Before coming to Congress, Tom Cole served as a state senator and as Oklahoma’s secretary of state. In 2002 he moved to the U.S. House of Representatives. As a member of Congress he was also named Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee before being replaced after the GOP continued to sustain losses in the 2008 elections. But in 2009 he was placed on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which controls the federal purse strings.  Official Biography
Birthday: April 28, 1949
Committees: Appropriations Committee
The Issues: Find our where Rep. Cole stands on the issues.
Other: Professor, Methodist, married, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation
Quote: “In these uncertain times, policies like cap and trade are exactly the wrong way to proceed.  Raising taxes and energy costs and putting Americans out of work are not the answer to our economic challenges.  That's why I will continue to support policies that encourage greater efficiency, conservation and promote the use of clean fuels and alternative sources of energy without raising taxes.”