Press Releases
Lankford, Carper Prioritize Scholarships for Military Spouses & Children of Fallen Servicemembers
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Tom Carper (D-DE) today introduced the Fry Scholarship Enhancement Act of 2021 to ensure surviving spouses and children of servicemembers who die as a result of a service-connected illness or injury have access to the benefits we owe them, some of which are currently tied up in eligibility timeframes that need to be corrected in law. Currently, if a veteran dies from a service-connected injury or illness within 120 days from release from activ… Continue Reading
04.13.21
Lankford Brings Oklahomans’ Frustrations with IRS Delays, Backlogs, and Filing Issues to Head of IRS
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A on YouTube. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing entitled, "The 2021 Filing Season and 21st Century IRS," in which he asked Oklahomans' questions of the hearing's witness, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig, about delays in processing tax returns due to COVID-19-related backlogs, issues surrounding Economic Impact Payments (EIP) and previous tax debt, and how to hand… Continue Reading
04.13.21
Lankford, Hagerty, Cotton Lead Senators In Asking FBI to Investigate If Biden Nominee Improperly Disclosed Classified Information
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) along with 15 other senators in a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking an immediate investigation into whether Dr. Colin Kahl, President Joe Biden's nominee to be Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, after leaving government employment, publicly disclosed classified information and controlled unclassified information; discussed classified information and controlled unc… Continue Reading
04.06.21
Lankford, Grassley Voice Concerns with Biden Administration Reopening Palestinian Office in US
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent a cautionary letter to the Biden Administration following reports that they are reportedly considering allowing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) to unconditionally re-open its Washington office, which would violate the terms set forth in Lankford's Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, which became law in December 2019. Under the new law, in order to have an office within… Continue Reading
04.01.21
Lankford, Colleagues Want Relief from Unworkable Renewable Fuel Standard
WASHINGTON, DC- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) to continue to work toward relieving the economic burden of the job-killing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on oil refining states. Lankford and Toomey along with 11 of their colleagues sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to ask him to waive or reduce the renewable volume requirements under the RFS. "We request your timely consideration of this request as obligated parties… Continue Reading
03.29.21
Lankford: Halt Turkey’s Access to America’s F-35 Technology
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) sent a letter today to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to ensure that work to remove Turkey from the supply chain of America's elite military technology, the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter, is accelerated and completed. Lankford has led the effort in Congress to prevent Turkey from having access to US F-35 technology since it purchased the S-400 system from Russia. He authored the provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (FY20 N… Continue Reading
03.26.21
Lankford, Lee, Colleagues Introduce US-UK Free Trade Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Rick Scott (R-FL) to introduce a resolution recognizing the mutual history and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, and expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States President should lay the groundwork for a mutually advantageous future trade agreement between the US and the UK. "The United Kingdom is one of… Continue Reading
03.26.21
Lankford Wants to Remove Federal Roadblocks that Weakened Pandemic Preparedness
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management, along with Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mike Braun (R-IN), and John Barrasso (R-WY) today introduced the Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Act, which would help Congress repeal or modify regulations that have impeded our nation's ability to rapidly respond to the coronavirus pandemic and/or that would impede response to a future pande… Continue Reading
03.25.21
Lankford Offers Solution for Oklahoma Small Businesses, Opposes Loans to Planned Parenthood
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. CLICK HERE to download Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor in support of his amendment to a bill to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through May 31, 2021. Lankford's amendment would allow Schedule C filers, including sole proprietor small businesses, who already received PPP loans to be covered under new Small Business Administration (SBA) rules regarding income calculations. Alt… Continue Reading
03.25.21
Lankford Points Out The Reality of Hitting Zero Emissions By 2050
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a hearing with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Nuclear Energy. During his questioning, Senator Lankford focused on the role of nuclear energy in our current generation mix and its prospects for the future. He noted in his questioning that to get to zero emissions by 2050 that over 100 nuclear energy facilities would have to be built to provide reliable, sustainabl… Continue Reading
03.24.21
Lankford Calls Out Biden Administration Doublespeak on Emergency at Southern Border
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. CLICK HERE to download Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today addressed the media at a press conference with senators who are drawing attention to the obvious crisis and emergency at our southern border despite President Biden's announcement on January 20, 2021, that the emergency at our southern border had ended, calling on a halt of border wall construction and technology installation. Lankford took a trip to the … Continue Reading
03.24.21
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
