Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke with the Norman Chamber of Commerce about DOGE cuts, returning power to the states, and the important roles he and Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04) have on their respective Committees, advocating for Oklahomans. The Chamber’s meeting with Senator Mullin was part of their annual Washington Fly-in event.
Highlights of the Senator’s remarks are below.
On getting the bureaucracy out of Washington, D.C., and returning power to the states:
“The President wants to get it closer to the communities and let you guys make decisions on what’s best for your community. You know, it’s very difficult for people up here in Washington, DC to know what’s going on in Norman. They don’t. It’s kind of like the Department of Ag… the Department of Ag covers two city blocks and most of those people have never been kicked by a horse, much less have crap on their boots, and they’re trying to tell us how to run our places. They’re too far removed.”
“We’re trying to push it closer to the states and allow the states to handle that, that’s the whole point of what we’re doing, and what DOGE is about.”
On the Senate and House Appropriations Committees:
“Tom and I will work closely together with it… I felt like we could be more helpful being on Approps… With Tom there, we have real opportunities to get this stuff funded… If we’re going to be in this spot, I want to be as effective as possible. And I felt like that was a positive move for us. So, all these infrastructure projects, I’m well aware of them, and we’ll continue to try carrying them, to fight for them, with you guys.”
On DOGE cuts rumors:
“Now talking about DOGE, here’s what I tell all the different chambers that’s coming up here… don’t chase a rumor… I’ve got a great relationship with the President. I’ve also got an outstanding relationship with Pete Hegseth, who I consider a friend. I consider the President a friend. In fact, just about any nominee that’s out there, I promise you, or a Secretary out there, I have their cell phone, and all of them I have great relationships with… I can find out the answer. So, before you go and chase a rumor, just have someone call me and let’s ask about it. Let’s find out.”
“With transportation, I can tell you, Sean Duffy, they’re shrinking the size of the Department of Transportation too, just like they’re doing this stuff with Department of Ed, and it’s not that the money is going to go away. It’s that we feel like if we can get it closer to the state with transportation working with ODOT, rather than having some person in Washington, D.C. decide where the grants are going to go based on how the state voted.”
“So, with all this, it’s about pushing it closer to the state. The President says over and over again, he wants the dollar to go further.”
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