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Providing for Our National Defense

By
Tom Cole
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Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2022. In arriving at this point in the process of advancing this comprehensive bill to authorize critical and sustainable funding for our national defense, I was proud of the manner in which members on both sides of the aisle worked together to deliver.

When this bill was reported out of the House Armed Services Committee, it passed by a nearly unanimous vote of 57-2. Considering that Democrats have primarily produced and passed partisan legislation this Congress with no input from or consultation with Republicans, this was a refreshing development. Indeed, this NDAA offered a clear example that the House can work together and pass bipartisan legislation for the good of the American people.

At a time when the Biden Administration’s proposed budget revealed an effective cut for our defense, I was pleased that the NDAA passed in the House rejected such action. Fortunately, in the House Armed Services Committee, the panel’s top Republican, Ranking Member Mike Rogers, successfully led a bipartisan effort to add $25 billion needed for modernizing our military, countering major and proliferating threats around the world and sustaining ongoing missions, including those at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and Fort Sill in Lawton, which are both located in the Fourth District of Oklahoma.

Along with several other important provisions, this bill rightly authorizes a 2.7 percent pay increase for service members and unprecedented investments, including an additional $15 billion in the procurement of new aircraft, combat vehicles, autonomous systems, missiles and ammunition and $6 billion in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, hypersonic and autonomous systems.

Passage of this NDAA comes at a time when our adversaries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are building up their militaries. Due to President Biden’s careless and completely botched withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, there is now a resurgence of terrorist organizations in the region. In response, the NDAA authorizes necessary tools and resources for our military to prevail in conflict with a wide range of potential adversaries.

Rightly so, this legislation includes more than 20 provisions to hold the Biden Administration accountable. These include requiring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a plan to Congress on how it will evacuate remaining American citizens from Afghanistan, conduct intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions and carry out counter-terrorism missions. It also includes language that prohibits DOD from providing any financial support to the Taliban.

Moreover, the legislation notably reverses President Biden’s proposed budget cuts to our missile defense systems and continues funding for nuclear triad modernization. Amid the ongoing crisis at our southern border created by the Biden Administration, the NDAA also declares that the record number of illegal crossings there is a national security crisis.

Last week, the Senate Armed Services Committees favorably reported a bipartisan NDAA for future consideration in the U.S. Senate. This development was also the result of bipartisan cooperation and due to the leadership exemplified by Chairman Jack Reed and Ranking Member Jim Inhofe. Once the Senate takes up the legislation for a vote in the coming days, I am hopeful that it too will pass with strong, bipartisan support and that both chambers of Congress can then resolve any differences in conference and send a final bill to the president’s desk. While no bill is perfect, passage of a final and truly bipartisan NDAA is critical to strengthening our national defense and repudiating the Biden Administration’s effort to use defense to subsidize its bloated spending elsewhere. The conference process of reconciling the two versions of the NDAA is essential to further addressing and eliminating remaining concerns.

However, it’s worth nothing that in order for the priorities contained in the House-passed NDAA or the Senate Armed Services Committee’s reported bill to be fully accomplished, the authorized funding increase must be replicated in the appropriations process. At this point, Democrats have already established an effective cut in that annual appropriation. I hope they soon change course and finally adopt a bipartisan posture on that legislation, too. In fact, that must happen in order to receive my support.

In times like these, our national defense deserves our full support to counter threats of terror and hold the line on our strategic adversaries. In the days and weeks ahead, I remain committed to continuing this bipartisan process to rightfully provide for our common defense.

Cole Votes to Protect the Unborn

By
Tom Cole
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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), a member of the Pro-Life Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3755. Although the legislation purports to simply codify in statute the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, it would in practice preempt any state laws regarding the protection of unborn life. Cole voted against the legislation.

“Make no mistake. H.R. 3755 is an abortion-on-demand bill masked by Democrats as legislation to strengthen women’s healthcare,” said Cole. “If enacted into law, this bill would effectively remove the rights of individual states to pass laws to protect the lives of unborn children. Indeed, this bill represents the greatest threat to defending innocent life that we have seen in the past 50 years.

“Instead of allowing commonsense regulations to protect the unborn, every single state in the country would be required to allow abortion on demand at any time up to the point of birth. States would also no longer be allowed to protect the conscience rights of Americans, to ban certain barbaric procedures such as dismemberment abortion or to prevent sex-selective abortions or abortions targeting fetuses with Down Syndrome, which 70 percent of American oppose.

“Defending life, particularly for the most vulnerable among us, is one of my highest priorities as a Member of Congress. As enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life is one of those unalienable rights endowed by our Creator. It is with that in mind that I strenuously oppose this bill and urge Democrats to change course.”

Earlier this week on the House floor, while managing rule debate providing for consideration of H.R. 3755, Cole made remarks in opposition to the legislation. Video is available here.

Cole to Host Telephone Town Hall

By
News Release
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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) announced today that he will host a constituent telephone town hall to discuss and answer questions about the latest legislative news and updates from Congress.

“I look forward to connecting with my constituents again during another telephone town hall,” said Cole. “Between my travels across the Fourth District of Oklahoma, legislative business in Washington this week and the latest misguided actions out of the Biden Administration, there is a lot to discuss during this next phone call event.”

Details for participating in the call are below:

Date: Monday, August 30, 2021
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m. CT
Dial In: (833) 305-1727

In addition, to sign up to be called directly or to listen to a live audio webcast of the event, constituents can visit cole.house.gov/telephone-town-halls.

For more information or questions, please call Cole’s Norman office at (405) 329-6500.

Cole Statement on the Disastrous Situation in Afghanistan

By
Tom Cole
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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.   

SOS Cuba

By
Tom Cole
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In recent weeks, we have seen courageous Cubans flood the streets across their country. The Cuban people desperately desire to protest the tyranny and incompetence of the communist dictatorship that has ruled their country with an iron hand for 62 years. Their brave protests are demanding the very things most Americans take for granted – free elections, free speech and economic opportunity.

Cuba’s brutal communist regime has been quick to respond to the demonstrations of its own citizens. Protestors have been beaten in the streets, hundreds of non-violent demonstrators have been imprisoned, the internet has been cut off and media outlets have been silenced. Sadly, many western leaders and countries have ignored or soft-pedaled the plight of the Cuban people and the barbarity of the regime that rules this beleaguered island nation.

In our own country, apologists for the Cuban regime in Congress have actually blamed America for the troubles of Cuba. They claim the boycott of Cuba, maintained by multiple administrations of both parties for many decades, is the cause of the current demonstrations. In doing so, they ignore the brutality and ineptitude of the communist clique that has ruled Cuba for six decades. And they also turn a blind eye to Cuba’s efforts to spread its own brand of communism, called “democratic socialism,” across Latin America. Indeed, even as it faces demonstrations in its own streets, Cuba’s communist regime is helping to prop up despotic regimes in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

The struggle of brave and bold Cubans demanding freedom is a sobering reminder of the harsh and oppressive reality of socialism and communism. These seductive ideologies have failed time and time again when put into practice in countries around the world. When Fidel Castro came into power in 1959, Cuba was one of the wealthiest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Castro promised economic prosperity and freedom under the guise of “democratic socialism.” What the Cuban people got instead was economic stagnation and political oppression at the hands of a brutal, self-perpetuating communist dictatorship.

While many Cuban apologists on the American left blame the U.S. embargo for Cuba’s problems, the real culprit is its own communist regime. Indeed, as America’s own thriving Cuban community has demonstrated, when given political freedom and economic opportunity, Cubans, like other people, will thrive and prosper. Indeed, the contrast between the thriving Cuban community in Florida and the miserable plight of Cubans in Cuba itself is convincing proof of the superiority of democratic capitalism over the false promises of communist dictatorship.

I am disappointed that so many members of Congress have been oblivious to the drama taking place in Cuba just 90 miles off our shores. Rather than blaming American policy for the failures of Cuba’s communist regime, they should be encouraging the brave Cuban protestors and urging our government to do what it can to support their protests and rally the world to their cause. As the brightest beacon of hope for freedom and opportunity around the world, the United States must stand with the Cuban people in their fight for democracy. That is why I joined dozens of Republicans last week in urging world leaders to act in support of the Cuban people and their democratic aspirations.

The Cubans flooding their streets while waving American flags is a sobering reminder of the precious freedoms we enjoy and too often take for granted. Indeed, I am struck by the sight of Cubans celebrating the freedoms of America at a time when Americans turn their back on this global symbol of freedom. We should never take the freedoms we enjoy and that our flag embodies and symbolizes for granted. And we should never forget that as Americans we have a special obligation to offer moral and material support to those fighting for these ideals that our flag so proudly represents.

Cole Statement on Juneteenth Independence Day

By
Tom Cole
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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement in observance of Juneteenth, which was officially made a national holiday through legislation passed in Congress and signed into law by the president this week.

“On Juneteenth, we pause to remember a monumental moment in American history more than 150 years ago, and we celebrate its establishment as our newest national holiday. As we reflect on the rightful end of slavery in our country and the emancipation of African Americans held in bondage, we reaffirm our nation’s founding ideals of liberty and justice for all. Indeed, we should draw strength from Juneteenth’s role in liberating our history and further refining and defining what our great union was designed to represent for all – regardless of color or creed.”

Cole Congratulates 2021 Service Academy Appointees

By
Tom Cole
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Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) this week congratulated four students who received and accepted appointments to attend one of the United States military service academies. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy all require a congressional nomination to be considered for appointment. Cole previously nominated these students for appointment consideration in December.

“I am delighted to congratulate Jonathan Kim, Elliott Kmetz, Elena Price and Nathan Wirth on receiving and accepting appointments to attend one of America’s esteemed military service academies,” said Cole. “Their selfless desire and willingness to answer the call to serve our country with their talents and intelligence is commendable, and I was honored to play a small part in their journey by nominating each of them for potential appointment. As they enter this next phase of their lives and education, I know these young leaders will continue to make their families, friends, communities and our state proud every step of the way.”

The students from the Fourth District of Oklahoma who received and accepted appointments are listed below:

U.S. Military Academy at West PointElena Price, Lawton – Eisenhower High School

U.S. Naval Academy
Jonathan Kim, Oklahoma City – Westmoore High School*

U.S. Air Force Academy
Elliott Kmetz, Norman – Norman High School *
Nathan Wirth, Norman – Norman High School

*Note: Jonathan Kim was also offered an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and Elliott Kmetz was also offered an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

USDA to Invest in Supply Chain

By
News Release
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0

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2021 – Citing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and recent supply chain disruptions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to invest more than $4 billion to strengthen critical supply chains through the Build Back Better initiative. The new effort will strengthen the food system, create new market opportunities, tackle the climate crisis, help communities that have been left behind, and support good-paying jobs throughout the supply chain. Today’s announcement supports the Biden Administration’s broader work on strengthening the resilience of critical supply chains as directed by Executive Order 14017 America’s Supply Chains. Funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act and earlier pandemic assistance such as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

Secretary Vilsack was also named co-chair of the Administration’s new Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. The Task Force will provide a whole of government response to address near-term supply chain challenges to the economic recovery. The Task Force will convene stakeholders to diagnose problems and surface solutions—large and small, public or private—that could help alleviate bottlenecks and supply constraints related to the economy’s reopening after the Administration’s historic vaccination and economic relief efforts.
USDA will invest more than $4 billion to strengthen the food system, support food production, improved processing, investments in distribution and aggregation, and market opportunities. Through the Build Back Better initiative, USDA will help to ensure the food system of the future is fair, competitive, distributed, and resilient; supports health with access to healthy, affordable food; ensures growers and workers receive a greater share of the food dollar; and advances equity as well as climate resilience and mitigation. While the Build Back Better initiative addresses near- and long-term issues, recent events have exposed the immediate need for action. With attention to competition and investments in additional small- and medium-sized meat processing capacity, the Build Back Better initiative will spur economic opportunity while increasing resilience and certainty for producers and consumers alike.
“The COVID-19 pandemic led to massive disruption for growers and food workers. It exposed a food system that was rigid, consolidated, and fragile. Meanwhile, those growing, processing and preparing our food are earning less each year in a system that rewards size over all else,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The Build Back Better initiative will make meaningful investments to build a food system that is more resilient against shocks, delivers greater value to growers and workers, and offers consumers an affordable selection of healthy food produced and sourced locally and regionally by farmers and processors from diverse backgrounds. I am confident USDA’s investments will spur billions more in leveraged funding from the private sector and others as this initiative gains traction across the country. I look forward to getting to work as co-chair of the new Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force and help to mobilize a whole-of-government effort to address the short-term supply challenges our country faces as it recovers.”
The Build Back Better Initiative will strengthen and transform critical parts of the U.S. food system. As it makes investments through this initiative, USDA will also seek to increase transparency and competition with attention to how certain types of conduct in the livestock markets and the meat processing sector have resulted in thinly-traded markets and unfair treatment of some farmers, ranchers and small processors. Among other investments in the food system and food supply chain, Build Back Better will specifically address the shortage of small meat processing facilities across the country as well as the necessary local and regional food system infrastructure needed to support them.
Funding announcements under the Build Back Better initiative will include a mix of grants, loans, and innovative financing mechanisms for the following priorities, each of which includes mechanisms to tackle the climate crisis and help communities that have been left behind, including:

  1. Food Production: Food production relies on growers, including farmers and ranchers, workers, and critical inputs. But a diminishing share of the food dollar goes to these essential workers. USDA will invest in the current and future generation of food producers and workers throughout the food system with direct assistance, grants, training and technical assistance, and more.
  2. Food Processing: The pandemic highlighted challenges with consolidated processing capacity. It created supply bottlenecks, which led to a drop in effective plant and slaughter capacity. Small and midsize farmers often struggled to compete for processing access. USDA will make investments to support new and expanded regional processing capacity.
  3. Food Distribution & Aggregation: Food aggregation and distribution relies on people working together throughout the food system and having the right infrastructure to gather, move and hold the food where and when it is needed. This system was stressed during the pandemic due to long shipping distances and lack of investment in local and regional capacity. USDA will make investments in food system infrastructure that can remain resilient, flexible and responsive.
  4. Markets & Consumers: The U.S. spends more on health care and less on food than any other high-income nation; yet the U.S. has higher rates of diet-related illness and a lower life expectancy than those nations. At the same time, many socially disadvantaged and small and mid-sized producers do not have equitable access to markets. USDA will support new and expanded access to markets for a diversity of growers while helping eaters access healthy foods.

USDA will continue to make announcements through the Build Back Better initiative in the months to come. Today’s announcement is in addition to the $1 billion announced last week to purchase healthy food for food insecure Americans and build food bank capacity, putting the total announced thus far at more than $5 billion.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

Cole Announces 2021 Congressional App Challenge for OK-04

By
Tom Cole
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0

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) today encouraged middle school and high school students in the Fourth District of Oklahoma to participate in the 2021 Congressional App Challenge. This annual competition is designed to promote innovation, engagement and excellence in computer science through student development of an application (“app”).

“I am delighted to invite students living in the Fourth District of Oklahoma to participate in this year’s Congressional App Challenge. This educational initiative is a fantastic way for students to explore, sharpen and hone their coding and computer-based skills, which could inspire and prepare them to pursue potential careers in STEM fields. As this unique challenge gets underway, I look forward to seeing the new ideas and creativity of students.”

While this year’s Congressional App Challenge will officially launch later this month, interested students can already pre-register by visiting congressionalappchallenge.us. Beginning June 24, contest submissions will be accepted on the site’s portal with the final deadline of 11 a.m. CT on Monday, November 1, 2021. Following the submissions period, entries from the Fourth District will be judged and the winner selected by a local panel of relevant experts.

Questions can be directed to StudentSupport@CongressionalAppChallenge.us or by calling Cole’s Norman office at (405) 329-6500. Additional information can also be found atcole.house.gov/services/app-challenge.

Background on the Congressional App Challenge

Launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, this national contest invites students to create an application (“app”) for desktop/PC, web, tablet, mobile, raspberry Pi or other devices using any programming language – such as C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby or “block code.” The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of their coding experience. Winning apps from congressional districts across the country are eligible for display in the U.S. Capitol and featured on the U.S. House of Representatives’ website at House.gov.

More information is available at congressionalappchallenge.us.

Congressman Lucas Introduces Legislation Increasing Scrutiny of Foreign Investment in Agricultural Businesses

By
News Release
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0
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) introduced the Agricultural Security Risk Review Act, legislation that would formally place the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Agricultural Security Risk Review Act ensures that CFIUS is operating effectively and efficiently to determine if a transaction, including agricultural, threatens to impair the national security of the United States.
“Protecting America’s agriculture security is a critical part of our national security,” said Congressman Lucas. “CFIUS is authorized to ensure that our country’s national security isn’t threated by foreign investment, and with an increasing amount of foreign investment in U.S. agriculture, including the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of CFIUS is long overdue. I know firsthand just how important our agriculture industry is, which is why Congress must remove the hurdles that keep USDA from having a permanent seat at the table with CFIUS’ review of foreign transactions.” The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is an interagency committee that reviews potential national security threats of foreign investment in the United States. CFIUS consists of nine members, chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury, and includes the Secretaries of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Energy, the United States Trade Representative, the Attorney General, and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. CFIUS members informally screen proposed foreign investments into the United States before launching a formal review. Currently, in order for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be included in investigations, the Secretary of the Treasury must designate USDA as a part of the review. Without this designation, USDA does not participate in any of the review process and is not consulted in the CFIUS recommendation to the President. Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland and agricultural businesses has steadily increased. The growing concentration of foreign investment in the U.S. agricultural sector should necessitate that expert analysis of this sector be available to the Committee. CFIUS has the authority to review food and agricultural transactions to ensure the safety and resiliency of U.S. food supply but lacks the agricultural expertise of USDA in the review process.
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