Photo Gallery

Last weekend, I traveled to Yuma, Arizona, to hear directly from border law enforcement about the thousands of people crossing our southern border per day while the Biden Administration ties their hands to enforce the law and fails to finish the wall. This is an area on the US-Mexico border where Border Patrol have specifically asked the wall be finished, but steel is still baking in the desert.

Around 60 veterans, family members, and freedom tour staff from northeast Oklahoma came to Washington, DC, to visit the war memorials in their honor. They were from the Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy and served in the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Cold War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These veterans and their families are the heart and soul of our nation. Thank you.

Mid-America Christian University President Fozard has faithfully served MACU students and all Oklahomans for years. Now he’s passing the torch to MACU's new President-Elect Phil Greenwald. I can’t wait to see what’s next for MACU.

Glad to catch up with Tulsa Police Chief Franklin and Major Matthew McCord when they came to Washington, DC, for Police Week. Our law enforcement faces unique challenges in Green Country and around the state. Thank you to so many Oklahomans who support the men and women of law enforcement as they keep us safe.

Cindy and I got to visit and pray with Captain Chip Collins in Tulsa. Captain Collins is the brother of our military & veterans caseworker, Maggie. Our office loves to serve military families because we are a military family.

I got to hear directly from members of the Oklahoma Alzheimer’s Association when they came to Washington, DC, to visit the Oklahoma congressional delegation and bring their ideas and insight for how we can fight this terrible disease.

Students from Frederick High school in southwest Oklahoma came to see their US Capitol up close and personal. After a two-year pause, it is really good to see students again in Washington, DC, learning our nation’s history and the basics of our system of government.

Dear Oklahoma friends and neighbors:

We joined Oklahomans over the weekend to remember those who gave their last full measure of devotion to our nation and their families and show our gratitude for the freedom their sacrifice protected. Their sacrifice ensures our nation moves ahead and continues to form our more perfect union in the greatest nation on Earth.

We continue to keep the families impacted last week by the horrific tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in our prayers. Cindy and I are heartbroken for all the young lives impacted by this senseless evil. We are grateful to the brave Border Patrol agents, first responders, teachers, and many adults who ran to help these kids and the faculty and staff at the school. We continue to ask the impossible question of why would an 18-year old shoot his grandmother, then drive to an elementary school to murder children?

As I travel around the state, I continue to hear from Oklahomans who want to see solutions for the high gasoline and diesel prices, the high cost for groceries, baby formula shortages, and historic high inflation for just about everything. People who are old enough to remember the Jimmy Carter presidency can recall how hard it is to stop inflation once it starts.

To watch my conversation on high gas prices with Harris Faulkner on Fox News, CLICK HERE.

The baby formula shortage is scary for our families and demonstrates another example of our need to diversify our supply chain for so many items. I demanded answers from the Food and Drug Administration for their delayed investigation into Abbott Nutrition’s Michigan manufacturing facility. We are also looking into when the White House was made aware of the potential dire shortage. It is clear now that FDA knew about the problem since late 2021, but they failed to act on what they knew. CLICK HERE to read more.

We have a lot to work on together as a nation. As we do the work to help our families and small businesses prosper, I hope we remember our blessings and constitutionally protected freedoms are plentiful. In times of challenge, it is a good idea to also remember our blessings.

Securing Our Southern Border

I continue to hear from Oklahomans who tell me they don’t hear much anymore about what’s happening at our southern border on the news. Over the weekend, I traveled to Yuma, Arizona, to see and hear first-hand about the issues facing our border law enforcement and the holes in our border security laws that the Biden Administration is exploiting to keep our border wide open. Last summer, when the border dominated the news, we had 6,000 illegal crossings per day. Now there are more than 8,000 crossings a day, but the media is choosing to ignore the chaos.

In Yuma, I met directly with federal law enforcement and toured the US Border Patrol Yuma Sector headquarters, the Yuma Sector Centralized Processing Center for migrants, and the San Luis port of entry. I also received a briefing from Homeland Security Investigations. 

Just last week in Yuma alone, we had people cross the border from 50 different countries. Including, the UK, Spain, France, and many others. This isn’t just about Central America anymore. The folks crossing in Yuma are flying into Mexicali - with their luggage - and are crossing the border - with their luggage, too.

Border Patrol in Yuma tell me they are frustrated with the Biden Administration failing to finish the wall there. They really need it in place, but there are still piles of steel in the desert leaving open gaps where individuals can stroll right through. We need to ensure our border law enforcement have the tools they need to keep us safe, not simply to process more people into the interior of the country like hotel check-in staff. 

Currently, the Biden Administration is giving people who cross the border illegally an eight-year timeline to appear for a hearing anywhere they choose in the US, and they receive a legal work permit while they wait for their hearing. Giving people who illegally enter the United States a legal work permit creates an enormous incentive to illegally cross our border. That is why I continue to expose the Biden Administration’s plan to increase illegal immigration, rather than decrease it. The limited number of people that are turned around at the border are returned under the temporary pandemic “Title 42 authority,” which the Biden Administration is trying to end, but a federal court has blocked them.

CLICK HERE to learn more about my work to push the Administration to implement a new plan to secure our borders if Title 42 is allowed to expire.

UPDATE: Ukraine Aid

President Reagan fought for eight years to ensure the breakup of the Soviet Union. Now, Putin is working to rebuild it. If Russia takes over Ukraine and controls all the Black Sea ports, the US and world will face serious economic and hunger consequences. Whoever controls the Black Sea, can manipulate the global supply and price for fertilizer, wheat, sunflower oil, corn, pig iron, oil and so much more. That clearly should not be Russia. 

Standing with Ukraine now as they fight Putin’s domination of Europe is in the best interest of the United States since nations like China and Iran are also watching what we do. If America looks weak, dictators around the world will take action. Biden’s actions during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan already made America look weak; why would we want to send a second signal of weakness to the world? “Peace through strength,” still matters.

Ukraine has clearly shown they will do the fighting for their own country, but since Russia has destroyed their ports and manufacturing infrastructure, they cannot make enough weapons or get enough commodities in or out. The Europeans are defending their own backyard by sending billions of dollars of humanitarian aid to the refugees and billions in military supplies to the Ukrainian military with additional support to the Ukrainian government. The Europeans can help Ukraine fight, but for the Ukrainians to win, they will need our help as well.

American forces have moved into the area around Ukraine to train and equip their forces in case Russia invades the larger region, which Putin has threatened to do. But our forces should stay out of Ukraine and allow them to fight for the future of their own nation. 

CLICK HERE to watch my update on Facebook Live about the Ukraine aid package.

CLICK HERE to read my full statement on the funding for Ukraine.

Keeping the World Health Organization in Check

Last week, the corrupt, dysfunctional World Health Organization (WHO) held an assembly meeting to reportedly discuss amending the International Health Regulations in a manner that will “empower WHO Director General Tedros to declare a health emergency in any nation regardless of its wishes and without any evidence — and to mount every possible action against that nation to control its alleged health emergency.” 

No international organization, especially the WHO, should have any power in the US. The WHO is deeply influenced by the Chinese Communist Party and has failed to demand the facts for the international investigation and cover up of the origins of COVID-19. 

In our nation, Congress makes laws for the American people, and no matter what a president may want to do, an executive agreement with an international agency or entity does not establish that agreement under American law unless passed by Congress. Treaties must be ratified by the US Senate under Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution with 67 votes. In a 50-50 split Senate, there is no way there will be 67 votes for an international takeover of American health care. 

I would never support any treaty or international agreement that undermines US sovereignty to implement our laws. I spoke out on social media against what we’ve heard about this meeting and to set the record straight. 

CLICK HERE to read about the No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act I introduced, which requires that any agreement that comes out of the WHO be deemed a treaty that is subject to "advice and consent" by the Senate, requiring 67 votes to pass.

I also sent a letter to the head of WHO demanding they reverse recent guidelines they issued, which advocate for abortion on demand and critique conscience objections of healthcare providers.

CLICK HERE about my work to stand against up for the unborn and for the conscience rights of any American who objects to being forced to provide abortions against their faith or moral beliefs.

UPDATE: US Energy and Mineral Production

President Biden continues to cut off domestic energy production so he can push his progressive alternative-energy campaign promise. Domestic energy supply was cut off by preventing drilling on federal lands and waters, where we get about a quarter of our domestic oil and gas. They refuse to approve production permits every step of the way and drags its feet through seismic testing for off-shore drilling. I met a few weeks ago with the energy leadership in Canada who is still confused why the Biden Administration contacted Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela a few months ago for more oil, when Canada has ample supply that is produced cleaner and less expensive. It is as if the Biden team wants the price of oil and gas to climb. 

I questioned Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland about the numerous delays in US energy and mineral production recently. Her answers were basically, we’ll get to it when we get to it regarding the permit process delays and lack of attention to permits. CLICK HERE to watch my Q&A with Secretary Haaland. I also demanded that the Department of Commerce quickly issue permits required to bring additional production online from existing offshore federal oil and gas leases. CLICK HERE to read my letter.

Oklahoma continues to lead the way in pressing forward with domestic energy production, while also keeping our lights on and our homes cool this summer. We will not get lower energy prices until we dramatically increase the supply of energy, that means more production, not less. It is just basic economics. 

Keeping You in the Loop

• Standing Up to Biden's Vaccine Mandate - Even if the media isn’t talking about it as much, I’m keeping the pressure on the Biden Administration on behalf of our service members and federal workers who are still threatened with discharge if they do not get the COVID-19 vaccine. I sent a letter to the Department of Defense, the Navy (CLICK HERE to read it) and the Air Force (CLICK HERE to read it) last week to demand answers on why the service branches and DOD are denying service members’ religious accommodations. I also introduced the Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots (AMERICANS) Act to stand against the Biden Administration’s efforts to coerce and punish service members who choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. CLICK HERE to read more on my bill.
• Stopping the Disinformation Board - I’m glad to report that the Department of Homeland Security has shelved its idea to create the Disinformation Governance Board after immediate and strong pushback from me and many others around the nation, including many Oklahomans. I am still demanding to see the immediate release of all documents related to the Board to figure out what went into its creation and what in the world they were thinking. They are required by law to provide this information to the Committee. CLICK HERE to read my letter.
• Helping OK Agriculture - Oklahoma farmers, ranchers and producers are willing and able to feed our nation and the world, if we’ll just remove the red tape that prevents us from shipping food to those affected most by Putin’s war. Read more on our work to get the government out of the way of feeding the world HERE.
• Standing Up for Life - Democrats once again demanded a vote on their bill called the “Women’s Health Protection Act” to allow unlimited abortions in our nation right up to the moment of birth. I strongly opposed it. If it passed, it would undo every state protection for unborn life and prevent any future limits on abortion, even late stage abortion. For the first time, the bill also carved out long-standing protections for religious freedom and conscious protections for healthcare providers. CLICK HERE to watch what I had to say to my Senate colleagues about this bill when it failed in the Senate, again.
• Reducing Prescription Drug Prices - The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services followed through to finalize a rule in May that would ease some of the price-haggling gimmicks our prescription drugs go through before they end up at our local pharmacy counters. I have fought for this change for years, and now it’s now finally coming next year. We still have a long way to go, but this is a great first step to unraveling some of the reasons prescription drugs cost so much in our nation. CLICK HERE to learn more about this win for our family-owned and independent pharmacies to offer drugs at a clear and fair price.
• Helping Military Spouses Find and Keep a Career - Military spouses struggle to have a career, because they move so often with their family, until now. I introduced a bill to ensure federal agencies can take advantage of the talent, expertise, and quality work our military spouses are capable of through remote federal work. The COVID pandemic proved that there are some jobs that can be done anywhere, so why not allow our military spouses to also serve the American people through one of our federal agency jobs from Altus, Enid, Oklahoma City, Lawton, McAlester, or any of the other great installations around the country. CLICK HERE to read more about my bill to help our military families build careers.
• Ensuring We Follow Our Legal Asylum Process - I introduced a resolution of disapproval with Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin to dissolve a proposed Biden Administration rule that would illegally upend the process by which the US government grants asylum claims to migrants. With the numbers of migrants coming across the border at a 20-year high, the Biden Administration clearly has no intention of protecting our southern border. CLICK HERE to read more about my resolution. CLICK HERE to watch my floor speech on the asylum rule. 

In God We Trust,

James Lankford
United States Senator for Oklahoma

Stay Connected! 

Receive this in a forwarded email? SIGN UP for my e-newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox. 

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.
     
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.