Oklahoma’s two US senators may split over a budget deal

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe was quick to praise Wednesday an expansive budget agreement that increases military and domestic spending in the coming years, despite skepticism from many of his fellow conservatives, including a fellow Oklahoma Republican.

“I’m 100 percent for this,” Inhofe, R-Tulsa, said in an interview.

The agreement, struck between Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate, would increase spending caps by roughly $300 million over the current fiscal year and next year. Military spending will increase by $80 billion this year and $85 billion next year. Domestic spending will increase by $68 billion this year and $63 billion next year.

A spokesperson for Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, said Lankford is still reviewing the proposed agreement but has some concerns at first glance.

“He believes Congress must prioritize longterm budgeting and full funding for the military, but we must also address our growing debt and deficit,” Lankford’s office said.

Included in domestic spending is $20 billion for infrastructure, $6 billion to combat the opioid crisis, $5.8 billion for child care, $4.9 billion for Medicaid in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and $4 billion for Veterans Affairs care. Hurricane and wildfire disaster relief funds are also included in the package.

Inhofe, a leading defense hawk, said the increase in military spendingis crucial.

“We’re facing this crisis right now. I would like to say — and most of the American people think — we have the best of everything in our military. We don’t,” he said. “In the case of artillery, Germany is ahead of us. In the case of a lot of our systems, both China and Russia have crept ahead of us. So, we have to do something now and we have to pay a huge price for it.

“We’re not just trying to keep up, we’re trying to rebuild. Rebuilding is what’s expensive. It’s frustrating.”

The agreement was adamantly praised by President Donald Trump, Senate leaders of both parties and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., but criticized by some House Democrats and fiscally conservative Republicans.

“This spending proposal is disgusting and reckless — the biggest spending increase since 2009,” said Rep. Justin Amash, a Republican from Michigan. “I urge every American to speak out against this fiscal insanity.”

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said the budget agreement is further proof Congress has failed to do its job of passing appropriation bills. He slammed the agreement as wasteful, expensive and lacking reform.

“It’s high time someone says, ‘Enough is enough,’ and fixes our terrible, no good, very bad budgetary process,” Paul wrote in the Washington Examiner.

Inhofe said he acknowledges the concerns of fiscal conservatives but believes a large increase in military spending takes precedence.

“I don’t sell it short, I’m just saying when you’re looking at ... being able to have a ground-based interceptor capable of knocking down a weapon coming in from North Korea or Iran or Iraq or any other area of the world that are adversaries, then for me, it’s an easy choice,” he said.

Votes on the agreement have not been scheduled. Inhofe said Republican leaders expect it to pass.

“Our leadership is saying that they have conferred with the House and they believe they have the votes to make this a reality in the House,” he said. “There are a lot of things — like closing government and all that — that nobody wants to do and this is probably the best we can come up with.”