By U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (OK-5)
With the start of the August district work period, I want to take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments of the 118th Congress. With a House majority, Republicans have conducted rigorous oversight, lead committees, brought meaningful legislation to the floor, and worked together to advance solutions. This is what the American people expect.
One of the very first acts of this Congress included the defunding of the Democrats’ army of 87,000 additional IRS agents, which would have been used to target everyday Americans. Increasingly, we have seen the weaponization of the IRS and we are taking steps to reduce their power and scope.
When it comes to energy, House Republicans advanced legislation in a bipartisan fashion that prohibits the President from sending oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve oil to China. In addition, we passed the Lower Energy Costs Act to combat Biden’s anti-American energy policies that have caused the price of gas to soar to record highs and still remains above where it was in 2020.
I was also excited to see that my legislation, the Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act, was included in the package. This legislation streamlines and improves the permitting process for energy development and removes duplicative regulations. America has the resources we need under our feet, and Republicans have delivered an energy approach that will get our country back on track.
In addition, our country has been experiencing the worst border crisis in American history, with over 40% of released migrants entirely failing to check in with ICE. In response, Congress passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023. Our legislation has two major pillars to secure the border and combat illegal immigration. I also have introduced Kate’s Law and the SAFE Border Act to address these issues.
Along with the Secure the Border Act, House Republicans are working to protect our communities from the fatal influence that fentanyl has had on our country. We successfully passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to combat this dangerous drug surge and permanently classify fentanyl as a Schedule II drug.
We also passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes the largest pay raise for our military in 30 years. I was pleased to see that my legislation the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act was also included as an amendment to the NDAA. This legislation will empower the Department of Defense to halt cartel trafficking and further safeguard our nation.
On the international front, the ever-present threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been a challenge that Republicans have countered through several pieces of legislation. House Republicans were quick to establish a Select Committee on China with bipartisan support. This Committee has been working tirelessly to fight CCP advancements that are increasing by the day.
Some of these unprecedented threats include the Chinese spy balloon and the joint military training facility between China and Cuba. The creation of this committee has provided Congress with the tools to confront the dangers posed by the CCP, protect American competitiveness, secure our intellectual property, and defend human rights.
The 118th Congress has delivered on our Commitment to America, a nation that is safe, an economy that is strong, a future that is built on freedom, and a government that is accountable. Operating in the best interest of the American people has been a priority to House Republicans and I look forward to continuing to fight for the issues important to my fellow Oklahomans.
U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma, represents Yukon and Piedmont as part of Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District. She is Oklahoma’s former District 22 state senator.
