Press Releases
Lankford Protects Taxpayers from Outdated Federal Leasing, Purchasing Processes
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today reintroduced a bill to reform federal leasing and purchasing guidelines and processes under the General Services Administration (GSA) to ensure the federal government is not paying too much for federal property leases and can shift from leased to owned when it saves the taxpayers money. "Outdated fe… Continue Reading
03.23.21
Lankford Presses Census Bureau for Answers on Delaying Records to States
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today sent a letter to Acting Director of the US Census Bureau to express his displeasure with the delay in getting data to states from the Census conducted in 2020. In the letter, Lankford stressed that the delay will jeopardize states' efforts to redraw their districts in time for state and federal elections. Lankford participated in a hearing for the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs entitled, "The 2020 Census and Current A… Continue Reading
03.23.21
Lankford Presses for Better, Smarter Census After 2020 Delays and $16 Billion Price Tag
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, today participated in a full-Committee hearing entitled, "The 2020 Census and Current Activities of the US Census Bureau," which focused on the escalating costs every ten years of Census taking and how to collect data more efficiently-especially after the 2020 Censu… Continue Reading
03.23.21
Lankford, Cornyn, Wyden Back Clarity for Human Trafficking Survivors
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to introduce the Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act, which would exempt civil damages, restitution, and other monetary awards given to human trafficking survivors from federal income taxes. It would also codify current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance that makes restitution payments made to survivors in criminal cases free from federal income taxes. "Americans who survive the a… Continue Reading
03.23.21
Lankford Opposes OMB Deputy Director Because She Would Compel American’s to Pay for Abortions
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today opposed the nomination of Shalanda Young to be deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Lankford spoke about Ms. Young directly expressing her support for taxpayer funding of abortion by eliminating the long-standing Hyde amendment during a business meeting to consider her nomination before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Her comments were in response to Lankford's post-hearing questions fo… Continue Reading
03.18.21
Lankford, Kaine Defend Open Internet in Hong Kong
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) today introduced the Safeguarding Internet Freedom in Hong Kong Act. Since July 2020, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has implemented a "national security law" that violates the basic freedoms of Hong Kongers including the freedom to peacefully assemble and the right to freely access and share information online. The bill supports firewall circumvention infrastructure in Hong Kong to strengthen the ability of the people to sh… Continue Reading
03.18.21
Lankford Wants to Extend Paycheck Protection Program to May 2021
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mike Crapo (R-ID), John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Josh Hawley (R-MO) to introduce legislation to extend the deadline for businesses and nonprofits to apply for loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to May 31, 2021. The legislation would… Continue Reading
03.17.21
Lankford Shines Light on Need for Transparency in Government, What They Need to Fix
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor during Senate Republicans' "Sunshine Week" in support of government transparency and the need to fully implement his Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act. In January 2021, Lankford applauded final passage of his Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act, which Lankford fought for since 2011. The Taxpayers Right-to-Know Act ensures completion of a functional federal program inventory that can be used … Continue Reading
03.17.21
Lankford Continues to Stand for Americans’ Right to Freely Live Their Faith
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today provided testimony during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on The Equality Act. Lankford testified against the legislation because it removes protections of one group in an attempt to protect another, which goes against America's basic constitutional principle. Lankford has been a confident and consistent voice to protect people and entities of faith. He recently wrote an opinion piece on the ide… Continue Reading
03.17.21
Lankford Wants Families to Safely Reunite with Loved Ones and Friends after Vaccinations
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled, "A National Tragedy: COVID-19 in the Nation's Nursing Homes," to ask what guidance the health-expert panel could provide on how and when vaccinated senior adults could receive visitors safely. He noted that Oklahoma and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have issued some, sometimes unaligned guidance. Lankford has pushed t… Continue Reading
03.17.21
Senate GOP Call Out Biden Administration for Escalating Border Crisis by Unlawfully Freezing Border Wall Funding
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined 39 Republican senators, led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, to send a letter to GAO Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro highlighting President Joe Biden's suspension of border wall funding and construction without lawful justification, as required by the Impoundment Control Act, amid the rapidly escalating crisis along the southern border. Lankford took a trip to … Continue Reading
03.16.21
Lankford Draws Attention To Crisis at Southern Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor about his trip to the Arizona border last weekend during which he visited the unfinished fencing on the southern border that was halted by the Biden Administration. President Biden called to end the National Emergency declaration at the southern border in one of his first acts as president. In February, Lankford also questioned President Biden's nominee to serve as Secretary of… Continue Reading
03.16.21
Lankford Seeks Solutions to Reduce US Dependence on Foreign Supply Chains
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine ways to enhance US research and development in innovative transportation technologies that reduce our reliance on foreign supply chains and increase US manufacturing. Lankford's questions on mineral availability and battery recycling were discussed with Mr. Edmund Adam Muellerweiss, the Chief Sustainability Officer at Cla… Continue Reading
03.16.21
Lankford, Paul Pen Letter to President Biden on Abrupt Firing of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission General Counsel
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Rand Paul (R-KY) led four cosigners in sending a letter to President Biden raising concerns about the sudden firing of Sharon Fast Gustafson, General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), after she rejected an ultimatum to step down. Lankford and Paul were joined by Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) on the letter. In Gustafson's letter, when refusing … Continue Reading
03.16.21
Lankford, Crapo, Risch Introduce State Fiscal Flexibility Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Jim Risch (R-ID) to introduce the "State Fiscal Flexibility Act", a bill to eliminate a provision in the American Rescue Plan that prevents states from using relief funds to cut taxes. "The Democrat's COVID bill included many surprises and elements that had little or nothing to do with COVID, including a new provision to block states from giving tax relief to their citizens. The federal government is way out o… Continue Reading
03.15.21
Lankford Opposes President Biden’s Pick to Lead Interior
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today opposed the nomination of Representative Debra Haaland (D-NM) to serve as the Secretary of the Interior, which was considered by the full Senate. Lankford questioned Haaland during a two-part hearing in February and noted her legislative record and testimony demonstrated her commitment to an unrealistic energy reality. "Oklahomans need an Interior Secretary that will support an all-of-the-above energy strategy and ensure we have reliable bas… Continue Reading
03.11.21
Lankford Backs Nonprofits on Senate floor, Outlines the Negative Impacts of the “COVID” bill
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor about the latest $1.9 trillion COVID bill President Biden is signing today, what was in it, and what was not in it that should have been. Lankford highlighted additional spending in the bill, which will lead to even more debt, when federal dollars remain unspent from the last COVID bill passed in December. Lankford discussed the additional assistance that nonprofits need, as th… Continue Reading
03.11.21
Lankford Presses Need for Resilient and Reliable All-of-the-Above Energy Sources
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the Reliability, Resiliency, and Affordability of Electric Service. Lankford pointed out how the Biden Administration wants the energy resources to be 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 but noted how long it takes to build the necessary infrastructure that supports renewable energy sources that support the needs of Americans.… Continue Reading
03.11.21
Lankford, Colleagues Work to Ensure Oklahomans Access to Rural Hospitals
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Closure Relief Act, which would support financially vulnerable rural hospitals facing risk of closure. The legislation would update Medicare's "Critical Access Hospital" (CAH) designation so more rural hospitals can qualify for this financial lifeline and continue to serve their communities with quality, affordable health care services. Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16) and… Continue Reading
03.10.21
Lankford, Inhofe Want to Preserve Sleep for Oklahoma Families By Making Daylight Saving Time Permanent
WASHINGTON, DC - Oklahoma's Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to reintroduce the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent across the country. The Senators were joined by Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Ed Markey (D-MA) in the reintroduction. Fifteen states-Arkansas, Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Id… Continue Reading
