Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]
Republican · OK · 13 bills sponsored
Making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
# HR 7147 Summary **What It Does:** This bill allocates federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 through September 2026). It provides money for all major DHS agencies and departments, including border security (Customs and Border Protection), immigration enforcement (ICE), airport security (TSA), the Coast Guard, Secret Service, cybersecurity protection, disaster response (FEMA), and citizenship services. **Who It Affects:** The bill impacts anyone who interacts with DHS agencies—travelers using airports, people at borders, immigrants and visa applicants, and the general public who depend on emergency response and cybersecurity protection. It also affects the roughly 240,000 DHS employees who carry out these functions. **Current Status:** The bill has passed the House of Representatives. It now moves to the Senate for consideration before it can be sent to the President for signature. The specific funding amounts for each agency are not detailed in the summary provided, so the actual budget priorities within this bill would require reviewing the full legislative text.
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
# Summary of HR 7744: DHS Appropriations Act, 2026 **What the Bill Does:** This bill provides federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. More importantly, it ends a partial government shutdown that began on February 14, 2026, after temporary funding (called a continuing resolution) expired and no regular budget had been passed. The bill funds various DHS operations including management offices, intelligence activities, and oversight functions. **Who It Affects and Key Areas Funded:** The bill allocates money to several major DHS agencies that affect Americans' daily lives: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (border and immigration operations), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (immigration enforcement), the Transportation Security Administration (airport security), the U.S. Coast Guard (maritime safety), and the U.S. Secret Service (presidential protection and fraud investigation). The bill also funds internal DHS management, the Office of Inspector General (which provides oversight), and various security and enforcement operations. **Current Status:** The bill has already passed the House of Representatives and is sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK). It now awaits action in the Senate before it can be signed into law and fully restore DHS funding and end the shutdown.
To provide for the equitable settlement of certain Indian land disputes regarding land in Illinois, and for other purposes.
# HR 2827 Summary **What the Bill Does** This bill would allow the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma to take a specific land dispute to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The dispute relates to land in Illinois and a treaty called the Treaty of Grouseland. If passed, the court would be required to make a decision on the case without considering time limits or arguments based on delays. However, the tribe would need to file this claim within one year, or the opportunity would expire. Once resolved, this bill would end all other land claims the Miami Tribe has to Illinois property, including any future claims. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and potentially landowners or the state of Illinois involved in the disputed territory. The outcome could impact property rights, tribal sovereignty, and historical treaty obligations. **Current Status** The bill (HR 2827) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Republican Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives.
Tribal Warrant Fairness Act
# Tribal Warrant Fairness Act (HR 7490) - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would establish new requirements for how tribal law enforcement can issue and execute warrants on tribal lands. While specific provisions aren't detailed in the available information, the bill's title suggests it aims to create fairness standards around the warrant process—potentially clarifying procedures, establishing consistency, or protecting rights of individuals subject to tribal warrants. Tribal nations have their own court systems and law enforcement, which operate somewhat independently from state and federal systems. **Who It Affects:** The bill would primarily impact Native American tribal members and tribal law enforcement agencies, as well as anyone subject to tribal jurisdiction on reservation lands. It could also affect federal and state law enforcement agencies that work with tribal police in cross-jurisdictional situations. **Current Status:** As of now, HR 7490 is in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House. The bill was sponsored by Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), a Cherokee Nation member. Without access to the detailed legislative text, the specific provisions and exact scope of changes cannot be outlined further.
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
# Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 - Plain Language Summary **What It Does:** This bill allocates federal funding for five major government departments and agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. It covers spending for the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State Department, and several related agencies. The bill also provides temporary funding (through February 13, 2026) for the Department of Homeland Security while Congress continues work on its full budget. Additionally, it extends various federal programs and authorities that were set to expire. **Who It Affects:** This legislation impacts millions of Americans by funding essential government services, including military operations, Social Security and Medicare administration, education programs, transportation infrastructure, housing assistance, and diplomatic operations. Federal employees in these departments are also affected, as the bill determines their agencies' budgets and operations. **Current Status:** The bill has already been signed into law, so it is now in effect. This means the appropriations it provides are currently funding these federal departments and agencies. Congress still needs to complete the remaining seven appropriations bills for other federal departments to fully fund the entire government for FY2026.
Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026
# Summary of HR 7325: Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2026 **What the Bill Would Do** This bill would establish a federal commission tasked with investigating and documenting the history of Indian boarding school policies in the United States. The commission would examine the government's historical policies that removed Native American children from their families and placed them in boarding schools, primarily from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. The goal would be to create an official record of what happened, its impacts, and potentially recommend policies for healing and reconciliation. **Who It Affects and Key Provisions** Native American tribes and communities, descendants of boarding school survivors, and their families would be the primary groups affected. The bill would establish how the commission operates, who serves on it, what records it can access, and what its final recommendations might include. (Specific details about commission composition, funding, and timeline are not provided in the available information.) **Current Status** As of now, the bill is in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been voted on by the full House. It was sponsored by Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), a member of the Chickasaw Nation.
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
# Summary: FY2026 Appropriations Bill (HR 6938) **What It Does:** This bill allocates federal funding for fiscal year 2026 across three major areas: commerce and justice agencies, energy and water projects, and interior and environmental programs. It combines three of the 12 regular appropriations bills into one package and determines how much money various federal departments will receive for their operations and initiatives during that year. **Who It Affects:** The bill impacts numerous federal agencies and the programs they run, including the Department of Commerce, Department of Justice, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency. It ultimately affects Americans by determining funding levels for everything from law enforcement and scientific research to national parks, water projects, and environmental protection. **Key Provisions & Status:** The bill covers funding for a wide range of activities including scientific research, infrastructure projects, law enforcement operations, energy development, and management of public lands and natural resources. According to the information provided, the bill has already been **signed into law**, meaning it has been approved by Congress and the President and is now in effect.
Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026
# Summary of HR 7006: FY2026 Appropriations Bill **What It Does:** This bill allocates federal funding for fiscal year 2026 to multiple government departments and agencies. It combines two major appropriations bills that cover spending for the Treasury Department, the President's office, federal courts, the State Department, and foreign aid programs. The bill determines how much money these agencies can spend on their operations and programs. **Who It Affects:** This legislation affects virtually all Americans indirectly, as it funds core government functions like financial regulation, the court system, and foreign policy. It directly impacts federal employees in these agencies, Americans receiving services from federal courts, and countries receiving U.S. foreign assistance. It also influences international relations and national security operations. **Current Status:** The bill has passed the House of Representatives. It still needs to be approved by the Senate and signed by the President to become law. The specific dollar amounts and detailed provisions for each agency would be outlined in the full bill text.
Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026
# Summary of HR 5371: Government Funding Bill **What It Does** This bill ended a federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, by providing funding to keep most government agencies operating through January 30, 2026. It also fully funds agriculture, military construction, veterans affairs, and legislative branch programs through the end of fiscal year 2026. The bill extends various federal programs and authorities that were set to expire. **Who It Affects** This legislation affects virtually all Americans by ensuring federal agencies can continue operations and services. It particularly impacts agriculture workers and farmers, military personnel and veterans, and members of Congress and their staff. The broad list of subjects—ranging from agriculture to veterans affairs to technology—indicates the bill touches many areas of federal government. **Current Status** The bill has already been signed into law, meaning it successfully passed both the House and Senate and was approved by the President.
Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025
# Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025 (HR 5428) — Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** The Medical Student Education Authorization Act of 2025 would establish or modify federal authorization and support for medical student education programs. While the bill's specific details aren't fully available in the summary provided, bills with this title typically address funding, accreditation standards, or training requirements for medical schools and their students. **Who It Affects:** This bill would primarily impact medical students, medical schools, and educational institutions offering medical training. It could also affect healthcare systems that rely on newly trained physicians and federal agencies that oversee medical education funding and standards. **Current Status:** As of now, HR 5428 is in committee, meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. The bill was sponsored by Representative Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma). **Note:** More detailed information about specific provisions (such as funding amounts, program changes, or eligibility requirements) would require access to the full bill text, which wasn't included in the basic summary provided.
To reaffirm the trust status of land taken into trust by the United States pursuant to the Act of June 18, 1934, for the benefit of an Indian Tribe that was federally recognized on the date that the land was taken into trust.
# HR 5257 Summary **What the Bill Does** This bill would confirm that certain Native American tribal lands remain under federal trust status. Specifically, it would protect land that was placed into federal trust for Native American tribes under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (also called the Wheeler-Howard Act). The bill aims to reaffirm that these lands keep their protected status, even if there have been legal questions or challenges about whether they should maintain that designation. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily affects federally recognized Native American tribes that own land held in trust by the federal government. It could also impact state and local governments that have jurisdiction questions over these lands, as well as any individuals or entities with claims or interests in disputed tribal territories. **Current Status** HR 5257 is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives. It was introduced by Representative Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) in the 119th Congress. The bill remains in early legislative stages.
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025
# Plain Language Summary: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 This bill keeps the federal government funded and operating through the rest of fiscal year 2025 (which ends September 30). It's a "continuing resolution" that prevents a government shutdown by maintaining funding for federal agencies and programs when the previous temporary funding agreement expires on March 14, 2025. Most agencies receive funding at FY2024 levels, though the bill includes adjustments—some increases and some decreases—for specific programs based on Congress's priorities. Beyond basic funding, the bill extends various programs that were set to expire, including Medicare and Medicaid authorities, flood insurance, and other public health initiatives. It touches on numerous policy areas including agriculture, environmental protection, healthcare, and financial regulation. The bill affects all federal employees and any American who relies on federal services—from Social Security to food safety inspections to military operations. **Current Status:** The bill has already been signed into law, meaning it's now in effect.
Protect American Election Administration Act of 2025
# Protect American Election Administration Act of 2025 - Summary **What the bill would do:** This bill would prevent states from accepting money, donations, or services from private companies to help run federal elections. This includes donations for voter education, outreach, and voter registration programs. The only exception would be if a private company donates space (like a building) to be used as a polling place or early voting location. **Who it affects:** State and local election officials, private organizations that currently fund election-related programs, and potentially voters who benefit from voter education and registration initiatives. The bill applies specifically to federal elections (presidential, congressional, etc.). **Current status:** The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) and is currently in committee, meaning it hasn't yet been debated or voted on by the full House of Representatives. It has not become law.