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TOP HEADLINES
Lankford, Inhofe to lend support at Pruitt’s EPA confirmation hearing Wednesday:
Bolstered by both of Oklahoma’s U.S. senators, state Attorney General Scott Pruitt goes before a divided confirmation panel Wednesday to explain why he should be soon-to-be President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator [Tulsa World].
Trump’s last vacant Cabinet post:
The president-elect has yet to name a secretary of agriculture, a delay that has caused controversy and illustrated the difficulties governing will pose [The Atlantic].
TRUMP TRANSITION
Dems prepare to face off with Trump’s pick to lead EPA:
Pruitt’s nomination is one of Trump’s most controversial. In Oklahoma, he has emerged as one of the EPA’s most aggressive legal adversaries, and his past tepid statements about the science behind climate change have solidified climate hawks’ opposition to his nomination [The Hill].
Interior pick walks fine line on climate change, highlights conservation:
Montana’s sole congressman sought to compare himself to President Teddy Roosevelt and his strong conservation agenda, while saying he’ll ensure that fossil fuel production on federal land still have a place [The Hill].
CONGRESS
GOP environment chair plans ‘wholesale change’ at EPA:
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the new chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, wrote in a Fox News opinion piece Tuesday that he and Trump EPA nominee Scott Pruitt will implement a major policy turnaround at the agency [The Hill].
House approves regulatory reform bill:
The House earlier this week passed Farm Bureau-supported legislation that would ensure transparency and accountability by regulatory agencies, reaffirm congressional intent in rulemaking and strengthen the public’s right to know [AFBF].
STATE
Huge budget requests called ‘unrealistic’:
State agencies frequently ask the Legislature for more money than they end up receiving, but this year is a doozy. Despite a huge budget hole, the wish list for appropriations is something to behold [The Oklahoman].
State budget needs far exceed state revenue (editorial): In sum, the state has a lot more legitimate needs than it has money to cover, and that means some very tough choices, choices that show more realism than the Legislature has managed in several years [Tulsa World].
Bill proposal to limit Oklahoma superintendent salaries: The latest bill proposal aims to cap top-dollar school superintendents. Bi-partisan polling shows Oklahomans do want more state funding spent in the classroom [KFOR].
MISCELLANEOUS
Bayer, Monsanto confirm spending plans after meeting Trump: Bayer and Monsanto said on Tuesday they would spend at least half of their agriculture research and development budget in the United States over the next six years, following a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump last week [Reuters].
