Cole, Lankford, Bridenstine Add To Defense Bill
Oklahoma Lawmakers Contribute to House Defense Bill
Thursday, July 25, 2013
By Chris Casteel
The defense spending bill approved by the U.S. House on Wednesday night included some provisions by members of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation.
The most important one for the state was authored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, to prevent the potential furlough next year of thousands of Oklahoma civilians who work for the Defense Department.
The House also approved an amendment co-authored by Reps. Jim Bridenstine, R-Tulsa, and James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, aimed at preventing the military from appointing atheist or “humanist” chaplains.
And it includes an amendment by Bridenstine to add $10 million for the National Guard State Partnership Program.
Bridenstine said the partnership program involves 60 partnerships in which nearly every U.S. state and territory has a partner country; it directly supports the Oklahoma National Guard’s partnership with Azerbaijan, a country increasingly important to energy security in Europe and Israel, the congressman said.