Senator Lankford in The Daily Signal: Obama Raided $500M for Zika to Finance UN’s Green Climate Fund
Last week, the Senate passed legislation to address and prevent the spread of the Zika virus. However, the Senate failed to pay for it, and instead approved a $1.1 billion “emergency” spending supplemental bill that is not subject to the budgetary caps that were agreed to last year. While congressional inattention to the budget crisis is […]
Sens. Cotton and Lankford on Fox News Online: Why the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty is still a bad idea
The Obama administration has recently started to pitch the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to the American people. As they begin yet another politically motivated public relations campaign, it’s important to remember the Senate rejected this deeply defective treaty in 1999, and the case against ratification today is stronger than it was then. In the shadow of another […]
Senator Lankford in The Hill: Emergency spending not needed for international crises
What started as a peaceful Syrian uprising has grown into a global proxy war, with the United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Turkey opposing the Assad regime, Iran and Russia trying to support it, and everyone randomly fighting the terrorist forces of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). At the same time, world […]
The Oklahoman Editorial Board: Federal officials disregard their land management failures
In the private sector, if someone allows a home to become dilapidated because he lacks the funds to properly maintain it, no one argues the situation will improve if that person buys another home. Yet that’s the model recently embraced by federal lawmakers. The federal government owns more than 600 million acres of land in […]
Senator Lankford in Tulsa World: Holding Iran accountable for the nuclear deal
As we confront threats of terrorism all over the word, national security and Middle East stability are more important than ever for Americans. In addition to border security, strong defense and capable intelligence services, any homeland security strategy must address nuclear threats and accountability measures for Iran and its nuclear program. Many of my colleagues […]
Tulsa World Editorial Board: Lankford seeks reasonable rules change in Senate
Every important piece of legislation that makes its way to the U.S. Senate deserves deliberate consideration. Deliberation and recalcitrance, however, are not the same. Over the last few decades, a rule in the U.S. Senate, originally intended to encourage constructive debate and deflect unnecessary bills, has morphed into a stalling tactic that too often leaves […]
The Oklahoman Editorial Board: Lankford offers straight talk on dealing with U.S. budget
In remarks on the U.S. Senate floor last week where he criticized the final budget of Barack Obama’s presidency, Sen. James Lankford also took some time to explore just how troubling and serious are the nation’s finances, and offered proposals he would like to see considered. They merit further mention. Obama’s $4.1 trillion budget, Lankford […]
Senator Lankford in The Washington Post: Change Senate rules on votes to open debate
Here is something you can count on: at one time or another, House members and senators will blame Senate rules for the lack of progress in Congress. People across the fruited plain agree. Most people do not understand the complex rules of the Senate, but they do understand that very little is moving in Congress because of […]
Senator Lankford in Tulsa World: Parents and local decisions can improve education
No matter where I travel in the state, people want to talk about education. We are all concerned about our state budget deficit, but many Oklahomans are just as concerned about our state’s education deficit. As a parent of a child in our public schools, this is also a big deal to me. Fortunately, the […]
Joint Op-Ed in Tulsa World: Lifting ban on crude oil exports starts new chapter for Oklahoma
Revenue in Oklahoma is down by 12 percent. We face a $900.8 million shortfall going into 2016. Our state Secretary of Finance has said we are facing the biggest fiscal challenge since the 2008 recession, and our state education agencies have been told to prepare for large, across-the-board budget cuts midway through the school year. […]