping the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey.”

On April 19, Lankford and Shaheen announced their decision to pursue targeted sanctions against Turkish officials in this year’s Fiscal Year 2019 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs spending bill. On April 20, Tillis and Shaheen led a 66 Member letter to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, demanding the release of Andrew Brunson.

Senator Lankford Supports Bill to Strengthen US Water Infrastructure

By
James Lankford
-
0

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today supported the passage of America’s Water Infrastructure Act, a bill to improve the nation’s water infrastructure. The Senate approved the bill by a vote of 99 to 1. The bill will head to the president to be signed into law.

 “This is a commonsense bill that promotes good governance, removes cumbersome red tape, and addresses unnecessary spending while providing updates to the nation’s water infrastructure,” said Lankford. “Congress continues to prioritize US water infrastructure to maintain the critical infrastructure, which our families and our economy depend on. I’m specifically grateful to see the bill directs the Army Corps of Engineers to engage with everyone who is directly impacted by any new rule so they can provide valuable feedback on implementation.”

 Additionally, the bill directs the Army Corps of Engineers to provide a public online database of all its real estate assets in the US. In June, Lankford introduced a bipartisan bill to streamline the federal inventory review process to save taxpayer money by directing federal agencies to more frequently assess unneeded federal property.

 Lankford is a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water.

1...456...9Page 5 of 9

FOLLOW US

2,900FansLike
630FollowersFollow
264FollowersFollow
66SubscribersSubscribe
- Advertisement -

RECENT POSTS

The Waurika News Journal
Serving the citizens of Jefferson County, Oklahoma, and readers around the world.
Contact us: waurikanewsjournal@gmail.com
© Copyright 2017-2023 Waurika News Journal & The Ryan Leader