Press Releases
Lankford Questions Head of Homeland Security on Failure to Secure Southern Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled, "DHS Actions to Address Unaccompanied Minors at the Southern Border," at which Lankford finally had an opportunity to question Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on why the crisis at the southern border is not being addressed. Lankford addressed his frustrations on the lack… Continue Reading
05.13.21
Lankford, Colleagues Stand with Israel
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) along with 42 Republican colleagues to urge President Biden to stand with our closest ally in the region, Israel. As Israel is under attack from Iranian-back terrorists, the Biden Administration is negotiating and potentially offering sanctions relief to Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Senators called on President Biden to immediately end negotiations with Iran, and make clear that sanction… Continue Reading
05.12.21
Lankford, Colleagues Demand President Biden Secure the Southern Border, Address Crisis
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and their colleagues in a press conference on the ongoing national security and humanitarian crisis at the US southern border, created by President Joe Biden's failed policies of open borders and amnesty. Tomorrow Lankford will participate in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the southern border, and Lankford will fina… Continue Reading
05.12.21
Lankford Calls Out Biden For Sending NASA Rocket Scientists to the Southern Border Instead of Finishing the Wall
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) called out the Biden Administration for their continued failure to address the crisis at the southern border while secretly recruiting a "volunteer force" of federal employees from NASA, Department of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Department of Agriculture to work at the border transferring migrants with very few training requirements. Lankford wrote, "I write to express grave concern about the ongoing crisis at our Southern bo… Continue Reading
05.12.21
Lankford, Cotton Lead Letter to Warn Against Doing Business with Iran
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) led a group of 14 Republican senators in a letter to the international business community warning them about resuming business with Iran if US sanctions are lifted. In part, the senators wrote, "Your member companies may see this potential removal of US sanctions on Iran as a lucrative opportunity. Trust us, they should not. If US sanctions on Iran were temporarily lifted and these firms decided to reenter the Irania… Continue Reading
05.12.21
Lankford Points Out Noticeable Lack of US-Focused Trade Priorities in Biden Trade Agenda
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled, "The President's 2021 Trade Policy Agenda." Lankford's questions to witness Katherine Tai, the US Trade Representative (USTR), focused on providing tariff exclusion clarity and being forward-looking on our international trade policies as well as the need to protect American intellectual property, especially American-made vaccines th… Continue Reading
05.11.21
Lankford Pushes Strengthened Security Against Ongoing Cyber Attacks From Russia
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled, "Prevention, Response, and Recovery: Improving Federal Cybersecurity Post-SolarWinds," in which Lankford asked questions about cyber security readiness in the wake of ongoing threats from ransomware and other cyber-attacks, including the recent Colonial pipeline. The hearing focused on the late-202… Continue Reading
05.11.21
Lankford, Colleagues Highlight Need for Government Watchdogs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rob Portman (R-OH) to urge President Biden to swiftly fill Inspectors General (IG) vacancies to help safeguard taxpayer dollars and strengthen independent oversight of federal agencies. The letter emphasizes the importance of Senate-confirmed IGs to Congress' oversight efforts and notes Senate-confirmed IGs are likely to be more independent than those in acting roles. "As the members of the Senate Committee … Continue Reading
05.05.21
Lankford Joins Franklin Graham to Recognize the 70th Anniversary of the National Day of Prayer
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) is joined by Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, to recognize the power of prayer and its necessity for our nation and leaders. Thursday, May 6, 2021, marks the70th anniversary of the National Day of Prayer, a day when people in communities all across the country will join together in prayer. Lankford will recognize the day at Stillwater Church of Christ in Stillwater, Oklahoma. T… Continue Reading
05.05.21
Lankford, Hill Press Biden on Need for US Leadership to Promote International Religious Freedom
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Congressman French Hill (R-AR) led a bicameral letter to President Biden on the pressing need for a nominee to the position of Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. The Members also emphasized the importance of America remaining a world leader in defending and promoting religious liberty for all people of any faith, especially in countries where people are violently targeted for their faith such as Burma, China, and Syria. … Continue Reading
05.05.21
Lankford Joins Call for Investigation into COVID-19 Nursing Home Deaths
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) and a group of Senate Finance Committee Republicans to call on Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) to open an investigation into New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's cover-up of New York's nursing home death toll. "This committee has direct oversight on this issue and a responsibility to act when HHS is unable to do its job due to a state deliberately misleading investigators or health officials. Nursing homes have been held ac… Continue Reading
04.30.21
Lankford Blasts Biden Administration for Open Borders
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security announced late Friday afternoon in order to bury the story that it would take steps to "protect border communities from physical dangers" from the border wall and after reports today that President Biden is resuming the processing of migrants at our ports of entry-even though they're closed to most traffic and trade: "President Biden continues to publicly say the border is … Continue Reading
04.30.21
Lankford, Colleagues Press Federal Energy Regulators to Act on Pending Natural Gas Pipeline Projects
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), both members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, to lead a group of 25 senators to press the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to act on vital energy infrastructure projects by reviewing without further delay the 14 natural gas pipeline infrastructure projects that are currently pending before FERC. In the letter to the FERC chairman and commissioners, the senators also outline… Continue Reading
04.30.21
Lankford Pushes to Expand Telehealth Access
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and 50 senators to introduce the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. "The pandemic forced Oklahomans to adapt in many… Continue Reading
04.30.21
Lankford, Colleagues Condemn Amazon for Removing Justice Clarence Thomas Documentary
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) to lead a group of 19 senators in a letter to the head of Amazon questioning why Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words, a documentary about the life of US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, was removed from Amazon's streaming service. The film's removal came during Black History Month. In part, the senators wrote, "The film's popularity aside, Amazon's decision to pull this documentary came during … Continue Reading
04.30.21
Lankford Joins Colleagues to Urge President Biden to Investigate Allegations Against John Kerry
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) to send a letter to President Biden urging him to i… Continue Reading
04.29.21
Lankford Sounds the Alarm on Massive Debt Spending, Progressive Policies Proposed in President Biden’s Joint Address
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today raised his concerns on the Senate floor with some of the spending and policy proposals President Biden offered in his address to a joint session of Congress last night. Lankford shared his praise for his friend and colleague Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) who delivered the Republican response. Lankford offered his immediate reaction to the speech and response last night on Facebook Live. Lankford … Continue Reading
04.28.21
Lankford Dives into the Details of Addressing National Security Concerns at the Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's opening remarks and Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management hearing. Lankford is the lead Republican on the Subcommittee. The hearing, entitled, "The Non-Governmental Organization Perspective on the Southwest Border," examined some of the issues non-governmental organizations (NGOs) see as the bi… Continue Reading
04.27.21
Lankford, Marshall, Murphy Want to Keep PPP Tax Dollars from Abortion Providers
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS) and Congressman Greg Murphy, MD (NC-03) to introduce the Abortion Providers Loan Elimination (APLE) Act, which requires Planned Parenthood affiliates to return the $80 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans they illegally applied for and received. It would also ensure Planned Parenthood affiliates and other abortion providers remain ineligible for future PPP funding and instruct the Small Business … Continue Reading
04.27.21
Lankford Pushes US Energy Diversity
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled, "Climate Challenges: The Tax Code's Role in Creating American Jobs, Achieving Energy Independence, and Providing Consumers with Affordable, Clean Energy." Lankford's questions focused on ensuring we can maintain North American energy independence through energy diversity and ensuring American energy producers can make necessary capi… Continue Reading
