Press Releases
Senator Lankford’s Good Government Bills Advance in House
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today applauded the House Oversight Committee's work to advance the House versions of two of his bills: the Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act and the Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act. The Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act would require the federal government to make public the details, costs, and assessments related to every federal program. The Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act would crack down on fraud and misuse of federal retirement benefit… Continue Reading
12.19.19
Senators Lankford, Coons Call for Repeal of International Blasphemy Laws
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) today introduced a resolution to call for the global repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws. A number of countries still have criminal blasphemy laws and punish individuals who engage in expression deemed by the government to be blasphemous, heretical, apostate, defamatory of religion or insulting religion. These laws affect Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Bahá'í, secularists, and many other groups. The res… Continue Reading
12.19.19
Senator Lankford Highlights 2019 Legislative Successes, Discusses House’s Impeachment on Senate Floor
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the Senate's work and successes over the past year and specifically the areas in which Lankford and his team were able to make progress in 2019. Lankford outlined the Senate's work on the First Step Act, National Defense Authorization Act, de-listing the American burying beetle, repealing burdensome federal taxes like the medical device tax, supporting grants for fi… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Senator Lankford Questions DOJ IG Horowitz on FISA, Crossfire Hurricane
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned Department of Justice Inspector General (DOJ IG) Michael Horowitz at a Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing about the abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) process by individuals at the FBI to target President Trump's 2016 campaign. IG Horowitz released a DOJ IG report on December 9, 2019, regarding the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane investiga… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Senator Lankford Bill to Ensure Justice to US Victims of Terrorism Included in Year-end Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement on inclusion of his bill, the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act in the funding package for FY2020. The bill seeks to provide justice for US victims of international terrorism while promoting the important security cooperation among US, Israeli, and Palestinian security forces. "I'm grateful we were able to find a path forward for the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. Fina… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Senator Lankford Cosponsors Legislation to Protect Moms and Babies from Abortion
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK,) Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced legislation to protect the lives of women by controlling the distribution of chemical abortion drugs, which have high complication rates for incomplete abortions, infections, severe bleeding, and death. The Support and Value Expectant… Continue Reading
12.17.19
Senators Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Grant Process Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) applauded the final passage of H.R. 150, the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act. The bipartisan, bicameral bill will require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the leading administrator of grant programs to streamline data transparency requirements for grant recipients and ultimately make data collection and dissemination to the American peopl… Continue Reading
12.17.19
Senator Lankford Supports Defense Priorities
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted in favor of the Conference Report on the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (FY20 NDAA). The bill, which received bipartisan support, was ushered through final passage by Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee. The bill includes limitations on the transfer of the F-35 aircraft to Turkey-a bill that Lankford introduced earlier this year. The Conference Report passed the Senate in a vote o… Continue Reading
12.17.19
Senators Lankford, Coons Bill to Support Churches, Charities, and Nonprofits included in Funding Package
WASHINGTON, DC - Bipartisan legislation from Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) to protect churches, charities, and other nonprofit organizations is expected to become law as part of a bipartisan funding package agreed to by House and Senate negotiators today. The Lessening Impediments from Taxes (LIFT) for Charities Act repeals a section of the tax code that requires some tax-exempt organizations to pay federal taxes on employee benefits, such as parking, meals, or transporta… Continue Reading
12.13.19
Senators Lankford, Rosen Announce New Members of Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, announced the inaugural group of new Task Force members, Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Scott (R-SC), Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joni Ernst (R-IA)… Continue Reading
12.11.19
Senators Lankford, Rosen Statements on Executive Order to Combat Anti-Semitism
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, released the following statements on today's Executive Order that seeks to address anti-Semitism around the nation and specifically on college campuses and other educational settings. The Order, based largely on the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, applies the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, which is alre… Continue Reading
12.11.19
Senator Lankford Presented Award for Fighting Opioid Crisis
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today was awarded the "Fight for Good" award by the Salvation Army for his dedicated work in fighting the opioid crisis. "As a community, we should all fight for what is good for our families and neighbors. Drug addiction has torn apart our families and individual lives. We should work until no family feels the pain of addiction," said Lankford. "I will continue to support effective policies and stand up for families who have been tragically affe… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Senator Lankford Shares Story From Federal Employee on Impact of Government Shutdowns on Senate Floor
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor to continue to push for the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, a bipartisan bill that Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and he reintroduced today. Lankford is urging his colleagues to pass this commonsense legislation as the December 20 funding deadline is fast approaching. During his floor speech, he shared the story of a federal employee who approached him on the plane yesterd… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Lankford, Hassan Lead Bipartisan Plan to End Government Shutdowns
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today introduced an updated version of their bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act. As Congress approaches the threat of a second government shutdown this year, Lankford and Hassan are joined by four of their Senate colleagues to push for this commonsense reform that protects federal employees and forces Congress to stay in DC to fund the government. If signed into law, the bill would set up an automatic Continuing Re… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Senator Lankford Statement on USMCA Announcement
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement regarding the announcement that a deal has been agreed on between House Democrats and President Trump on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): "The negotiations for USMCA have lasted more than a year. I'm glad that the House has finally agreed to pass the USMCA. Oklahomans have been waiting for this day for months. This agreement updates the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) … Continue Reading
12.05.19
Senator Lankford Cosponsors Legislation to Combat Opioid Epidemic
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced his cosponsorship of the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act. This bill would give law enforcement enhanced tools to combat the opioid epidemic and close a loophole in current law that makes it difficult to prosecute crimes involving some synthetic opioids. "Oklahomans are tragically aware of the devastating ways the opioid epidemic has affected our families and our communities," said Lankford. "Drug abuse and addict… Continue Reading
12.04.19
Senator Lankford Questions Nominee to Lead Federal Regulatory Review Office
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today attended a hearing in the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to consider the nomination of Mr. Paul J. Ray to be Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As Chairman of the Committee's Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management and in his previous service on the House Oversight Committee, L… Continue Reading
12.04.19
Oklahoma Delegation Unites to Urge Passage of USMCA
WASHINGTON, DC - More than a year after President Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) with leaders from Mexico and Canada, Oklahoma's congressional delegation is unanimous in their support of the trade deal. Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and all five members of the House call on House leadership to work together to bring the USMCA for a vote before the end of the year. "The USMCA negotiations ended more than a year ago, and it has been sitting i… Continue Reading
12.04.19
Senator Lankford Highlights Importance of Addressing Our $23 Trillion Debt on Senate Floor
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of this week's release of the fifth volume of his federal waste report, Federal Fumbles: Ways the government dropped the ball. The report lists $383 billion in wasteful and inefficient federal spending on a variety of programs and processes throughout the government. The report also provides solutions to each example of government waste or inefficiency… Continue Reading
12.03.19
Senators Lankford, Peters, Sinema Applaud Senate Passage of Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) applauded Senate passage of their Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act, a bill that would crack down on fraud and misuse of federal retirement benefits. "I'm grateful the Senate agreed with our bill to help safeguard federal employee retirement funds from embezzlement," said Lankford. "Our bill closes a loophole in the law that allows bad actors to get off easy if they embezzle funds from federa… Continue Reading
