Press Releases
Senators Lankford, Hassan Applaud Passage of Bill to Improve Federal Government’s Customer Service
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate passed the Federal Agency Customer Experience (FACE) Act of 2019, a bipartisan bill, introduced by Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), to better assess and improve the customer service experience for Americans dealing with federal agencies. "Attention to customer service is an important part of improving the federal government's interaction with the public it serves," said Lankford. "The commonsense, bipartisan, bicameral FACE Act gives federal a… Continue Reading
07.26.19
Senator Lankford on the Frontlines of US-Mexico Border
CLICK HERE to view the video OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) released a video to show his trip to the US-Mexico border on Sunday. During the video, Lankford outlines the care that Customs and Border Protection is providing, how Mexican cartels are manipulating loopholes in US immigration laws to smuggle people into the country, a ride-a-long with CBP, and solutions needed to address the crisis at the border. On Sunday, July 21, 2019, Lankford toured the Rio Grande Valley se… Continue Reading
07.25.19
Senators Lankford, Hassan Continue Work to End Government Shutdowns
WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) discussed their bipartisan legislation to end government shutdowns on a conference call with members of Fix the Debt, an organization that brings together Americans on both sides of the aisle to promote fiscal responsibility. Lankford and Hassan discussed their bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which would prevent future shutdowns by providing automatic funding to keep the government open and keep Mem… Continue Reading
07.25.19
Senator Lankford Introduces Two More Bipartisan Bills to Lower Prescription Drug Prices
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) to introduce a package of bipartisan bills to lower the price of prescription drugs. Lankford and Cassidy introduced the Transparency for Pharmacists Act and the Right Price for Medicare Act with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Tester (D-MT), John Kennedy (R-LA), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). "These important bipartisan drug price transparency bills represent first steps to actua… Continue Reading
07.25.19
Senator Lankford Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Cut Costs of Prescription Drugs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Bill Cassidy M.D. (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the bipartisan Phair Relief Act to lower drug costs for seniors and improve financial certainty for community pharmacies. "The Phair Relief Act gives us the chance to resolve in law many of the issues we've de… Continue Reading
07.24.19
Senator Lankford Stresses Support for Border Agents after Trip to US-Mexico Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today offered a speech on the Senate floor detailing his oversight trip to the southern border on July 21. Lankford began his speech by telling the story of a three-year-old migrant boy who was found at the US-Mexico border alone after he was used to smuggle people over the border by the cartels, and the only information available about the child when he was apprehended by Border Patrol was a name and ph… Continue Reading
07.24.19
Senator Lankford Bills Promoting Government Transparency Pass Committee
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford's (R-OK) bipartisan, bicameral government transparency bill, The Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act (S. 2177), passed out of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) today. The bill would require the federal government to make public the details, costs, and assessments related to every federal program. Currently, taxpayers send their hard-earned dollars to Washington and never really know how they are used, where they go, and the effective… Continue Reading
07.24.19
Countdown to Ending Government Shutdowns
by By Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
It's a sad but true reality: Congress functions best on a deadline. In theory, when Congress established the annual budget and appropriations process in 1974 it gave itself a number of deadlines to set a budget and fund the government. The problem is Congress has only met those deadlines four times since 1974. You've probably seen the "Countdown to Shut Down" clocks on the major news networks as the nation waits impatiently for Congress to fund the government, usually in late September or right… Continue Reading
07.23.19
Senator Lankford Attends White House Meeting on Turkey
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement after he met with President Trump at the White House on Turkey sanctions: "Several years ago, the United States sent a clear message to our ally, Turkey, that they cannot have both the F-35 and a Russian air defense system. Turkey is a NATO ally, and we have a strong history of peacekeeping efforts in the region and economic partnership. It is disappointing that they chose to turn to Russia and neglect their all… Continue Reading
07.23.19
Senator Lankford Works to Protect Seniors from Abuse
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled, "Promoting Elder Justice: A Call for Reform," at which he questioned Ms. Megan H. Tinker, Senior Advisor for Legal Review at the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Mr. John E. Dicken, the Director of Health Care at the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). Lankford's Q… Continue Reading
07.23.19
Lankford Letter: SPECIAL EDITION, Southern Border Tour
CLICK HERE for the July 23, 2019, Lankford Letter.… Continue Reading
07.22.19
Lankford Visits US Southern Border
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) toured the Rio Grande Valley sector of the southern border, near McAllen, TX, with Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. Lankford requested the tour in order to provide oversight of facility conditions and operations and further assess the areas Congress needs to address in law in our immigration, asylum, and detention procedures. Lankford toured the Hidalgo Port of Entry, which is a… Continue Reading
07.18.19
Senators Lankford, Hassan, Johnson, Sinema, Ernst Introduce Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Taxpayers Right-To-Know Act (S. 2177), which would require the federal government to make public the details, costs, and assessments related to every federal program. Currently, taxpayers send their hard-earned dollars to Washington and never really kn… Continue Reading
07.18.19
Senator Lankford Discusses His Bipartisan Bill to Avert Government Shutdowns
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today discussed on the Senate floor the need for Congress to take up his bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdown Act to avoid any needless future government shutdown drama, keep federal workers working, and ensure Congress and the White House remain at the negotiating table to resolve federal funding issues until the job is done. The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act is a simple, effective solution to g… Continue Reading
07.18.19
Senators Lead Call for Implementation of Operation Safe Return
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Doug Jones (D-AL), Rob Portman (R-OH), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kevin McAleenan, and Attorney General William Barr to urge the implementation of Operation Safe Return-a pilot program using existing law and authorities to rapidl… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Senator Lankford Responds to White House Statement on Turkey Accepting Russian S-400
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement after the White House announced they would not allow for the purchase of US F-35 by Turkey after they obtained the Russian S-400 air defense system: "When I first introduced a bill in April 2018 to stop the transfer of the F-35 to Turkey, it was the hope that they would change direction and not partner with Russia. Unfortunately, Turkey has ignored multiple warnings and they will have to face the consequences of… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Senators Lankford, Duckworth, Grassley Introduce Bill to Ensure Justice to US Victims of Terrorism
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), member of the Senate Finance Committee, Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, which seeks to provide justice for US victims of international terrorism while promoting the important security cooperation among US, Israeli, and Palestinian security forces. With respect to US victims of terrorism, the bill would stre… Continue Reading
07.17.19
Senator Lankford joins Letter to Secretary Bernhardt about Lesser Prairie Chicken
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK joined a letter to Interior Secretary Bernhardt expressing concern about the decision-making process for listing the Lesser Prairie Chicken under the Endangered Species Act. Lankford was joined by Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and John Cornyn (R-TX). In the letter the Senators remind regulators that legislative intent is clear-voluntary conservation efforts should be fully c… Continue Reading
07.16.19
Senator Lankford Questions Administration Officials on 2020 Census
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today had the opportunity to question officials from the US Census Bureau within the US Department of Commerce and officials from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) during a Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing about the upcoming 2020 Census. Lankford's questions, whose answers came from Census Director, Dr. Steven Dillingham, focused on efforts to improve Census efficiency by augmenting paper questionnaires with safe p… Continue Reading
07.16.19
Senators Lankford, Lee, Romney, Isakson, Perdue Introduce Bill to Repeal 180-Day Hiring Restriction for Military Retirees
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and David Perdue (R-GA) introduced a bill to repeal the 180-day waiting period that a military retiree must wait until he or she can enter a civilian job at the Department of Defense (DoD) for which he or she is qualified. Companion legislation has also been introduced in the House. In order to protect the hiring process and ensure there is not a "revolving door," for which the 180-d… Continue Reading
