Donald J. Trump Day could become newest Oklahoma state holiday
State Sen. Dana Prieto, R-Tulsa, attends special session on Oct. 3, 2023 at the Oklahoma Capitol. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY – Nov. 5 would be President Donald J. Trump Day in Oklahoma under a measure that passed a Senate panel on Wednesday.
Senate Bill 1105 would add the holiday to a long list, which already includes Jefferson Day on April 13 and Will Rogers Day on Nov. 4.
Sen. Dana Prieto, R-Tulsa, said his measure would not require employers to provide time off.
'There are a lot of days we don't get off for,' he said. 'Many holidays are just excuses for stores to be able to have a sale. Nobody is going to be taking off for this.'
Prieto said he selected Nov. 5 because it was the day voters elected Trump to a second term.
The measure passed the Senate Retirement and Government Resources Committee by a vote of 6-2 and heads to the Senate floor.
In 2021, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill naming 20 miles of remote highway along U.S. 287 between Boise City and the Oklahoma-Texas border as the President Donald J. Trump Highway.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Advocates push for override of governor's veto on repealing ‘free kill' law
Advocates are pushing state lawmakers to override Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of a bill to repeal the state's so-called 'free kill' law. The bill would have repealed the controversial law that blocks some families from suing if they lose a loved one to medical negligence. One of those protesting the veto was Daryl Perritt, whose son died from a blood clot six months ago. He blames the doctors and hospital, as well as the state. "Because of this law, I can't require, demand or get any answer as to why they waited nearly four days to perform that surgery. Had they performed the surgery in the first 24 hours or 48 hours, he would be here with me today," Perritt. He and others have fought to have it repealed, and they came close when the Legislature voted in favor of getting rid of the 30-year-old law. But DeSantis vetoed it last week, saying it would increase hiring costs for Floridians and make it harder to hire and retain doctors in the state. But that hasn't stopped Perritt's fight. It fueled it. He spent thousands of dollars on billboards calling out DeSantis and lawmakers who don't support a repeal. The hope is that the Legislature will override the veto. It will take a two-thirds vote in the State House and Senate to do so. Lawmakers have said a veto is up for discussion. They think there may be enough votes in the House but not the Senate. Lawmakers are back in Tallahassee, working on the budget. Perritt will be meeting with lawmakers to tell them how important an override will be. 'I don't need money. I need my son. And since I can't have my son, I need answers. That's all. I just need answers to why my son is dead. I don't think that's too much to ask,' he said. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Booker, Cruz spar over threats to US judges in fiery Senate exchange
Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas., sparred Tuesday over the uptick in threats made to federal court judges during President Donald Trump's second term. Their heated standoff comes as federal judges have issued a record number of injunctions against the flurry of executive actions by the president. The testy exchange took place during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing titled "The Supposedly Least Dangerous Branch: District Judges v. Trump." Cruz, the subcommittee chair, used his remarks at the outset of the hearing to take aim at Democrats on the subcommittee, who he said were "utterly silent" about judicial threats under the Biden administration, including after threats were made against conservative Supreme Court justices. Trump Tariff Plan Faces Uncertain Future As Court Battles Intensify Cruz took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for "unleashing" protesters who gathered outside the homes of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh prior to their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization – the landmark ruling that overturned a 50-year-old abortion rights precedent – which he later said was ironic given the current "pearl-clutching" stance of Democrats on the panel. His remarks sparked a quick rebuke from Booker, who said, "Something you said is actually dangerous, and it needs to be addressed." Read On The Fox News App "This implication that there was silence [from Democrats on the panel] at a time there were threats on people's houses is absolutely absurd," he continued. "I remember the rhetoric and the comments, the concern from [Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.]," Booker said. "I actually distinctly remember you, chairman, on more than one occasion, condemning those attacks on Republican-appointed jurists." Trump Nominates Former Defense Attorney Emil Bove For Federal Appeals Court Vacancy "To say things like that just feeds the partisanship in this institution, and it feeds the fiery rhetoric. And it's just plain not true," Booker added. In response, Cruz argued the "angry mobs" that appeared outside the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices prior to their decision in Dobbs were in violation of U.S.C. Section 1507. That law prohibits picketing outside the homes of judges or justices' homes in a way that could influence their decision or otherwise obstruct justice. Despite the protests, Cruz said, the Biden-led Justice Department "prosecuted nobody." "I really appreciate that you have now shifted the accusation you made earlier," Booker shot back. "Your accusation was that we were silent in the face of protests at Supreme Court justices' homes. Again, we joined together in a bipartisan way, not only to condemn that but to pass legislation to extend round-the-clock security protection. So if you're saying we didn't criticize –" he started before Cruz interjected. "Did the Biden DOJ go out and arrest a single person under this law?" the Texas lawmaker asked. Booker attempted to respond before Cruz interrupted again, "Did the Biden DOJ arrest even one [person]? Again, the answer is no." 100 Days Of Injunctions, Trials And 'Teflon Don': Trump 2Nd Term Meets Its Biggest Tests In Court Booker attempted once more to respond before Cruz interrupted again, prompting Booker to raise his voice. "I did not interrupt you, sir, I would appreciate it if you would let me finish," he told Cruz. "I am sick and tired of hearing the kind of heated partisan rhetoric, which is one of the reasons why we have such divisions in this country," Booker continued, prompting Cruz to laugh openly in response. "The attacks we see from the president of the United States of America, trolling and dragging judges through is what we should be talking about," Booker said. "I'm simply taking issue with the claim that you made at the top, that people on the Democratic side of the aisle do not care about the safety and the security of judges and said nothing," he continued, adding that the notion that his Democrat colleagues said nothing in the face of Supreme Court justice threats "is a patent lie." Who Is James Boasberg, The Us Judge At The Center Of Trump's Deportation Efforts? The two continued arguing before Cruz said, "Let the record reflect that Spartacus did not answer the question and did not tell us whether the criminal law" under U.S.C. Section 1507 should be enforced, "because he knows the answer is yes." The hearing comes as the number of threats against federal judges has spiked during Trump's second term, which has seen hundreds of federal lawsuits filed in courts across the country seeking to either pause or halt the flurry of sweeping executive orders and actions taken by the president. Trump has repeatedly criticized what he called "activist judges," prompting Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a rare public warning. The U.S. Marshals Service said last week that it has investigated more than 370 threats against federal judges since Trump's inauguration in January, which is a sharp rise from 2024, when 509 people were investigated during the entire year. Democrats on the panel used Tuesday's hearing to renew requests for the Justice Department and FBI to investigate an uptick in anonymous "pizza deliveries" sent to federal judges, which can be used as a threat or warning to let judges know their home address is article source: Booker, Cruz spar over threats to US judges in fiery Senate exchange
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Medicaid cuts in ‘big beautiful bill' become flashpoint for GOP
Republicans are increasingly on the defensive over the party's handling of Medicaid cuts in the party's 'big, beautiful bill,' underscoring how the issue has become an early flashpoint ahead of next year's midterms. A number of Republicans have been pressed about cuts to Medicaid in heated town halls and conferences, most recently Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose sarcastic response went viral and has been mocked among Democrats. The moment underscored the challenge the party faces as it seeks to message on President Trump's agenda while also responding to growing criticism from Democrats over changes to the health care program, which could lead to millions of people losing coverage. 'As Republicans are bringing this bill home, they've got to focus their message around that waste, fraud and abuse, and they need to make sure that the policy is focused around that waste, fraud and abuse as well,' said Brian Reisinger, a former Wisconsin Republican strategist and rural policy expert who's authored 'Land Rich, Cash Poor.' House Republicans last month passed their sprawling package filled with several of Trump's top priorities, including extending the 2017 tax cuts and an immigration crackdown — overcoming their first major hurdle as they look to clear a Fourth of July holiday deadline to pass the bill in the Senate and get it signed into law. One of Democrats' clearest criticisms over the bill is the impact Medicaid changes could have on Americans. Millions are estimated to be uninsured and vulnerable to losing Medicaid coverage under the bill, though it remains unclear exactly how many will be impacted. Democrats and aligned groups like the Senate Democrats' campaign arm and Protect Our Care have attacked Republicans in ads over the issue. And the issue has come up in some public events that Republicans have participated in, most recently Ernst's town hall. The Iowa Republican drew the ire of Democrats when she quipped that 'we all are going to die' after an audience member shouted that people will die amid a discussion over the proposed Medicaid changes. In that same town hall, Ernst noted that 'Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa' and that 'those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect.' Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ernst defended her remarks, saying she was 'very passionate' and that 'you need to listen to the entire conversation.' But the fallout from the incident has been swift: a well-known Iowa Democrat, J.D. Scholten, jumped into the race following the controversy, and election handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball shifted the race slightly toward Democrats as a result. Republicans have sought to counter the Democratic attacks, stressing the need for members of their party to frame the changes as part of an effort to make sure only those who really need Medicaid will have access to it. 'Narrative: Republicans are defending Medicaid for EVERY American who NEEDS and DESERVES it the most. That means seniors, low-income families, pregnant women, and disabled Americans, not fraudsters, able-bodied adults who refuse to work, or illegal immigrants,' reads messaging guidance from the House Republicans' campaign arm. 'FACT: Medicaid spending is going up year over year to support those in need.' Most immigrants without legal status can't qualify for Medicaid at the federal level, but some blue states have extended health care coverage to them. Republicans' legislation would lower the federal matching rate for states that make health care coverage available to immigrants without legal status. Other Republicans simply argue the party is tackling waste, fraud and abuse. 'The Democrats are just flat out lying about it. We're not doing Medicaid reform,' Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), an ally of President Trump, told reporters on Monday. 'We're kicking off the waste and the fraud off of it, people that should never be on it.' The Senate Republicans' campaign arm has also played up other aspects of the bill — such as tax cuts and border security — suggesting Democrats running for Senate who voted against it are also voting against the interests of their constituents. One Republican operative who requested anonymity to speak candidly acknowledged while the GOP was not 'entirely on offense on the Medicaid issue,' they noted that the party was at least 'muddying the waters and neutralizing it' by leaning into work requirements and illegal immigration. Yet not all Republicans are on the same page. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has opposed some of the Medicaid changes included in the bill, expressing concern over how parts of the legislation could impact rural hospitals. 'I'm concerned about the provider [tax]. I mean, that's not a direct benefit cut, but if it closes rural hospitals, I mean that's … people can't get coverage,' Hawley told reporters, referring to a provision of the bill that would help states fund Medicaid. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who's up for reelection next year, also said last month she was not going to support the bill 'if there are deep cuts in Medicaid that would endanger health care for low-income families, for disabled children, for other vulnerable populations, and for our rural hospitals,' according to Maine Public. Reisinger, the former Wisconsin Republican strategist, said the GOP's messaging needs to focus on the waste, fraud and abuse that resonates with rural communities. 'Right now, voters are hearing … deeply conflicting information from Republicans [and] Democrats, and here's the thing: Republicans need to remember that in rural areas, there are a lot of their voters who at one time voted for a blue-collar Democrat and could do so again,' he said. 'We don't know if that'll be in the near term, in the midterms,' he added. 'We don't know if that'll be long term, but if they're passing legislation that is not living up to the declarations around waste, fraud and abuse, and they're actually passing legislation that has a deeply negative economic impact on rural America, that's going to have an impact.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.