Photo Gallery

I was honored to join Tech Sergeant Marshal Roberts’ family and friends at the dedication of a portion of State Highway 20 in Owasso. TSgt Roberts bravely served with the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron, 138th Fighter Wing and was killed in action during a rocket attack in Iraq while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve on March 11, 2020.

I spoke at the Christian Employers Alliance event at Hobby Lobby in Oklahoma City to talk through some of the unique issues facing employers and employees who choose to live their faith in private and public life.

Enid broke ground on its big water supply project in early November. Enid is proactively addressing their water supply needs for its current and future residents and businesses.

I met with the Broken Arrow Chamber recently where they talked about supply-chain issues, the vaccine mandate, and transportation needs in the area.

I was honored to speak at the annual Oklahoma Farm Bureau convention during their Sunday morning worship service and
breakfast.

Got a chance to catch up with Owasso community leaders and hear their concerns about vaccine mandates, the proposed $450,000 settlements to migrants who entered the US illegally, and other issues facing businesses and families in Owasso. We also recognized the impending retirement of the Owasso Chamber’s
Gary Akin after 30 years of leadership. Thank you for all
your hard work for our state, Gary.

Law enforcement can experience thoughts of suicide, symptoms from PTSD, and other mental health concerns, just like any other person in our state. The Concerns for Police Survivors group, who I had the opportunity to encourage recently in  Oklahoma City, helps bring treatment options and visibility to the issues facing our law enforcement. We can work together to serve our state’s finest when they need us the most.

Dear Oklahoma friends and neighbors:

We are officially in the holiday season - what a great time of year. Thanksgiving meals, football games, puzzles and games with family, and lots of selfies with food and family (if you are “into” selfies with food). Treasure the “together” moments. 

Let me share a quick family challenge for Thanksgiving. If your family spends more time complaining around the table at Thanksgiving than you do giving thanks, you have missed the point of Thanksgiving—gratitude. There are so many issues and problems that we currently face as a nation and state, but it is good for our souls to choose to speak about how much we have and what we are thankful for in our family, our nation, and our friends.

This is a good week to reset with your family. If you have a disagreement with someone in your family, now is the time to give him or her a call and try to resolve it, before Thanksgiving Day. Most families have disagreements, some more than others. Part of loving is also learning how to love others, even when we do not agree. Don’t let your time with family be your “leftovers.” Bring as much of yourself and your energy to your family as you do to work, school, projects, and community service. 

The strength of our nation is built on the strength of our families. If our families struggle, our nation will struggle. Our families are our biggest asset. Let’s take care of them and enjoy them this Thanksgiving season.

It will be a busy December

I know it's hard to keep track of what's going on in DC right now with the House and Senate both dealing with major issues that affect our economy and freedoms. But let me fill you in on a few aspects of the “noise” of DC over the next month in the Senate. 

I continue to work on ways to combat the highest inflation our nation has seen in three decades—since November 1990. Currently prices are up 6.2 percent on average. The increase in the cost of every-day items has been caused by increased demand as we climb out of COVID, the recent massive spending by the Biden Administration, and their policies to stifle
domestic energy production, which increases the price of almost everything. We must turn around the bad policies that are making life more expensive for all of us.

Oklahomans on average are paying $175 more per month than we did at this time last year, which hurts low-income Oklahomans and those on a fixed income the most. Democrats are still trying to push their almost $2 trillion+ Build Back "Broke" bill after passing the massive infrastructure bill, both of which I oppose. More supersized federal spending means more supersized inflation.

I am also still working to stop Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates to help our military, federal employees, federal contractors, healthcare workers, first responders, and employees working at companies with 100 employees or more. Democrats still have not determined how or when they will fund every government agency before the new December 3, 2021, deadline. Since September 30, the previous deadline for funding the government, not a single appropriations bill has come to the floor of the Senate for a vote. 

While their attention has been focused on new spending and federalizing state elections, the basic operations of government, including our military, our border security, education, assistance programs and more have been put on hold. I expect a vote to temporarily extend government funding on or just before December 3. 

Biden recently signed the infrastructure bill, which I did not support because it had half a trillion dollars in new debt and pages and pages of new liberal policies that had very little to do with infrastructure.

Democrats today passed their reckless, nearly $2 trillion+ Build Back "Broke" bill, which will increase inflation and our debt, add new entitlements, and include numerous cash payoffs to special interest groups, including millionaires in states like New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and California where the wealthy will get a huge tax break from the passage of this bill. 

The massive entitlement bill passed the House, but it thankfully still has a long road ahead in the US Senate. I am strongly opposed to this bill and will vote against it if it comes to a vote in the Senate. 

Finally, Senator Schumer has held the annual National Defense Authorization Act until the very last days of the year. We are midway through the bill on the floor of the Senate. We should finish the bill during the first week of December. On Thursday night, November 18, Democrats blocked multiple amendments from a vote, including my amendment mandating that we finish the border wall construction that was already in progress and paid for. It should not be a difficult vote to support our national security.

CLICK HERE to watch my remarks on the Senate floor.

UPDATE: Stopping Biden’s Vaccine Mandate

CLICK HERE to watch my speech on the Senate floor telling the real stories of how the vaccine mandate has harmed Oklahomans.

On November 5, the Biden Administration officially released its vaccine mandate for private businesses with 100 employees or more The rule affected more than 80 million Americans and imposed $14,000 fines on companies for employees who don’t comply. I immediately led more than 39 Senators to formally start the process of Congress disapproving and nullifying President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private companies and their employees under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the official process for Congress to eliminate an Executive Branch rule. We now have all 50 Republicans supporting the CRA. We only need 51 senators to overturn Biden’s mandate. 

CLICK HERE to read more about our introduction of the CRA.

CLICK HERE to watch my remarks at a recent press conference about the formal announcement of our CRA to stop Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employers.

CLICK HERE to read my push-back against the Vice President’s office slow walking the rule’s release to block us from starting the CRA process.

The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit out of New Orleans filed a temporary order to “stay” the vaccine mandate on private employers on November 12, pending additional litigation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has now suspended the rule. So, for now, there is NO private-sector mandate. This was a positive step against Biden’s vaccine mandate, but we need to keep doing what we can in Congress to fully stop the vaccine mandate for everyone in our nation. I encourage people to get the vaccine, but no one should be forced to get the vaccine. Period. 

The President should not force companies to fire someone because they did not get the vaccine.

CLICK HERE to read more on OSHA’s decision to suspend its implementation of the mandate on private companies.

I will continue to stand up for Oklahomans who do not want to be forced to choose between their job and getting the vaccine. There are still many aspects to the mandate that have not been addressed in the court, but they need to be resolved as soon as possible to give families the confidence this holiday season that they will be able to keep their job.

I spoke with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) this week about people who are threatened or fired because of the vaccine mandate. President Biden has tried to skirt around the EEOC, but it is against federal law to not allow medical or religious accommodations in the workplace. If you are being harassed or threatened in the workplace or your employer is requiring a vaccine mandate but not recognizing your medical or religious accommodation, you can file a complaint against your employer with the EEOC at 800-669-4000 or by visiting the EEOC website HERE. It is your right to be heard. 

Update on Continued Crisis at the Border

At the end of October, the Wall Street Journal broke the story that the Biden Administration is considering entering into out of court settlement agreements with people who illegally crossed our border during the Trump Administration. The American Civil Liberties Union demanded that US taxpayers pay migrants who crossed our border illegally up to $450,000 per person, over $1 million per family for the pain and suffering of their detainment. 

To put that into perspective, when a member of our military is killed in action, the military gives their family $100,000 for the loss of our hero. But the Biden Administration and the ACLU wants to give someone who came here illegally and was arrested $450,000? This “settlement agreement” never came to Congress, and it was clear the Administration never intended to bring it to Congress. 

I immediately introduced a bill to stop any settlements between the US government and illegal migrants. When I put it forward in committee, it was quickly blocked by every Democrat. I will keep fighting against these “settlements” for southwest border crossers.

CLICK HERE to read more about my bill to stop the proposed $450,000 “settlement” payments to migrants who came illegally to our southern border.

CLICK HERE to watch my Q&A in the Homeland Security Subcommittee, on which I serve as lead Republican, on this important issue.

CLICK HERE to watch my interview on Fox Business Mornings with Maria to discuss these payments.

Opposing Democrats’ Fourth Attempt to Federalize Elections

I recently opposed, and the Senate did not pass S.4, the Democrats’ fourth attempt to federalize our elections. This bill would take voting decisions away from states and give unelected people in Washington, DC, the power to veto decisions made by our state legislatures. I have been consistently outspoken that Washington DC cannot take away the rights of states to run their elections in a manner that is free, fair, and auditable. 

Federal courts have the authority to intervene if any state stands in the way of any legal voter. But Oklahoma should not have to ask permission from Biden’s Department of Justice to add days for early voting, which Oklahoma recently did, increase
transparency, or audit our voting system. We should all make it easy to vote, easy to verify, and impossible to cheat.

Federalizing our elections is not the answer.

CLICK HERE to read more about my opposition to this fourth federal takeover attempt of our elections.

December 1 is a Big Day for Life 

The issue of life continues to take center stage in our national conversation as several court cases relating to the protection of life, no matter how small or how young, make their way to the Supreme Court in a few days. It’s no secret that President Biden is the most pro-abortion president we’ve ever had. In the past few months, the President and his Health and Human Services Secretary have worked hard to increase the number of abortions in America. In every major bill the Democrats have proposed in the House or Senate, there is a section of the bill that seeks to increase abortions. They are obsessed with abortion, but I am firmly committed to life.

I will continue to fight to protect life at every stage and be sure that taxpayers are not forced to pay for abortions or abortion procedures. 

I recently released the first two episodes of a four-part series on my podcast, The Breakdown with James Lankford, ahead of the Supreme Court oral arguments on December 1, 2021, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which will present the Court with the opportunity to overturn Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The first episode lays out how much the science has changed since Roe was handed down 48 years ago. I was joined by Dr. Christina Francis, chair of the board for the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

CLICK HERE to listen to the first episode in the life series of my podcast with Dr. Francis. 

I was next joined by Dr. Alveda King, daughter of the late civil rights leader Rev. A.D. King and niece to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to talk about her
personal fight for life and her work to encourage others to do so. She has quite a story to tell. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the second episode of my podcast with Dr. Alveda King on her story of becoming an advocate for life.

I joined Senator Daines of Montana to release a new memo detailing how the Democrats’ multitrillion-dollar tax-and-spending bill would violate the Hyde Amendment and radically expand taxpayer funding for abortions. I will continue to stand up for life
wherever I can and protect the conscience rights of Americans who believe that taking the life of children is wrong. 

CLICK HERE to read more about my memo with Senator Daines and our ongoing efforts to call out the Biden Administration for its obsession with abortion.

Keeping You in the Loop 

• Helping Veterans - I recently heard from an Oklahoma veteran whose pharmacy didn’t participate in the TRICARE Network so he was forced to file claims “manually” instead of electronically. I took the issue directly to the source and sent a letter to DHA Director Lieutenant General Ronald Place, in June to ask him to explore electronic submission to keep veterans from being forced to manually submit their claims if their pharmacy isn’t in the TRICARE network. In two big wins for veterans’ health care, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) shared recently that in January 2023, the Agency will provide an electronic process for patients to request reimbursement for prescriptions filled at any non-network pharmacy, which will make it much easier for veterans to get their prescriptions paid for through TRICARE. This was on the heels of CVS announcing they had joined the TRICARE network and would be able to offer electronic reimbursements to veterans who also utilize private insurance. CLICK HERE to read more about both of these big wins for veterans.
• Holding the Biden Administration Accountable - In a Homeland Security hearing September 2021, Secretary Mayorkas testified to me under oath that ICE would deport individuals who illegally crossed our border and received a “Notice to Report” but did not report within 60 days. He even called recent illegal border crossers a “priority” during the hearing. But, new reporting on a DHS initiative called Operation Horizon shows that ICE is not enforcing the law against the recent illegal border crossers who have not followed instructions and reported to ICE within 60-days. In fact, they are notifying people illegally
  present in the US to tell them they will not be arrested. CLICK HERE to read more about the letter. CLICK HERE to read the Fox News exclusive.
• Pushing Back Against Energy Price Increases – From the first day of the Biden Presidency, he has worked to increase the price of oil, gas, and coal to make wind and solar energy look more affordable. I questioned energy leaders and economists about the causes of increasing energy costs, especially on the heels of the climate conference in Scotland, at which the Biden Administration continued its mission to get rid of traditional energy. Oklahoma remains a leader in integrating renewable energy like wind, solar, and hydro energy into our all-of-the-above energy portfolio that also relies on natural gas and coal. The Biden Administration continues to discourage American pipelines and seeks oil from Russia and Saudi Arabia instead of encouraging domestic energy. That is increasing our dependence on foreign oil and taking jobs away from Americans. CLICK HERE to learn more about the ways I’m fighting for an all-of-the-above American energy strategy. 
• Opposing the President's Nominee for the Comptroller of the Currency - President Biden has nominated Saule Omarova to lead the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which is responsible for regulating more than 1,000 banks across the country. Her policy positions, her Soviet background, and radical, progressive ideas about how we should restructure banking in our nation are a major concern. I will vote against her nomination if it comes to the Senate floor.
• Getting Federal Workers Back to the Office -  Oklahomans have waited months for their delayed passports, for their tax returns to be processed, and for Social Security to start up in-person appointments. Forty-one senators and I sent a letter to the heads of the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Management and Budget to request immediate action to get federal workers back to the office. CLICK HERE to read more about our push to get federal offices back to capacity. 
• Inflation Relief - Senator Cruz and I introduced the Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act, legislation to ensure an individual’s cost basis in a capital asset receives the same fair and equitable tax treatment as other provisions of the tax code by indexing for inflation. We need to do what we can to fight back against President Biden’s tax-and-spend strategy along with policies that keep Americans from investing in our economy. CLICK HERE to read more about our bill to ensure fair treatment by our federal tax code. 
• Protecting Parents’ Rights to lead their Kids’ Education - Parents are under attack by the Biden Administration, which continues to politicize and weaponized the Justice Department, threatening to use federal law enforcement resources to intimidate and silence parents who speak out to protect their children from harmful curricula like critical race theory and related “woke” progressive ideology that’s being pushed by Biden and the very far-left. No one should ail to teach our history, but we also should learn from our history. The tactics being used to silence different voices and ideas are a clear violation of a parents’ right to have a say in their child’s education. I introduced a resolution supporting parents’ rights to be fully and actively involved in the education of their children. CLICK HERE to read more about my resolution. 
• Decreasing China’s Regional Trade Influence - In the absence of US leadership under President Biden, allies like Singapore and New Zealand are joining digital trade pacts with the Chinese Communist Party, giving China an opportunity to jump over the US in regional economic gains and keep its stranglehold on the regional internet. Myself and every Senate Finance Committee Republicans is pushing President Biden requesting to begin digital trade negotiations with our allies and partners in Asia to isolate China. CLICK HERE to read our letter. 
• Calling Out Chinese Atrocities Against Uyghurs - In January, President Trump's State Department issued a determination that the Chinese Communist Party is committing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. Despite the limited information publicly available due to China’s deliberate cover-up, a recent report by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum shows the clear presence of crimes against humanity, a determination that would have sweeping international effects on addressing China’s human rights abuses. China is even using forced labor to make some the solar panels they export to the United States. Yet, when asked about the human rights abuses in China of Uyghurs, Special Climate Envoy John Kerry said “that’s not in my lane.” We should not ignore China’s human rights abuses and only focus on the climate. CLICK HERE to read more on the report and what we’re doing to fight back against communist China and their human rights abuses.

In God We Trust,

James Lankford
United States Senator for Oklahoma

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If you would like more information on these topics or any other legislation currently before the US Senate, please do not hesitate to call my DC 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.
     
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