By Congresswoman Stephanie Bice
Each year, Congress designates the month of August as a district work period. During Congress’ early years, the Capitol did not have air conditioning, causing Members to leave Washington during the summer months to escape the heat. After years of varying summer schedules, Congress formally established the August district work period as part of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. Today, this time remains an important part of the congressional calendar, allowing Members to hear directly from constituents and see firsthand how decisions made in Washington impact the communities we represent. This August, I was grateful to spend the month traveling throughout Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District and hearing directly from the people I represent.
It was an honor to welcome two Administration leaders to Oklahoma this month and showcase the incredible work being done across our state. I joined Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner for a visit to Pivot, where we toured their innovative tiny home community for young adults experiencing housing instability. In addition to housing, Pivot provides young people with life skills, education and resources to help them build successful, independent futures. We also visited Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, an important part of our state’s history that honors those who were killed, those who survived, and those who were changed forever. Later in the month, I welcomed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to OU Health and the Stephenson Cancer Center. During his visit, we highlighted efforts to improve access to quality health care across rural Oklahoma through the Rural Health Transformation Fund. This $50 billion investment over five years will help rural hospitals modernize and strengthen models of care, because a patient’s ZIP code should not determine the quality of care they receive.
I also held several roundtables throughout the district to hear directly from those working on issues that impact Oklahomans every day. I met with county and municipal officials to discuss how my role on the Appropriations Committee can help facilitate local projects for infrastructure or other community needs. During a Manufacturing Roundtable, we discussed tariffs, trade, workforce development, permitting, and other issues impacting Oklahoma manufacturers. At a Border Security Roundtable, I heard directly from those on the front lines combating illegal immigration, fentanyl, and trafficking. Thanks to President Trump, our border is secure and fentanyl deaths are down 22% from 2024 through 2025.
I also joined community leaders from the YWCA and the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators at Palomar to discuss domestic violence services and how we can continue supporting organizations that provide vital assistance to our communities. I highlighted the Crime Victim Fund Stabilization Act, which passed the House this year. I cosponsor this legislation, which ensures consistent year-to-year funding for the Crime Victims Fund, maintaining support for essential services for domestic violence victims such as crisis counseling, emergency shelter, legal assistance, and advocacy. These conversations help strengthen the connection between the work being done in our communities and how I can best represent their priorities in Washington.
Another meaningful part of the August district work period was recognizing Vietnam veterans from across Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District. I was excited to host multiple events in Seminole, Guthrie, and Chandler honoring the men and women who served our nation during the Vietnam War. Many Vietnam veterans returned home without receiving the recognition and gratitude they deserved, and it is always a privilege to thank these veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.
Throughout the month, I also had the chance to visit businesses, schools, health care providers, and community organizations doing important work across the district. I joined Flourish Compounding Pharmacy for its grand reopening, toured ACME Brick Company to learn more about Oklahoma’s brickmaking industry and visited Greenlight OKC to hear about efforts to modernize Oklahoma City’s permitting and inspection processes. I also visited the Oklahoma Poison Center and Dean McGee Eye Institute, met with leaders at Oklahoma Christian University, and learned more about workforce development programs at Goodwill Central Oklahoma Opportunity Center. From meeting with local Breakthrough T1D advocates to visiting organizations serving families and communities across the district like the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, each stop gave me another opportunity to hear directly from Oklahomans about their priorities and the work happening right here at home.
As Congress returns to Washington, the House must build upon our successes as we seek to deliver results for hard-working Oklahomans. This week, I supported legislation to keep the government open and avoid a harmful shutdown. While we doubled the standard deduction, prevented the largest tax increase in history, and expanded no tax on tips and overtime, we have more work to do.
