Senator Lankford Opposes Funding Bill that Adds to National Debt

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following Senate passage of H.R. 1865, Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, which also includes a number of extensions for federal tax breaks: 

“This bill has a number of legislative successes that benefit Oklahoma and our nation. This bill includes necessary funding for NIH research, supporting opioid addiction treatment and Alzheimer’s research, funding medical student education at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, repealing an absurd federal tax on nonprofits, maintaining traditional life riders and providing justice for US victims of international terrorism, but it also adds a half-a-trillion dollars in new debt spending beyond the agreed-upon amounts. Last weekend, billions of dollars of new spending were added to an already large bill. This is the same issue we face every year. We wait until the last minute with the threat of a government shutdown, and suddenly new items get crammed into a massive funding bill. Even though there are a number of good funding measures in this bill, I cannot support the added debt and the extension of several expired or expiring tax provisions. We can’t continue down this path.”  

Lankford supported H.R. 1158, which funded the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and key law enforcement entities. Lankford outlined on the Senate floor the legislative successes made this year on behalf of Oklahoma. Lankford’s bill to remove a section of the tax code that requires some non-profits to pay federal taxes on employee benefits, such as parking, meals, or transportation benefits was included in the funding bill. The funding bill also includes his bill to give victims of terrorism their day in court.

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