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TOP HEADLINES
Farm Bureau backs Oklahoma AG Pruitt for EPA:
Family farmers and ranchers from across the country overwhelmingly supported the confirmation of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting this week in Phoenix, Arizona [OKAgPolicy].
Ag Secretary now the sole vacancy in Trump cabinet (audio):
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his intention to nominate David Shulkin as his secretary of Veterans Affairs. That leaves only secretary of Agriculture as the only cabinet secretary left to be named by the incoming administration [Agri-Pulse].
CONGRESS
New House Ag Committee taking shape:
The committee will add six Republican freshmen to replace three retired members and three who left the committee for other appointments. This comes after news yesterday that five new Democrats would replace a handful retiring members and two members expected to join other committees [Agri-Pulse].
Lawmakers exploring ways to rein in Trump on trade:
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is spearheading the legislative effort on how to ensure that Congress has say in trade decisions by the president-elect if he tries to make good on his promise to punish countries like China and Mexico for what he views as violations of trade rules [The Hill].
STATE
Oklahoma finance officials say revenue continues to lag behind projections:
Oklahoma finance officials say collections by the state’s main operating fund are continuing to trail projections, setting up the possibility of a budget hole even deeper than first predicted [KFOR].
Familiar faces sign up to fill vacant Oklahoma House seat:
Five Democrats, four Republicans and a Libertarian declared their candidacy this week to fill a vacant seat in the Oklahoma House [The Oklahoman].
Oklahoma public schools to be shorted nearly $10 million in state aid:
The Oklahoma State Department of Education sent out a memo Wednesday ahead of Thursday payments to local schools that will be shorted by a total of $9.7 million, but there are indications the trend could continue [Tulsa World].
MISCELLANEOUS
Bayer, Monsanto CEOs meet with Trump, argue merger would create U.S. jobs:
The chief executive officers of German chemical giant Bayer AG and U.S. seed behemoth Monsanto, Werner Baumann and Hugh Grant, are in New York pressing their case with President-elect Donald Trump to approve the massive merger between the two entities and to tout the creation of U.S. jobs if the deal goes through [Fox Business].
Conservationists look to Donald Trump Jr. as their champion in new White House:
Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of President-elect Donald Trump and a member of several hunting and fishing groups, promised fellow hunters during the campaign that he would press his father to protect federal lands that are popular for outdoors activities [Washington Post].
