Inhofe Releases Annual Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2014
Inhofe Releases Annual Report For 2012-2013
“This year’s report outlines how I have been able to get things done in this do nothing Senate.”- Inhofe
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today released an annual report outlining initiatives and accomplishments from 2012 and 2013, many of which led him to receiving rankings as one of the top Senate conservatives by National Journal, Club for Growth, and the American Conservative Union.
In the opening letter of the report, Inhofe wrote: “Despite the many obstacles, I have worked hard in my leadership roles to help the people of Oklahoma and to improve the direction of our country. This year’s report outlines how I have been able to get things done in this do nothing Senate.”
Below are the top five highlights, to name a few:
Defense: In 2013, Inhofe became Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), where as top Republican, he ensured the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014. The NDAA was one of the most important bipartisan authorizations to pass Congress in 2013. Inhofe ensured many provisions were included that reflect the values of Oklahomans, including a provision to prevent funding for future BRAC rounds and another provision that requires a full audit of the Defense Department, among many others. For a full list of defense initiatives and accomplishments, visit pages 7-10.
Infrastructure: In 2012, as ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Inhofe led the conservative effort to reauthorize the national highway program, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act. Inhofe secured many provisions benefiting Oklahoma, including once again ensuring that Oklahoma is no longer a donor state. Inhofe’s guiding principle behind MAP-21 was to provide states with more flexibility. This was accomplished by eliminating or consolidating programs that were duplicative or do not serve a national transportation goal. In total, Inhofe reduced the number of programs by two-thirds. Inhofe also included a number of reforms that ensures the American taxpayer gets the most bang for their buck. For a full list of infrastructure initiatives and accomplishments, visit pages 35-38.
Energy and Environment: In his leadership role on the EPW Committee, Inhofe has worked on several pieces of legislation to hold the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accountable for its actions and its regulations that are impacting America’s ability to become energy independent tomorrow. In 2012, Inhofe helped bring to light the ill intentions of an EPA political appointee who sought to “crucify” the oil and gas industry through his role as EPA regional administrator in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after Inhofe exposed the administrator’s comments, the administrator resigned from his position in the EPA. Inhofe has also been a champion of legislation supporting the growth and export of domestic natural gas. For a full list of energy and environment initiatives and accomplishments, visit pages 19-23.
Second Amendment: Despite the Obama Administration’s push for the United States to join the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (UNATT), Inhofe led his Senate colleagues in officially opposing the treaty by authoring Amendment 139, which passed the Senate 53-46 on March 23, 2013. The amendment would prevent the U.S. from entering into the treaty, and its passage in the Senate communicates to President Obama that the treaty is dead on arrival. Inhofe also included a provision in the FY’14 NDAA that prohibits any funding from being used to implement the UNATT. For a full list of Second Amendment initiatives and accomplishments, visit page 42.
Education: Inhofe supports fully funding Impact Aid, the program that reimburses school districts for ad valorem revenues lost due to the location of federal property in those districts. Many schools in Oklahoma rely on funds received from Impact Aid to keep their teachers paid, their resources updated, and their doors open. As ranking member of SASC, Inhofe ensured that the FY’14 NDAA included not only a $25 million authorization for supplemental Impact Aid to local education agencies with military dependent children, but also included additional authorization for schools with military children with severe disabilities. Furthermore, in the FY’13 NDAA, Inhofe included a provision to ensure schools are paid more timely through the program. In 2013, Inhofe also led the effort in Congress to restore education tuition assistance for our active duty service members, an earned benefit that was canceled by the Obama Administration due to sequestration budget cuts. For a full list of education initiatives and accomplishments, visit pages 15-16.
A copy of the annual report is available online by visiting www.inhofe.senate.gov. Readers can also access the report directly with the following link.
The office of Senator Jim Inhofe has been publishing an annual report each year since 2008.
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