Press Releases
Lankford Joins Wicker on Amicus Brief in Support of Religious Freedom in Nation’s Capital
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), today to file an amicus brief on behalf of 33 Senators supporting Capitol Hill Baptist Church's lawsuit against the Mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser. Mayor Bowser has permitted and participated in several mass protests in recent months. However, the city's COVID-19 regulations prohibit a religious gathering of more than 100 individuals outdoors. The Senators argue that the selective enforcement of the Dis… Continue Reading
10.07.20
Lankford Joins Wicker on Amicus Brief in Support of Religious Freedom in Nation’s Capitol
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Roger Wicker, (R-MS), today to file an amicus brief on behalf of 33 Senators supporting Capitol Hill Baptist Church's lawsuit against the Mayor of Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser. Mayor Bowser has permitted and participated in several mass protests in recent months. However, the city's COVID-19 regulations prohibit a religious gathering of more than 100 individuals outdoors. The Senators argue that the selective enforcement of the Di… Continue Reading
10.07.20
Lankford, Shaheen, & King Introduce Bipartisan ‘DRIVE LESS’ Act to Save Taxpayers $500 Million
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Angus King (I-ME) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to save taxpayer dollars by reducing the federal funding available for the acquisition and leasing of new federal vehicles. The Domestic Reduction In Vehicle Expenditure and Lowering Emissions from State Sources Act, or the DRIVE LESS Act, aims to significantly improve federal agencies' fleet management by establishing standards for vehicle utilization and m… Continue Reading
10.01.20
Lankford Statement on Schumer’s Politically Motivated Health Care Vote
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement after the Senate voted on a health care bill offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): "Today's vote was not on a serious proposal; it was an exercise in political theater. Senator Schumer's procedural move to bring this bill to the floor was not to ensure quality health care for Americans; it was simply another effort to try to hamstring the Trump Administration. In fact, not even 24 hours ago, S… Continue Reading
09.30.20
Lankford Statement on Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued the following statement on the passage of a Continuing Resolution to fund the government at current levels through December 11, 2020: "Funding the government by continuing resolution is never ideal because it doesn't give Congress the ability to make necessary funding adjustments through the regular, albeit broken, budget and spending process. We do not need to put the country through the threat of yet another costly and needless shutd… Continue Reading
09.30.20
Lankford Denounces Attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Faith
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today addressed the Senate with an impassioned affirmation of the US Constitution's protections for all Americans to have a faith and live that faith or have no faith at all, especially amid rising concerns that the Catholic faith of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, somehow disqualifies her from being able to ser… Continue Reading
09.30.20
Lankford Votes in Homeland Security Committee to Support Chad Wolf to Lead DHS
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted in favor of the confirmation of Chad Wolf to serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during a Business Meeting of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Wolf began serving as Acting Secretary of DHS in November 2019. President Trump nominated Acting Secretary Wolf to serve as Secretary on August 27, 2020. "I believe Chad Wolf will serve our nation well as the Secretary of DHS, and I look forwar… Continue Reading
09.29.20
Lankford Congratulates Oklahoma’s 2020 Blue Ribbon Schools
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today offers his congratulations to the six Oklahoma schools selected as 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools. “It is an honor for the entire state of Oklahoma that these great schools received national recognition for excellence,” said Lankford. “Oklahoma school systems have stepped up to the plate during the COVID-19 pandemic to help keep students engaged and learning during these difficult times. Oklahomans remain proud of our teachers, administrat… Continue Reading
09.26.20
Lankford Statement on President’s Nominee to Fill the Supreme Court Vacancy
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued a statement after President Trump announced he nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy: "I look forward to meeting Judge Barrett and considering her nomination to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Her distinguished professional resume includes a law degree from University of Notre Dame, clerking for Justice Antonin Scalia, teaching law at her alma mater, and serving on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. She is… Continue Reading
09.26.20
Lankford Issues Statement on Executive Order to Protect Newborn Children
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) released the following statement after President Trump signed an Executive Order Protecting Vulnerable Newborn and Infant Children: "President Trump took an extraordinary step to protect newborns, pre-mature babies, and infant lives. If a child is delivered and is alive, they should be protected by federal law and provided full medical care. In America, every child should matter to every person. Thank you, President Trump, for ensuring every c… Continue Reading
09.25.20
Senator Lankford’s The Breakdown Discusses COVID-19 Vaccine
CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast. CLICK HERE to watch the podcast. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Office of Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today released an episode his podcast, The Breakdown with James Lankford. Joining the Senator is FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD to discuss the FDA's role in the development of a safe vaccine in response to COVID-19. Lankford recently spoke on the Senate floor on his support for the Senate Republican plan that would provide additional targeted relief, which i… Continue Reading
09.24.20
Lankford, Johnson, Portman Want to Remove Unnecessary Regulations that Weakened Pandemic Preparedness
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), chairman of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, Ron Johnson (R-WI), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Rob Portman (R-OH), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, 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 … Continue Reading
09.24.20
Lankford Seeks to Enact Long-term Solutions to Remove Regulatory Red Tape
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced a package of three bills to address regulatory deficiencies and misguided agency directives. Lankford introduced the Give Useful Information to Define Effective (GUIDE) Compliance Act, the Safeguarding Awards for Victims and Enforcement Settlements (SAVES) Act, and the Better Evaluation of Science and Technology (BEST) Act. Lankford has supported these solutions in previous Congresses and/or has offered them in his Federal Fumbles g… Continue Reading
09.24.20
Lankford Questions National Security Officials on Recent Violence in the US, Election Security Threats
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. CLICK HERE to download Lankford's Q&A from Box. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned national security officials in a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing entitled "Threats to the Homeland," an annual hearing that seeks to address some of the most pressing issues facing US national security and the ways in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), and … Continue Reading
09.23.20
Lankford Wants to Take Government Shutdowns Off the Table By Putting Pressure on Congress, Not Americans
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today provided an update on the Senate's ongoing negotiations for the next phase of coronavirus economic relief and on the status of federal funding ahead of the September 30 deadline to avoid another government shutdown. Lankford said there's no reason Congress should even be discussing a shutdown if the Senate had passed his bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act. Lankford's bill would prevent a g… Continue Reading
09.23.20
Lankford, Cramer, Hoeven, Capito, Rep. Marchant Push to Eliminate Wind Tax Credit
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) along with Representative Kenny Marchant (R-TX) today introduced legislation to completely phase out the federal production tax credit (PTC) for renewables. The bill specifies that any new projects would need to begin construction by the end of this year in order to qualify for the credit, as is the case under current law. This affirms that the extension for 2020 is the last … Continue Reading
09.23.20
Lankford Introduces Bill to Prevent Medicaid Money from Supporting Abortion-Providers
WASHINGTON, DC - US Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Women's Public Health and Safety Act, S. 4658, which gives states the authority to exclude abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. Under current law, states are required to allow any qualified provider to participate in a state's Medicaid system. A non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) report revealed that Planned Parenthood received $1.2 billion in Medicaid reimbursements ov… Continue Reading
09.23.20
Lankford Questions Nominee to Head Department of Homeland Security
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's opening remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned Acting Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf during his nomination hearing to serve as the Senate confirmed head of the agency. Lankford's questions focused on unrest in US cities and protecting our US-Mexico border, including the trends he has seen between 2019 and 2020 with the flow of people and how that has altered during the COVID-19 pandemic. ###… Continue Reading
09.23.20
Lankford, Loeffler Lead Charge to Defend Women and Girls in Sports
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Mike Lee (R-UT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to make it a violation of Title IX for a school that receives federal education funds to permit a biological male to participate in a program designated for women and girls. Under the bill, schools that allow biological males to compete against women and girls in sports-disrupting the goals establis… Continue Reading
09.21.20
Lankford Statement on Filling Supreme Court Vacancy
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement regarding the timing on the Senate voting to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court: "I look forward to considering and voting on President Trump's nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy before the end of the year. If the President puts forward a nomination, the Senate has the authority to provide advice and consent, and I take this role very seriously. Confirming a Supreme Court nominee during a presidential e… Continue Reading
