Press Releases
Lankford, Hagerty Introduce Legislation to Protect US Embassy in Jerusalem
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), who led a group of 34 Republican senators, to introduce the Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021, a bill to protect the full and faithful implementation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and block the Biden Administration's efforts to subvert the law. "After decades of bipartisan support and empty promises from different administrations, President Trump rightly moved our US Embassy to J… Continue Reading
10.22.21
Lankford Slams Chaos at the US-Mexico Border as CBP Encounters Highest Number of Illegal Crossers Ever
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) responded after the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told the public that it has encountered the highest number of illegal border crossers in recorded history. CBP stated that it encountered 1.7 million people in FY 2021 from 149 countries, the majority of which crossed the border after Biden's inauguration. This year alone, CBP set 20-year records for encountering the highest number of illegal border crossers per month in March, April, May, J… Continue Reading
10.22.21
Lankford Announces Hire of Southeast Oklahoma Field Representative
WASHINGTON, DC- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced the hire of Laramie Cochran as Field Representative for southeast Oklahoma. Her job as Field Representative is to travel across southeast Oklahoma to hear community needs and work with all Oklahomans to solve federal issues. "I'm grateful for Laramie's commitment to southeast Oklahoma and her tenacity to solve tough federal issues," said Lankford. "Laramie will focus on building relationships within communities across southeastern Ok… Continue Reading
10.21.21
Lankford, T. Scott, Colleagues Push to Block Democrats’ IRS Snooping Proposal
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and their Republican colleagues to introduce the Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act, a bill to prevent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from implementing Democrats' plan to give the agency access to transaction information of virtually every American. Lankford has already spoken out on the Senate floor in strong opposition to this proposed snooping by the IRS. La… Continue Reading
10.20.21
Lankford Opposes Democrats’ Third Attempt to Takeover Elections
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today opposed the "Freedom to Vote Act," S.2747 (similar to S.1). Lankford has been outspoken that Democrats' attempt to federalize our elections comes with significant negative consequences on our nation's free and fair elections. The procedural vote to move forward to debate the bill failed by a vote of 49-51. "Americans want safe and secure elections. The Freedom to Vote Act is take- three of S.1-making it easy to cheat and impossible to verif… Continue Reading
10.20.21
Lankford Pushes Senate to Pass His Bill to Stop Biden’s Vaccine Mandates; Democrats Block It
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today brought his Stop Vaccine Mandates Act up for a vote on the Senate floor. Passage of Lankford's bill was blocked by Democrats. Lankford also spoke on the Senate floor to bring Oklahomans' struggles with Biden's vaccine mandate and the ways it is hurting or will hurt them, their families, and their businesses as deadlines loom. Lankford introduced the Stop Vaccine Mandates Act to repeal Presid… Continue Reading
10.19.21
Lankford, Marshall to Stop Dangerous Viral Research by Foreign Entities
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), to lead a group of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act to place a moratorium on all federal research grants to universities and other organizations conducting gain-of-function research and other risky research on potential pandemic pathogens. This legislation is in response to the congressional inquiries and various media investigations revealing nat… Continue Reading
10.19.21
Lankford Grills Biden's CBP Nominee as Record Numbers Take Advantage of Open Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), the lead Republican on the Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Mr. Chris Magnus to be Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Lankford's questions focused on the dire situation at the southe… Continue Reading
10.19.21
Lankford, Hartzler Stand for Coach's Right to Pray
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) led an amicus brief signed by 12 Senators and 14 Members of Congress in support of Coach Joe Kennedy in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. The brief asks the Supreme Court to review and subsequently reverse the Ninth Circuit's decision that allowed Coach Kennedy to be fired for silently kneeling and praying after school football games. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) is co-leading the brief for the House. "In America, we have more tha… Continue Reading
10.15.21
Lankford Urges CMS to Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined his colleagues to send a letter urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to either work with Congress to eliminate direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees to help lower prescription drug prices for Medicare Part D beneficiaries or take administrative action to address the problem. "We write today to discuss our serious concerns about the impact direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees are having on the cost of dr… Continue Reading
10.15.21
Lankford Urges CMS to Lower Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined his colleagues to send a letter urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to either work with Congress to eliminate direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees to help lower prescription drug prices for Medicare Part D beneficiaries or take administrative action to address the problem. "We write today to discuss our serious concerns about the impact direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees are having on the cost of dr… Continue Reading
10.07.21
Lankford: Democrats Should be Responsible for Their Reckless Spending
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement on the vote to increase the debt limit: "I have been clear since July-I will not support a debt ceiling increase while President Biden and Democrats continue their reckless, partisan spending spree. Democrats want to increase the debt limit today then spend an amount to be determined later in the days ahead. The American people are already facing increased costs on goods from the excessive spending earlier this year. … Continue Reading
10.07.21
Lankford Offers Oklahoma Service Members’ Ideas to Modernize Federal Hiring and Contracting Processes
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), lead Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Governmental Operations and Border Management, today introduced the Department of Defense (DOD) Improved Hiring Act and the Service Contract Modernization Act, two bills aimed at updating and modernizing federal hiring and contracting practices. "I have engaged directly with Oklahoma military installations on ways we can improve their ability to get the best a… Continue Reading
10.07.21
Lankford Focuses on State-led Approach to Caring for Public Lands that Protects Private Property
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Congressional Western Caucus and Senate Western Caucus Members to unveil an alternative to the Biden Administration's "30 by 30 initiative" and America the Beautiful report, known as the Western Conservation Principles. The Members' approach is a blueprint for responsible, effective conservation supported by rural communities across the United States. "We do not need new vague and lofty conservation campaign promises; we need state-led poli… Continue Reading
10.06.21
Lankford, Cornyn Press DHS for Answers on Haitian Migrants Being Released into the US
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to lead a group of 38 Senators asking Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to address reports that thousands of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, were released into the interior of the US instead of facing removal as the Administration had previously pledged. The Senators wrote, "…we are concerned that DHS did not actually carry out this plan, deployed resources in a manner that weakened border secur… Continue Reading
10.06.21
Lankford Holds Biden Responsible for Ignoring National Security Crisis at the Southern Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), the lead Republican on the Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today participated in a press conference to discuss the ongoing crisis at the southern border that Biden continues to ignore. Lankford is demanding Biden finish the border wall, enforce our laws, and stop allowing individuals to illegally cross our border, enter our country and the… Continue Reading
10.06.21
Lankford Pushes Back on Biden For Using Taxpayer Dollars for Abortion
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement on the Biden Administration's final rule that will direct Title X Family Planning grants to abortion providers. "This step by President Biden is yet another example of how he is the most pro-abortion president in our nation's history," said Lankford. "It is illegal for Title X grants to be used for abortion, and under President Trump that was rightly enforced. Nevertheless, President Biden and Secretary Becerra have shown t… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Lankford, Toomey Prevent Presidential Abuse of “National Security” Tariffs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) to introduce legislation to prevent presidential abuse of "national security" tariffs by reinstating congressional authority over trade. The Bicameral Congressional Trade Authority Act would make any presidentially proposed tariffs or quotas applied for national security purposes (via Section 232 authority) subject to review and approval by Congress prior to taking effect. Joining Lankford, T… Continue Reading
10.05.21
Lankford Wants US to Take Action to Stop Energy Dependence on China
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing to examine and consider updates to the Mining Law of 1872. Lankford's questions focused on the ways Biden's policies on US domestic mineral development as well as ways the long US permitting process for mines, which can take up to 10 years, is deterring US investment in rare earth and critical minerals and encouraging dependence on… Continue Reading
10.04.21
Lankford, Colleagues Want to Establish Strategy to Prevent Alzheimer’s, Dementia-Related Diseases
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) led a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, urging him to establish an ambitious national goal to prevent Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and to develop a plan to achieve this goal. The senators wrote, "Alzheimer's disease is a public health crisis that is expanding, with a projected increase to nearly 14 mill… Continue Reading
