Press Releases
Lankford Opposes Gun-control Advocate Nominee to Lead ATF
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) released the following statement after voting to oppose the nomination of Steven Dettelbach, who was confirmed today to serve as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) within the Department of Justice (DOJ): "After pulling the nomination of gun-control radical David Chipman to run ATF, Biden picked another gun-control advocate in Steven Dettelbach. I cannot support his nomination. Mr. Dettelbach's record as a US … Continue Reading
07.12.22
Lankford Aims to Create Parity within Indian Health Care System
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) was joined today by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), both members of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, to introduce the Urban Indian Health Confer Act to amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to confer with urban Indian organizations about health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban areas-a critical step that will create parity within the Indian Health … Continue Reading
07.05.22
Lankford, Cotton, Colleagues Protect Children from “Gender-Transition” Surgery
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Steve Daines (R-MT) to introduce the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act, which would allow individuals who suffered experimental and potentially sterilizing gender-transition procedures as minors to seek justice in court. Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) is leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives. "Before a child is allowed to vote or… Continue Reading
07.05.22
Lankford, Rubio, Colleagues Move to Block Biden from Declaring Federal Emergency for Abortions
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to introduce the Prohibiting Federal Emergencies for Abortion Act to prohibit the Biden Administration and any future Administration from declaring a federal emergency to expand abortion… Continue Reading
07.01.22
Lankford Breaks Down Rising Energy Prices on the Latest Episode of His Podcast
CLICK HERE to watch the podcast on YouTube. CLICK HERE to listen on SoundCloud. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - The Office of Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today released the latest episode of The Breakdown with James Lankford. In this episode, Lankford is joined by Chairman of Market and Investment Strategy for JP Morgan Asset Management, Michael Cembalest, to discuss the skyrocketing energy prices affecting every American and spurring on inflation. Lankford and Cembalest also talked about the lack of … Continue Reading
06.30.22
Lankford Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Stop Executive Overreach on Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today released a statement on the Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA. The Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act does not provide EPA the authority to cap greenhouse gas emissions: "The Supreme Court affirmed again the basic Constitutional fact that our nation has three equal branches of government and the responsibility of enacting laws lies solely with the Congress, not unelected bureaucrats. The EPA clearly overreached their a… Continue Reading
06.30.22
Lankford Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Removing Policy Which Kept Asylum Seekers in Mexico
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK), the lead Republican on the Border Management Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee with jurisdiction over the southern border, is disappointed in the decision by the Supreme Court to allow the Biden Administration to start rolling back the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy. "It is not unreasonable to expect the President of the United States to secure t… Continue Reading
06.29.22
Lankford: Supreme Court Decision Must Increase Collaboration between Oklahoma and Tribal Law Enforcement
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today offered the following statement after the Supreme Court held in a 5-4 decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta that the federal government and the states can prosecute crimes committed by non-tribal members against tribal members in Indian country: "Since the 2020 Supreme Court decision in McGirt, the FBI has been overwhelmed prosecuting criminal cases in Oklahoma. The Supreme Court's decision today affirms the responsibility of federal and… Continue Reading
06.27.22
Lankford, Inhofe Celebrate OU Women’s Softball Team WCWS Title
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) made the following comments after the Senate passed S.Res.700 congratulating the University of Oklahoma Sooners softball team on winning the 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women's College World Series (WCWS). "Oklahoma is proud of the women of OU softball and now the US Senate has formally recognized and celebrated the OU Softball team for their sixth national championship win," said Lankford. "Th… Continue Reading
06.27.22
Lankford Celebrates Victory for Religious Liberty with Supreme Court Decision in Favor of Coach Kennedy
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today celebrated a big victory for religious freedom when the Supreme Court held 6-3 in favor of Coach Joe Kennedy in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District that "the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment protect an individual engaging in a personal religious observance from government reprisal" and that "the Constitution neither mandates nor permits the government to suppress such religious expression." This decision reverse… Continue Reading
06.24.22
Lankford Overjoyed the Supreme Court Chose Life
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today celebrated the biggest win for life in a generation when the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey to allow decisions about abortions to return to elected representatives. In its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the Court ruled that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and that the authority to protect life at all stages falls to the American people. "Today … Continue Reading
06.23.22
Lankford Statement on Safer Communities Act
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following his no vote on the Safer Communities Act, the proposed gun legislation being rushed through the Senate this week: "As a nation, we should expect that every child can go to school safely. This bill wasn't just mental health and school safety; it also created new gun limits in ways that will not solve the problem and does not protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. It incentivizes states to adopt … Continue Reading
06.23.22
Lankford Applauds Supreme Court Decision Upholding Second Amendment
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) applauded the victory for the Constitution today after the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision written by Justice Thomas in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, which held that "New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth Amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their right to keep and bear arms in public:" "Today's ruling by the Supreme Court in Bruen is a… Continue Reading
06.23.22
Lankford Recognizes 50th Anniversary of Title IX
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, a law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance: "Today marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1972 to ensure equal access and opportunity for men and women in education. Fifty years later, women are fighting again for the right to participate equally as they … Continue Reading
06.23.22
Lankford, Colleagues Call on Biden Administration to Reverse Plan to Illegally Create Unofficial US Consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY-01) to lead more than 80 Members of Congress in releasing a bicameral joint statement, calling on the Biden Administration to reverse course on its plan to erode the full and faithful implementation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 by moving the Palestinian Affairs Unit (PAU) out of the US Ambassador to Israel's reporting chain of command and renaming the PAU the "US Office o… Continue Reading
06.22.22
Lankford Advocates for Oklahomans To Save For Retirement While Offering Access to Funds for Emergencies
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's opening statement on YouTube. CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's opening statement on Rumble. WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) provided opening remarks during a Senate Finance Committee markup of the Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act, also known as SECURE 2.0. The bill includes Lankford's Enhancing Emergency and Retirement Savings Act, Improving Access to Retirement Savings Act and Military Spouses Retirement Security Act. The bill passed the … Continue Reading
06.21.22
Lankford, Daines Slam TikTok CEO for Enabling Spread of Pro-war Propaganda to Russian Public
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Steve Daines (R-MT) led a group of their colleagues to demand answers from the CEO of TikTok on their disinformation practices in Russia. Specifically, Lankford and his colleagues want answers on why TikTok caved to the Kremlin and banned users from Russia from seeing any content other than Russian state-approved media, creating an information blackout. "Recent reports indicate TikTok… has allowed Russian state media to flood the platf… Continue Reading
06.21.22
Lankford Applauds Supreme Court Decision to Affirm Once Again that Faith-Based Organizations Can Partner with Government
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today applauded a Supreme Court 6-3 ruling in Carson v. Makin. This case builds upon past Supreme Court rulings, including Trinity Lutheran v. Comer and Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that have upheld the free exercise of religion. This case examined whether Maine violated the religion clauses of the United States Constitution by prohibiting families from using the state's tuition assistance program at religious schools. "Once again, t… Continue Reading
06.17.22
Lankford Named United Way Champion
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK- Senator James Lankford (R-OK) received the United Way Champion Award for his leadership on the universal charitable deduction and overall support for our nation's charities and nonprofits. The award was presented to Lankford by Debby Hampton, the CEO of the United Way of Central Oklahoma. "Over the last few years, we have been reminded again of the powerful impact that nonprofits have on our communities," said Lankford. "We have three safety nets in America: families, nonpro… Continue Reading
06.17.22
Lankford Recognized for His Work to Combat Wasteful Spending, Lower our Debt, and Stop Overspending
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) received the Fix the Debt Fiscal Hero Award for 2022 from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Fiscal Heroes is an award that recognizes Senators and House Members who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating leadership on issues of fiscal responsibility, pushing party leaders to confront the growing national debt, voting responsibly, and raising awareness about debt's dangers to improving the nation's fiscal condition. "Whet… Continue Reading
