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Cantrell
On Tuesday, the Oklahoma House of Representatives remembered the 29th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing with a special presentation. House Resolution 1037 commemorates the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The resolution expresses gratitude to those who responded to the evil act of terrorism.
A video featured House and Senate sergeants who helped in the recovery efforts after the bombing. These sergeants were also recognized on the House floor. The acknowledged House sergeants are Bobbie Barnett, Joe Bullock, Harvey Weathers, and Nita Williams. Senate sergeants Rusty Higby and Stewart Meyer were also recognized, along with the House Chief of Security John Dawson.
It’s our job as Oklahoma lawmakers to ensure our state never forgets what happened that day. My thoughts go out to all those who lost their lives or were injured in the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. I also want to express my gratitude to the brave individuals who responded to the call for help. You are all heroes.
We spent the remainder of the hearing Senate Bills on the House floor. On Thursday, House Bill 4156 passed to create the crime of impermissible occupation, which is committed if a person willfully and without permission enters and remains in Oklahoma without having first obtained legal authorization to enter the United States.
Due to Joe Biden’s insufficient handling of the border situation, record numbers of immigrants are entering the U.S. illegally, depleting resources and overrunning cities across the country. In the past three years, there have been more illegal border crossings at our southern border than the previous 12 years combined.
In the past year, the number of “Special Interest Aliens,” explicitly classified as those from countries with potential national security concerns, has grown into the thousands. The Department of Homeland Security has no idea where almost any of these people are currently in our country, potentially jeopardizing the safety of our citizens.
It’s not just border states that needtoworryaboutthis-everystate in the country needs to be careful. To address this issue, House Republicans are proposing their own legislation, House Bill 4156, aimed at curbing illegal immigration.
Another bill the House passed was Senate Bill 1994, which I serve as a co-author on, to create a procedure for the removal of unlawful occupants of the property. It would allow a property owner to request the sheriff of a county where the property is located to immediately remove a person or persons unlawfully occupying real property if certain conditions are met.
Over the next week, we will continue to hear Senate bills on the House floor. After that, the legislative focus will shift toward the state budget.
Again, thank you for electing me to serve District 49. It is truly an honor and privilege to represent you at the State Capitol. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7383 or josh.cantrell@okhouse.gov.
Rep. Josh Cantrell, a Republican, serves District 49 Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Carter, Love and Marshall counties.