Indianz.Com > News > Tom Cole: Working for Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District
Tom Cole
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma) speaks at the U.S. Marine Corps parade and garden party in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 2025. Photo: TomColeOK04
Hitting The Ground Running
Monday, July 28, 2025
By Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma)
cole.house.gov

This Friday will mark the beginning of August — a month in Congress that we refer to as the Annual District Work Period. This means that the House of Representatives will not be in session and members of Congress can spend ample time in their communities and converse with their constituents and local leaders.

This historic tradition dates back many years. However, it did not become official until 1970 when Wyoming Senator Gale W. McGee led the passage of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 through the Senate Rules Committee, which he served as Chairman on. This legislation formally established the August recess, ensuring Representatives and Senators were able to get back to their local communities and connect with their constituents for an extended period.

The August District Work Period is a time that I greatly value because it helps me make sure I am truly representing my constituents by staying in touch with them.

This year specifically, I am looking forward to meeting with so many Fourth District community leaders, local entrepreneurs, small business owners, military base leaders, university presidents, police chiefs, and Chambers of Commerce. In fact, I am touring Lawton-Fort Sill Airport today, where I will get to see the new terminal projects and discuss the FAA modernization policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

These are the conversations I learn from and take back to Washington D.C. to guide me when I vote as a representative for Oklahoma’s Fourth District. Moreover, I know my duty as a member of Congress is to the People and the August District Work Period is a critical time for me to make sure I am listening to all my constituents.

I am already hitting the ground running in Oklahoma’s Fourth District as we head into August 2025. In the meantime, if you have any questions, concerns, or need help with a federal agency, my office and I are ready to help. Call (405)329-6500 or visit my website, where you can send an email at cole.house.gov/contact.

Tom Cole, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, is serving his eleventh term in the U.S. Congress as the elected representative of Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District. He is recognized as an advocate for taxpayers and small business, a proponent for a strong national defense and a leader in promoting biomedical research. He is considered the foremost expert in the U.S. House of Representatives on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments. He is the Chairman, the top Republican leadership position on the committee, of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which he has served on since 2009. He also previously served as the Chairman of the House Rules Committee. Cole and his wife, Ellen, have one son, Mason, and reside in Moore, Oklahoma.
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