Lankford, Hoeven, Colleagues Want to Stop Defense Department’s Green New Deal Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) to introduce the Focus on the Mission Act, which would stop the Department of Defense (DOD) from imposing a new environmental rule on federal contractors that would drive up costs for our national defense. Earlier this month, Lankford joined Hoeven and their colleagues in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin regarding this progressive proposal.

“If the plan was to deter defense production and hurt national security, green climate-change reporting for private companies and federal contractors sounds like a perfect plan,” said Lankford. “Federal defense contractors are already flooded with red tape, heavy record-keeping requirements, and excessive federal regulations when trying to do business with the federal government. It is ridiculous to add greenhouse gas tracking to appease the global-warming obsessed left. I am glad to work with Senator Hoeven and my colleagues to keep our national defense a priority.”

“These burdensome regulations would undermine the mission of the DOD, harming our national security and driving up costs for taxpayers,” said Hoeven. “The Biden Administration should rescind this proposed rule immediately, and instead focus on ensuring our service members have the capabilities and equipment they need to counter our nation’s adversaries.”

Lankford and Hoeven were joined in introducing  the Focus on the Mission Act by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).

DOD’s proposal would require those receiving more than $7.5 million in federal contracts to provide a detailed accounting of GHG emissions within one year. Additionally, the rule would require those receiving more than $50 million in contracts to develop reduction targets within two years. The proposed rule was published in November and the comment period for the rule is slated to end on February 13, 2023, after which a final rule will be formulated.

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