Opinion

Democrats and the left-leaning media has certainly tried to paint a pretty picture of an economy on the mend over the last several months. However, their misguided reporting could not be further from the truth, and everyday Americans certainly know inflation is eating away at their hard-earned money.

We’ve been busy in recent weeks focusing on budget hearings in our various appropriations subcommittees. Our Health and Human Services subcommittee held two full days of meetings and met with our 13 agencies, commissions, and authorities. These include state entities like the Oklahoma Health Care Authority; the Department of Veterans Affairs; the Office of Disability Concerns; the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority; the Office of Juvenile Affairs; and the Departments of Human Services and Health.

Oklahoma, like other states, is experiencing workforce shortages in critical industries like transportation. This industry is tasked with planning and building Oklahoma’s roadways and bridges — a massive undertaking that requires a large, highly-trained workforce. While there are ample career opportunities, one of this industry’s main challenges is students and the public simply aren’t aware of them or what education and training is needed to pursue them.