Rep. Pfeiffer: “It’s been an honor to serve you”

I had the privilege of hosting Chloe Jones as a page last week. Chloe worked in my Capitol office and had the opportunity to attend sessions on the House floor. She also participated in a mock legislative session with peers from across the state. They wrote, presented, debated and voted on their own legislation. This is a great opportunity for young people to learn more about state government. 

Chloe is the daughter of Sheila and Klayton Jones. She is a junior from Perry High School, where she has a 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in her class. Chloe is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Art Honor Society. She is a part of the Perry High School Student Council and the school’s Youth and Government Program. She’s on the Cheer Team and is a member of her local youth group.

After graduation, she plans to attend Oklahoma State University to study political science or journalism. She aspires to travel and work as a journalist for a presidential campaign. She did very well during her week in the House, and I am excited to see where her skills and work ethic take her. I am confident she will be very successful.

We’re wrapping up our work in the House, hearing remaining Senate bills and sending measures to the governor for his consideration of signing them into law.

As we approach the end of our legislative session, it also marks the end of my service in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. After 12 years, I have reached my term limit. For eight of those years, I had the honor of serving as deputy majority floor leader. This gave me a front-row seat on the legislative process that included thoughtful debate, plenty of good discussion, and, at times, its share of political theater. While the process can be as complex and fast paced as you might expect, it is also a place where important, meaningful work is accomplished for our communities.

Every single legislator is granted a brief opportunity to make our mark on Oklahoma. To try to make the world a better place sounds very trite, but it is true. We each try to improve upon what was here when we arrived and sand the rough edges, fix the problems, and try to instigate one of the hardest things in all of human experience, “change.”

Most of all, we try to be instruments of change for the betterment of our folks back home, and that is a powerful responsibility. It’s one I’ve tried not to take lightly, and one I’ll be forever grateful that I got to experience. Thank you to everyone from House District 38 who kept saying yes when I asked to be sent to the Capitol. It’s been an honor to serve you.

I am still in office until November. If I can assist you in any way until then, please reach out to me at john.pfeiffer@okhouse.gov or call my office at 405-557-7332.