Press Releases
Lankford Issues Statement on UAE’s Normalization of Relations with Israel
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) issued the following statement today after the State Department announced that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have reached an agreement to normalize relations between the two nations: "Any day we can talk about inching closer to peace in the Middle East is a good day. The UAE is the first Arab state to normalize relations with Israel since Israel's treaty with Jordan in 1994, and today's agreement is arguably the most significant peace deve… Continue Reading
08.13.20
Lankford Leads Letter to Urge USAID to Prevent US from Funding Abortions, Abortion Advocacy Abroad
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today led a bicameral letter to the Acting Administrator for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) John Barsa to urge him to protect American taxpayer dollars during the coronavirus pandemic from funding pro-abortion lobbying or advocacy efforts in other countries via the United Nations (UN) in violation of the Siljander Amendment, which prevents State Department funds from being use… Continue Reading
08.12.20
Lankford Joins Letter to Treasury to End Tax Breaks for Abortion
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) in a bicameral letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to call for new regulations to end tax breaks for abortion under the guise of health care. Lankford and Braun are joined by 101 additional bicameral signers. "Abortion is not healthcare. Any procedure where a successful outcome is the death of a living human being - born or unborn - is not healthcare. That's why we're calling for new regulations to … Continue Reading
08.10.20
Lankford Announces Bipartisan Bill to Maximize Telework Flexibility for Federal Agencies
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) today announced the bipartisan Pandemic Federal Telework Act, which would maximize telework for federal employees for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Senators previously introduced similar legislation, the Emergency Telework Act at the onset of this crisis to ensure that agencies and federal employees across the country have the tools they need to provide effective, effic… Continue Reading
08.07.20
Lankford, Loeffler Lead Senate Colleagues in Call to Investigate Planned Parenthood
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - US Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) led more than two dozen senators in calling on the U.S. Department of Treasury to investigate Planned Parenthood's abuse of the taxpayer-funded Paycheck Protection Program, and separately calling on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to expand its ongoing investigation of Planned Parenthood in the wake of new evidence of criminal activity. In a letter to Treasury, Lankford and Loeffler led 27 of their Senate col… Continue Reading
08.07.20
Lankford, Colleagues Introduce Comprehensive Veterans Benefits Package
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, to introduce the Veteran Benefits Enhancement and Expansion Act of 2020 to improve benefits for veterans in the areas of education, pensions, and survivor benefits, among others. This legislation is cosponsored by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Steve Daines (R-MT), Susan Collins (R-ME), and John Boozman (R-AR). Companion legislation was … Continue Reading
08.06.20
Lankford Spotlights False Reports about Federal Agents in Portland
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today participated in a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf entitled, "Oversight of DHS Personnel Deployments to Recent Protests." Lankford asked Acting Secretary Wolf to thank members of his law enforcement teams on the ground in Portland, Oregon, and around the country for enduring very dangerous situations amid a persi… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Lankford Moves Bill to End Government Shutdowns
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today took an important step to move his bipartisan Prevent Government Shutdowns Act forward in the legislative process. The bill would set up an automatic continuing resolution (CR) at the current spending level if an agreement on funding has not been enacted at the end of any fiscal year. It will also mandate that if the appropriations work is not done on time, all members of Congress must stay in Washington DC and work seven days a week, until th… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Lankford Statement on Lebanon Explosion
Lankford Statement on Lebanon Explosion WASHINGTON DC- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement on the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon: "My family grieves with the thousands of affected families in Lebanon. Prior to yesterday's tragedy, Lebanon was at a critical point due to the economic and security challenges facing the Lebanese people, worsened by regional terrorism, the Syrian civil war, financial mismanagement and a global pandemic. In the aftermath of yesterday's explosio… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Lankford Highlights His Priorities, Frustrations in COVD-19 Relief Proposals
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today shared his priorities for the ongoing coronavirus relief legislation conversations and shared some of his frustrations with the proposals so far. Lankford highlighted proposals to update the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), individual assistance payments, and other positive areas of the CARES Act. However, Lankford also addressed partisan politics in the on… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Lankford, Inhofe Join Bill to Provide Certainty For Permit Program for Oklahoma Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce a bill to allow critical infrastructure project proponents to continue relying on the nationwide permit (NWP) program in light of recent court decisions. Along with Inhofe and Lankford, cosponsors on the bill include Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Li… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Lankford, Inhofe Join Bill to Provide Certainty For Permit Program for Oklahoma Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) this week in introducing a bill to allow critical infrastructure project proponents to continue relying on the nationwide permit (NWP) program in light of recent court decisions. Along with Inhofe and Lankford, cosponsors on the bill include Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Thom Til… Continue Reading
08.04.20
Lankford Announces Tulsa-native as Healthcare Legislative Assistant
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today announced that Ms. Cambridge Neal will fill the role of Legislative Assistant for all healthcare issues under both the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committees, including Medicare, Medicaid, rural health, and the overall response to the coronavirus pandemic. "Cambridge has already served as a valuable resource to bring Oklahomans' issues to Washington to get them resolved, and I know she will bring that same tenacit… Continue Reading
07.30.20
Lankford Honors the Life and Legacy of Civil Rights Champion Rep. John Lewis
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. CLICK HERE to download Lankford's speech from Box. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today paid tribute to the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) with whom Lankford served in the House of Representatives. Lankford praised Lewis for his long legacy as a civil rights leader and for his faith background and its emphasis on why he felt our nation needed race reconciliations. Lankford recognized several of Lewis's many accomplishments to move our … Continue Reading
07.28.20
Lankford Chairs Hearing to Assess Federal Agency Telework Best Practices from Private-sector Experiences
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's opening remarks. CLICK HERE to watch Part I of Lankford's Q&A. CLICK HERE to watch Part II of Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today chaired a hearing of the Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management entitled, "Modernizing Telework: Review of Private Sector Telework Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic," to speak to leaders in telework of the private sector to help Congress assess… Continue Reading
07.28.20
Lankford Advocates for Continued Rural Health Access
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor to advocate for rural access to healthcare by calling on his Senate colleagues to include his Rural Hospital Relief Act in any legislation addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would be a permeant solution to update Medicare's Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation so more rural hospitals can qualify for this financial lifeline and continue to serve their communit… Continue Reading
07.28.20
Lankford, Inhofe, Mullin Respond to ODAVA's COVID Update
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Representative Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) made the following statements today after an update from the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs on their response to coronavirus, specifically regarding the impact at the Claremore Veterans Center. CLICK HERE to read the update press release. "I am thankful the Claremore Veterans Center has taken swift action to address the tragic outbreak of COVID-19 cases and deaths at the fa… Continue Reading
07.28.20
Lankford Pushes Administration Officials To Break Supply Chain Dependence with China
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's Q&A. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials during a Senate Committee on Finance hearing entitled, "Protecting the Reliability of the US Medical Supply Chain During the COVID-19 Pandemic." Lankford questioned dependence on China, who earlier this year prevented companies from shipping Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the height of the pandemic, whic… Continue Reading
07.24.20
Lankford’s Bipartisan Bill to Extend Critical Counterterrorism Program Signed into Law
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - President Trump signed into law this week a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and other Senate colleagues to strengthen our national security by extending the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program for three years. The program, created in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, ensures that facilities holding high-risk chemicals have security measures in place to reduce t… Continue Reading
07.23.20
Lankford Supports Annual National Defense Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today supported the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (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 will authorize $740.5 billion in funding to support military construction projects, push a strong US national defense strategy, care for military families and the civilian workforce, regain US military advant… Continue Reading
