Lucas Praises Obama’s Ag Pick
Oklahoma’s agriculture expert in Congress, Rep. Frank Lucas, praised President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to head the USDA. Lucas, who will be the top Republican on the House Agriculture Committee next year, said today:
“Hailing from one of the largest agriculture producing states in the nation, he understands the challenges facing American farmers and ranchers and has been a strong voice for conservation. I look forward to working with him in the future both as the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee and to ensure that he gives consideration to the needs of wheat and cotton farmers, as well as farmers and ranchers in his home state of
“American farmers and ranchers are facing a tough road ahead due to the recent economic woes. We must continue to work with American farmers and ranchers to keep our food prices affordable and our food stocks safe.”
Guess He’s Not Running for Governor
Rep. Frank Lucas’ rise to the top Republican spot on the House Agriculture Committee says a lot about his knowledge of farm issues and his colleagues’ trust in him — not to mention his seniority (he’s been on the committee for 14 years).
It also says that he’s probably not going to be in the mix for governor in the 2010 race. Not that he’s been discussed much; it is two of his Oklahoma House mates — Rep. Tom Cole of Moore and Rep. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma City — who are considered potential GOP contenders.
Lucas noted in an interview that the Ag Committee might just be his first stint as the top Republican. In six years, when he would be term-limited out of his spot on Agriculture, he may be in line for the same job on the Financial Services Committee. This panel has been very active (though some would say not active enough before the fall of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and Wall Street financial giants).
Sen. Jim Inhofe is the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, but none of the other members of Oklahoma’s seven-person delegation are even close to being their party’s leading member on a full committee.
Coburn Reports on Waste
Sen. Tom Coburn, wastewatcher-in-chief in Congress, issued a report today that is something like the greatest hits of pork in 2008.
Couldn’t find any Oklahoma projects in it — all those Sooner state projects are totally legit — though he does cite a trip to the Galapagos Islands that included Rep. Frank Lucas.
Obama’s Citizenship
The Supreme Court this morning declined to hear two cases from lower courts questioning the U.S. citizenship of President-elect Barack Obama.
This has been a huge topic of posts on some Internet sites, and some of those who doubt Obama is a U.S. citizen have been lobbying the electors who will vote next week on making Obama’s victory official.
Bob Cleveland, a GOP elector in Oklahoma, told me last week that he has been bombarded with e-mails and calls from people urging electors to abstain from voting until the question is resolved. One of the lawsuits questioned Sen. John McCain’s citizenship as well since he was born in the Panama Canal zone (his father was in the Navy).
Cleveland said he didn’t think Obama had settled the question satisfactorily but that he thought electors should do their duties and cast their votes on Dec. 15.
