ISSUES
When Josh was shot multiple times in Iraq while defending our country, he experienced firsthand the importance of close and competent emergency care. It’s just one of the reasons Josh keeps fighting to increase funding to our rural public health system, helping ensure their doors remain open for you.
If you’ve ever been injured on the job or delivered a baby, you know how critical it is to have a hospital and doctor close by. Josh believes our friends and family should never pay outrageous prices due to life-threatening injury, preventing care at the most important time.
Josh knows a lack of facilities and medical professionals hurts our local economy and job opportunities. Rural hospitals are a source of high-paying jobs in our communities and access to healthcare is an important tool for recruiting new businesses to our area.
Although historic progress has been made in the past two years towards funding public schools and increasing teacher salaries, work remains to be done. Josh wants to focus on reducing waste in education and directing more dollars to the classroom on a per-student-basis.
Despite teacher salaries rising by more than $6,000 in the past two years, a significant teacher shortage exists in Oklahoma. Josh believes we need to stop over-testing students and reduce excessive paperwork that consumes teachers and drives them away from the profession. He also believes local parents and school boards should be given the power to evaluate teachers and students, not out-of-state think tanks or Oklahoma City bureaucrats.
Josh served combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. On a combat patrol in 2003, Josh came under enemy fire while protecting civilians. He was shot several times in the legs and abdomen, but continued to return fire and shield his wounded battalion commander with his body, eventually dragging him to safety. For his heroism, Josh received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for Valor.
In the state legislature, Josh founded the Veterans’ Caucus. This group of representatives is comprised of veterans from both the state House and Senate, who work together to advance the interests of our military members and families. The Veterans’ Caucus is the leading voice for ensuring veterans’ concerns are continually addressed and programs properly funded.
