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Dear Oklahoma Friends and Neighbors, 

It is a cold start to 2016, with plenty of snow in Washington DC and plenty of things on the national 'to do' list. We have already had a busy start in the new year as we protect the 2nd Amendment, change Senate rules, stand up for life, confront national security challenges and reduce regulatory burdens to help economic growth. I hope you’ll stay in touch and let me know your ideas, thoughts and concerns. 

State of the Union

Last week, President Obama gave his final State of the Union address where he stated that the economy was doing well and ISIS terrorists are just a group of thugs with pick-up trucks. For the past two weeks, many Oklahomans have shared with me that they do not agree on either issue. Families in Oklahoma continue to face real economic challenges; the cost of healthcare continues to increase and people do not feel secure in their own country. We face serious issues as a nation. 

I was pleased to see the President shares a common commitment to medical research and developing a cure for cancer. I serve on the committee that oversees the work of the National Institute of Health; they consistently work for cures and treatments that save lives. This is a big personal and a national issue. So many of us have held the hand of someone who has been through the long journey of diagnosis, treatment, and God-willing, recovery. Curing cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and other diseases is also a budget issue. If we can cure these debilitating diseases, we can dramatically reduce our national healthcare expenses. 

To watch my full reaction to the President’s State of the Union address, CLICK HERE.

To read my press statement following the speech, CLICK HERE.

Activity Report for 2015

In case you missed it, I recently released the Activity Report for 2015 to highlight the progress we made last year as a state and as a nation. My office and I are eager to continue the hard work for Oklahomans in Washington, DC, and I am humbled by the opportunity to continue to serve you. 

To read the entire Activity Report for 2015 memo, CLICK HERE.

Department of Education Letter

Education is a state issue. But, for the past several decades the federal government has worked to control local schools at every level, including state universities. During the first week of January, I sent a letter to the Acting Secretary of the Department of Education John King to ask the department about their use of “Dear Colleague” letters, which try to force major policy changes on colleges and universities. Because many schools are dependent on federal funding for their operating expenses, they are afraid to confront the Department of Education when they overstep their authority. 

My committee held a hearing on their role late last year, and we have stepped up the pressure on the Department of Education already this year.  

To read the full letter to Department of Education Secretary King, CLICK HERE.

The 2nd Amendment

For the past several weeks, the President has talked in general terms about limiting Americans' access to guns to decrease gun violence. Every Oklahoman grieves with families that lose loved ones to any type of violence, but preventing law-abiding citizens from exercising their 2nd Amendment right does not solve the problem. 

Attorney General Loretta Lynch appeared in front of my committee this week to answer questions about guns and executive authority. I questioned the Attorney General about the release of documents regarding the Fast and Furious investigation, restructuring of the ATF and why so many states do not choose to release their criminal background information to the federal government. All of us agree felons should not be able to purchase guns, but if the federal government makes it difficult to turn in records, our background databases will not be complete. That is an area the Administration should work on instead of degrading the 2nd Amendment by executive actions. 

To watch my full Q&A with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, CLICK HERE. 

Senate Rules

The rules of the Senate are built to protect the voice of the majority and minority of Americans. It is the only entity in the government where the opinion of the minority always has a place. But the Senate has stopped functioning and Senators should stop complaining about the rules and start fixing them.

For the past five months, I have met with a small group of Republican Senators to work on specific ideas to protect the voice of the American people in the Senate and make sure the work gets done. We have started sharing those ideas, and we hope to build the necessary 67 votes to restore life to the Senate. We will work to keep you informed on our progress. 

Taxpayers Right to Know

Last week, the House unanimously passed the Taxpayers Right to Know Act, a bill I’ve worked on for several years to ensure transparency and to require the federal government to make public the details, costs, and performance metrics of every federal program. 

I introduced the Taxpayers Right to Know Act (S. 282) on January 28, 2015 as my first bill in the Senate. Americans deserve to know where their dollars are spent. We will keep you informed about the bill’s progress in the Senate.  

CLICK HERE to read my full statement.

Amicus Brief in Support of Nonprofits’ Supreme Court Challenge to Obamacare

Last week, I, along with Senator Orrin Hatch and Representatives Diane Black and Mike Kelly, filed a bipartisan amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief was signed by 207 Members of Congress in support of the religious nonprofits and charities, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, to protect our religious freedoms as a fundamental guarantee of the U.S. Constitution.

The case, Zubik v. Burwell, is one that is important to our state since four of our universities are involved in the case, and will argue before the Supreme Court for the religious rights of all Americans. Thank you to Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Southern Nazarene University, Oklahoma Baptist University and Mid-America Christian University for standing up for our essential freedoms.  

To read the full amicus brief, CLICK HERE.

Keeping You In The Loop

  • Today is the 43rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. I spoke on the floor of the Senate this week about the value of each child and the breakthrough in medical science. CLICK HERE to watch the short speech.
  • Last month, Senator Inhofe and U.S. Representatives Frank Lucas, Tom Cole, Markwayne Mullin, Steve Russell and I wrote a joint opinion piece for the Tulsa World on the importance of lifting the ban on crude oil exports for the Oklahoma economy. To read the full piece, CLICK HERE.
  • Last month, the Oklahoma congressional delegation sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Debra Lee James to advocate that she consider the 138th Fighter Wing (138th FW) in Tulsa as the next home for the F-35A. Tulsa’s 138th Fighter Wing National Guard, and Oklahoma, is ready to beddown the F-35 and will make an ideal location for this key national security asset. To read statements from the entire congressional delegation, CLICK HERE.  
  • The Social Security Disability Trust Fund has been in financial trouble for years; enacting true reforms to ensure its solvency has been a priority of mine since I was elected in 2010. Last month, I wrote an opinion piece for the Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise to detail the unmet promises and my ideas on how we can protect our most vulnerable and to protect retirees. To read the full opinion piece, CLICK HERE
  • On Tuesday, President Obama vetoed a resolution passed by Congress to disapprove the Waters of the US (WOTUS) rule issued by the EPA. The Senate immediately attempted an override of the President’s veto, but we did not have enough votes. Although it comes as no surprise, I’m disappointed the President would continue to allow one of his agencies to disregard the law. While the WOTUS rule still remains, I will continue to work legislative avenues to create more certainty for our farmers, ranchers and landowners. To read an opinion piece I wrote on the burden the WOTUS rule puts on the agricultural industry, CLICK HERE
  • ATTENTION 2017 high school seniors! Are you interested in a service academy to further your education? If so, my office is honored to consider nominations for outstanding high school seniors from Oklahoma. If you would like more information on the process, please contact Mike Yates at 918-581-7651, or visit www.lankford.senate.gov
  • Vets Vector: Are you interested in furthering your education or training? The VA provides assistance for going back to school as well as job training. CLICK HERE for information on your VA benefits.

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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, 316 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510.