Tom Cole

Tom Cole
Born	Thomas Jeffery Cole 28 4, 1949
Birthplace	Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
Nationality	American / Chickasaw Nation
Occupation	Politician, former educator
Known for	Longest-serving Native American in the history of the U.S. Congress; Chair of the House Appropriations Committee
Education	Grinnell College (BA) Yale University (MA) University of Oklahoma (PhD)
Children	1
Website	[[cole.house.gov cole.house.gov] Official site]

Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is an American politician and former educator who has served as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 4th congressional district since 2003. A member of the Republican Party and an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Cole holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Native American in the history of the United States Congress. Before entering Congress, Cole served in the Oklahoma Senate from 1988 to 1991, representing the 45th district, and as the 26th Secretary of State of Oklahoma from 1995 to 1999 under Governor Frank Keating. A scholar by training, Cole earned a doctorate in British history from the University of Oklahoma and taught at the university level before transitioning to a career in politics and political consulting. In Congress, he has held several prominent positions, including chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee (2007–2009), chair of the House Rules Committee (2023–2024), and, since April 2024, chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. His legislative work has spanned issues including federal spending, Native American rights, education policy, and defense.

Early Life

Thomas Jeffery Cole was born on April 28, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, reflecting his Native American heritage. Cole's family had deep roots in Oklahoma politics and Chickasaw cultural life. His mother, Helen Cole, served in the Oklahoma Senate, representing the same 45th district seat that her son would later hold. When Tom Cole departed the state senate in 1991, his mother succeeded him in the seat, just as he had succeeded her when he first won election in 1988.

Cole's great-aunt was Te Ata Fisher (Te Ata), a renowned Chickasaw storyteller and performer who gained national prominence during the early and mid-twentieth century. Te Ata performed before President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was designated Oklahoma's first State Treasure in recognition of her contributions to Native American culture and the performing arts. This familial connection to both political service and Chickasaw heritage helped shape Cole's identity and later career.

Cole grew up in Oklahoma, where he was raised in an environment that combined civic engagement with a strong sense of cultural identity tied to the Chickasaw Nation. His upbringing in a politically active family provided early exposure to government and public service, elements that would define much of his adult life.

Education

Cole pursued an extensive academic education. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grinnell College, a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa. He subsequently obtained a Master of Arts degree from Yale University.

Cole continued his academic training at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a PhD. His doctoral dissertation, completed in 1984, was titled "Life and Labor in the Isle of Dogs: The Origins and Evolution of an East London Working-Class Community, 1800–1980," a study of British social and labor history focused on a working-class neighborhood in London. Following the completion of his doctorate, Cole served as a college instructor and professor, teaching history before his transition into full-time political work.

Career

Oklahoma State Politics

Cole's political career began at the state level in Oklahoma. In November 1988, he was elected to the Oklahoma Senate, representing the 45th district. He succeeded his mother, Helen Cole, who had held the seat. Cole served in the state senate until July 1991, at which point his mother returned to the seat.

After leaving the state senate, Cole became increasingly involved in Republican political operations. In 1995, he was appointed the 26th Secretary of State of Oklahoma by Governor Frank Keating. He served in this capacity from January 9, 1995, to March 16, 1999. As secretary of state, Cole was responsible for election administration and other official state functions.

During this period and in the years surrounding it, Cole also built a career as a political consultant and strategist within Republican circles, gaining experience that would later inform his work in national party politics.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 2002, Cole ran for the U.S. House of Representatives to succeed retiring Congressman J. C. Watts in Oklahoma's 4th congressional district. He won the election and took office on January 3, 2003. The 4th district, which encompasses much of south-central and southwest Oklahoma including the city of Norman, has been a reliably Republican district for decades.

Cole has been re-elected in every subsequent cycle, establishing himself as a long-tenured and influential member of the House Republican conference.

National Republican Congressional Committee

In January 2007, Cole was selected to serve as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the campaign arm of House Republicans, under House Minority Leader John Boehner. He served in this role through January 2009, overseeing the party's efforts to win House seats during the 2008 election cycle. Cole succeeded Tom Reynolds as NRCC chair and was succeeded by Pete Sessions.

The 2008 election cycle proved difficult for Republicans nationally, as the party lost additional House seats amid an economic recession and the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama. Cole's tenure at the NRCC was marked by the challenges of fundraising and candidate recruitment in an unfavorable political environment for the Republican Party.

Legislative Work and Policy Positions

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Cole has focused on a range of policy areas including federal spending and appropriations, defense, education, and Native American affairs.

On fiscal matters, Cole has been a consistent voice within the Republican conference on appropriations issues. He has participated in debates over government funding legislation and has advocated for the congressional power of the purse — the constitutional role of the legislative branch in directing federal spending. A 2025 profile described Cole's working relationship with Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro on government funding bills, noting their ability to negotiate across party lines while maintaining a personal friendship — a dynamic characterized as an "odd couple" arrangement in the appropriations process.

Cole has been involved in debates over the Farm Bill and agricultural policy. In 2013, he and fellow Oklahoma Republican Representative Jim Bridenstine publicly disagreed on aspects of the Farm Bill, reflecting the diversity of opinion within the state's congressional delegation on agricultural spending.

On education policy, Cole has supported measures to expand access to educational benefits. He supported legislation that would provide home-school families access to education tax deductions. In 2025, Cole introduced H.R. 5428, the Medical Student Education Authorization Act, aimed at addressing issues related to medical education funding.

As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Cole has been an advocate for tribal issues in Congress. In September 2025, he introduced legislation aimed at reaffirming tribal trust land agreements, reflecting his ongoing engagement with Native American policy matters.

In January 2017, Cole was among the Republicans who commented on President Donald Trump's executive order restricting travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, with varying degrees of support and criticism from within the party.

Cole has also been involved in legislative branch spending matters. He participated in efforts to manage House spending and was referenced in coverage of legislative branch appropriations bills that aimed to keep congressional operational costs in check.

During the 2015 Republican leadership struggles, Cole was among the party members navigating the internal dynamics that accompanied discussions of the House speakership. When Representative Paul Ryan's potential candidacy for Speaker faced skepticism from some on the right, Cole was mentioned in the context of the broader party debate over the direction of House Republican leadership.

Chair of the House Rules Committee

On January 3, 2023, Cole became chair of the House Rules Committee, succeeding Democratic Representative Jim McGovern who had chaired the committee during the previous Congress. Cole had previously served as ranking member of the Rules Committee from January 2019 to January 2023. The Rules Committee plays a critical role in determining how legislation reaches the House floor, setting the terms of debate and amendment procedures for bills.

Cole served as Rules Committee chair until April 10, 2024, when he was succeeded by Michael C. Burgess upon Cole's elevation to the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee.

Chair of the House Appropriations Committee

On April 10, 2024, Cole was elected chair of the House Appropriations Committee, one of the most influential committees in Congress due to its jurisdiction over all discretionary federal spending. He succeeded Kay Granger, who had stepped down from the position.

As Appropriations chairman, Cole has led debate on major government funding legislation. In floor remarks during consideration of H.R. 6938, he stated that "difficulty is what separates serious legislating from political convenience," underscoring his approach to the complex and often contentious process of crafting federal spending bills.

In his role, Cole has been vocal about government shutdown threats, criticizing Senate Democrats for what he characterized as obstructive tactics on spending legislation. In a 2026 weekly column, he wrote that "government shutdowns are not an efficient political strategy," and accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of engaging in "irresponsible political games."

Cole has also engaged with major policy debates in his capacity as Appropriations chair. In late 2025 and early 2026, he publicly discussed topics including trade authority, the Supreme Court's tariff ruling, immigration, federal spending priorities, and Oklahoma's economic outlook in media appearances.

In a December 2025 year-end column, Cole reflected on what he described as a "productive year" for the Republican legislative agenda, citing accomplishments in cooperation with President Trump and congressional Republicans.

Cole has continued to fulfill constituent service obligations from his district, including nominating students for the United States military academies. In November 2025, he announced the 2026 military academy nominations for students from Oklahoma's 4th congressional district.

Personal Life

Cole has one child. As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, he maintains ties to his Native American heritage and has been recognized within the Chickasaw community for his service.

His family connections to Oklahoma politics are notable. His mother, Helen Cole, served in the Oklahoma Senate and preceded and succeeded him in the 45th district seat. His great-aunt, Te Ata, was a celebrated Chickasaw performer and storyteller whose legacy has been recognized by the Library of Congress and through various cultural commemorations.

Cole resides in Oklahoma and maintains his official congressional office in Washington, D.C., as well as district offices serving constituents in Oklahoma's 4th congressional district.

Legacy

Tom Cole's career in Congress is notable for several reasons. As an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, he is the longest-serving Native American in the history of the United States Congress, a distinction that underscores the relatively rare representation of Native Americans in the federal legislature. His service has spanned more than two decades in the House, during which he has risen through the ranks of the Republican conference to hold leadership positions on some of Congress's most consequential committees.

Cole's background as an academic historian — with a doctorate focused on working-class British social history — is unusual among members of Congress and distinguishes him from colleagues who more typically arrive from backgrounds in law or business. His transition from academia to state-level politics and ultimately to national office represents a distinctive career trajectory.

His tenure as chair of both the House Rules Committee and the House Appropriations Committee has placed him at the center of legislative procedure and federal spending decisions. The Appropriations Committee chairmanship, in particular, positions Cole as one of the most influential figures in determining the allocation of discretionary federal spending, a role with significant implications for domestic and defense policy.

Cole's advocacy for tribal issues, including his 2025 legislation on tribal trust land agreements, has been a consistent thread throughout his congressional service, reflecting both his personal heritage and the interests of tribal communities within his district and across Oklahoma.

His ability to work across party lines, as illustrated by his collaborative relationship with Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro on appropriations matters, has been noted as an example of bipartisan legislative engagement in an era often characterized by partisan gridlock.