In the News
Senator Lankford on FoxNews.com: We cannot be a nation that does this to our children
by By Senator James Lankford
On Tuesday, an undercover video was posted online and reported on by various news outlets that showed a Planned Parenthood executive talking about the organization's operation of selling body parts of aborted children. After learning about it, I was immediately struck with deep emotion. It is hard to believe this is occurring in the United States of America. I realize that our nation remains divided on the issue of abortion, but surely we are not divided on the procurement and sale of human org… Continue Reading
07.14.15
Senator Lankford in National Review: Judicial Deference Enables Agencies to Usurp Congress’s Legislative Power
by Senator James Lankford
"It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department to say what the law is" declared Chief Justice John Marshall in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison. For centuries this statement has stood as one of the most famous in American jurisprudence. It was a declaration of the role and duty of the judicial branch within our constitutional structure. The Constitution provides for three separate and distinct branches of government, each having a "check" on the other, thus allowin… Continue Reading
07.13.15
The Oklahoman: No shortage of issues to occupy Oklahoma's newest senator
by The Oklahoman Editorial Board
James Lankford was a quick study in the U.S. House of Representatives, rising to a leadership position after just a few years. Now Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, is boning up on life in the U.S. Senate, having won election last year to replace the retiring Tom Coburn. Coburn was a fiscal hawk who was never bashful about criticizing members of both parties for what he considered unnecessary spending and government waste. He also warned often about the loss of liberty stemming from an expansive centr… Continue Reading
07.07.15
Senator Lankford in The Hill: Another Looming Crisis: Social Security Disability Insurance
by Senator James Lankford
In May, over a thousand West Virginians and Kentuckians went to their mailbox and found letters telling them their disability checks would soon be cut off. Why? Because a government watchdog group had reason to believe that yet another lawyer and/or doctor was involved in Social Security fraud. This case of alleged disability fraud involves accusations of a small group of doctors with a rotating cookie-cutter diagnosis, attorneys who facilitated false forms and administrative law judges who … Continue Reading
06.28.15
Senator Lankford in The Oklahoman: TPA is good for U.S. and for Oklahoma
by Senator James Lankford
When we were 13 Colonies, instead of 50 States, in a document we now call the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson penned a long list of grievances against King George III, including, "cutting off our trade with all parts of the world." Before we were a nation, we were international traders. Trade has always been a pillar of the American economy. The world keeps tariffs high on America, because they fear our workers, our products and our quality. Made in America still means something to… Continue Reading
05.15.15
Senator Lankford in Fox News: A second chance to get America's health care right
by Senators John Cornyn and James Lankford
Health care reform has dominated our nation's political and social conversations for the past six years. After the implementation of ObamaCare, it is clear the law brought radical change and real pain to our nation's families, economy, and health care system. The promised "affordable health care fix" made things worse. The pending King v. Burwell case reveals another interesting legal problem with the policy and text of the Affordable Care Act. As written, the federally controlled subsidies an… Continue Reading
05.12.15
The Oklahoman: OSU grads received sound advice from Sen. James Lankford
by The Oklahoman Editorial Board
OKLAHOMA'S newest U.S. senator, James Lankford, is a conservative Republican through and through yet he had no trouble working with an ideological opposite to accomplish something constructive. This shouldn't come as a surprise - since going to Washington as a House member in 2011, Lankford has tried to get things done for the good of the country. We recall Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, telling us he was struck during his first few months in Congress with how much time members spent talking about … Continue Reading
04.17.15
Senator Lankford in The Norman Transcript: My Concern With The Iran Nuclear Negotiations
by Senator James Lankford
Amidst the various twists and turns of our nation's negotiation with Iran on a nuclear deal, one thing is clear: the American people are skeptical. Americans know that a nuclear Iran is a threat to every nation. Our concern is not just Iran in possession of a nuclear bomb; we all know that the leadership of Iran continues to threaten its neighbors and the World. Iran is the world's largest state-sponsor of terrorism and there is little doubt that if they had nuclear weapons, they could transfer… Continue Reading
04.17.15
Senator Lankford in Tulsa World: On the 20th Anniversary, we remember bombing tragedy by embracing the 'Oklahoma Standard'
by Senator James Lankford
It's been 20 years since we experienced the worst act of American home-grown terrorism at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. This solemn day stands as a reminder of the 168 souls that were lost. On a day where anger lashed out, Oklahomans responded with compassion. Every year since April 19, 1995, we stand together and read aloud the names of those who lost their lives. We remember the first responders who acted selflessly in a time of need. We remember the families impac… Continue Reading
04.03.15
Tulsa World: In Sapulpa: U.S. Sen. James Lankford cautious on Iran agreement
by Randy Krehbiel
U.S. Sen. James Lankford said Thursday that he will wait for details before passing judgment on the Obama administration's nuclear arms agreement with Iran but said, "If it's to the left of the U.N., that's probably a problem." Lankford was one of 47 U.S. senators who signed a letter sent last month to Iranian leaders cautioning against putting much faith in a deal with the Obama administration. Thursday evening, speaking to about 20 people at a community forum at Sapulpa City Hall, Lankford… Continue Reading
03.20.15
Senator Lankford on CNBC.com: What Sustainability and Religious Freedom Have in Common
by Sen. James Lankford and Rep. Randy Forbes
Avid Chipotle customers seeking carnitas burritos for dinner may be disappointed over the coming weeks. The restaurant giant is reportedly no longer serving pork at about a third of its locations after it dropped a pork supplier that failed to live up to the corporation's standards of humane animal care. Despite the possibility that Chipotle's decision to pull pork from almost a third of its restaurants will come at a cost, the corporation's commitment to serving "food with integrity" has outwe… Continue Reading
03.10.15
Breitbart News: Exclusive—Sen. Lankford: Obama’s Exec Amnesty Unclear, ‘Intolerable Situation’ for Immigration Officers
by Matthew Boyle
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol officers-along with their families-are living in fear and uncertainty every day under President Barack Obama's executive amnesty, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview on Monday night. "What does the average family member of an ICE agent think?" Lankford said when asked what's going through the minds of agents as the president is telling them to ignore the law. They know their spouse, their husband o… Continue Reading
02.11.15
Senator Lankford in Tulsa World: Obama's Budget Ignores Fiscal Realities
by Senator James Lankford
A government budget should demonstrate financial priorities, spending and policy to address our nation's biggest challenges. Sadly, President Obama's latest budget proposal demonstrates an attitude of "close enough for government work" rather than excellence and forward thinking. Over the decades, presidential budgets have become more of a campaign document than an actual budget. But, it is the first legal step of the formal budget process. By law, the president's annual budget request must be … Continue Reading
01.30.15
The Edmond Sun: Government hides facts from citizens; Lankford fights back
by James Coburn
U.S. Sen. James Lankford pushed for better information for taxpayers when he was in Congress. Now the Edmond Republican is fighting for Americans right to know about detailed data for agency programs. Lankford introduced the Taxpayers Right to Know Act in the Senate along with a group of bipartisan senators. There remains a lack of transparency regarding the overlapping roles of federal agencies in duplicating services, Lankford said. Agencies would have to provide detailed information and per… Continue Reading
01.29.15
Federal Times: Bill requires agencies to provide detailed program data
by Andy Medici
Agencies would have to provide detailed information and performance data for each of its programs, under legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of senators Jan. 28. The Taxpayers Right to Know Act would require OMB to post detailed financial data for each program as well as the number of employees and contractors who administer each program. OMB would also have to post links to the latest performance reviews and metrics for the program. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., who introduced the bi… Continue Reading
01.26.15
The Christian Post: Sen. James Lankford Named New Co-Chair of Congressional Prayer Caucus; Brings 'Staunch Commitment' to Protect Religious Liberties
by Samuel Smith
Oklahoma's newly elected Republican Senator, James Lankford, was appointed the new co-chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, the caucus' co-chair and founding member, Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., announced on Thursday. The caucus, which works to protect individuals' rights to religious freedoms, including the right to freely pray, consists of a bipartisan group of 80 Congress members. The 46-year-old Lankford, who joined the caucus when he first won election as a representative in 2010, beco… Continue Reading
01.26.15
Tulsa World: Send Uncle Sam to the principal's office, but keep him out of the classroom
by World's Editorial Writers
U.S. Sen. James Lankford is co-sponsoring a proposal to halt federal mandates for state academic standards on testing. The Local Leadership in Education Act would amend the federal No Child Left Behind law to prohibit it from providing any direction or control over academic standards or curriculum, incentivizing the adoption of certain standards, or making financial support conditional for standards, curriculum or student test administration. Additionally, the legislation calls for a ban on req… Continue Reading
01.15.15
Senator Lankford in Fox News: Religious Freedom Day 2015: What our Founders understood about freedom of faith
by Senator James Lankford
Today is Religious Freedom Day, a celebration of one of the powerful and unique freedoms within our nation's founding and fabric. In 1992, the House and Senate joined together to pass a resolution designating January 16th as Religious Freedom Day. This day is based on the anniversary of the 1786 passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, originally authored by Thomas Jefferson. Congress formally recognized that the "Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom inspired and shaped the gu… Continue Reading
01.07.15
Tulsa World: James Lankford joins a long, short list of Oklahoma senators
by Randy Krehbiel
U.S. Sen. James Lankford is not a native Oklahoman, but he knows the history of the Senate seat he assumed on Tuesday. Lankford became only the 18th person - all men - to serve in the U.S. Senate from Oklahoma and only the eighth to hold what is officially Seat No. 1 in the state's delegation. "I understand the significance of being one of 18 senators in Oklahoma history," he said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. Some of the most important and colorful figures in state history have… Continue Reading
