In rural Oklahoma, mom-and-pop shops and family-run businesses are the norm. By and large, Oklahomans stop in to see their friends at their store down the street because many of us are hundreds of miles from the nearest shopping mall, or simply because we trust the people just down the road. We keep our business local and prefer to keep our dollars in our own community, especially when it comes to which banks and credit unions we choose. When people in Okmulgee need a mortgage or a car loan, the... Read more

As Oklahomans, we are always aware that the weather is ever-changing and that from one day to the next, Mother Nature can have a mind of her own. Thankfully, as we near the end of tornado season, we’ll enjoy much warmer weather as summer approaches. Despite the sunnier skies headed our way, we should continue to be ready for inclement weather that may strike Oklahoma. We never know what kind of weather Oklahoma will bring us tomorrow, so it’s important to ensure our families are prepared to hand... Read more

Washington is a town full of monuments and memorials dedicated to famous people, events, and presidents. Within just a few miles, there are tributes to President Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., President George Washington, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. They all accomplished heroic deeds and led our country through trying times. A handful of other memorials on the National Mall pay tribute to a group of Americans who led our country in another way. These memorials honor the men an... Read more

Our nation’s law enforcement officers investigate crime, enforce our laws, and perhaps most importantly, protect our communities. Day after day, law enforcement officers put on their uniforms, leave their families, and go to work prepared to defend those around them from harm. During Police Week, we federally recognize our police officers and honor the sacrifices they make to protect our communities. Beyond keeping us safe and serving as the watchful eye in our neighborhoods, law enforcement is ... Read more

In this week’s Mullin It Over, I’d like to take the time to answer a few of the questions that constituents posted on my Facebook and Twitter pages recently. Like many Americans, Oklahomans are concerned about our country’s health care system. Health care is personal to all of us and it’s important that your questions are answered. Do you know how this repeal will affect Indian Health Services? And could you please explain how you expect this to affect the Native people here in Oklahoma? Posted ... Read more

Entrepreneurs in Oklahoma have a lot to celebrate this Small Business Week. Each day, the federal government does more and more to get government out of the way so that our small businesses can succeed. This is especially true in Oklahoma where more than 345,000 small businesses employ more than half of the private workforce. Nationally, small businesses represent 99.9 percent of all businesses with employees and account for 2 out of 3 net new jobs. With over 29 million small businesses across o... Read more

Just as promised, President Trump has hit the ground running. The first 100 days of President Trump in the White House has delivered a renewed sense of spirit for Americans and for the prosperity of our country. Looking at the numbers, our president has enacted more legislation in the first 100 days than any other president in half a century and his pick to the Supreme Court was confirmed within the same time frame, which no president has done since 1881. If we want our small businesses, job cre... Read more

Within the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency, we’ve seen him draw the line in the sand. After President Bashar al-Assad delivered one of worst chemical bombing in Syria in history, President Trump made it clear that the United States would not tolerate a war crime like this. When Assad crossed the line by unleashing a chemical attack that took the lives of dozens of his own people, the country’s new commander in chief made good on a promise. For the first time in eight years, our count... Read more

Over the past two weeks, I’ve held 25 town halls throughout my district in Oklahoma. From Miami to Hugo and Okmulgee to Stilwell, I’ve met with Oklahomans to talk about issues that affect all of us. We have talked about health care, infrastructure, education, the national deficit, cutting the red tape of the bureaucracy, border security, and our national defense. We may have agreed on one issue and disagreed on another. Sometimes we just have to agree to disagree. That’s the beauty of democracy.... Read more

This week is National Public Health Week. It’s a fitting time to reflect on the progress our country has made to help people lead healthier lives. It’s also a great time to recognize the work that has yet to be done to continue to improve public health programs in our country. When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, forty-six million rural Americans are at a higher risk of death and shorter life expectancies. Higher rates of smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure, less physical acti... Read more