Thompson to continue role as Senate Appropriations chair

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, will continue in his leadership role as Senate Appropriations chair for the 59^th Legislature.  Thompson has served in that position for the past four years, and will also continue to hold seats on both the Senate Rules and Finance Committees.

“When I first came to the Senate, the state faced budget shortfalls and economic uncertainty.  We worked diligently to turn all that around, improve the budgeting process and do so with increased transparency.  During my tenure, we’ve been able to make historic investments in core government services, including our schools, as well as public safety to include the largest trooper pay increase in history, health, transportation and we passed a long overdue cost of living increase for state retirees,” Thompson said.  “We’ve further reduced the state income tax, and through a fiscally conservative approach, we’ve made record deposits in our emergency savings account.  This gives us a solid economic foundation from which we can continue to grow and build.”

In 2022,  as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding, Thompson worked with fellow members to vet and approve more than $1.8 billion provided by the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund projects throughout the state funding critical needs in health and mental health, education and work force development, broadband expansion and more.

“I am incredibly grateful for what we’ve been able to achieve during my first four years as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and thankful for the opportunity to continue in that role,” Thompson said. “Our responsibility is to be the best stewards possible in the allocation of public resources.  At the end of the day, the budget is the most important task we as lawmakers are charged with – it impacts every man, woman and child in Oklahoma.” 

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For more information, contact: Sen. Roger Thompson at 405-521-5588 or email Roger.Thompson@oksenate.gov.