Russell weighs in on Obama plan
As President Obama announced he would end combat in Iraq in 18 months, Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, found himself in the pundit chair on MSNBC’s Hardball Friday afternoon.
Russell, a freshman senator is also a senior policy adviser for Vets for Freedom, chairman of the Vets for Victory and a retired Army colonel with 21 years of service. During his live interview, Russell spoke about the dedication military in Iraq have to completing their mission.
Russell was in Iraq in November and toured Baghdad with troops on patrol.
“There is a remarkable resilience among the troops in Iraq to get the mission accomplished,” he said.
While a victory in Iraq is still being debated, Russell highlighted the sacrifices and accomplishments of troops in Iraq.
“I think it’s always worth it when we defend freedom,” he said. “This isn’t just about about abandoning Iraq, but looking at Iraq as an ally. I’ve lost soldiers, I’ve lost friends who I’ve buried at the national cemetery. What you see is that the President acted responsibly and now it’s time for politicians to act responsibly. I hope politicians on both sides of the aisle will not abandon our troops in Iraq.”
Russell has served in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. His unit helped hunt and capture former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
Julie Bisbee
Capitol Bureau
Freshman initiation
If the Senate were a fraternity, Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, was initiated on Tuesday.
Stanislawski presented Senate Bill 604 to the full Senate Tuesday morning. The bill creates an Internet-based instruction task force that will basically make sure students using the Internet for instruction, are indeed really doing what they say they are.
Stanislawski probably didn’t expect a lot of questions or debate on the bill since it passed out of committee with little trouble. But as one the first freshman senators to present a bill, the elder statesman of the Senate had something else in mind.
Sen. Tom Ivester, D-Sayre, started the grilling, asking Stanislawski if the server for the Internet instruction would be outsourced to India or Mexico. It may have been a serious question, it’s hard to tell.
The questions began to unravel when Sen. David Myers, R-Ponca City, lodged the acquisition, “Aren’t we increasing government when you do something like this?”
Senators were snickering. Stanislawski look flustered at first. He took a few deep breaths and answered the question, with “That’s a great question…”
At one point he blurted out, “I’m just a freshman senator.”
Exactly.
The highlight of the debate was when Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore, asked if the task force would use the social networking site, Twitter to meet and discuss their issues.
“Do you plan on using the process called Twittering? Can you tell me what Twittering is?” Crutchfield asked.
By this time Stanislawski had figured out the game. He was lobbing back as senators grilled him for more than 20 minutes.
“Was this freshman initiation?” Stanislawski asked.
The games didn’t end there. As Senators voted, they all voted against Stanislawski’s bill and then changed their votes at the last minute. His bill passed the Senate 46-0.
Senators applauded, patted Stanislawski on the back and shook his hand. Yes, this was freshman initiation and Stanislawski survived the equivalent of a Senate swirly.
Julie Bisbee
Capitol Bureau
Senate supports anti-abortion measure
The Senate passed a resolution today against President Barack Obama’s “Freedom of Choice,” Act which outlines that a woman’s right to chose whether to have a baby or terminate a pregnancy should be a guaranteed right.
The resolution filed by freshman Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, says the Senate opposes the federal efforts to protect access to abortion and family planning. The measure, passed on a voice vote, got no audible opposition. But without using the electronic voting system, there was no real way to tell who voted for it and who didn’t.
The resolution was passed the same day that anti-abortion groups came to the capitol and handed out roses to raise awareness.
Newberry said Senate Resolution 5 reflects the wishes of Oklahomans.
“Oklahomans have continually supported pro-life issues and this honorable body has continually passed pro-life measures,” Newberry said. “All would be negated if the Freedom of Choice Act becomes law. This act also causes Oklahomans and United States citizens to give up their 10th amendment right, granting more control to the federal government in determining our rights.”
- Julie Bisbee, Capitol Bureau
Rose Day at the state Capitol
State Rep. Ken Miller, R-Edmond, accepts roses today from Cale Curtain, Courtney Pollock and Liz Kleehammer, students from Oklahoma Christian School in Edmond. The students , members of the school’s Rose Day committee, delivered the roses to Miller’s office at the state Capitol. Each year, hundreds gather at the Capitol at the beginning of the legislative session to promote and support the lives of unborn babies by meeting with their state senators and representatives and presenting them with red roses, which represent the sanctity of the unborn.
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
Networking organization gets nod from Senate
In the first day of the Legislative session, the real fireworks were in the House where Democrats and Republicans battled over the rules. Before Gov. Brad Henry gave his state of the address in a joint session of the House and Senate,
Senate members heard Senate Resolution 1 filed by Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso.
The resolution declares the first full week of February “International Networking Week.” The resolution honors BNI, which claims on its Website to the “world’s largest referral organization” and was founded by Dr. Ivan Misner. Misner has been dubbed the “Father of Modern of Networking.”
To join the group, the Website says only one person from each profession specialty is allow to join a chapter and attendance is critical. Members can bring referrals or visitors to the meetings. There are two chapters in Oklahoma.
The Website sells a three-disc set that gives listeners “networking secrets,” and buttons that say, “I refuse to participate in a recession.”
Perhaps those buttons could help lawmakers this session as they grapple with a $600 million budget shortfall and an executive budget that curtails travel costs and streamlines agency budgets.
The Senate will reconvene tomorrow afternoon, but committee hearings are already being scheduled for Tuesday morning. Some of the bills that are being considered in committee tomorrow include Senate Bill 315, which would modify the income tax rate. Other bills in committee include Senate Joint Resolution 30 filed by Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, which would add a constitutional amendment that makes English the state’s official language.
Committee meetings are just the first step in a bill’s life cycle. By the end of the session, which a bill could be put into practice, the language could be very different.
Julie Bisbee
Capitol Bureau
Budget woes will overshadow other issues at the Capitol, governor says
Putting together a budget at a time when the state faces a budget shortfall of about $600 million will be the most critical task legislators will undertake this session, Gov. Brad Henry says. Legislators return today for the first session of the 52nd Legislature.
“This is going to be a very difficult and challenging legislative session because of the fiscal environment that we find ourselves in,” he said. “Also, there is a national and international economic crisis that certainly is affecting Oklahoma.”
Henry said he will rely on his skills at bringing both sides together, as he did six years ago when the state faced a much stiffer budget challenge, to work out differences.
“In the end, the budget will overshadow all issues,” Henry said. “It will be very difficult to come up with new dollars for new programs or expanded programs. It will be a tough and very difficult year for our agencies.”
The state faced a more serious shortfall six years ago — Henry’s first year in office — when the shortfall was $700 million, or about 15 percent of the state’s $5 billion budget, and the Rainy Day Fund contained about $70 million. Today, the shortfall is about 8 percent of the state’s estimated $6.8 billion budget and the Rainy Day Fund, the state’s savings account, is full with nearly $600 million.
Legislators and the governor cut programs and services in 2003, but were able to balance the budget without increasing taxes. Henry said the same can be accomplished this year, but without taking money from the Rainy Day Fund; legislators six years ago drained all but about $100,000 from the fund.
“My goal this year is to bring again everyone together — legislative leaders in both parties — and craft a consensus budget … that will utilize surgical cuts and other efficiencies and we’ll protect priority areas,” He said.
It’s his goal to protect education, health care and public safety from cuts, the governor said. His budget, which he will present to legislators today, won’t call for across-the-board cuts. He’s interested in savings the state can achieve through changing purchasing and Internet services procedures, which a House committee estimates could save Oklahoma tens of millions of dollars.
“It is critical that we preserve the Rainy Day Fund because we just don’t know how this economy is going to pan out over the next couple of years and the effect that it will have on Oklahoma’s revenues,” Henry said. “It’s prudent to preserve the Rainy Day Fund and make sure that we have that available if revenues actually worsen over the course of the next year or so.”
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
