Reflecting on her second year in the U.S. House, Rep. Stephanie Bice said it’s not only a time to halt what she called the “reckless agenda of House Democrats,” but also a time to restore American energy independence.
In a note to her constituents, the Republican Congresswoman called the restoration of U.S. energy independence of “utmost importance” and also the time to hold the Biden administration accountable for its lack of focus on our southern border.
Here is Rep. Bice’s column.
As this year comes to an end, I’ve taken time to reflect on my first term in the United States Congress. Two years ago, I came to Washington as the Freshman Class President eager to learn and lead. Although, we were in the minority, and under different circumstances due to COVID-19 shutdowns and protocols, it’s been exciting to witness the People’s House slowly come back to life. I’ve been able to have productive constituent meetings in Washington while also visiting dozens of organizations around Oklahoma’s Fifth District. These conversations have helped craft my legislative agenda, aided my community outreach, and allowed me to effectively communicate with my constituents. In addition, I have had the ability to break through bureaucratic red tape and solve casework issues with federal agencies. Whether in Washington or the district, it’s been an honor to deliver results for my fellow Oklahomans.
I was proud to serve on two great committees in my first term – the House Armed Services and Science, Space, and Technology Committees. These committees helped me develop great legislative solutions for Oklahoma’s Fifth, especially when it came to the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. I was able to secure over 30 provisions in this year’s NDAA, including protections for the E-3 wing at Tinker Air Force Base, $301 million to accelerate the transition to the E-7, and $30 million for Tinker’s B-21 Depot Maintenance Campus. Additionally, I fought hard to repeal Biden’s unlawful vaccine mandate, which was negatively affecting military retention and recruiting. I was also proud to have my bill, the NOAA Weather Radio Act, pass the House. As we know, Oklahoma is no stranger to severe weather, and this critical legislation seeks to modernize and provide access to this reliable and effective lifesaving service for every citizen. Overall, I introduced 21 bills and cosponsored more than 250 bills with the priorities of my constituents top-of-mind.
Although producing effective legislation is important, my main priority in Congress is to meet the daily needs of Oklahomans through impactful constituent services. My office has helped nearly 400 constituents solve issues with federal agencies, including social security, Medicare, the VA, and the IRS. Additionally, I have sent nearly 600,000 outreach messages to constituents in this year alone. I’m grateful to hear directly from people like you so I can better serve Oklahomans in Congress.
There are a lot of issues that need to be resolved next year, and under a Republican majority in the House, we are ready to get to work. Thankfully, we will be able to halt the reckless agenda of House Democrats. However, with a Democratic Senate and Democratic President, we will need to find areas that we can work on together to solve issues. It is of utmost importance that we restore American energy independence, hold the Biden Administration accountable for their lack of focus on our southern border, bolster our national security, and get our economy back on track. My colleagues and I have actionable legislation to do just that. Also, I’m fortunate to have a seat at the leadership table after being elected to serve on the Elected Leadership Committee on behalf of my sophomore class. This will further ensure the voices of Oklahomans are a part of the conversation that drives the future of our nation.
It’s an absolute honor to represent you in Congress. Each year, I will always strive to better serve the people of Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District. I wish each and every one of you a safe and happy new year.