August 6, 2022

IMPROVING RURAL BROADBAND ACCESS

In Oklahoma’s Second District, less than half the residents have access to broadband Internet, a necessity most people across the country have enjoyed at a low cost for years. More than 45% of individuals living on Tribal land in Oklahoma don’t have access to high-speed internet. In an effort to close the digital divide, I introduced the Funding Affordable Internet with Reliable (FAIR) Contributions Act to study the impact big streamers like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have on rural costs and network availability. This bill will provide Congress with crucial information as we continue to examine the possibility of requiring these edge providers to contribute to FCC’s Universal Service Fund, which is used to increase broadband access in rural areas. Click here to read more.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT

America is the land of opportunity, where everyone can work hard to achieve success. Oklahomans know this, and it is reflected throughout the hundreds of thousands of small businesses across our state.

The entrepreneurial spirit is about hard work, not the heavy hand of the government that President Biden and Democrats in Congress are trying to force on the American people. Ninety-nine percent of businesses in Oklahoma are small businesses. Families and individuals in Oklahoma have continued to work hard to achieve their American dream despite the odds the current administration has stacked against them.

Entrepreneurs in Oklahoma survived the pandemic only to be faced with a new set of challenges. Inflation, supply chain issues, and high energy costs have brought optimism among small business owners to the lowest it has been in over nine years.

America’s job creators deserve better. Oklahoma businesses, farms, and ranches have endured generations of change and hardship, and I have no doubt they will survive this too. But despite this belief in our state’s resolve, I will never stop fighting to limit the overreach of the federal government.

America depends on small businesses to carry the economy, and I have faith in the ones here in Oklahoma to continue this legacy. Oklahomans always live by The Oklahoma Standard: neighbors helping neighbors through tough times. I hear and feel the concerns of Oklahomans as we live under the Biden Administration, and I still remain truly optimistic about the road that lies ahead.

THE FIGHT FOR LIFE ISN'T OVER

The U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision was a huge win for life. However, the fight is not over. Democrats are still pushing their radical, abortion-on-demand until birth agenda. In an effort to stop it, I have recently cosponsored the Defunding Abortion Transportation Act to prevent the federal funding for transportation to get an abortion. This bill says that states cannot provide non-emergency medical transportation funds to transport individuals to receive an abortion. Taxpayer dollars should never fund abortions.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

On Thursday, we celebrated 232 years of the U.S. Coast Guard. For over two centuries, the U.S. Coast Guard has kept our waterways safe. To Guardsmen past and present, thank you for your service to our great nation.

Thank you for reading my weekly e-newsletter! You can stay in touch by visiting my Facebook and Twitter pages and as always, don’t hesitate to contact me if I can help in any way. Watch