| 00:00:00 | OBJECTION. |
| 00:00:01 | MR. LANKFORD: UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE IN. |
| 00:00:02 | 8. |
| 00:00:03 | 3%. IT'S PROGRESS BUT IT'S 37 MONTHS ABOVE 8%. |
| 00:00:07 | MAKES ME GRATEFUL AGAIN TO BE FROM OKLAHOMA. |
| 00:00:11 | WE HAVE THE 10TH LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE COUNTRY AT AROUND 6%. |
| 00:00:14 | FORBES MAGAZINE LISTED MY DISTRICT ONE OF THE HAPPIEST PLACE TO WORK IN THE COUNTRY. |
| 00:00:20 | OKLAHOMA IS THE NUMBER ONE TO START A SMALL BUSINESS AND NUMBER ONE IN TECHNOLOGY JOB GROWTH. |
| 00:00:25 | OKLAHOMA CITY HAS CREATED MORE THAN 80,000 NEW JOBS. |
| 00:00:28 | THEY INCLUDE A THRIVING ENERGY, AVIATION AND BIOMEDICAL CENTER. |
| 00:00:34 | OKLAHOMANS WORK FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, CHURCHES AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO FEED THE HUNGRY, OFFER JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATION. |
| 00:00:43 | ON THIS MISSION, WE DON'T SEE WASHINGTON AS OUR ENEMY. |
| 00:00:47 | JUST SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE WASHINGTON AS OUR ALLY. |
| 00:00:51 | WHAT SO MANY BACK HOME TELL ME WHAT THEY WANT FROM THEIR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS A PLAN TO REDUCE OUR DEBT, SIMPLIFY OUR TAX CODE AND GET RID OF THE RED TAPE OFF THEIR BUSINESS. |
| 00:01:01 | THEN WE WILL SEE OUR ECONOMY TAKE OFF. |
| 00:01:03 | I YIELD |
Mr. LANKFORD. Our newest national unemployment numbers are in, 8.3 percent. It's progress, but it's 37 months above 8 percent.
It makes me grateful again to be from Oklahoma. We have the 10th lowest unemployment rate in the country at around 6 percent. Forbes Magazine listed my district as one of the happiest places to work in the country.
Oklahoma is the number one place to start a small business and number one in technology job growth. In the last 8 years, Oklahoma City has created more than 80,000 new jobs. These jobs include a thriving energy, aviation, and biomedical center.
Oklahomans work with private businesses, nonprofits, churches and religious organizations to feed the hungry, help families get back on their feet after disasters, and offer job training and education.
On this mission, we don't see Washington as our enemy. Sometimes we don't see Washington as our ally. What so many people back home tell me they want from their Federal Government is a plan to reduce our debt, simplify our Tax Code, and get rid of the red tape off their businesses. Then you'll really see our economy take off.
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