Sporting a beard, Oklahoma congressman Markwayne Mullin spent part of his congressional August recess visiting with Oklahoma leaders about energy. As he indicated in a recent newsletter to constituents, the Democrat from the 2nd district met with a representative of BP and with members of a rural electric cooperative.
“On Tuesday, I met with Kip Francis of BP Corporation at the company’s Wilburton office to discuss the ongoing energy debates and the impact it has on Oklahoma. As a House Energy Conferee, I’ll have the opportunity to be a voice in developing America’s comprehensive 21st century energy policy. In May, the U.S. House of Representatives amended and approved the Senate’s Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 (S. 2012). Next, the House-Senate conference committee will negotiate the differences between each chambers’ bill and develop the final legislation. As a part of the conference committee discussions, I intend to ensure the protections of energy jobs, policy, and priorities of all Oklahomans. That afternoon, I met with community leaders at Eastern Oklahoma State College over lunch. I always enjoy hearing from my constituents about what I can do in Congress to best help their communities, and this conversation was incredibly productive in that way. Thanks to all who attended! After lunch, I sat down with Danny Baldwin, who is the director of Kiamichi Economic Development District of Oklahoma (KEDDO). KEDDO receives state grants and deals with many areas concerning Oklahomans, such as self- help housing, senior issues, and several other issues. To end the day, I met with board members of the Latimer County Hospital to get an update on healthcare issues in our area and the future of the hospital.
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On Wednesday, I visited with employees at the Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative during their company’s BBQ lunch. It was great to see their facility and learn a little bit more about how they’re working every day to make energy affordable for Oklahomans. That afternoon, I stopped by a Vinita McDonalds to visit with the restaurant owner, Tom Rosser, and his team. I even tried my hand at serving customers in the drive-thru! We discussed the big impact McDonalds has on the economy of Oklahoma’s Second District. Small business owners like Mr. Rosser face unique challenges on a daily basis while serving their customers – and during my visit, I was able to hear firsthand about how regulations affect their businesses.”
