Congressman
Tom Cole
Tom Cole became the Representative for Oklahoma's Fourth Congressional District on November 6th, 2002. During his tenure in the House Cole has established himself as a strong voice for the conservative views and values of the Fourth District. He is an advocate for a strong national defense, a defender of the interests of small business and taxpayers, a proponent of education at all levels and a leader on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments.
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Articles by Congressman
Tom Cole
June 14, 2009
This week Congress is gearing up to consider a troop funding bill. This legislation, an emergency War Supplemental, will provide the resources needed by the men and women serving in the Armed Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. But members of House leadership have taken the military funding bill and p...
May 19, 2009
Most Americans agree that our country must do more to achieve energy independence and to produce cleaner sources of energy. There are steps we need to implement over time to change the way we use energy and reduce our use of some types of carbon-based fuels. But if a radical proposal being organiz...
May 05, 2009
During the past two weeks I hosted a series of town halls throughout the Fourth District. These meetings were an important opportunity for me to listen, take questions and provide answers directly to my constituents. While the questions were diverse, a sizable number of them revolved around policie...
March 31, 2009
The nation's capitol has recently been caught up in controversy surrounding Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and American International Group (AIG). In what many are calling "bonus-gate," it was revealed that after receiving an additional thirty billion dollars in government bail out funds, AIG awar...
March 26, 2009
Democrats in Congress recently introduced the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a bill more accurately described as "card check" legislation. The bill is a payback for years of big labor lobbying from unions and labor activists' groups. Those groups have taken their case to Capitol Hill c...
February 15, 2009
In late January, the Democrat Members of the House of Representatives brought forth a so-called stimulus bill with a price tag of nearly $820 billion dollars. I voted against this legislation, as did each and every other Republican Member of Congress. While our economy is certainly in need of stim...
March 09, 2008
"Entitlement reform" has become a popular phrase over the past few years. As America's baby-boomer population reaches retirement age, the issue has gotten a lot of attention. There is serious reason to be concerned, considering more individuals are becoming eligible to receive Medicare and Social...
July 16, 2007
Recently, I sent a letter to the President calling for flood assistance for Comanche county in accordance with Governor Henry’s emergency disaster declaration request. Pottawatomie, Comanche, Ottawa, and Washington counties are included in the initial request. Due to the intensity of f...
June 11, 2007
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.
Then he hesitate...
January 09, 2007
The start of the 110th Congress, marks quite a bit of change--the first female Speaker of the House, a Democratic Majority for the first time in over a decade and a new and different legislative agenda. No matter which political party is in the majority, the first responsibility of the House is...
November 12, 2006
Representing Oklahoma's veterans has been and continues to be among my top priorities in the House of Representatives. Because of Fort Sill and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma's Fourth Congressional District consistently ranks among the top districts in the nation where veterans live. Veteran...
April 24, 2006
The transcript and details released about Flight 93 during the final stages of the Zacarias Moussaoui trial, was a vivid example of the horrors of September 11, 2001 and a reminder of the security threats our country faces every day. But, overshadowing the hatred and intolerance of the terrorists ab...
April 10, 2006
This year Oklahomans and all taxpayers across the country can approach tax day with a little more optimism. Because of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, and the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 every taxpa...
April 03, 2006
The House last week worked on the College Access & Opportunity Act (H.R. 609), that makes key reforms to protect the interests of students and parents - and the pocketbooks of American taxpayers. Below are some of the key reforms addressed in this legislation.
Increasing competitiveness. T...
March 07, 2006
Despite the challenges of this year, including Hurricane Katrina and high energy prices, the economy continued to expand for the fourth consecutive year in 2005. The news gets even better--economic forecasters are predicting another year of growth, historically low unemployment and continued low inf...
February 28, 2006
The issue of illegal immigration and border security is no longer just a concern for states along the borders, it is a problem shared by every state in the country. In town hall meetings and letters and phone calls to the office, I have heard from many Oklahomans who are worried about the effects of...
February 22, 2006
Each year, Congress goes through the grueling process of putting together a budget. The process begins with the President submitting his budget to Congress. Then it is up to Congress to set a spending limit and decide which programs will be funded. Unfortunately, this process does not usually stay o...
February 14, 2006
Amidst the challenges and national priorities our country is juggling right now, one that won't be pushed aside is education. Education is a long term investment in the future of our state and our nation. It is something we should not take for granted.
The debt we owe to future generati...
February 07, 2006
When the President addressed the nation last week he didn't offer a laundry list of proposals, but instead focused on a few priority issues that he believes will improve the quality of life for every American, improve our national security and move our country into the future. These themes he discus...
January 30, 2006
This week the House will convene to begin the second session of the 109th Congress. A lot was accomplished last year during the first session of the 109th Congress, and we hope to have an even more successful second half. As the new legislative year begins, I would like to recap some important victo...
January 25, 2006
If you and your family haven't been directly impacted by the devastating fires that have rampaged through Oklahoma over the past couple of months, it is likely that you have smelled the smoke or that you know someone else who has had their home destroyed or property damaged. Since November 1, 2005 o...
December 20, 2005
Our nation is in desperate need of an improved immigration policy that will help prevent illegal immigration and protect our country from terrorists, while also ensuring that America remains a welcoming nation to those who want to come here legally. Our country was built upon the hard work and stren...
December 05, 2005
The President last week laid out a strategy for victory in Iraq by reiterating our accomplishments, reemphasizing our commitment and defining success in the short and long term. There has been a lot of talk in the news and in Congress lately about precipitously withdrawing our troops from Iraq, but ...
November 16, 2005
After 40 years of providing dependable coverage for doctor visits, hospital stays and life-saving surgeries, Medicare now covers new preventive screenings and offers dependable coverage for prescription drugs. The new Medicare Prescription Drug Plan will help over half a million seniors in Oklahoma ...
October 25, 2005
The cost of litigation per person in the United States is higher than in any other nation in the world and these costs will continue to put a handicap on our economy unless true reform is implemented. Last week the House worked on two pieces of legislation that will help prevents frivolous lawsuits ...
October 17, 2005
Federal action is necessary to solve the increasingly dangerous and widespread problem of violence against children. As we can plainly see on our television screens, such crimes are not confined to any one particular city or part of the country. News reports about abductions across the country prov...
October 07, 2005
While gas prices continue to cause headaches for American's in all areas of the country, the U.S. House is working to address the cause of the rising prices at the pump. The Gasoline for Americaˇ¦s Security (GAS) Act of 2005, which was debated in the House last week, offers practical solutions to h...
September 26, 2005
Although fall represents some relief in the hot Oklahoma weather, it also means the beginning of a new school year, which is not always popular with young students. With school in full swing, I would like to update you on what Congress is doing to help children obtain a successful education. In ...
September 20, 2005
The President addressed the nation last week from New Orleans with a message that the work of rescue in the Gulf Coast is nearing completion but the work of rebuilding is only just beginning. We know that the reconstruction process will be long and will require the coordination and work of the...
September 13, 2005
With over 90,000 square miles of damage, Hurricane Katrina is certainly the most devastating natural disaster in the history of our nation. Along with you, I am saddened by the stories I hear on television about the many people whose lives have been torn apart by this storm, but I am filled wi...