Press Releases
Senator Lankford Supports Senate Passage of Appropriations Bills
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today supported Senate passage, by a vote of 85-7, of the Department of Defense and Health and Human Services, Education and Labor Appropriations Act (H.R. 6157), the eighth and ninth (of 12) appropriations bills approved by the Senate this year. "I applaud the Senate for taking our appropriations work seriously and passing America's essential funding bills in a timely manner," said Lankford. "This is the fastest pace the Senate Appropriations Comm… Continue Reading
08.23.18
Senator Lankford Introduces OU Professor at Nomination Hearing
CLICK HERE for the video for Lankford's and Dregemeier's testimony WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, a professor and former Vice President for Research at the University of Oklahoma, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Droegemeier was nominated by the President on July 31 to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He has his undergraduate degree from the Universi… Continue Reading
08.22.18
Senator Lankford Continues to Push Congress to Strengthen Election Security
CLICK HERE to view the video WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today delivered a speech on the floor of the Senate about the Secure Elections Act and the need for Congress to pass legislation to strengthen US election cybersecurity. The purpose of the bill is to streamline cybersecurity information-sharing between federal intelligence entities and state election agencies; provide security clearances to state election officials; and provide support for state election cybersecurity i… Continue Reading
08.21.18
Senators Lankford and Inhofe Slam ABA Rating of John O’Connor
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today criticized the American Bar Association's "not qualified" rating of Tulsa attorney John O'Connor, who was nominated by the President on April 10 to serve as District Judge on the US District Court for the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma. O'Connor is regularly listed as one of Tulsa's Top Lawyers and has been honored by the Super Lawyers Business Edition national publication. Since 1995, O'Connor ha… Continue Reading
08.21.18
Senator Lankford Testifies at Judiciary Subcommittee on US Response to Cybersecurity Threats
CLICK HERE to view Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today provided testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism during a hearing entitled "Cyber Threats to Our Nation's Critical Infrastructure." Tomorrow, the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration will mark up Lankford's bipartisan bill, the Secure Elections Act, which strengthens election cybersecurity in America. Lankford originally introduced the bill in December 2017; aft… Continue Reading
08.20.18
Lankford Letter - August 20
CLICK HERE for the August 20, 2018 Lankford Letter.… Continue Reading
08.16.18
Senator Lankford Questions Administration Officials on Protecting Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
CLICK HERE to view the video WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned officials from the Administration during a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing entitled "Oversight of Efforts to Protect Unaccompanied Alien Children from Human Trafficking and Abuse." Lankford's questions focused on the need for the administration to ensure the care and safety of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in placements, including the ab… Continue Reading
08.03.18
Senator Lankford Releases Second Podcast Episode on Trade
CLICK HERE to listen to episode 2 of podcast WASHINGTON, DC - The Office of Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today released the second episode of Lankford's new Podcast called "The Breakdown with James Lankford." This second episode focuses on trade and how the ongoing trade negotiations between America and other nations impact Oklahoma. Lankford's foreign affairs legislative advisor, Adam Farris, joined the Senator on the episode. The Senator's new Podcast series was launched on June 29; the firs… Continue Reading
08.03.18
Lankford Letter - August 3
CLICK HERE for the August 3, 2018 Lankford Letter.… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Senator Lankford Introduces Bill for Churches, Charities, and Non-Profits to Protect Tax Exempt Status
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced a bill to protect churches, charities, and other non-profit organizations from a provision in the new tax law that would tax some employee benefits for the first time. The Lessening Impediments from Taxes (LIFT) for Charities Act, would repeal a section in the tax code that would require some tax-exempt organizations to pay federal taxes on employee benefits, like parking, meals, or transportation benefits for the first time. "Tax… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Senators Urge the Administration to Provide More Information on Family Reunification Process
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) today led a letter from 14 bipartisan Senators to the Attorney General and Secretaries of the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Health and Human Services (HHS) requesting more information about migrant family reunification at the border. On June 20, President Trump issued an Executive Order to end the separation of families who cross the border illegally. The Senators are requesting more information on the reunific… Continue Reading
08.01.18
Senator Lankford, Inhofe Applaud Presidential Appointment of Oklahoman
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today applauded the President's nomination of University of Oklahoma Vice President Kelvin Droegemeier to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. "Dr. Droegemeier is an incredibly capable researcher and a highly qualified scientist," said Lankford. "He has served Oklahoma well at the University of Oklahoma and I am confident that he will serve our nation well as the new Director of the Office of Science a… Continue Reading
07.31.18
Senator Lankford Touts Benefits of Financial Services Appropriations Bill to Oklahoma
CLICK HERE to view the video WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today delivered a speech on the floor of the Senate about the appropriations process and specifically the funding bill from the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, and the its' impact on Oklahoma. In April, Lankford was named chairman of the subcommittee. Excerpts: On returning to a regular order appropriations process: (0:03-1:26) Over the past week, the Senate has been discussing … Continue Reading
07.26.18
Lankford Subcommittee Examines the Administration’s Proposed Government Reorganization Plan
WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, under the chairmanship of Senator James Lankford (R-OK), today held a hearing on the challenges and opportunities of the proposed government reorganization plan involving the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and General Services Administration (GSA). On June 21, the Trump Administration announced a government-wide reorganization plan, "Delivering Government Solu… Continue Reading
07.26.18
Senator Lankford Questions US Trade Representative Lighthizer on Trade
CLICK HERE to view the video WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer during an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on the goal to resolve the trade negotiations with our current trade partners and the continued work to open new trade markets. Yesterday, Lankford met with President Trump at the White House to discuss the current trade negotiations and to urge him and his staff to… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Senator Lankford Meets with President Trump on Trade
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today released the following statement after meeting with President Trump at the White House to discuss the current trade negotiations: "The President's announcement today to wrap up trade disputes is an important and significant step forward and I continue to encourage the President and his staff to finalize his agreement with the EU and other trade partners around the world as quickly as possible," said Lankford. "In Oklahoma, our agriculture c… Continue Reading
07.25.18
Senators Lankford, Shaheen, and Tillis Issue Joint Statement on Andrew Brunson Being Moved to House Arrest
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today issued the following joint statement after a Turkish court in Izmir ordered American citizen Andrew Brunson to be moved from prison to house arrest: "Today's decision by the Turkish Court system to move Pastor Andrew Brunson from prison to house arrest is a step in the right direction and will help alleviate some of the unacceptable hardship and anguish Pastor Brunson and his family have endure… Continue Reading
07.24.18
Senators Lankford, Shaheen, Tillis Meet with Pastor Brunson’s Daughter
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today met with Jacqueline Furnari, the daughter of Dr. Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who has been unjustly imprisoned by the Turkish government since October 2016. In April 2018, Brunson's trial began and last week Turkish judges once again delayed his trial to October 2018, sending him back to languish in prison. "I'm grateful to Jacqueline and her husband for making the trip to DC to provide … Continue Reading
07.23.18
Senator Lankford Applauds Senate Confirmation of Robert Wilkie as Secretary of Veterans Affairs
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today made the following statement on Senate confirmation of Robert L. Wilkie to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs: "I'm pleased that Robert Wilkie has been confirmed to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. There are important issues facing our veterans, especially with health care and medical facilities. Tremendous progress has been made in the past several years for veterans, but there are still many major issues to resolve. Our veterans have served… Continue Reading
07.20.18
Senators Lankford, Peters, & Paul Introduce Bill to Save Taxpayer Dollars on Equipment Acquisition
WASHINGTON, DC -Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced bipartisan legislation to help save taxpayer dollars on equipment used for activities including mining, agricultural production, construction, highway maintenance, and medical research. The Federal Acquisition Savings Act of 2018 would require federal agencies to consider leases or short-term rentals for heavy equipment when those options are more cost-effective than purchasing the equipment outri… Continue Reading
