Tom Cole, Republican, US Representative

Throughout my tenure in Congress I have done my best to reduce taxes, curb spending, protect the lives of the unborn, ensure the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms and see to the defense of the country in the dangerous era in which we live. As a small businessman I understand the rigors of meeting a payroll and have done my best to protect and promote the interests of small businesses across the district, the state and the nation. As a former educator I have done all I can to make sure our children have the opportunity to go as far as their desire and talents will take them. As the son of a veteran and the representative of a strongly pro-military district I have worked to fund our military and extend the benefits earned by America's most deserving citizens. And as the only Native American enrolled tribal member in Congress I have worked to find ways for Tribal, Federal, and State governments to work together for the betterment of all our citizens. If I am fortunate enough to secure re-election, these issues will remain the focus of my attention in the House of Representatives.

It is critical that we break our dependence on foreign sources of energy. It is a threat to our economic well being, as well as our national security. We need to open up Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf to drilling and we need to make significant investments into the research and development of renewable energy. We have the domestic resources, the technological know how, and the industrial capability to achieve energy independence. We need to make this a national priority.

While the economy here in Oklahoma is pretty strong, folks are still anxious about the rising prices of gasoline and food, the declining housing market, and the growing pinch on middle class Americans. We need to take concrete steps to lower gasoline prices, make the middle class tax cuts permanent, and cut wasteful government spending.

As a member of the House Armed Service Committee, I have traveled to visit with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and have worked to provide our military with the resources to continue to be the best-trained and best-equipped fighting force on Earth. I believe it is important that we continue to show our gratitude to the men and women in uniform by providing them with needed payraises, better housing facilities and much deserved service bonuses. Our country made a promise to our veterans—a promise I intend to keep. I have worked to provide our nation’s veterans with the all the benefits they have earned from concurrent receipt to providing necessary healthcare to increasing support for disabled veterans, surviving spouses and children.

I believe that giving our children an opportunity to attend college is vital. I have fought for funding to provide the tools to first time college students to be successful, increased Pell Grants funding and to make higher education more affordable. I have helped lead the fight to increase funding for Impact Aid and for disabled children. I have received the "Champion of TRIO" award in Oklahoma, defending - against my own party leadership -vital Higher Education programs that assist disadvantaged and first generation college students.

I believe the government is too big, spends too much, and takes too much from workers in the form of excessive taxes. We need to make the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent. We need to adopt a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. And we need to adopt comprehensive tax reform that simplifies the system so ordinary Americans can understand it.

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