Rep. Proctor asked the community to join him in praying for the American Airlines employees and for wisdom to those making decisions that will impact thousands of families. Proctor also called on community leaders to place partisanship aside and work to save as many jobs as possible.

“To anyone who lives in Northeastern Oklahoma these are not just numbers on a tally board. They are our friends, family, neighbors and the man sitting next to us on Sundays at church. This is a time to come together to save as many jobs as we possibly can.”, Proctor said.

Rep. Eric Proctor called on both parties and the leadership of the House and Senate to turn down a pay raise for Corporation Commissioners.  If Commissioners continue to serve they will be receiving over $8000 in compensation increases during their next term.

“The fact is that the Corporation Commissioners have not earned a raise.”, said Rep. Eric Proctor.  “The corporation commission was formed to be a watchdog for rate payers.  However, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has proved to be out of touch with the struggles of Oklahomans and have been a rubber-stamp for raising utility bills on residential rate payers.”, Proctor said.

The legislature is the only entity that can disapprove the raise which was approved by the Judicial Compensation Commission.  If the legislature does not act, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners compensation will rise to $121,596 during their next term of office.

Rep. Eric Proctor stood with the nearly 600 families who would be affected by the closing of the postal distribution center in Tulsa.In spite of the center receiving national awards for efficiency, the top brass at the postal service is choosing to move these jobs to a center in Oklahoma City that is not as efficient.

“This is not a viable option for our growing business community in northeastern Oklahoma,” said Dr. Gerard Clancy, president of the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa and chair of the Tulsa Metro Chamber Board.

“We join with our regional partners and businesses to preserve this important asset for our business communities and area citizens. Together, we want to enhance our region’s economy and quality of life, not impede the efficiency of its businesses.”

Closing the Tulsa center could cost the region millions, annually, and would endanger hundreds of jobs beyond the positions that would be eliminated by the proposed consolidation of the operation with the Oklahoma City center.

“This is not a republican issue, a democrat issue…this is a Tulsa issue,” said Representative Eric Proctor, D-Tulsa.

There’s more at stake than just the direct job losses. The indirect jobs with direct mail and private processors could be more than 400 people. And the mail delays for first class letters would be 2 to 3 days.

Read more and see video on the story from Channel 6 News in Tulsa -

http://www.newson6.com/story/16305604/tulsa-chamber-hopes-to-prevent-postal-service-closing

Rep. Eric Proctor spent the day with Ms. Millan’s sixth grade students. Twelve legislators from across the state participated in a program to get legislators into the classroom with students this week. Rep. Proctor stated of the experience, “I very much enjoyed spending the day with the students of Bell Elementary here in Tulsa. As a teacher myself, I know the hard work that our school teachers and support staff put into their work each and every day. Ms. Millan is a wonderful teacher and her students were amazing.”

Rep. Eric Proctor is a former high school economics, history, government and geography teacher.

Story from NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma — Just days after Oklahoma’s new water plan was approved and sent to the Oklahoma legislature, a federal appeals court denied a request by the Tarrant Regional Water District in Texas to take water from Oklahoma.

Oklahoma officials have fought Texas’ attempts to purchase water since 2007.

The water district wants to buy more than 100 billion gallons from Oklahoma tributaries of the Red River.

In 2006, Oklahoma lawmakers approved a bill to extend a moratorium on out-of-state water sales. That legislation spawned the 2007 lawsuit. Even with the federal ruling, the battle over Oklahoma water is far from over.

“No, this is gonna be a fight for a long time between the state of Oklahoma and the state of Texas. And again, as long as the state of Texas doesn’t have our best interest at heart, they’re gonna keep coming back at us and it’s gonna be over and over again, so we’ve gotta be on our toes, we’ve gotta be ready, and we’ve gotta be willing to fight for the future of Oklahoma water,” said State Representative Eric Proctor of Tulsa.

“Oklahoma’s water policy should be made by the People of Oklahoma not by a federal court and definitely not by the state of Texas.”

Click here to see Rep. Proctor discuss this important issue with Channel 6

http://www.newson6.com/story/15867521/oklahoma-officials-are-praising-ruling-on-texas-water-lawsuit?clienttype=printable&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6382834

This week Rep. Eric Proctor took a stand with 230 American Airlines families who would be shipped to Texas under a current American Airlines Executive Board proposal. The State of Oklahoma and the Tulsa community have long honored commitments to American Airlines and have invested over 65 million public funds with the promise that jobs would stay in Tulsa.

“We stand up for our neighbors here in Tulsa and we keep our word. Tulsa has been very good to American Airlines and all we are asking is that the Executive Board honor their commitments in return.” Proctor stated.

In 2003 both union and non-union employees of American Airlines agreed to over 1.8 Billion dollars in pay reductions to save the company. “Oklahoma and the employees of American Airlines have proven time and time again that we will honor our word and make sacrifices to keep these jobs in Tulsa our hope is the Executive Board will also keep their word.”

View the Channel 6 report at http://www.newson6.com/story/15372512/group-campaigns-to-keep-american-airline-jobs-in-tulsa

Tulsa, Oklahoma — Everyday, Oklahoma military servicemen and women put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and some have paid the ultimate price. House Bill 1343, “The Heroes Promise Act,” by state Rep. Eric Proctor (D-Tulsa) and state Sen. Tom Ivester (D-Sayre), honors the service of those who gave all for our country.The new law will provide free tuition at Oklahoma colleges and universities for the children of Oklahoma’s troops who are killed while in active military service.

“Freedom is not free, it comes at a very high price,” said Proctor. “These men and women gave everything for our freedoms and we have a moral obligation to help their children in every way that we can.”

“The Heroes Promise Act” will become law July 1, 2011.

You can view Fox 23’s story on the Heroes Promise Act at this link - http://www.fox23.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=2598376

June 8th marked the day that 104 WWII veterans traveled with Rep. Proctor on the Inaugural Tulsa Honor Flight to the World War two Memorial. “If we are going to call these veterans the greatest generation we have an obligation to honor them as the greatest generation. Oklahoma Honor Flights provides an opportunity for us to say thank you that has been over 65 years in the making.” said Proctor. “Helping honor these Tulsa area patriots has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.”

Rep. Proctor serves as Chairman for Eastern Oklahoma Honor Flights. Oklahoma Honor Flights provides a free trip for Oklahoma WWII veterans to visit their memorial in Washington D.C.

Rep. Proctor has traveled with eight House District 77 constituents to the World War II Memorial.

District 77 veterans that have been on a past Honor Flight have included Bud Chandler, John Williamson, Jack Wall, and the late Harold Bell.

Traveling on the inaugural Tulsa Honor Flight were District 77 veterans John C. Baker, C.L. Bales, Loyd Hair, and Elmer Kitchell.

Donna Lee of House District 77 has also traveled on a flight with her late father Roy Scott.

Rep. Proctor with District 77’s Loyd Hair at the WWII Memorial in June 2011

Today state Rep. Eric Proctor made a motion to amend the general appropriation bill to restore funding for the Department of Military Affairs to benefit military veterans.

Under the current budget most departments received a reduction. However, the Corporation Commission received an increase of $1,190,634 and the Department of Veterans Affairs received a decrease of $1,258,504. Proctor’s motion would have moved the additional money given to the Corporation Commission to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

“Giving an increase to the Corporation Commission, an entity that constantly raises utility rates on residential ratepayers, and at the same time decreasing aid to our military veterans is reckless,” Proctor said. “The people of Oklahoma deserve better from their elected officials and our veterans should never take a back seat multibillion dollar out of state utility companies.”

State Rep. Eric Proctor (D-Tulsa) filed a “common sense amendment” to House Bill 1953 that would protect tax dollars and American jobs. The amendment would have prohibited taxpayer dollars from going to companies who ship American jobs overseas. Proctor said the motion was lodged to ensure that tax dollars were used to promote economic growth and not corporate greed.“The State of Oklahoma should not be in the business of using tax dollars to subsidize companies who put profits before people by outsourcing jobs to places like China, India or Mexico,” Proctor said. The House voted the motion down with 29 Democratic members voting yes, 10 Republican members voting yes, no Democratic members voting against and 49 Republican members voting no.

Proctor said the measure would have protected jobs while at the same time sending a message that “in Oklahoma we put America first.” “It is discouraging that the House is protecting multimillion dollar corporations, rather than the jobs of hardworking Oklahomans,” he said.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Quality Jobs Program alone gave away over $110 million to companies who laid off workers due to rising imports or outsourcing of production. During 2010 U.S. corporations outsourced over 1.4 million jobs overseas.

http://www.okhouse.tv/iViewVideo.aspx?VideoID=333