When the U.S. House voted last week along party lines for a reduced budget for the Department of Interior, it not only had the support of Oklahoma’s five U.S. Representatives.
It also included Republican efforts to thwart DEI and environmental justice activities to be inserted by the Biden administration.
The final budget bill included an amendment by Oklahoma Rep. Josh Brecheen to prohibit funding for any diversity, equity and inclusion program of office. His amendment, 1145, passed on a 211-202 vote.
Another amendment, by Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, would prohibit funds for the Interior Department to be used for environmental justice activities. It passed on a 210-204 vote and had the support of all five Oklahoma Representatives.
Reps. Brecheen, Bice, Cole, Hern and Lucas supported the final H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025.