Senator Lankford’s Office Releases Biannual Activity Report

WASHINGTON, DC – To mark the half-way point of Senator James Lankford’s first year in the United State Senate, Lankford’s chief-of-staff Greg Slavonic released a memo detailing the activities and accomplishments of the Senator’s service to Oklahoma this year.  Since January, Lankford has visited 23 counties in Oklahoma, launched a nationwide effort to reduce regulatory burdens, and introduced or co-sponsored 76 bills. Lankford has also been part of a new Republican-led Senate that has returned to being a deliberative working body within Congress. In six months, this Senate has had more roll call votes on amendments (136) than all of 2014 (15) under Harry Reid’s leadership. In fact, under Reid the Senate held 139 roll call votes on amendments during all of 2013 and 2014, compared to 136 during the first six months of 2015 under a Republican-led Senate.

A PDF of the memo is available here, and the full text is below:

To:           All Residents of Oklahoma

From:       Greg Slavonic (Rear Admiral Navy-Retired), Chief-of-staff, Senator Lankford

Subject:    Office of Senator James Lankford Biannual ACTIVITY Report

Date:         July 8, 2015

Oklahomans,

This report highlights some of the accomplishments and activities of Senator James Lankford on behalf of Oklahomans during his first six months in the United States Senate. Since his election on November 4, 2014 to finish the remaining two years of Dr. Tom Coburn’s Senate term, Lankford has been very active listening to Oklahomans and promoting conservative policy in Washington D.C.

From January through June of this year, Lankford has been part of a new Republican-led Senate that is returning Congress to regular order. This Senate has had more roll call votes on amendments than all of 2014 under Harry Reid’s leadership. This Senate has passed more than 45 bipartisan bills – including 20 signed into law – and reported more than 150 bills out of Committee. The long list of Senate legislative accomplishments include: approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline, Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, Medicare SGR Reform, and the first Budget Resolution passed by both the House and Senate in more than 10 years, just to name a few. Thankfully, the Senate is indeed working again on behalf of the American people.

Lankford, himself, has introduced 11 bills, and co-sponsored 65 pieces of legislation. He has also launched a nationwide initiative to further substantive regulatory reforms – the #CutRedTape Initiative.

Upon entering the Senate, Lankford set out to maintain a very busy legislative schedule. He has done that, in part, by serving on four very important Committees: Appropriations, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Indian Affairs, and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Within the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, he is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management.

In Oklahoma, Lankford has crisscrossed the state visiting with Oklahomans in 23 counties, on eight colleges, and on two military bases (Ft. Sill, Tinker). He has had the privilege of delivering the commencement address at Oklahoma State University and Northern Oklahoma College and he’s led an Indian Affairs Field Hearing in Anadarko. During the second half of this year, we look forward to another active six months in all corners of the Sooner State. If there is ever anything we can do to help you, please contact any of our offices in Oklahoma or in Washington D.C.

Legislative Activities:

• Bills/Amendments Introduced: 11
  • (S. 144) Local Leadership in Education Act
  • (S. 189) The Unfunded Mandate Information and Transparency Act
  • (S. 282) Taxpayer Right To Know Act *passed Committee*
  • (S. 327) Bill to remove Miami Tribe charter *signed into law*
  • (S. 427) DRIVE Less Act
  • (S. 565) Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act *passed Senate*
  • (S. 582) No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
  • (TPA amendment #1273) Trade Promotion Authority Religious Freedom amendment *signed into law*
  • (S. 1109) Truth in Settlements Act *passed Committee*
  • (S. 1553) The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
  • (S. 1576) Representative Payee Fraud Prevention Act *passed Committee*

• Bills co-sponsored: 65 (below are just a few)
  • (S. 1) Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act *passed House & Senate, vetoed by Obama*
  • (S.141) Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act
  • (S. 144) Local Leadership in Education Act
  • (S. 155) Fair Tax Act of 2015
  • (S. 248) Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 *passed Committee*
  • (S. 264) Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015
  • (S. 269) Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2015
  • (S. 339) ObamaCare Repeal Act
  • (S. 690) Local School Board Governance and Flexibility Act (sponsored by Sen. Inhofe)
  • (S.1324) Affordable Reliable Electricity Now Act of 2015

• Attended over 100 Committee hearings and meetings
• Chaired 7 Committee hearings and roundtables:
  • Hearings: “Examining Federal Rulemaking Challenges and Areas of Improvement Within the Existing Regulatory Process”, “2020 Census: Challenges Facing the Bureau for a Modern, Cost-Effective Survey”, “Examining the Proper Role of Judicial Review in the Federal Regulatory Process”, “21st Century Ideas for the 20th Century Federal Civil Service”, “Nomination of Carol Ochoa to be Inspector General, U.S. General Services Administration”, and “Re-examining EPA’s Management of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program.” (ROUNDTABLE: Examining Practical Solutions to Improve the Federal Regulatory Process)
• Special Initiative: In March, Senator Lankford launched the #CutRedTape Initiative, a new way for American families and businesses to communicate with the Senate about how federal regulations impact them – 165 submissions on federal regulations have been received so far. Go to www.lankford.senate.gov to learn more.

Traveling The Sooner State:

• Visited 23 Counties and 2 military bases (Ft. Sill, Tinker).
• Visited 8 college campuses: University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Langston University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma City University School of Law, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Northern Oklahoma College, and University of Tulsa.
• Held 46 state listening events, townhalls and roundtables.
• Notable State Events:
  • Delivered Commencement Address at Northern Oklahoma College on May 2
  • Delivered Commencement Address at Oklahoma State University on May 9
  • Held a Senate Indian Affairs Committee field hearing on May 27

Connecting With Oklahomans in D.C.:

• Held 98 policy meetings with constituents in Washington D.C.
• Met with 11 students groups while they were visiting Washington D.C.
• Welcomed over 400 Oklahomans at weekly “Java with James” Coffee open house receptions.
• Facilitated Capitol Tours for over 300 Oklahomans in Washington D.C.

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