Washington, D.C. – Congressman Josh Brecheen introduced the Patriotism Not Pride Act, which would prohibit federal agencies from using taxpayer resources to promote Pride Month or any similar event. The bill also prohibits the display of flags representing gender identity or sexual orientation by agencies on federal property.

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 29, 2023) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt sent a letter to all tribes whose tobacco compacts are set to expire this year, reiterating his previous call to extend the compacts previously negotiated by Oklahoma's Governor and tribal counterparts.

The letter reads, in part: "It is my sincere hope that this letter paves the way toward an agreement that will benefit all 4 million Oklahomans... I extend this offer in good faith and remain steadfast in my belief that we must find common ground to move our state forward."

Ouch. This audit is pretty bad. State Auditor Cindy Byrd has released an audit of federally-funded grants (mainly COVID relief/stimulus money), finding about $30,000,000 in "questioned costs". This audit is federally-mandated, and could end up with the State of Oklahoma having to repay the misspent funds.

It pretty much comes down to an atmosphere of lackadaisical oversight, careless implementation, and seemingly outright intentions to flout spending rules. A proto-school choice program pushed by Gov. Stitt and then-Secretary of Education (now State Superintendent) Ryan Walters draws specific attention in the scathing report.

Here are some additional news articles to read on the audit:

• ‘Systemic issue’: Audit finds Oklahoma lacked oversight of pandemic relief funds [NonDoc]
• Audit finds special interest groups gave Oklahoma private schools first-dibs on federal relief money while rejecting poor kids [The Frontier]
• Auditor: Oklahoma Spent Millions of Federal Dollars Incorrectly [OklahomaWatch]

STATE AUDITOR BYRD RELEASES FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (June 27, 2023) Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector (SAI) Cindy Byrd released today the Federal Single Audit of expenditures made during SFY 2021 which includes pandemic funds. This annual audit is a federally-mandated examination of how the State of Oklahoma spends federal grant money and whether the State complied with federal regulations.

Time to act on college tuition

The story of Oklahoma college tuition usually falls into one of three patterns.

Lawmakers cut college appropriations and colleges raise tuition, blaming the lack of appropriations.

Or lawmakers provide steady appropriations, and colleges raise tuition, blaming the lack of increased appropriations.

Or lawmakers increase appropriations, and colleges still raise tuition, blaming lawmakers for not doing more.

This year, we’re seeing the third scenario play out at the University of Oklahoma.

Washington, D.C. (June 26th) – Congressman Josh Brecheen will hold in-person town hall meetings on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29. Constituents are invited to attend and share their thoughts and ask questions on policy issues impacting Washington, D.C. and Oklahoma.

Pregnancy, especially when it is unexpected, is a “heart issue” that involves a mom, a dad, a baby, and their families. Unfortunately, our culture often speaks about the issue of life flippantly and with political motivation, causing these already complicated conversations to get more complicated, more caustic, and more divisive.

I believe all people—all people—are created in the image of God, have value and worth, and deserve to be treated with respect. I believe I have a responsibility to speak up for the lives of the children who have no way to speak for themselves. Babies are not disposable; they are valuable. Babies are not an inconvenience; they are lives full of potential and worth.

Maybe we just need to resolve the most basic of questions: when is a child a child?  

State of Oklahoma to offer Surplus and Save event at historic office building

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 26, 2023) – On July 7, the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) will hold Surplus and Save, an estate sale-style event where the general public can purchase a wide range of items from the Jim Thorpe Office Building.

As the historic Jim Thorpe Building undergoes renovations, an extensive selection of surplus items will be available for public purchase at discounted prices. Attendees will have the chance to browse and buy various items, including office furniture, courtroom furniture, office equipment and supplies, artwork, appliances, storage solutions, TVs and more.

But Cherokee Nation budget documents obtained by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs indicate that the tribe at least considered, and may have used, vehicle revenue for political activity.

The Cherokee Nation acknowledges that some money generated by its motor-tag compacts with the state of Oklahoma has been used for electoral activity, but the amount of money tribal officials say was spent and the uses made of that money differ dramatically from the amounts and uses outlined in a tribal budget document provided by a whistleblower.

Conservatively stewarding or else

Broadly speaking, a conservative champions free markets, limited government, individual initiative, personal responsibility, and empowering families.

Progressives’ view, in practice, can be summed up in this quote from former President Barack Obama’s chief of staff Rahm Emanuel: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

Need examples of progressives exploiting problems and crises? Government distortions and intervention in health care have caused massive health-care cost growth, and then government by way of Obamacare created a $1 trillion-plus government welfare program that raises health care costs further. Government overreach and government spending fuels significant inflation growth. So then progressives responded with an “inflation reduction act” that didn’t lower or eliminate government-caused inflation, but instead increased tax burdens through massive green energy subsidies.

Since progressives often want to seize problems to expand government control, conservatives must think long-term and solve public-policy concerns before they metastasize and the public entertains the left’s command approach.

I'm a bit behind on posting these, but Oklahoma's 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen recently filed two pieces of legislation, the Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act and the Healthy SNAP Act.

The Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act would reverse FDA guidance, “GFI 263,” which restricts the use of commonly used livestock antibiotics, such as penicillin. This has put added expense and hardship upon the those involved in agriculture and livestock. The Healthy SNAP Act would exclude soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and prepared desserts from being purchased with SNAP benefits (informally known as food stamps). 

Read below for more details on both: