Press Releases
Lankford, Gillibrand Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Call to Protect Civil Rights for People with Disabilities Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON, DC -Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) led a bipartisan, bicameral call on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to protect against disability discrimination in state and health provider responses to COVID-19. In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Attorney General William Barr, the bipartisan coalition called for HHS to notify states of their obligations to adhere to anti-discrimination laws-including the Americ… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Lankford Urges Senate to Pass Negotiated COVID-19 Aid Bill
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass the negotiated Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide relief to Oklahoma families, workers, and businesses. Lankford highlighted specific areas where the bill will help Oklahoma healthcare facilities, workers, families, and individuals. Transcript We're in the process of passing a very large economic package to help… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Lankford Gives Emotional Tribute of Fallen Hero TSgt. Marshal Roberts on Senate Floor
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today honored fallen hero Technical Sergeant Marshal Roberts of the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron, a unit of the 138th Fighter Wing of the Oklahoma National Guard on the floor of the Senate. TSgt. Roberts was one of two Americans killed in action in an overnight rocket attack in Iraq on March 11, 2020. Lankford joined Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Congressman Kevin Hern (R-OK-1) to offer condolences… Continue Reading
03.24.20
Lankford Blasts Continued ‘We’re Close’ Attitude on COVID-19 Aid Bill While Oklahomans Struggle
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's floor speech. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today questioned in frustration why the Senate cannot seem to get beyond the "2-yard line" on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to finally get the much-needed aid and economic stimulus money to small businesses, families, and individuals in Oklahoma and around the nation. Lankford highlighted several Oklahomans' phone calls to his office recently about how the Senate's inabi… Continue Reading
03.23.20
Lankford Frustrated with Partisan Politics While Nation Faces Health Crisis
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today took to the Senate floor to discuss the Senate's ongoing consideration of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which has now failed twice to receive the 60 votes needed to proceed due to partisan disagreements over a number of items-many of which Lankford cites as unrelated to the coronavirus-being negotiated. Lankford offered an amendment to help nonprofits by allowing chari… Continue Reading
03.22.20
Lankford Announces Overwhelming Support from Nonprofits on Amendment to Increase Charitable Giving Deduction
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today offered an amendment to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which would increase the bill's $300 limit on the charitable giving deduction to one-third of the standard deduction ($4,000 for an individual filer and $8,000 for married joint filers) for the 2020 tax year. Lankford's amendment is similar to the language of his Universal Charitable Giving Act, which Lankford first offered as a stand-alone bill in 2017. O… Continue Reading
03.22.20
Lankford Pushes to Increase Charitable Giving Deduction in Coronavirus Aid Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today offered an amendment to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARE) Act, which would increase the bill's $300 limit on the charitable giving deduction to one-third of the standard deduction ($4,000 for an individual filer and $8,000 for married joint filers) for the remainder of 2020. Lankford's amendment is similar to the language of his Universal Charitable Giving Act, which Lankford first offered as a stand-alone bill in 2017.… Continue Reading
03.21.20
Lankford, Van Hollen, Sinema Announce Bipartisan Legislation Requiring Federal Agencies to Maximize Telework for Employees
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) announced the Emergency Telework Act, legislation requiring federal agencies to maximize their telework policies for federal employees. During the current public health emergency, this legislation would give a clear directive to all federal agencies to allow all telework-eligible federal workers to telework full-time, unless there is a clear and compelling reason not to do so. It would furt… Continue Reading
03.20.20
Lankford, Inhofe Urge Investigation Into Russia and Saudi Arabia Excessive Dumping in Oil Markets
WASHINGTON, DC -Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) in a letter to US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross urging him to investigate excessive dumping of oil by Russia and Saudi Arabia that has destabilized global oil markets. Lankford and Inhofe were joined by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The full text of the letter to Secretary Ross can b… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Lankford Statement on Nomination of Russell Vought to Serve as OMB Director
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement after President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Russell Vought to serve as Director of Office of Management and Budget: "Russell Vought is the right person to serve our nation well as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. As the current Acting Director, he has two years of leadership experience with OMB and I am confident that he would continue to lead well as the Senate-confirmed head of the agenc… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Lankford Statement on Senate Passage of Coronavirus Economic Package
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following the vote on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which is the second bill addressing the coronavirus outbreak: "I just voted against the second COVID-19 bill in the Senate. I supported the $8.3 billion health care bill three weeks ago, but this bill has a new government mandate on small businesses, which was intended to help, but I fear it will make a bad situation worse for many Oklahoma businesses. We h… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Senator Lankford Talks Coronavirus, Economic Stimulus Package
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Sator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor about the outbreak of the coronavirus in terms of national and international health concerns and also in terms of its dramatic impact on our nation's economy. Lankford cited Oklahoma small business concerns about why the appropriate economic stimulus action is so important. Lankford believes the first priority in Congress should be to "do no harm," and that the Families First … Continue Reading
03.17.20
Lankford Statement on Senate Plans to Consider House Economic Package
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following an announcement by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on plans to vote on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which the House passed late last Friday: "This morning, the Senate received the House-passed economic package to address the financial impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, after holding the bill over the weekend to fix a number of errors from putting the text together so quickly last … Continue Reading
03.13.20
Lankford Statement on President Declaring a National Emergency
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following President Donald Trump's declaration of a National Emergency in response to the coronavirus outbreak: "President Trump's national emergency declaration provides the federal government additional resources to continue to respond to the coronavirus and remove unnecessary barriers to receiving access to care. Yesterday, I expressed my frustration to the Administration on the lack of communication and availability … Continue Reading
03.13.20
Lankford, Inhofe, Hern Statement on Staff SGT. Marshal Roberts
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) Jim Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Congressman Kevin Hern (OK-01) expressed deep sadness over the loss of two American service members in Iraq on Wednesday, including Staff Sergeant Marshal Roberts from the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron, a unit of the 138th Fighter Wing of the Oklahoma National Guard. "Wednesday's news is a painful reminder that our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and … Continue Reading
03.12.20
Lankford Joins Effort to Distance American Universities from Confucius Institutes
WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) seeks to minimize Chinese efforts to exert inappropriate influence on American university campuses through Confucius Institutes, which repress free speech and discourage transparency. Congressional efforts have led to the closure of many Institutes, yet many remain. Lankford and his colleagues are taking a two-part approach to ensure the existing Confucius Institutes in the US abide by standards of transparency and academic freedom. Lankford serves … Continue Reading
03.12.20
Lankford, Blackburn Advocate for the Immediate Return of US Pastor Being Held in India
WASHINGTON, DC -Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Congressmen Scott DesJarlais (TN-4) and Jody Hice (GA-10) sent a letter to the Indian Foreign Secretary to advocate for the return of Bryan Nerren of Shelbyville, Tennessee, to the United States. The Senators wrote, "We write to bring your attention to the case of Bryan Kevin Nerren Sr. of Shelbyville, Tennessee. We are immediately concerned with the health of the Nerren family, including Mr. Nerren's daughter with sp… Continue Reading
03.12.20
Lankford, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Disaster Recovery Process
WASHINGTON, DC -Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today introduced bipartisan legislation to provide support for local communities facing rising water levels, coastal erosion, and flooding that have put homes and property at risk, and caused millions of dollars in damages. The bipartisan bill would establish loans local governments could access to help mitigate the impact of rising water levels, coastal erosion, and other damage ca… Continue Reading
03.12.20
Lankford, Inhofe Applaud Oklahoma Judicial Nominee Passing Committee
WASHINGTON, DC - Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today applaud a 16-5 bipartisan vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Oklahoma attorney, Mr. John F. Heil, III, to serve as US District Judge for the Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma. Heil was nominated by President Trump on November 6, 2019. Lankford introduced Heil at his nomination hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee in January. "I'm grateful for the Senate Judiciary Commi… Continue Reading
03.11.20
Lankford Highlights His Solutions to Long-term Debt, Deficits
CLICK HERE to watch Lankford's remarks. WASHINGTON, DC - Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor to highlight government transparency bills moving through the final stages of the legislation process or recently passed that will ultimately help our nation address some of the long-term causes of our debt and deficit issues. Lankford highlighted four of his good-government bills that are successfully moving through the process: the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements T… Continue Reading
