Chris Casteel As the House prepares to consider a $1.9 trillion spending package that includes more direct payments and unemployment assistance, Oklahoma’s five members are united with most other Republicans in opposition, saying the bill is excessive and includes many provisions unrelated to the pandemic.Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa, recently likened the federal unemployment aid to welfare, while Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma City, said the government hasn’t spent the nearly $900 billion previously approved for pandemic relief.The package does have support from Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt...…Chris Casteel As the House prepares to consider a $1.9 trillion spending package that includes more direct payments and unemployment assistance, Oklahoma’s five members are united with most other Republicans in opposition, saying the bill is excessive and includes many provisions unrelated to the pandemic.Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa, recently likened the federal unemployment aid to welfare, while Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma City, said the government hasn’t spent the nearly $900 billion previously approved for pandemic relief.The package does have support from Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt...WW…

Chris Casteel Sen. Jim Inhofe officially turned over the reins of the Armed Services Committee last week, and Sen. James Lankford relinquished control of the Ethics Committee as Democrats became the majority in the evenly split Senate by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris’ position as president of the Senate.As Congress continued to organize its committees for the next two years, Lankford landed a spot on the panel that oversees the nation's parks and U.S. energy policy, including drilling on public lands.And freshman Rep. Stephanie Bice was assigned to the House Science, Space and...…Chris Casteel Sen. Jim Inhofe officially turned over the reins of the Armed Services Committee last week, and Sen. James Lankford relinquished control of the Ethics Committee as Democrats became the majority in the evenly split Senate by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris’ position as president of the Senate.As Congress continued to organize its committees for the next two years, Lankford landed a spot on the panel that oversees the nation's parks and U.S. energy policy, including drilling on public lands.And freshman Rep. Stephanie Bice was assigned to the House Science, Space and...WW…

Chris Casteel Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday urged leaders of the Five Tribes to “begin negotiations” on criminal and civil jurisdiction in eastern Oklahoma, though some tribes have already been engaged in talks with the state attorney general and are pursuing action in Congress.In a news release, Stitt said he wanted the tribes to negotiate with his office regarding jurisdiction in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that major crimes involving Indians in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation must be handled by the federal government because the tribe’s reservation was...…Chris Casteel Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday urged leaders of the Five Tribes to “begin negotiations” on criminal and civil jurisdiction in eastern Oklahoma, though some tribes have already been engaged in talks with the state attorney general and are pursuing action in Congress.In a news release, Stitt said he wanted the tribes to negotiate with his office regarding jurisdiction in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that major crimes involving Indians in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation must be handled by the federal government because the tribe’s reservation was...WW…

Chris Casteel Freshman Rep. Stephanie Bice and Rep. Tom Cole said Wednesday they will vote to challenge the results of some states’ Electoral College votes, joining three other members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation who have vowed to side with President Donald Trump.Bice, an Oklahoma City Republican who just flipped the 5th District back to the GOP, said, “Today, I will be voting to challenge the electoral votes of certain states to ensure the security of our nation’s election process.“Unfortunately, some states did not follow their own state election laws, jeopardizing their...…Chris Casteel Freshman Rep. Stephanie Bice and Rep. Tom Cole said Wednesday they will vote to challenge the results of some states’ Electoral College votes, joining three other members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation who have vowed to side with President Donald Trump.Bice, an Oklahoma City Republican who just flipped the 5th District back to the GOP, said, “Today, I will be voting to challenge the electoral votes of certain states to ensure the security of our nation’s election process.“Unfortunately, some states did not follow their own state election laws, jeopardizing their...WW…

Chris Casteel The U.S. Senate has sent the White House a bill to rename the downtown Oklahoma City post office after civil rights pioneer Clara Luper.The legislation, which was authored by Rep. Kendra Horn and cleared the House in September, gained Senate approval on Thursday without objection.Horn, D-Oklahoma City, said, “Clara Luper and the sit-inners are true civil rights heroes. … This bill honors their legacy, giving Clara Luper’s name a permanent place in downtown Oklahoma City just blocks from where she led the first sit-in and from the epicenter of the sanitation workers’...…Chris Casteel The U.S. Senate has sent the White House a bill to rename the downtown Oklahoma City post office after civil rights pioneer Clara Luper.The legislation, which was authored by Rep. Kendra Horn and cleared the House in September, gained Senate approval on Thursday without objection.Horn, D-Oklahoma City, said, “Clara Luper and the sit-inners are true civil rights heroes. … This bill honors their legacy, giving Clara Luper’s name a permanent place in downtown Oklahoma City just blocks from where she led the first sit-in and from the epicenter of the sanitation workers’...WW…

Chris Casteel The Seminole Nation recently began telling oil and gas companies that they are subject to taxes in the tribe’s “jurisdictional area,” a move that Gov. Kevin Stitt called “reckless and unauthorized.”Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter asked the tribe last week to stop sending notices to oil and gas companies and suggested that it was trying to intimidate them.“Sending letters to every single operator in Seminole County, regardless of whether the Seminole Nation has specific grounds for asserting jurisdiction over that operator, can be seen as an attempt to intimidate those...…Chris Casteel The Seminole Nation recently began telling oil and gas companies that they are subject to taxes in the tribe’s “jurisdictional area,” a move that Gov. Kevin Stitt called “reckless and unauthorized.”Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter asked the tribe last week to stop sending notices to oil and gas companies and suggested that it was trying to intimidate them.“Sending letters to every single operator in Seminole County, regardless of whether the Seminole Nation has specific grounds for asserting jurisdiction over that operator, can be seen as an attempt to intimidate those...WW…

Chris Casteel Sen. Jim Inhofe, who spent the last four years praising President Donald Trump and his commitment to boosting the Pentagon’s budget, found himself a target of the president's wrath last week, with his loyalty questioned and his defense bill threatened.Trump’s irritation and threats, delivered, customarily, via Twitter, stemmed from Inhofe’s inability to use the annual defense bill to strip social media companies of their immunity from some lawsuits.“Very sadly for our Nation, it looks like Senator @JimInhofe will not be putting the Section 230 termination clause into the...…Chris Casteel Sen. Jim Inhofe, who spent the last four years praising President Donald Trump and his commitment to boosting the Pentagon’s budget, found himself a target of the president's wrath last week, with his loyalty questioned and his defense bill threatened.Trump’s irritation and threats, delivered, customarily, via Twitter, stemmed from Inhofe’s inability to use the annual defense bill to strip social media companies of their immunity from some lawsuits.“Very sadly for our Nation, it looks like Senator @JimInhofe will not be putting the Section 230 termination clause into the...WW…

Chris Casteel Facing a nursing shortage even before the pandemic, nurses and educators said Thursday they met with Stitt administration officials this week about recruiting more nurses and imposing a mask mandate.State officials were receptive to the idea of a state-sponsored marketing campaign to recruit former nurses back into the workforce, according to Cathy Pierce, chief nurse executive for OU Medicine.The nurses have also proposed using federal coronavirus relief money to fund refresher courses and educate more nursing students. Pierce said they also proposed the state contract with a...…Chris Casteel Facing a nursing shortage even before the pandemic, nurses and educators said Thursday they met with Stitt administration officials this week about recruiting more nurses and imposing a mask mandate.State officials were receptive to the idea of a state-sponsored marketing campaign to recruit former nurses back into the workforce, according to Cathy Pierce, chief nurse executive for OU Medicine.The nurses have also proposed using federal coronavirus relief money to fund refresher courses and educate more nursing students. Pierce said they also proposed the state contract with a...WW…

The U.S. House passed a bill on Friday that would decriminalize marijuana in federal law, a historic step that the Senate is expected to ignore.The bill, which would remove marijuana from the schedule of dangerous drugs, was approved 228-164, with only five Republicans voting for it.Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Oklahoma City, was the only member from Oklahoma voting for the bill. Reps. Tom Cole, R-Moore; Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa; and Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, voted against. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Westville, was absent.Horn said the bill was "good for local businesses, it’s good for public safety, and it...…The U.S. House passed a bill on Friday that would decriminalize marijuana in federal law, a historic step that the Senate is expected to ignore.The bill, which would remove marijuana from the schedule of dangerous drugs, was approved 228-164, with only five Republicans voting for it.Rep. Kendra Horn, D-Oklahoma City, was the only member from Oklahoma voting for the bill. Reps. Tom Cole, R-Moore; Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa; and Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, voted against. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Westville, was absent.Horn said the bill was "good for local businesses, it’s good for public safety, and it...WW…

Chris Casteel Oklahoma's five U.S. House members joined all other Republicans early Saturday in voting against the $1.9 trillion spending package that includes $1,400 direct payments for most Americans; expanded and extended unemployment benefits; money for state and local governments and schools; and numerous other measures to strengthen federal aid programs and beef up COVID-19 vaccination efforts.The bill was approved 219-212 and now goes to the Senate. A minimum wage increase — from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour — is part of the House bill but will be stripped out because of a...…Chris Casteel Oklahoma's five U.S. House members joined all other Republicans early Saturday in voting against the $1.9 trillion spending package that includes $1,400 direct payments for most Americans; expanded and extended unemployment benefits; money for state and local governments and schools; and numerous other measures to strengthen federal aid programs and beef up COVID-19 vaccination efforts.The bill was approved 219-212 and now goes to the Senate. A minimum wage increase — from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour — is part of the House bill but will be stripped out because of a...WW…