Last week, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) and Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Charles McCall (R-Atoka) kicked off their State and Federal Partnership Series: ‘Serving Oklahoma 101.’ These panel-style conversations included a series of informative discussions regarding the role of state and federal leadership, their differences in responsibility, and how Oklahoma’s local, state, and federal leadership can work together to address many of the state’s most important priorities.
“What a great week,” said Sen. Mullin. “I am grateful to Speaker McCall for joining me and to those who hosted us, and to the constituents who took time out of their day to show up and engage in meaningful conversation. I truly believe we accomplished our goal of educating Oklahomans on their representation and equipping local leadership with the tools to best meet their local and federal needs. I am energized by the response we received and look forward to similar events in the future. It’s an honor to get up every day and work on behalf of our great state, so I appreciate ways to improve upon this work and deliver even more results for hard-working Oklahomans.”
“These meetings have been a perfect example of how state and federal relations can work to the benefit of all Oklahomans,” said Speaker Charles McCall. “Throughout these public meetings, Sen. Mullin and I have been able to provide citizens with an inside look into the work their government is doing for them, but more importantly, we’ve been able to listen to their issues and get new ideas on how to solve them. As a proponent of more transparency and accountability in government, I’ve been pleased with the productivity of these meetings, and look forward to more opportunities to bridge the state and federal gap in the future.”
The first stop on the tour included a panel discussion hosted by the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. U.S. Senator Mullin and Speaker McCall discussed state versus federal response to the border crisis, transportation issues, budgets, inflation, and education among other topics. Sen. Mullin would like to thank Alane Zannotti, President and CEO of the Stillwater Chamber for her hospitality and leadership.
“It makes perfect sense that Chamber host an event like this in order to connect the business community with our local, state and federal leaders. The casual conversation leads to a better understanding of each level of government’s responsibility,” said Stillwater Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, Alane Zannotti.
Click here for additional photos from the Stillwater Chamber event.
Shangri-La Resort in Afton hosted the second panel event on Wednesday. Sen. Mullin and Speaker McCall discussed energy policy, Oklahoma’s booming tech industry, GRDA and waterway regulations, and relationships with Tribal nations among other topics.
Click here for additional photos from the Shangri-La Resort event.
The tour concluded on Thursday with an event at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Muskogee. Sen. Mullin and Speaker McCall began the discussion with a breakdown of the differences between state and federal senators and representatives. Mullin believes this understanding will allow constituents to better direct their needs to the appropriate office and receive the assistance they are seeking. Mullin and McCall continued the discussion, covering federal regulations that encouraged Mullin to run for federal office, the importance of working relationships with Tribal nations, federal funding for state projects, and the important role a governor holds in both state and federal politics.
“Northeastern State University has been educating the people of this region since it was founded by the Cherokee Nation in 1851. Hosting Sen. Mullin and Speaker McCall in their efforts to inform others about the crucial roles our federal and state legislative leaders have in solving problems unique to Oklahoma is just one way NSU continues to help educate our communities,” said NSU’s President Rodney Hanley.
Click here for additional photos from the NSU event.
Background:
This statewide tour began last Tuesday in Stillwater, continued in Afton on Wednesday, and concluded in Muskogee on Thursday. Each community-focused conversation between Senator Mullin and Speaker McCall was open to the public and followed by an audience Q&A.
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