Dear
Oklahoma
Friends
and
Neighbors,
After
being
in
Oklahoma
for
two
weeks
for
a
state
work
period
around
Passover
and
Easter,
Congress
returned
to
Washington
with
major
issues
to
tackle.
Thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
update
you
on
what
is
happening
in
Washington
and
for
the
honor
of
serving
you.
We
Remember
Last
weekend,
we
remembered
the
168
souls
that
were
taken
20
years
ago
in
the
violent
domestic
terrorist
attack
at
the
Alfred
P.
Murrah
Federal
Building.
Oklahomans
marked
the
20th
anniversary
through
acts
of
service,
and
the
Oklahoma
Standard
transcended
as
we
remembered.
We
continue
to
show
America
that
our
spirit
cannot
be
broken
and
that
we
will
forever
remember
those
who
were
lost
on
April
19,
1995.
![](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/Bombing_Anniversary.png)
Iran
Nuclear
Negotiations
The
more
Americans
learn
about
the
Iran
nuclear
weapons
agreement,
the
more
concerns
we
have
with
the
current
negotiations
allowing
Iran
possession
of
a
nuclear
bomb.
As
Iran
becomes
a
greater
threat
in
the
region,
it
is
essential
that
the
American
people
speak
out.
The
only
way
to
remove
the
present
authority
to
waive
sanctions
and
make
a
nuclear
agreement,
is
through
the
passage
of
legislation
by
a
veto
proof
majority.
Last
week,
the
Senate
Foreign
Relations
Committee
unanimously
approved
legislation
allowing
Congress
to
review
and
potentially
reject
President
Obama's
nuclear
deal
with
Iran.
The
strong
bipartisan
support
of
this
bill
reflects
the
major
concerns
Americans
have
with
the
nuclear
negotiations
with
Iran.
Next
week,
the
Iran
sanctions
bill,
S.615,
will
come
before
the
full
Senate.
To
read
more
about
my
thoughts
on
the
Iran
nuclear
weapons
deal,
CLICK
HERE.
#CutRedTape
Initiative
In
March,
I
launched
the
#CutRedTape
Initiative
with
my
Democrat
counterpart
on
the
Subcommittee
on
Regulatory
Affairs
and
Federal
Management,
Senator
Heidi
Heitkamp
(D-ND).
The
purpose
of
this
initiative
is
to
allow
American
families
and
business
owners
the
opportunity
to
effectively
communicate
how
federal
regulations
impact
them.
As
the
Nations
federal
rulemaking
process
has
become
overly
complicated
and
unaccountable,
burdensome
regulations
have
increased.
For
years,
there
hasnt
been
a
way
for
the
general
public
to
communicate
examples
of
harmful
regulations
to
the
Senate,
but
with
the
#CutRedTape
Initiative,
Americans
will
have
an
online
portal
to
share
their
stories
and
insight.
The
goal
of
the
#CutRedTape
initiative
is
to
finally
give
a
voice
to
the
American
people
to
share
their
stories
with
relevant
federal
agencies,
and
bring
common
sense
ideas
that
will
improve
the
regulatory
process.
I
want
to
hear
your
story.
How
do
federal
regulations
impact
you?
How
can
we
cut
red
tape
in
your
life
or
place
of
work?
To
submit
an
entry,
visit
the
#CutRedTape
Initiative
website
HERE.
Medicare
Reimbursement
Formula
Since
Republicans
have
assumed
the
majority
in
the
Senate,
weve
made
real
progress.
Recently,
we
debated
a
two
decade-old
problem
that
pushed
doctors
and
other
providers
out
of
Medicare.
Last
week,
the
Senate
passed
a
bill
that
modernizes
and
fixes
the
Medicare
Sustainable
Growth
Rate,
commonly
referred
to
as
SGR
or
the
doc-fix.
The
measure,
signed
by
President
Obama
on
April
17,
2015,
will
ensure
seniors
on
Medicare
will
not
lose
access
to
their
doctors
because
the
reimbursement
formula
isnt
working.
This
is
a
permanent
solution
to
a
20
year
old
problem.
Justice
for
Victims
of
Trafficking
Act
This
week,
the
Senate
approved
the
Justice
for
Victims
of
Trafficking
Act.
The
bill
improves
law
enforcements
ability
to
target
traffickers
purchasing
sex
or
labor
from
a
victim
and
hold
them
accountable
under
this
law.
The
bill
also
creates
a
fund
to
increase
the
resources
available
for
victims
and
formally
recognizes
child
pornography
production
as
a
form
of
human
trafficking.
If
you
have
followed
this
bill
in
the
media,
you
are
aware
that
Democrats
stalled
debate
on
the
bill
because
of
a
provision
prohibiting
the
use
of
federal
funds
to
pay
for
abortion
procedures,
which
has
been
a
part
of
federal
legislation
since
1976.
After
six
weeks
of
delay,
the
bill
finally
had
the
support
to
come
to
the
floor
for
a
vote.
Its
estimated
there
are
more
than
14,000
sex
and
labor
trafficking
victims
each
year
in
America.
These
victims
face
unspeakable
abuses.
The
bill
adds
protective
measures
to
support
the
victims,
and
creates
a
Human
Trafficking
Advisory
Council
composed
of
survivors
to
provide
recommendations
to
the
federal
government.
Im
pleased
this
important
legislation
cleared
the
Senate
and
that
a
consensus
could
finally
be
amicably
reached.
Keeping
You
In
The
Loop
-
Next
week,
I
will
chair
a
hearing
on
the
Regulatory
Judicial
Review
Process.
The
hearing
will
focus
on
the
proper
role
of
Judicial
Review
within
the
federal
regulatory
process.
To
learn
more,
CLICK
HERE.
-
In
two
weeks,
our
D.C.
staff
will
finally
have
an
office
space,
which
will
be
located
in
the
Hart
Senate
office
building,
room
316.
New
Senators
normally
wait
about
five
months
for
permanent
office
space,
as
the
rooms
are
transitioned
from
previous
Senators.
-
Last
week,
the
Senate
Committee
on
Health,
Education,
Labor
&
Pensions
(HELP
Committee)
unanimously
passed
the
Elementary
and
Secondary
Education
Act
(ESEA
Reauthorization),
a
measure
that
will
repeal
and
replace
the
No
Child
Left
Behind
Act.
To
learn
more, CLICK
HERE.
-
Thursday, I
questioned
HHS
Secretary
Sylvia
Burwell
at
an
Appropriations
Subcommittee
hearing.
To
watch
the
question
and
answer, CLICK
HERE.
-
On
Tuesday,
the
Fifth
Circuit
Court
of
Appeals
announced
they
would
determine
whether
the
Presidents
unilateral
changes
to
immigration
laws
through
executive
order
will
stand.
It
appears
the
Circuit
is
ready
to
reject
the
Administrations
request
to
remove
the
injunction,
which
was
issued
by
a
federal
district
court
in
Texas
in
late
February.
I
authored
a
letter
pressing
President
Obama
after
his
comments
suggesting
consequences
for
federal
immigration
officials
who
continue
deportations.
To
read
the
letter
I
wrote
to
President
Obama, CLICK
HERE.
You
can
listen
to
the
oral
argument
recording HERE.
-
Monday, I
chaired
a
hearing
on
the
2020
Census:
Challenges
for
Facing
a
Modern,
Cost-Effective
Survey.
To
learn
more,
CLICK
HERE.
How
can
I
help?
To
ensure
your
summer
international
travel
preparations
are
stress
free,
visit
www.travel.state.gov
for
information
on
obtaining
a
passport.
The
website
can
also
offer
travel
notifications
if
you
are
going
abroad.
If
you
have
any
problems
or
questions,
please
contact
my
office.
![](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/JLsignature.png)
Stay
Connected!
If
you
would
like
more
information
on
these
topics
or
any
other
legislation
currently
before
the
U.S.
Senate,
please
do
not
hesitate
to
call
my
D.C.
office
at
(202)
224-5754.
My
Oklahoma
City
office
can
be
reached
at
(405)
231-4941
and
my
Tulsa
office
at
(918)
581-7651.
You
can
also
follow
me
on
Facebook
or
Twitter
or
Instagram
for
updates
on
my
work
in
Congress.
Notice:
If
you
wish
to
stop
ALL
electronic
communications
from
my
office,
visit
this
link
to
opt out
permanently
from
this
list.
If
you
have
any
questions
about
this
Notice
or
your
right
to
decline
future
electronic
mail
from
this
office,
please
contact
us
at
United
States
Senate,
B40C
Dirksen
Senate
Office
Building
Washington,
DC
20510. |