Congressman Tom Cole's Latest Weekly Columns

In just a little over a year there will be a big change in the way television is broadcast. By February 17, 2009, every television set in America will need to be digital television (DTV) compatible to continue to receive local broadcast programming. On that day in February, all full-power television stations will stop broadcasting analog signals and continue their broadcasts in an exclusively digital format. While next February may seem a long time away, broadcasters are working to prepare the public ahead of time to help consumers get the education and equipment they need to successfully complete the DTV transition.

America's leaders understand that securing a strong and reliable relationship with Pakistan is a critical foreign policy goal. Global terrorism is thriving along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, radical Islamic practices are surging in the area, and most recently, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated. It is evident that U.S.-Pakistani diplomatic relations have become more important than ever to ensuring the success of the War on Terror and protecting our country's national security.

Last week Congress finally finished its work for the year and recessed for the Christmas holidays. And while the 2007 congressional scorecard was marked by extreme partisanship, legislative gridlock and political stalemate, I am proud of several accomplishments we were able to achieve in the waning days of the session. Chief among them were heading off a massive middle class tax increase, extending health insurance to the poorest children in America and making sure the brave men and women of our armed forces have the resources necessary to fight and win the war on terror.

Early this year a wave of new promises were spouted from behind lecterns at dozens of high-profile political events. It was the sound of a new majority in Congress, expressing its intention to run the most honest and ethical Congress in history. While their goals for transparency and openness sounded like music to the ears of a deserving public, evaluating the situation eleven months later, it seems like all America has been left with is the noise of clanging symbols and booming drums.

Millions of people from across the world make the trek to Hawaii to see Pearl Harbor, a place that is now serene, showing little resemblance of its harsh past. For over fifty years, Americans have visited the resting place of the U.S.S. Arizona, the battleship that carried the most men lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor. At the Arizona Memorial people come to pay tribute to its service members, often dropping flowers into the water above the sunken vessel. Many Oklahomans have felt a sense of loss over the years, wondering about a similar battleship struck down in the attack on Pearl Harbor that bears the name of our state: the U.S.S. Oklahoma. Fortunately, last week a Memorial was dedicated to the memory of those servicemen serving on the Oklahoma battleship.

Shakespeare wrote "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Right now, the international stage of world politics is chock-full of different players and powers. And, unfortunately, several of these players are dangerously unstable. America's attentions have been appropriately focused on Iraq and Afghanistan of late, but it is important that we continue to see the entire stage and be cognizant of the actions of all of the players. Three countries in particular - Pakistan, Russia and Venezuela - are experiencing revolutionary and potentially dangerous changes.

This Thanksgiving, I was grateful for the opportunity to sit around a table surrounded by my family to laugh, talk and give thanks for all of the blessings we have been given. I know that many other Oklahomans celebrated their traditions this Thanksgiving as well. But, I also recognize that there are men and women who spent the holidays overseas, away from their families, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world. And while we all look forward to the day when they will be physically reunited with their loved ones, I know they were present in thoughts and prayers around the Thanksgiving tables of a grateful nation.

Last week I had the opportunity to speak at an Oklahoma Centennial reception held at the Old Executive Office Building of the White House. I was joined at the podium by other members of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation as well as key members of the Centennial Commission. As a fifth-generation Oklahoman and a historian, I was honored to be able to share my reflections on the history of the state and pay respect to the extraordinary advances that have been made in the past 100 years. But, while I believe it is entirely appropriate to celebrate the remarkable progress and achievements of our first century, it is also crucial to understand and embrace the changes that must take place to build a great Oklahoma for future generations. Now is the time, in the wake of our celebrations, for citizens to invest in our state and to turn some of the attention away from our history of hardships and instead focus on building a future of opportunities for the second Oklahoma century.

It seems like families are feeling the financial pinch more than ever these days. With the costs at the gas-pump climbing, college tuition rates getting higher and the price of consumer goods rising, the last thing Americans need is to see more of their paycheck taken by the government. Unfortunately, last week the Ways and Means Committee chairman brought a massive tax proposal to the house floor. If that legislation were to ever become law, it would be the single largest tax increase in U.S. history.

Last weekend I was able to take a trip to Kuwait, Iraq and Germany with three other members of Congress. I began my trip with a visit to the troop entry-exit point at Camp Arifjan. The facility there is the access point from where our forces will exit as troop draw-downs occur in the future. There are currently twenty combat brigades serving in Iraq and the structure at Arifjan can safely handle exit procedures for one brigade a month. This means that immediate, complete withdrawal, a philosophy trumpeted by some, is not a realistic and safe option for our soldiers. The camp is impressive, nonetheless, and moves military units and thousands of pieces of equipment with unmatched precision. It is evident that our American logistical efforts are second-to-none.

The American people love a fair fight, especially when it comes to politics and the debates going on in Washington that affect them at home. Everyday thousands of Oklahomans turn on their radios and tune in to talk shows to listen to debates and discussions on different topics. The freedom of the airwaves has fostered vigorous discussion of controversial issues amongst all political parties, but before 1985 this freedom was absent from talk radio. Now, Washington liberals want to go back to the days of government controlled airwaves by reinstating the Fairness Doctrine which strips radio outlets of the very rights guaranteed to them in the Constitution.

As youngsters many of us were enthralled with stories of the great American cowboy and the struggles and adventures they engaged in. For those of us who grew up in Oklahoma, those weren't just myths - they were legitimate history lessons about real cowboys who lived the legacy by traveling miles and miles of trails on horseback to bring cattle to the railheads in Kansas and Nebraska.

Each year Congress considers 11 or more appropriations bills which provide funding for numerous activities like national defense, education, homeland security and crime. Earmarking refers to a provision in legislation, in this case appropriations bills, which direct funds to be spent on specific projects. Typically, legislators seek to insert earmarks which direct funding to a particular project in their home state.

Imagine a settler in the 1800s going far out into the woods alone with his rifle in search of a deer to feed his starving family. After waiting patiently for hours, he notices movement in the brush 50 yards away. It's a deer. In a flash, he takes aim and prepares to fire.

It is summer time and in Oklahoma that means it is vacation time. Oklahomans are drivers, and this summer families across our great state will pack their suitcases and hit the road to enjoy their summer vacations. With all the excitement of the summer months ahead, one inevitable issue on the minds of all Oklahomans is the rising costs of gas prices. Americans are feeling the crunch of high gas prices everyday, and it is time that Congress take meaningful steps to develop a long term energy strategy of independence, affordability and predictability in order to help alleviate the problem.

America is a land of opportunity. And we are also a country that has always been comprised of immigrants searching for the promise of the American Dream. But just as we are a nation of immigrants, America is also a nation of laws, and those laws must be obeyed and enforced in order to maintain our social compact with one another as citizens of these United States. Therefore it must be a top priority for our nation to secure our borders and stop the flood of illegal immigration that is - in itself - de facto amnesty.

Last week two Democrat members of Congress introduced legislation that would shutter the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay and potentially relocate violent terrorists to American communities. Earlier this year, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee listed Fort Sill as a potential relocation point for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay.

Last Sunday Americans across the country honored their mothers. When I think about my role in Congress, I think about how it all started with my Mom and the lessons she taught me as a boy that I have carried with me throughout my life.

On December 7, 1903, in his third State of the Union Address to Congress, Theodore Roosevelt stated, "No man is above the law, and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man's permission when we require him to obey it. Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor." The words that the President spoke that day still echo throughout the halls of America's court buildings-federally, state-wide and locally. Equal justice under the law is a constitutional principle of the American justice system, but last week, Congress passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act which could threaten this principle that for centuries has steered our country in a just direction.

The financial crisis facing Social Security and Medicare is worsening each year. If Congress does not act to implement meaningful reform for these programs, our country will be facing a full-fledged financial crisis. Without reform these programs, by 2040, will cost Americans as much as the entire federal government does today, forcing our children to pay twice as much in federal taxes.

This week will go down in history as a dark moment for America and especially for the state of Virginia. As I watch the events unfold at Virginia Tech on television, I am reminded, as I am sure many of my fellow Oklahomans are, of a similar tragic April anniversary in Oklahoma.

Washington D.C. is a busy place. Between the hustle and bustle of morning traffic, committee meetings and evening votes on the House floor, there is not much time to stop and catch your breath. This is why I love coming home to Oklahoma. Over the last two weeks I had the opportunity to talk with many constituents, tour different facilities, meet with local officials and visit schools in Southwest and Central Oklahoma. I hosted town hall meetings in eight different communities where I heard concerns and answered questions from Oklahomans who truly care about their country. Among those main concerns were healthcare, immigration and the war in Iraq.

As children we are taught to be responsible with our money. We are taught to spend what we earn very carefully and not to waste our earnings on frivolous things. The government should be held to the same standard that we as Americans hold ourselves to when it comes to responsible stewardship of our hard-earned money. Despite promising to make fiscal responsibility a hallmark of the 110th Congress, Speaker Pelosi and the new Majority in Congress recently passed a budget that not only calls for the largest tax increase in history, which I addressed last week, but also does nothing to significantly reform entitlement programs and irresponsibly proposes tens of billions of dollars in massive new non-defense, non-emergency spending.

When I think about Tax Day I think of something Will Rogers once said, "If you make any money, the government shoves you in the creek once a year with it in your pockets, and all that don't get wet you can keep." The April 15th deadline is just around the corner and Americans everywhere are anxiously filing their taxes. Thanks to the Republican led tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, taxpayers have been able to keep more of their hard-earned money in their wallets. Unfortunately, that may be about to change. Last week in Washington, Nancy Pelosi and the new Majority voted for a budget that included the largest tax increase in American history, $392.5 billion over the next five years.

The U.S. Constitution clearly describes the President of the United States as the Commander in Chief. Thereby conferring on that office, and that office alone, the authority to order troops in and out of war. Nancy Pelosi and her fellow liberals in the House of Representatives have apparently forgotten this inconvenient truth.

As a former college professor myself, I have seen first-hand the opportunities that arise when students have the chance to pursue a college education. I believe a strong education is the foundation for achieving the American Dream. Consequently, I recently joined the House Community College Caucus, because I believe so strongly that community colleges in Oklahoma play a significant role in educating our citizens and preparing them for the future.

In Dwight D. Eisenhower's first Inaugural Address he said, "We must be ready to dare all for our country. For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid." President Eisenhower's eloquent words remind me of the sacrifice our strong and courageous men and women in uniform are making on behalf of all Americans every day. Our soldiers are daring all for our country and the values that sustain us. And when they are sick or wounded, the very least we can do is ensure they have the very best health care and medical attention possible.

The right to a private ballot is the foundation of our Republic. For centuries, Americans-regardless of race, creed, or gender-have fought to expand voting rights and to maintain the sanctity of the secret ballot. Recently in Washington, the House Majority voted to strip this basic freedom from workers in Oklahoma and the rest of America.

Oklahomans are a generous people well known for their willingness to give back to their communities. Last week I had the pleasure of observing this generosity first hand when I joined literally hundreds of volunteers in Lawton to help a family in need. It was a heart-warming experience that reinforced my pride in Oklahoma and my faith in our people.

As you may have seen in the news, last week Congress debated a resolution regarding America's continued involvement in Iraq. As a Member of Congress I can tell you there is no bigger issue we face as a nation than the issue of war. War affects every American. It demands sacrifices from the men and women in uniform who so bravely risk their lives to defend the freedoms we enjoy today, and it affects the families of our military who send their loved ones to fight the battle. It is to these individuals that we owe our eternal gratitude.

The election results of last November made it abundantly clear that the American people were unhappy with the way in which their federal government was being run. While Congress certainly gave the citizens ample reason to be dissatisfied, it's now time for us to roll up our sleeves, get back on track, and do the work that the American people expect and deserve. I think the two most important priorities we must embrace are keeping our economy strong and waging-and winning-the War on Terror.