Help with a Federal Agency - Senator James Lankford

When you need an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have experienced unfair treatment from a federal government agency, my office is happy to try to get you the information you need or help resolve the problem. While I cannot guarantee you a favorable outcome, my staff and I will do our best to help you receive a fair and timely response to your question.

Residents of the State of Oklahoma can contact my office for assistance in dealing with federal agencies. Please email Casework_Lankford@lankford.senate.gov, call my Oklahoma City office at 405-231-4941, or my Tulsa office at 918-581-7651, and a member of my staff will assist you.

Provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 require your expressed written permission for my office to request information from any federal agency on your behalf. The agency in question will not correspond with us regarding your personal information without prior receipt of this signed release. This includes providing your full legal name and social security number on the release form.

Required documents for immigration cases only

USCIS Privacy Release

Along with Senator Lankford’s privacy release form, the separate release form above is required for any case involving U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services or related immigration matters.

Required documents for TRICARE and Defense Health cases only

DD2870 (HIPPA Form)

In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we can share protected health information (PHI) only after receiving a signed Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information form-commonly known as a HIPAA release form (DD 2870). The Department of Defense is required to use this release form.

Required documents for Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cases only

Signed and Dated Copy of Your Federal Tax Return for the Year in Question

Our IRS caseworker is happy to inquire on your behalf to the Taxpayer Advocate Service, but your assigned advocate will need a complete signed and dated copy of your [tax year] federal tax return.

What we cannot do

We cannot investigate

We cannot investigate allegations of misconduct, fraud, waste, or abuse by individuals, agencies, organizations, or tribes.

We cannot dictate agency decisions

We cannot order a federal agency to expedite, rule in your favor, appeal a decision, or waive their policies.

My staff members can request status updates, ask for reconsideration, and ensure your case gets a careful second look. We cannot force a decision or jump the queue ahead of other Oklahomans with similar cases.

We cannot influence the courts

We cannot overturn or influence a judge’s decision.

Separation of powers means a Senator’s office stays out of judicial matters. If your issue is pending in federal court, you’ll need to work through your attorney, not through my office.

We cannot provide legal advice or act as your attorney

My constituent services staff are caseworkers, not lawyers. We can explain how a process works, share where to find legal aid, and refer you to Oklahoma Bar Association resources — but we cannot give legal advice or represent you.

We cannot help non-Oklahomans

We can only assist Oklahoma residents.

Senate offices are limited to constituents of the state they represent. If you live outside Oklahoma, please contact your own US Senator’s office. Contact information can be found at senate.gov.