News
Feb 10 2007
Congressional Reps, governor: work together
Members of Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation and Gov. Brad Henry Saturday stressed the need for bipartisanship after statewide and national political changes.
The changes, however, are contrasting, with the GOP making gains in the state Legislature and the Democrats assuming control of the U.S. Congress.
“It is a political process and there is, inevitably, partisanship, partisan posturing, partisan chest pounding that will occur … Once you get elected you ought to roll up your sleeves, get to the Capitol and work for the good of the state of Oklahoma,” Henry said at the Oklahoma Press Association’s annual Mid-winter Convention in Norman Saturday.
Henry, a Democrat from Shawnee, spoke first to the group of journalists from throughout the state. Both U.S. senators, and four of the state’s U.S. representatives, excluding U.S. Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla., then answered questions from the group dealing with, among other topics, immigration reform, the war in Iraq, the new farm bill and global warming.
Immigration
Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Okla., is part of the freshman class of lawmakers at the nation’s capital. She said she has been surprised that in the first month of the session the issue of illegal immigration has not surfaced.
“Coming fresh off the campaign, one of the top issues that we debated was immigration reform and yet we’ve not even discussed it on the House floor,” Fallin said.
But Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is confident some action will be taken.
“I think it will go through the Senate,” he said. “I think you’ll see immigration reform this year … It’s something we need to address. It’s an issue facing this country and it’s something that impacts security, impacts social welfare costs.”
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., is the only Democrat in Oklahoma’s group of Congressional representatives and is now part of the majority in Washington, D.C. He said immigration reform provides an opportunity for bipartisanship in the U.S. House and Senate, but the low approval ratings of President George W. Bush will have an impact on comprehensive immigration reform going anywhere.
“Every piece of legislation the White House is trying to get passed is being seen through this prism of Iraq,” said Boren. “Nothing can get done if we don’t solve Iraq.”
War in Iraq
Boren said he will be supporting a resolution opposed to Bush’s proposed surge of 20,000 troops to Iraq. He said he does not want people to be confused that his opposition means he is for the immediate withdrawal of troops. Rather, he said the U.S. military cannot leave Iraq, but must redefine what winning the war is.
Winning the war in Iraq means a Democratic government that is stable, that can defend itself and is an ally in the war on terror, said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
He said it will take the Iraqis stepping forward to control their own destiny.
“If they (Iraqis) can’t suck it up, eventually we will come home and it will be a hell hole in Iraq,” Cole said. “The stakes here are extraordinarily high.”
Boren said he wants to ensure Iranians are not crossing into Iraq to make matters worse. He suggested putting soldiers along the Iraq and Iran border.
Farm bill
The war is a topic of much discussion in Congress, but Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said a new farm bill the Legislature must write this year will also affect Oklahomans.
“That’s going to be one of my main focuses this session,” he said. “It’s going to be a long process.”
He said the last farm bills written by Republicans were not very popular and he hopes to write a bill that will keep many of the same concepts but use less money.
Climate change
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., remains outspoken as a critic of the theory of global warming, in spite of a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The panel found that there is conclusive evidence that global warming is a product of human emissions.
Inhofe remains unconvinced.
“The issue is not do we have global warming,” he said. “The issue right now is the Northern hemisphere has been warming, we understand that. At the turn of the 20th century we went into a warming period that went until the 1940s, in the 1940s we went into a cooling period that went until about 1980, in 1980 we went into a warming period that went until about now … These have been going on throughout recorded history.”
New chapter
History also was a term familiar to Henry when he spoke about the Oklahoma Senate’s first-ever equal party split this session.
The governor was asked how long he thinks the spirit of bipartisanship will last this year, to which he jokingly replied, “It partially ended on Monday.”
Monday was the first day of Oklahoma’s session.
He was also asked if he supports a bill to put the governor and lieutenant governor on the same election ticket.
“I think it makes good sense for the governor and lieutenant governor to run on the same ticket,” Henry said. “… It’s really rare that the governor and lieutenant governor work together as a team on behalf of Oklahoma, even when they come from the same party … What has happened traditionally, in my view — I know I’m going to get myself in trouble — is in reality the lieutenant governor’s office and position has been relegated to what I would term a waste of money to the taxpayers … that office is useless and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars because of the way it’s set up.”
He thinks having the top two statewide positions run together will allow them to work as a team more easily. He did say, however, that he will be working closely this term with new Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, D-Duncan.
Teamwork also is what Cole would like to see in Congress. He believes there will be an opportunity for “real bipartisanship.” It is also time for real debate on the floor, he said.
“If you win the election use the powers you’ve been given or support the president,” Cole said about the new Democratic majority. “Don’t criticize the president without (being) willing to do anything.”
The changes, however, are contrasting, with the GOP making gains in the state Legislature and the Democrats assuming control of the U.S. Congress.
“It is a political process and there is, inevitably, partisanship, partisan posturing, partisan chest pounding that will occur … Once you get elected you ought to roll up your sleeves, get to the Capitol and work for the good of the state of Oklahoma,” Henry said at the Oklahoma Press Association’s annual Mid-winter Convention in Norman Saturday.
Henry, a Democrat from Shawnee, spoke first to the group of journalists from throughout the state. Both U.S. senators, and four of the state’s U.S. representatives, excluding U.S. Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla., then answered questions from the group dealing with, among other topics, immigration reform, the war in Iraq, the new farm bill and global warming.
Immigration
Rep. Mary Fallin, R-Okla., is part of the freshman class of lawmakers at the nation’s capital. She said she has been surprised that in the first month of the session the issue of illegal immigration has not surfaced.
“Coming fresh off the campaign, one of the top issues that we debated was immigration reform and yet we’ve not even discussed it on the House floor,” Fallin said.
But Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., is confident some action will be taken.
“I think it will go through the Senate,” he said. “I think you’ll see immigration reform this year … It’s something we need to address. It’s an issue facing this country and it’s something that impacts security, impacts social welfare costs.”
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., is the only Democrat in Oklahoma’s group of Congressional representatives and is now part of the majority in Washington, D.C. He said immigration reform provides an opportunity for bipartisanship in the U.S. House and Senate, but the low approval ratings of President George W. Bush will have an impact on comprehensive immigration reform going anywhere.
“Every piece of legislation the White House is trying to get passed is being seen through this prism of Iraq,” said Boren. “Nothing can get done if we don’t solve Iraq.”
War in Iraq
Boren said he will be supporting a resolution opposed to Bush’s proposed surge of 20,000 troops to Iraq. He said he does not want people to be confused that his opposition means he is for the immediate withdrawal of troops. Rather, he said the U.S. military cannot leave Iraq, but must redefine what winning the war is.
Winning the war in Iraq means a Democratic government that is stable, that can defend itself and is an ally in the war on terror, said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
He said it will take the Iraqis stepping forward to control their own destiny.
“If they (Iraqis) can’t suck it up, eventually we will come home and it will be a hell hole in Iraq,” Cole said. “The stakes here are extraordinarily high.”
Boren said he wants to ensure Iranians are not crossing into Iraq to make matters worse. He suggested putting soldiers along the Iraq and Iran border.
Farm bill
The war is a topic of much discussion in Congress, but Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said a new farm bill the Legislature must write this year will also affect Oklahomans.
“That’s going to be one of my main focuses this session,” he said. “It’s going to be a long process.”
He said the last farm bills written by Republicans were not very popular and he hopes to write a bill that will keep many of the same concepts but use less money.
Climate change
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., remains outspoken as a critic of the theory of global warming, in spite of a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The panel found that there is conclusive evidence that global warming is a product of human emissions.
Inhofe remains unconvinced.
“The issue is not do we have global warming,” he said. “The issue right now is the Northern hemisphere has been warming, we understand that. At the turn of the 20th century we went into a warming period that went until the 1940s, in the 1940s we went into a cooling period that went until about 1980, in 1980 we went into a warming period that went until about now … These have been going on throughout recorded history.”
New chapter
History also was a term familiar to Henry when he spoke about the Oklahoma Senate’s first-ever equal party split this session.
The governor was asked how long he thinks the spirit of bipartisanship will last this year, to which he jokingly replied, “It partially ended on Monday.”
Monday was the first day of Oklahoma’s session.
He was also asked if he supports a bill to put the governor and lieutenant governor on the same election ticket.
“I think it makes good sense for the governor and lieutenant governor to run on the same ticket,” Henry said. “… It’s really rare that the governor and lieutenant governor work together as a team on behalf of Oklahoma, even when they come from the same party … What has happened traditionally, in my view — I know I’m going to get myself in trouble — is in reality the lieutenant governor’s office and position has been relegated to what I would term a waste of money to the taxpayers … that office is useless and a waste of taxpayers’ dollars because of the way it’s set up.”
He thinks having the top two statewide positions run together will allow them to work as a team more easily. He did say, however, that he will be working closely this term with new Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, D-Duncan.
Teamwork also is what Cole would like to see in Congress. He believes there will be an opportunity for “real bipartisanship.” It is also time for real debate on the floor, he said.
“If you win the election use the powers you’ve been given or support the president,” Cole said about the new Democratic majority. “Don’t criticize the president without (being) willing to do anything.”
