Press Releases
Lankford Exposes Billions in Waste in Biden Border Wall Debacle, Demands Answers from Top Officials
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), lead Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today released a blistering report on $2 billion in wasted taxpayer dollars to pay Department of Defense (DOD) contractors not to build the border wall while more than 180,000 migrants attempted to cross our southern border in June alone. On January 20, President Biden issued Presidential Proclamation 10142, which te… Continue Reading
07.20.21
Lankford Wants Congress to End Fake Budget Gimmick that Withholds Money from Crime Victims
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement after he supported an amendment by Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) to the VOCA Fix Act to prevent Congress from using a budget gimmick to raid the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) for unrelated spending. The CVF collects criminal fines and penalties and is intended to help victims of crimes and crime prevention. "Year after year, Congress has diverted the Crime Victims Fund away from crime victims and instead has used it to… Continue Reading
07.19.21
Lankford Demands Answers from State Department on Delays for Oklahomans’ Passports
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding action after hearing from an increasing number of Oklahomans who are experiencing tremendous delays in the processing of their passport applications, some of whom paid for expedited processing and delivery for upcoming travel. The backlog of passports has ballooned to an unprecedented level of 2.2 million with expected delays of 4-6 months. "The State Department's Passport Service i… Continue Reading
07.16.21
Lankford, Rubio, GOP Colleagues Support the Cuban People
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to introduce a resolution in support of the courageous Cuban people as they lead historic protests throughout the island against six decades of repression and tyranny from the Castro and Díaz-Canel regime. The resolution highlights the dictatorship's long record of oppression against pro-democracy leaders, political opponents, and civic movements. Following this weekend's wave of peaceful protests, the regime… Continue Reading
07.15.21
Lankford Wants Answers on Why Biden Administration is “Handcuffing” ICE from Enforcing the Law
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A from YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to consider the nominations of Robert Santos to be Director of the US Census Bureau and Ed Gonzalez to be Assistant Secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lankford's questions for Mr. Santos centered on why the Bureau is not saving taxpayers upwards of $8 billion by combining the Census duri… Continue Reading
07.15.21
Lankford Recognized for His Leadership in Protecting Religious Freedom
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's award presentation on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today received the inaugural International Religious Freedom (IRF) Champion Award, presented by Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback under the Trump Administration. Lankford served as honorary Senate co-chair of this year's summit and participated in a discussion this morning at the summit's segment entitled, "IRF in Economy, National Security, and Accou… Continue Reading
07.14.21
Lankford, Energy Committee Republicans Call on Biden to Withdraw Stone-Manning’s Nomination
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined all of the Republican members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) to send a letter to President Biden calling on him to withdraw the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning to serve as director of the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Lankford was joined in sending the letter by Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) and Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), Li… Continue Reading
07.14.21
Lankford, Colleagues Protect Sensitive US-International Research from Chinese Communist Government
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Angus King (I-ME) and Representatives Susan Wild (D-PA) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced legislation to protect sensitive US research from foreign adversaries, while also securing America's valuable international partnerships that spur technological innovation. The legislation will advance key technology research in areas such as artificial intelligence and quantum science with trustworthy international partners while simultaneously securin… Continue Reading
07.14.21
Lankford Wants Border Wall Finished, Now
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks on his amendment on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), the lead Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today introduced an amendment to the Homeland Procurement Reform Act, to restart and complete the work on the southern border wall that was halted by the Biden Administration. "Congress already approved and the American people already pai… Continue Reading
07.12.21
Lankford Wants to Prohibit All Spending on Critical Race Theory Training in the Military
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) requested that the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee prohibit funding for training on critical race theory for US servicemembers in its Fiscal Year 2022 bill. Lankford noted in his letter to the Subcommittee chairman that he has heard from several Oklahomans about concerns that service members are being taught critical race theory and are targeted for personal beliefs. Lankford has long worked to protect service members' rights. "In the last … Continue Reading
07.07.21
Lankford, Colleagues Send Letter to DOJ Seeking Answers About Open Border Policies
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Braun (R-IN), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) to send a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking answers over actions taken by the Biden Administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open our borders and encourage illegal immigration in the midst of an ongoing crisis at the southern border. Lankford is the lead Repub… Continue Reading
07.01.21
Lankford, Blackburn Work to End Taxpayer Support for Abortion
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), James Inhofe (R-OK), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tim Scott (R-SC) reintroduced the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act to help end taxpayer support for the abortion industry. "It should not be controversial that Americans should not be forced to pay for abortio… Continue Reading
07.01.21
Lankford, Rubio Push Ambassador Tai to Restart Trade Talks with Taiwan
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mark Warner (D-VA) to send a letter to the US Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, to highlight the importance of reconvening trade agreement talks with Taiwan. "We respectfully request that you prioritize these talks and take steps to begin laying the groundwork for negotiation of a free trade agreement (FTA), or other preliminary agreement, with Taiwan," the senators wrote. "Taiwan is the te… Continue Reading
06.25.21
Lankford Expands E-Verify for Businesses Contracting with Federal Government
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), lead Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, introduced a bill to expand the E-Verify system for employers who contract with the federal government to efficiently determine a worker's legal status to work in the US. "Not knowing whether someone working under a federal contract is legally present and authorized to work in the US is a national securit… Continue Reading
06.24.21
Lankford Asks Americans to Continue to Build on Our Foundation of Freedom Ahead of the Fourth of July
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today, ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, delivered a patriotic account of the brave Americans who founded our nation, set up our national values, and continued to reinforce the need for all Americans to work to keep us free. Lankford asked his fellow senators, Oklahomans, and Americans around the nation to contemplate how we can serve our nation how we can pass on the freedom we enjoy-for which … Continue Reading
06.23.21
Lankford Criticizes Biden’s Attempt to Prevent Law Abiding Oklahomans' Right to Bear Arms
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today responded to President Biden's announcement to implement a comprehensive strategy on gun violence, which doesn't address violence, but seeks to stop the purchase of firearms. "President Biden's response to an increase in violence is to criminalize law-abiding citizens. The surge in violent crimes is not due to Oklahomans exercising their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms; it's due to progressive policies that defund police across … Continue Reading
06.22.21
Lankford Opposes Democrats’ Federal Election Takeover Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) opposed S. 1, "For the People Act," today. Lankford has been outspoken since the bill was introduced in January on the negative consequences it would have on Oklahoma's free and fair elections. The motion to debate the bill failed by a vote of 50-50. "Our election system should provide every American with the confidence that their vote is counted and encourage every American to vote," said Lankford. "Americans support voter ID laws. They do not w… Continue Reading
06.22.21
Lankford Works to Improves Transparency for Adoption and Foster Care
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) yesterday joined Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) to introduce the National Adoption and Foster Care Home Study Act of 2021, which would increase the uniformity and transparency of home studies for families adopting children. "Foster care and adoption advocates remain focused on ensuring the safety and stability of the children they serve as they work to connect children with fami… Continue Reading
06.22.21
Lankford Opposes Nominee to Lead Biden Administration’s HR for Federal Government
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted to oppose the nomination of Ms. Kiran Ahuja to lead the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Lankford previously voted to oppose her nomination in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. "I do not believe the head of HR of the federal government should be so outspokenly in favor of abortion and pushing the need for critical race theory training, which Oklahoma recently banned in law," said Lankford. "OPM has… Continue Reading
06.22.21
Lankford Pushes Back on Bid to Make DC a State, Addresses Religious Freedom Issues during COVID Pandemic
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today, during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, questioned a panel of witnesses on the constitutionality of making DC the 51st state. Lankford discussed the late Oklahoma Senator, Dr. Tom Coburn's very brief remarks at the previous hearing to discuss the idea of Washington, DC, becoming a separate state. Lankford addressed his concerns with religious liberty in … Continue Reading
