{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://cole.house.gov/kgou-rep-tom-cole-war-authorization-end-year-legislation", "KGOU: Rep. Tom Cole On War Authorization, End Of Year Legislation", "2015-12-07", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "OK", "Tom Cole", "C001053", "cole.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KGOU - Jacob Mccleland\nThe U.S. Congress if wrapping up the year with several key bills. Last week, the House passed a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law, and the Senate sent a highway bill to President Obamas desk.\nOn todays show well talk with Republican Congressman Tom Cole. The veteran lawmaker from Oklahoma spoke with KGOUs Jacob McCleland on November 24 in his Norman office.\nSome excerpts:\nMcCleland: Youve noted in the past for a while now that you want Congress to debate authorizing war against ISIS. Do you think a war authorization debate is more crucial now than ever?\nCole: I absolutely do. Ive never doubted, frankly, that weve allowed the administration to exercise war-making authority without appropriate Congressional oversight. The Constitution is pretty clear about who has the ability to declare war. Its not the President of the United States. Hes operating under the assumption that the authorizations given to George W. Bush in 2001 and 2002 cover this situation. I dont think they do.\nNobody in that time frame had any idea wed be at war in Syrian. ISIL didnt even exist. If the authorizations are indeed that broad, then the President could take you to war any time, any place he chooses to without Congressional authority.\nI also think theres a lot of Congressional dodging going on here - that is, people want to be free to criticize the President without putting themselves on the line. I think you ought to be able to listen to the debate, cast your vote and come home and explain it. Thats what you get paid to do. Ive been frankly disappointed that we havent had more members willing to do that.\nMcCleland: Now that the details of the Trans Pacific Partnership are out, its a 6,000 page document. Have you had a chance to go through it?\nCole: I have not had a chance to read it. I have gotten some supporting material from the U.S. special representative for trade who negotiated it. Theres still a couple of reports that are due from various agencies. So I dont expect Congress will get to this until next year in any serious kind of way. There havent been any hearings. At some point I certainly will read the documentation that I have been given plus the treaty itself and listen to the debate. But I think were some months away from that.\nMcCleland: Have you been able to formulate any views on this might be something you would support yet?\nCole: No, its a little early to do that. And again, as you point out, its a several thousand page document. Until I get in it a little bit more deeply, I want to be careful about taking any definitive position. I will point out, historically I have been in favor of free trade so these are not votes that are difficult for me to cast as long as I think its a good deal. And I certainly supported giving the President the Congressional authority that he needed to negotiate an up-or-down deal.\nMcCleland: (Donald) Trumps immigration stance has drawn some sharp criticism from Latino groups. Does it concern you that candidates like Trump are turning Latino voters away from the GOP?\nCole: Well, look. I think Donald Trump is a  hes running as a Republican. Hes been on all sides of all kinds of issues and he hasnt always been a Republican. So well see how he fares over the course of the campaign. I think its much more important to look at somebody whos actually in office than somebodys whos aspiring to be in office. So somebody like a Paul Ryan who I think is pretty thoughtful about this and who I think has laid out a set of principals in the past is a much more meaningful figure since he is the Speaker of the House as opposed to any presidential candidate in defining who and where the Republican party is on the issue.\nOnline: KGOU", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://cole.house.gov/kgou-rep-tom-cole-war-authorization-end-year-legislation"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.875661011785269, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}