Brecheen votes to defund DHS Sec. Mayorkas, build border wall, empower ICE agents

Congressman Brecheen Votes to Defund Mayorkas, Build the Wall, and Empower ICE Agents

Washington, D.C. (June 28th) – Today, Congressman Josh Brecheen voted in favor of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act, which funds DHS and includes many conservative policy wins such as cutting Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ salary to $0, building $600 million worth of physical barriers on the Southern Border, and providing $1.2 billion for new ICE detention beds and for deportation costs.

Oklahoma's congressional delegation applauds passage of NDAA with conservative priorities

Read below for comments from each of Oklahoma's five members of the U.S. House of Representatives following passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. Reps. Hern and Brecheen, for their part, point out many conservative victories in the amendment process of this military funding measure.

Lankford receives commitment on Military Religious Accommodation Requests for C-19 vax mandate

Lankford Receives Commitment on Military Religious Accommodation Requests for COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate from DOD Secretary, Lifts Holds on DOD Noms

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Dec. 23rd) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced a huge victory he secured to protect the right of religious liberty for our heroes in the Armed Forces. After receiving a commitment from the Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin that all members who had requested a religious accommodation from the COVID-19 vaccine who have been waiting on a response, will now get the answers they have been waiting for and be allowed to return to their duties. 

Lankford secures end to C19-Vax mandate for military, funding for Tulsa VA in Defense Bill

Lankford Secures an End to COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Military Members, Funding for Tulsa VA Construction in Defense Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – Among many priorities secured for Oklahoma’s military installations, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today highlighted two major overall wins for Oklahoma service members and veterans and for the nation in the Fiscal Year 2023 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (FY23 NDAA), otherwise known as the “defense bill.” Lankford secured language to roll back the existing COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military service members in all branches of service. 

Lankford: "clear that DOD leaders are ignoring sincerely-held religious beliefs of service members" in vax mandate

Lankford Calls for Audit of Defense Department’s Failure to Provide Religious Accommodations for the COVID-19 Vaccine

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter to the Acting Department of Defense (DOD) Inspector General Sean O’Donnell to ask him to audit DOD’s process for reviewing religious accommodation requests for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Lankford previously sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding to know why, despite 19,979 known requests for religious accommodations from the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department has granted nearly zero requests for religious accommodations among the service branches. The letter requested a response by February 1, and to date, his office has not received a response.

Lankford cries foul over Defense Department granting nearly ZERO religious liberty accomodations for C-19 vax

Lankford Outraged That Defense Department Has Granted Nearly ZERO Religious Accommodations for COVID-19 Vaccine

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (January 25th) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding to know why, despite 19,979 known requests for religious accommodations from the COVID-19 vaccine, the Department has granted nearly zero requests for religious accommodations among the service branches. The US Marines reportedly have two religious accommodations—out of 3,367 requests.

In his letter, Lankford wrote that according to information his office obtained: the US Army has received 2,128 requests for religious accommodations, the US Navy has received 3,791 requests for religious accommodations; and the US Air Force has received 10,693 requests for religious accommodations. None have been granted.

“It is alarming that the Department is so blatantly disregarding the free exercise of religion that is guaranteed to our military service members, both through the First Amendment and through the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) (42 U.S.C. Sec 2000bb-1). Congress chose to apply RFRA to the military, and the military remains accountable to Congress for adhering to this law,” wrote Lankford in the letter.

Lucas, Hern decry partisan NDAA bill

Partisan Politics Undermines Military Defense Funding

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement after House Democrats passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 by a partisan line vote of 220 - 197.

“For nearly six decades, the NDAA was a symbol of Congress’ commitment to putting party politics aside and upholding the safety and security of our nation’s defense and the needs of the brave men and women who serve in the ranks of our military,” said Congressman Lucas. “Unfortunately, partisan provisions in this bill have swindled our armed services and defrauded the bill of bipartisan support.

Lucas continued, “Ignoring advice from top military brass, including individuals such as former Secretary of Defense Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dunford, calling for 3-5% growth, an increase of technological programs, and the strengthening of nuclear deterrent programs, the NDAA instead undermines our nation’s defense. Reducing personnel accounts by $1.2 billion, cutting programs critical to deterring Russian and Chinese aggression, and preventing the Trump Administration from securing the Southern border, House Democrats are instead using our nation’s military as a political pawn in their dispute with the President.

Oklahoma’s 58,271 active duty, reserve, and civilian defense personnel deserve Congress’ bipartisan support and our nation deserves a Congress who upholds its duty to provide for the common defense. I applaud Sen. Inhofe’s leadership providing such support in the Senate and look forward to Congress’ return to its bipartisan commitment.”

Background: The Senate passed the NDAA with a bipartisan vote of 86 – 8. The Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2020 supports a total of $750 billion for national defense programs, including a 3.1% pay raise for 2.15 million troops, maintains a secure and credible nuclear deterrent, and provides resources for the modernization of our nation’s military technology and capabilities.

The House-passed NDAA cuts personnel accounts by $1.2 billion, reduces nuclear modernization and recapitalization programs, forces the Trump Administration to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and bans construction projects on the Southern border.

REP. HERN CONDEMNS DEMOCRAT NDAA FOR LACK OF BIPARTISAN WORK

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting against the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

“Funding our national defense is a bipartisan priority, but bipartisanship is not reflected in this bill,” said Rep. Hern. “The NDAA has long been the result of spirited bipartisan debate and participation, but the new Democrat majority has chosen to forsake decades of precedent to further their own, unpopular policies. Even under Speaker Pelosi’s first turn as Speaker, the NDAA was a bipartisan bill. Now, the partisan poison pills included in this bill are forced long-serving members like my colleague Tom Cole to vote against funding our military for the first time in his Congressional career. The sad reality is that the Democrat majority turned this bill into something it was never meant to be.

Rep. Hern continued, “Thankfully, we have Senator Jim Inhofe leading the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Inhofe is fully dedicated to getting our military the funding they deserve, and I truly believe his version of the bill is the one that will become law.”

BACKGROUND:

The House voted on the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today with a vote of 220-197.

The House NDAA seeks to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, transferring terrorists to US soil. It prevents President Trump’s Administration from taking military action to secure the Southern border and makes cuts to the programs and capabilities critical to deterring Russia & China, including nuclear modernization.

The Senate NDAA, which passed 86-8 in June, included an additional $17 billion for defense spending. The White House supports the Senate bill and has promised to veto the House version.

It’s NOT a ruse: Tax Cuts COULD be Financed by Cutting Government Waste

It’s NOT a ruse: Tax Cuts COULD be Financed by Cutting Government Waste

by Adam Kazda with Restore Accountability

In a recent opinion piece bashing the GOP’s failed attempt to fix Obamacare and its impact on plans to reform the tax code, the author confidently makes the claim that $600 billion in spending cuts could not come from government waste alone. Instead, he suggests money to offset tax cuts would have to come from entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.

While Congress will need to address the shortcomings of Medicare and Social Security in the near future and there are plenty of ways to keep tax reform deficit neutral by closing tax loopholes, it is important to test this underlying claim: Is it possible to identify $600 billion in waste?

First, the largest discretionary budget item is defense, where a lack of accountable spending is weakening our ability to protect the nation.

Unable to pass an audit for over two decades, wasteful spending at the Pentagon has spun out-of-control. The American public should know where about $0.20 of every dollar they pay in taxes goes, and Congress should require the Department of Defense to submit one ASAP. Some reports suggest that by just auditing the Pentagon, it would realize savings of over $25 billion through improved financial management.

Furthermore, the Defense Business Board (DBB) recently identified a “clear path to saving over $125 billion in the next five years,” at the Pentagon. According to the Washington Post, “The plan would not have required layoffs of civil servants or reductions in military personnel. Instead, it would have streamlined the bureaucracy through attrition and early retirements, curtailed high-priced contractors and made better use of information technology.”

Another relatively easy reform are the positions within the Pentagon that include support, supply, transportation, communications, morale, welfare, and recreation support. Currently, about 400,000 active duty service members serve in these types of commercial roles, costing taxpayers $54 billion every year. The DBB calls this a “poor use of our most expensive personnel – active duty military.” If just one-third of active duty military in commercial roles were replaced with civilians, it would save $53 billion over ten years.

Finally, non-military research and development that has little or nothing to do with national defense now totals $6 billion. Some would say non-military research should be done elsewhere. Refreshingly efficient!

If you thought the Department of Defense was uniquely inefficient you would be wrong. In fact, most of the federal government cannot figure out who gets paid and who does not!

Read the rest of this article from Restore Accountability at this link.

Ouch.

This is from Tom Coburn's Restore Accountability foundation. If you don't follow their updates, you should. Coburn is continuing his invaluable work rooting out and exposing government waste.

National Defense Authorization Act Includes Bridenstine Provisions

National Defense Authorization Act Includes Bridenstine Provisions

Washington, DC, December 2, 2016 --  Today, Congressman Jim Bridenstine voted for the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. The NDAA conference report reconciles differences in the House and Senate versions passed earlier this year.   NDAA is a bipartisan bill that authorizes funding for America’s armed forces and sets Department of Defense policy.  Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act 55 years in a row.

The NDAA conference report includes a number of critical provisions:

• Pay raise for the troops above the President’s request
• Additional funding to stop the drawdown in Army soldiers and Marines
• Expanded care at military hospitals

The NDAA conference report rejects a number of controversial policy changes in the Senate NDAA including:

• Requiring women to register with Selective Service
• Cuts to housing allowance (including dual military families)

The NDAA conference report includes several provisions from Rep. Bridenstine’s American Space Renaissance Act (ASRA).  In April 2016, Congressman Bridenstine introduced ASRA, groundbreaking legislation to enact bold reforms across military, civil, and commercial space sectors.  NDAA is the first step in Bridenstine’s strategy to enact ASRA piece-by-piece using different legislative vehicles.  The conference report includes ten ASRA provisions, including:

• Section 1605 - Modifies the terms of the Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to ensure DOD uses accurate cost estimates and fully considers commercial SATCOM technologies.  The Pentagon uses AoAs to help select new weapons systems to replace old programs.  DOD will start the SATCOM AoA shortly to help choose a successor system to the current Wideband Global SATCOM satellite constellation, which provides long-distance communications capabilities to our warfighter.  
• Section 1606 – Redirects funding to jump start a pilot program to test next-generation SATCOM technologies.  Private sector SATCOM companies are offering leap-ahead capacity for commercial customers.  The Department of Defense should take advantage of this. 
• Section 1613 - Establishes a pilot program for the Air Force to buy, test, and evaluate commercial weather data.  Utilizing data provided by innovative private sector weather companies can lower costs to taxpayers, produce better weather products for the warfighter, and complicate the targeting solutions of our enemies by distributing space architectures.

Former CD2 candidate Dakota Wood joins Trump DoD transition team

Dakota Wood, who came in third in the 2012 2nd District GOP primary, has been named part of President-elect Trump's transition team for the Department of Defense.

According to a release yesterday, Wood is a new addition to the DoD "landing team" Trump has put together. Members of the "landing teams" are Trump transition volunteers and staffers who will be working with current agency and department personnel to ensure a smooth transition.

Wood spent 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and currently is the Senior Research Fellow for Defense Programs at The Heritage Foundation.

KFAQ's Pat Campbell interviews Don Rumsfeld

 Tulsa talk radio host Pat Campbell landed a big interview for his show this morning. 1170 KFAQ's morning host was joined by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who was on to talk about his new book (Known and Unknown), as well as the past and present situation in the Middle East.

You can listen to the entire segment here.

Some people hated the man during his tenure as Defense Secretary, but I always liked "Rummy". Especially when he dealt with the media, he brought a special kind of humor. Take this quote from his interview with Pat Campbell:

"Well, you know, I've lived a third of the history of our country (which is a breathtaking thought, that we have such a young country, or that I'm so old)."

That got me to thinking - surely it couldn't be a third!

Yes. Literally a third of America's history. 2011 minus 1776 equals 235 years. Don Rumsfeld was born in 1932, so he'll be 79 in July. 79 plus 78 plus 78 is 235. As crazy as it sounds, Rummy and others his age have seen one third of America's entire history!
.

[On a different topic, but still from Pat Campbell, is a story about 'America's most injured soldier' returning to war. I recommend taking a look at it.]