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James Lankford's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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James Lankford did not provide voters with positions on key issues covered by the 2022 Political Courage Test, despite repeated requests from Vote Smart and voters like you.

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Issue Positions

For Presidential and Congressional candidates who refuse to provide voters with their positions, Vote Smart has researched their public records to determine their likely responses. These issue positions are from 2022.

  • Voted in favor of S 311 "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act." (votesmart.org)
  • ""Every life--born or unborn--has value and worth, and I am proud to stand today with these prolife organizations and discuss the valuable services they provide pregnant women and their families," said Lankford. "There are potentially huge victories for the respect of life coming in the courts this fall. After Texas' abortion ban was allowed to go forward and as the Supreme Court prepares a case this fall that could overturn Roe v. Wade, we must stand for each life at each moment of their life. Thank you to all those who participated today for how you care for each mother and child. We should ensure we are a nation that stands for life together."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""Every life, born or unborn, has value and worth. As elected officials who swear to uphold life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we should work to protect life at every stage," said Lankford. "During my time in Congress, one of my top priorities has been standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and I am humbled to be recognized for this work by the Susan B. Anthony List, which helps keep Americans informed about pro-life work in Congress. I look forward to continuing my support of pro-life causes and legislation--we can and should protect the basic human right to life."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by National Right to Life Committee. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Every life--born or unborn--has value and worth, and I am proud to stand today with these prolife organizations and discuss the valuable services they provide pregnant women and their families," said Lankford. "There are potentially huge victories for the respect of life coming in the courts this fall. After Texas' abortion ban was allowed to go forward and as the Supreme Court prepares a case this fall that could overturn Roe v. Wade, we must stand for each life at each moment of their life. Thank you to all those who participated today for how you care for each mother and child. We should ensure we are a nation that stands for life together." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Every life, born or unborn, has value and worth. As elected officials who swear to uphold life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we should work to protect life at every stage," said Lankford. "During my time in Congress, one of my top priorities has been standing up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and I am humbled to be recognized for this work by the Susan B. Anthony List, which helps keep Americans informed about pro-life work in Congress. I look forward to continuing my support of pro-life causes and legislation--we can and should protect the basic human right to life." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to President Trump: "The new HRA rule will make it easier for small businesses that are currently struggling to provide health insurance coverage for their employees. From 2010 to 2018, the proportion of workers at small businesses with three to 49 workers covered by an employer plan fell by more than 25 percent. The HRA final rule will allow an estimated 800,000 employers to give their workers tax-preferred funds to purchase health insurance for themselves and their families in the individual market, subject to certain conditions. This rule will particularly benefit small and mid-sized employers that do not currently offer coverage or that face significant burdens offering a traditional group health plan to employees. These commonsense changes will drive competition while helping to ensure insurance companies are directly accountable to individuals to keep their prices low and quality high." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The bill that was on the floor today dealt with multiple helpful things. It expands SNAP--what some people still call food stamps, but it is supplemental nutrition. It is assistance for those families. It is an expansion of that. It also deals with unemployment insurance benefits to make sure those are staying consistent and those get extended to people who are going to need them because in the past week, unemployment has dramatically increased all over the country. In the days ahead, when we see the numbers, we will see the difference between what is happening this week versus the week before versus the week before that." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""The pandemic forced Oklahomans to adapt in many ways, but one positive change we saw was the expansion of telehealth access to help increase access to care and reduce the spread of COVD-19, particularly for senior adults," said Lankford. "Telehealth primary care visits in Oklahoma increased by one-third during the pandemic, and it's important that we make this option permanently available for Medicare patients who want to meet virtually with their doctor and health team."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The pandemic forced Oklahomans to adapt in many ways, but one positive change we saw was the expansion of telehealth access to help increase access to care and reduce the spread of COVD-19, particularly for senior adults," said Lankford. "Telehealth primary care visits in Oklahoma increased by one-third during the pandemic, and it's important that we make this option permanently available for Medicare patients who want to meet virtually with their doctor and health team." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against S 2093 "For the People Act of 2021." (votesmart.org)
  • ""Our election system should provide every American with the confidence that their vote is counted and encourage every American to vote," said Lankford. "Americans support voter ID laws. They do not want publicly funded campaigns and do not support ballot harvesting with third-party collection of ballots. When both the ACLU and the Heritage Foundation oppose a bill, it is clear it does not represent American values. We want reliable election systems that can be verified and checked. We need to build trust in our election system. I strongly opposed S. 1 because it makes cheating easy and verifying elections impossible. It is not the right direction for our nation."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 0% by Common Cause. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""Secretary Ziriax is a trusted election security professional with national credibility in making sure voting in Oklahoma is easy, fair, and secure, so this warning about S.1 and H.R. 1 should raise red flags for anyone interested in free and fair elections," said Lankford. "Oklahoma's election process is simple and straightforward with paper ballot backups to ensure we can audit and have confidence in our election results. S.1 and H.R. 1 would take elections away from our states to be run by Washington, DC. I strongly agree with Secretary Ziriax's opposition to these bills, and I remain committed to opposing this DC power grab of our elections."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Our election system should provide every American with the confidence that their vote is counted and encourage every American to vote," said Lankford. "Americans support voter ID laws. They do not want publicly funded campaigns and do not support ballot harvesting with third-party collection of ballots. When both the ACLU and the Heritage Foundation oppose a bill, it is clear it does not represent American values. We want reliable election systems that can be verified and checked. We need to build trust in our election system. I strongly opposed S. 1 because it makes cheating easy and verifying elections impossible. It is not the right direction for our nation." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Secretary Ziriax is a trusted election security professional with national credibility in making sure voting in Oklahoma is easy, fair, and secure, so this warning about S.1 and H.R. 1 should raise red flags for anyone interested in free and fair elections," said Lankford. "Oklahoma's election process is simple and straightforward with paper ballot backups to ensure we can audit and have confidence in our election results. S.1 and H.R. 1 would take elections away from our states to be run by Washington, DC. I strongly agree with Secretary Ziriax's opposition to these bills, and I remain committed to opposing this DC power grab of our elections." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""It's unfortunate Senate Democrats have allowed partisan politics to get in the way of justice. Equal justice should not be a partisan issue," Senator Lankford (R-OK) said. "The JUSTICE Act has more similarities with the House Democrat bill than differences. Blocking the Senate from even debating the JUSTICE Act and demanding that the Senate only take up Speaker Pelosi's police reform bill, that has not even been voted on yet in the House. Today we missed an opportunity to increase funding for body-worn cameras, ban chokeholds, and provide greater accountability and transparency for local law enforcement. The American people deserve better. I wish that Senator Schumer would allow the Senate to debate and amend the JUSTICE Act, rather than prevent debate and delay justice again for partisan reasons."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""Our nation is hurting and crying out to fix underlying systemic injustices that have existed for far too long," said Lankford. "While no one bill or law will fix racism and heal our land, we should continue to take positive steps to create transparency to build trust and understanding. It is essential that individuals continue to reach out to others, stand up with compassion to injustice, and finally learn the ugly lessons of our past."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "It's unfortunate Senate Democrats have allowed partisan politics to get in the way of justice. Equal justice should not be a partisan issue," Senator Lankford (R-OK) said. "The JUSTICE Act has more similarities with the House Democrat bill than differences. Blocking the Senate from even debating the JUSTICE Act and demanding that the Senate only take up Speaker Pelosi's police reform bill, that has not even been voted on yet in the House. Today we missed an opportunity to increase funding for body-worn cameras, ban chokeholds, and provide greater accountability and transparency for local law enforcement. The American people deserve better. I wish that Senator Schumer would allow the Senate to debate and amend the JUSTICE Act, rather than prevent debate and delay justice again for partisan reasons." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Our nation is hurting and crying out to fix underlying systemic injustices that have existed for far too long," said Lankford. "While no one bill or law will fix racism and heal our land, we should continue to take positive steps to create transparency to build trust and understanding. It is essential that individuals continue to reach out to others, stand up with compassion to injustice, and finally learn the ugly lessons of our past." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 87% by Center for Security Policy. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""Senator Inhofe successfully fought off the progressives' wish list to pass a solid national defense bill," said Lankford. "The final bill helps move forward the missions of Oklahoma's military installations, gives members of the military a raise, protects service members from dishonorable discharge if they choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, rejects forcing women to sign up for the draft, and blocks "woke' training for our services members, and allows them to prioritize the mission. We should always work toward a defense bill that focuses on our military missions and readiness, not a progressive political agenda."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""The NDAA provides Congress an annual opportunity to authorize existing and new federal programs and initiatives that affect our nation's service members and their families, and these amendments represent some of the areas where we can better serve our heroes," said Lankford. "These amendments focus on fixing broken processes, ensuring continuity across federal agencies, and making sure the federal government can hire and retain the brightest minds in our nation for its workforce."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S 1605 "National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022." (votesmart.org)
  • "Senator Inhofe successfully fought off the progressives' wish list to pass a solid national defense bill," said Lankford. "The final bill helps move forward the missions of Oklahoma's military installations, gives members of the military a raise, protects service members from dishonorable discharge if they choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, rejects forcing women to sign up for the draft, and blocks "woke' training for our services members, and allows them to prioritize the mission. We should always work toward a defense bill that focuses on our military missions and readiness, not a progressive political agenda." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The NDAA provides Congress an annual opportunity to authorize existing and new federal programs and initiatives that affect our nation's service members and their families, and these amendments represent some of the areas where we can better serve our heroes," said Lankford. "These amendments focus on fixing broken processes, ensuring continuity across federal agencies, and making sure the federal government can hire and retain the brightest minds in our nation for its workforce." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "President Biden’s so-called infrastructure bill has more money for electric vehicles than funding for the highways they’re supposed to drive on. We should spend more on highways, not government footing the bill for electric cars." (twitter.com)
  • Signed Letter to Secretary Buttigieg: "The IIJA provides historic levels of funding to improve the nation's surface transportation system, which will support economic growth and job creation in all communities. The IIJA distributes 90 percent of the federal-aid highway funding to states via formula and largely retains the existing core formula program structure that allows for states to have maximum flexibility to address their unique needs. The IIJA includes numerous provisions to facilitate the efficient delivery of all surface transportation projects, including reforms to the environmental review and permitting process. Congress thoughtfully confronted pressing issues in a manner that reflected bipartisan input and consensus while avoiding burdensome, prescriptive requirements that fail to reflect the different needs of states across the country. The law recognizes the specific, and at times different, needs of rural and urban communities and establishes new programs to tackle those needs head on." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted against HR 3684 "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "We need to work on infrastructure, and I would tell you, I don't meet a Republican who is not engaged in this issue of infrastructure. And it is not the first time for any of us to work on infrastructure; we have had multiple bills. I remind people around my State that every time you are driving around my State and you see an orange construction zone and a flashing sign, that is a previous infrastructure bill that was done. In every direction that you go in my State, you are going to see infrastructure that is already happening and working because working on infrastructure is a common part of what we do." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "President Biden’s so-called infrastructure bill has more money for electric vehicles than funding for the highways they’re supposed to drive on. We should spend more on highways, not government footing the bill for electric cars." (twitter.com)
  • "I am grateful for SBA's attention to the important issue we raised that will allow Oklahoma's rural, municipality-owned hospitals to access the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds just like private hospitals already can," said Lankford. "I have been in direct contact with rural Oklahomans and rural health providers during the pandemic, and I have consistently heard how much Oklahomans need our rural health facilities to remain open and serving patients and their families. Allowing access to these funds will help ensure our rural communities can continue to receive care without having to drive sometimes hours to the next-nearest hospital. I will continue to look for ways we can keep the doors open at our rural health facilities." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""The federal government needs to make good on its promises to Oklahoma small businesses and lenders with the PPP program and make loan forgiveness straight forward and efficient," said Lankford. "Simplifying the process for loans of $150,000 and less will ensure small businesses and financial institutions can get loans processed in a timely manner and provide a safe harbor for lenders, while maintaining the requirements and auditability standards from the CARES Act and subsequent guidance from SBA. I appreciate Oklahoma's lenders who stepped up to the plate to get PPP loans out the door quickly and properly, and I look forward to this bipartisan bill's passage to streamline the PPP loan application and forgiveness process."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 748 "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "The federal government needs to make good on its promises to Oklahoma small businesses and lenders with the PPP program and make loan forgiveness straight forward and efficient," said Lankford. "Simplifying the process for loans of $150,000 and less will ensure small businesses and financial institutions can get loans processed in a timely manner and provide a safe harbor for lenders, while maintaining the requirements and auditability standards from the CARES Act and subsequent guidance from SBA. I appreciate Oklahoma's lenders who stepped up to the plate to get PPP loans out the door quickly and properly, and I look forward to this bipartisan bill's passage to streamline the PPP loan application and forgiveness process." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "This economy we have right now—9.1% inflation—is directly tied to the Democrat’s failed policies." (twitter.com)
  • Voted against H.R. 5376 “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” (votesmart.org)
  • "Dems’ “Inflation Reduction” Act doesn’t reduce inflation at all—it’s playing politics with Americans’ money." (twitter.com)
  • "The Democrats’ reckless tax & spending bill doesn’t reduce inflation, doesn’t reduce the deficit & doesn’t reduce prices for Americans. I strongly oppose any form of #BuildBackBroke" (twitter.com)
  • Rated 0% by National Education Association (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "You can’t just “cancel” student loan debt – someone still has to pay for it. American families who worked two jobs in college now have to also pay the debt of others as well." (twitter.com)
  • Rated 0% by Common Cause (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Senate Bill 1 is nothing more than a power grab by DC Democrats to have a federal takeover of elections. It bans voter ID laws, legalizes ballot harvesting, same day voter registration & forces taxpayers to pay for campaigns. S1 isn't for the people. It’s for the politicians" (twitter.com)
  • "States have every right to uphold the integrity of their elections including measures like voter ID requirements & election observer zones. That's why I joined @SenTedCruz in an amicus brief in support of the petitioners & in defense of laws that combat election fraud." (twitter.com)
  • "It's interesting to me, if I look at the Southwest Power Pool that I happen to live in. For all of us that looked at not only reliability but resiliency of it natural gas has been in this conversation. When I talk to folks in natural gas they will say it is a unique challenge that they are getting because they are approaching a tipping point for them to say, "natural gas is quick to be able to turn on but when you're not asked for much for a long period of time and then suddenly you ask for a lot in a short period of time, especially in extremely cold weather event then suddenly it's like we can't turn it all on that fast, that much. Is there a tipping point you're seeing for providing other fuels that are out there. For instance that were 40, 50, 60 percent renewables, and you've got a very small portfolio of natural gas and then the wind stops blowing and it's a cloudy day and you suddenly don't have those and you ask natural gas to turn on 50 percent suddenly. That's just not realistic because what is upstream is not able to turn on that fast." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Oklahoma can teach the nation that energy development means good jobs and a bright future. We truly do all of the above energy. Wind, geothermal, solar, and hydroelectric all show great promise for the future, but right now they still not a majority of our daily energy needs. Cutting edge energy research in Oklahoma shows great promise for batteries, reuse of materials, recycling water, wind, geothermal, and solar power. We should continue our march to energy innovation and even lower energy prices for consumers." (jameslankford.com)
  • ""Presidents cannot invent a law or change the law to fit their preferences; they can only follow the law. The law does not give Biden the authority to coerce state utility companies to forcibly change their electric energy sources to meet his progressive climate-change agenda," said Lankford. "After last year, Oklahomans know very well we need reliable and diverse energy sources to keep our lights on and our homes heated. Biden's unrealistic push to cancel traditional energy in favor of only renewables puts the dependability of our system at risk. Oklahoma continues to fight back against Biden's all-out assault on oil and natural gas, and we will continue to push for a diverse, all-of-the-above energy portfolio. We have done that for years without Biden trying to tell us what to do."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""The wind industry is strong and thriving in Oklahoma and around the nation. Wind energy producers no longer need the production tax credit to stay afloat," said Lankford. "Wind is a great source of energy, but it does not need billions of dollars in subsidies to grow. The tax credit keeps getting extended each year despite Congress voting nearly six years ago that it should be phased out and eliminated. We are reintroducing this bill to tie up the loose ends of the credit at the end of this year for renewables and let these industries continue to successfully stand on their own."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "Presidents cannot invent a law or change the law to fit their preferences; they can only follow the law. The law does not give Biden the authority to coerce state utility companies to forcibly change their electric energy sources to meet his progressive climate-change agenda," said Lankford. "After last year, Oklahomans know very well we need reliable and diverse energy sources to keep our lights on and our homes heated. Biden's unrealistic push to cancel traditional energy in favor of only renewables puts the dependability of our system at risk. Oklahoma continues to fight back against Biden's all-out assault on oil and natural gas, and we will continue to push for a diverse, all-of-the-above energy portfolio. We have done that for years without Biden trying to tell us what to do." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The wind industry is strong and thriving in Oklahoma and around the nation. Wind energy producers no longer need the production tax credit to stay afloat," said Lankford. "Wind is a great source of energy, but it does not need billions of dollars in subsidies to grow. The tax credit keeps getting extended each year despite Congress voting nearly six years ago that it should be phased out and eliminated. We are reintroducing this bill to tie up the loose ends of the credit at the end of this year for renewables and let these industries continue to successfully stand on their own." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 100% by Independent Petroleum Association of America. (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Signed Letter to Comptroller Dodaro: "First, the EPA is now considering modification of the scope of the source category to reverse its scope to its previous status. Currently, the source category applies to production, gas processing, transmission and storage. Previously, it applied to production and gas processing. At issue is whether the expansion of the source category scope was properly justified. Second, a key component of the regulatory structure is a fugitive emissions program designed for large production wells but applied to all new and modified wells and potentially to all existing wells most of which are low production facilities operated by small businesses. At issue is whether the basis for these requirements was soundly developed and whether they are cost effective. This decision becomes far more compelling if the regulated emission remains methane because it would trigger a nationwide existing source regulation. This action would then apply a regulation designed for large new oil and natural gas wells to hundreds of thousands of low production wells and put their continuing existence in severe jeopardy." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The southern leg of Keystone, which begins in Cushing, Oklahoma, has been complete for more than six years, but the northern leg of the pipeline--under the strictest pipeline safety standards ever implemented--has faced countless delays. Pipelines are the safest way to transport oil. Yesterday's irrational denial of the Keystone XL permit damages our relationship with Canada and will lead to higher prices at the pump for consumers. While Oklahomans want to see the US continue to pursue an all-of-the-above energy policy, we also understand that currently our cars and trucks run on oil. Limiting access to an oil pipeline kills jobs and limits our energy supply. Kicking people who work in the energy sector on day-one may help progressive politics, but in Oklahoma, we know our jobs and livelihoods are next." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • ""We can have clean air and water and still empower American industries to flourish," Lankford said. "We should not crush American industry and raise our consumer prices trying to cancel out other nations' emissions. We should encourage manufacturing and mining here because we do it far cleaner than Russia or China. Let American industries thrive while we protect God's creation together."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "We can have clean air and water and still empower American industries to flourish," Lankford said. "We should not crush American industry and raise our consumer prices trying to cancel out other nations' emissions. We should encourage manufacturing and mining here because we do it far cleaner than Russia or China. Let American industries thrive while we protect God's creation together." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Rated 93% by National Rifle Association (NRA). (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The rights of citizens to buy, sell, and trade their guns is no different than their right to buy sell and trade any other legal possession. There are already common-sense limitations on gun ownership like not allowing convicted felons, those dishonorably discharged from the military, and those convicted of domestic violence to own or purchase firearms. But people who think guns are the root of America’s problems are always looking for ways to limit gun ownership." (jameslankford.com)
  • "We can preserve Second Amendment rights while also working together to reduce violence in our culture, but we must first put aside politics and have an honest discussion. It's already standard practice to notify the FBI and delay a gun sale to anyone on the known or suspected terrorist list." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "James will continue to fight to uphold the United States Constitution and our Second Amendment rights." (jameslankford.com)
  • "The rights of citizens to buy, sell, and trade their guns is no different than their right to buy sell and trade any other legal possession. There are already common-sense limitations on gun ownership like not allowing convicted felons, those dishonorably discharged from the military, and those convicted of domestic violence to own or purchase firearms. But people who think guns are the root of America’s problems are always looking for ways to limit gun ownership." (jameslankford.com)
  • "Obamacare #RepealAndReplace results in millions of Americans CHOOSING not to buy insurance, not LOSING insurance. Big difference" (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of S. Amdt 271 “Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act of 2017” (votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S. Amdt 667 “Health Care Freedom Act of 2017” (votesmart.org)
  • "Congress must continue to pursue the repeal & replacement of #Obamacare. We must take the necessary time & get this right." (twitter.com)
  • "This #TaxDay is the last that Americans will file taxes under the old system. Thanks to #TaxReform, we now have lower rates for families & #smallbusiness, incentives for paid family leave, & more investment for low-income communities thanks to the #IIOA." (twitter.com)
  • Voted against H.R. 6201 “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” (votesmart.org)
  • "The President’s speech was unifying and forward-looking. He stated that we can do things together, if we focus on legislation instead of investigation. He rightfully focused on our economic expansion and the ways we can keep growing our economy including addressing the costs of health care and prescription drugs. He also stood for life and human dignity when he addressed late-term abortions. It was helpful for the nation to hear a positive message about America in this season of division." (twitter.com)
  • "We need answers on why drug prices remain high, especially as Seniors’ pocketbooks are being hit faster than ever with Biden’s 7.9% inflation & rising prices. Watch my Q&A during a hearing on getting to the bottom of how we lower prescription drug prices" (twitter.com)
  • "America is full of immigrants, but there is a huge difference between legal immigration and illegal immigration. We should have secure borders, including fencing, technology, vehicle checks at border crossings, and a reliable entry / exit system to stop illegal immigration." (jameslankford.com)
  • "The Biden Admin is currently facilitating illegal immigration, not stopping illegal immigration—& the cartels are making $153 million a week off of these policies. We need to secure the border rather than just looking way." (twitter.com)
  • "The numbers don’t lie—the #BidenBorderCrisis is a direct result of the failed policies from this Administration. It’s time to follow the law, finish the wall, and secure our border." (twitter.com)
  • "Updating our E-verify system, increasing border security, ending catch and release at the borders, adding more technology and fencing at our border, closing the loopholes in immigration law, adding more immigration courts and video courts, and fixing the problems in our visa system should all be common- sense solutions." (jameslankford.com)
  • "The Supreme Court has now ruled that every future president has to abide by any previous President's executive actions, whether lawfully put in place or not, unless a court determines they may be changed. This is the definition of arbitrary and a new invented constitutional right for the Executive Branch to be able to write laws if the courts like them. This Court has attempted to avoid a politically difficult issue by driving our legal system into a minefield of future uncertainty. In February of 2018, the Senate was in the process of finding a permanent fix for DACA, when the Supreme Court decided to take the issue away from Congress. Now, the Court has returned to Congress an even bigger mess while creating a long-term problem for any President responding to any previous Executive action. Congress was addressing it and should address DACA in law, but now this decision--and the way it is written--leaves the long-term solutions for DACA recipients even more in limbo." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "This particular bill far exceeds just the DACA population. In fact, the DACA population is defined as the group that was 16 years old and in the United States before June 15, 2017. This bill deals with 18-year- olds in the United States just 4 years ago and before, greatly increasing the population in the conversation. So this is not just a DACA conversation; this is a much larger bill than just a DACA bill in that sense." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S Amdt 1948 "Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment)" (votesmart.org)
  • "I opposed Mr. Mayorkas’ nomination because we need a strong southern border & enforcement of immigration law, not an open door for amnesty." (twitter.com)
  • "This particular bill far exceeds just the DACA population. In fact, the DACA population is defined as the group that was 16 years old and in the United States before June 15, 2017. This bill deals with 18-year- olds in the United States just 4 years ago and before, greatly increasing the population in the conversation. So this is not just a DACA conversation; this is a much larger bill than just a DACA bill in that sense." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of S Amdt 1948 "Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act (Toomey Amendment)" (votesmart.org)
  • "I will not support any effort by the Biden Admin to weaken sanctions on Iran & lessen restrictions on their nuclear program." (twitter.com)
  • "The Senate just voted 98-2 for sanctions against Russia, Iran & North Korea. Provocation from these regimes must not go unanswered." (twitter.com)
  • "Turkey thinks they’re going to get something from the U.S. in exchange for Andrew Brunson. What they’re going to get is sanctions if they don’t release him now." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 7691 “Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes.” (votesmart.org)
  • "Biden should have sent MiGs & other aircrafts to Ukraine 3 weeks ago instead of dithering & allowing the Russians to take out more & more of Ukraine." (twitter.com)
  • "Just finished a call with Pres. Zelenskyy of Ukraine - He wants the world to stop buying Russian products (like oil and gas), stop selling to Russian consumers and for the world to provide help / equipment / supplies to Ukraine so they can defend their country. Ukraine is fighting tenaciously against a Russian invasion - If the world does not stand with Ukraine now, Russians will keep moving across Europe until they are stopped. If the Russians are foolish enough to attack a nuclear power plant, they are foolish enough to do anything." (twitter.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 7691 “Making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes.” (votesmart.org)
  • "We need to be clear that we’re standing with the people of Ukraine & that we’re doing what it takes to cut off the flow of money to the Russians who are murdering their neighbors." (twitter.com)
  • "Government does not exist to serve government; it exists to serve the people. Every government has waste, but the larger the government structure the more the waste. The only way to make significant change in government is to make it smaller and more accountable to the people. Liberals in Washington, D.C. continue to clamor for more taxes, but why would anyone want to pay more taxes to a government that is already wasting billions of dollars." (jameslankford.com)
  • "In 2017, James worked with his colleagues in Congress to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This historic tax reform was a win for the middle class by lowering all middle-income tax brackets and doubling the standard deduction. Small businesses received needed relief with a lower tax rate. The result was a fast-growing economy, the best employment numbers in 50 years, and more take-home pay for most Americans." (jameslankford.com)
  • "Tax rates should be low to make sure Americans can keep their hard-earned money, but enough to pay for critical services like national defense, education, infrastructure, public safety, and efficient government. Every wasted tax dollar is a dollar taken away from your family or your business. Washington, DC is not a better steward of your money. Every tax dollar should be spent wisely for a constitutional purpose." (jameslankford.com)
  • Voted in favor of H.R. 1 “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (votesmart.org)
  • ""The announcement on a trade agreement between the US and Japan is good news for Oklahoma and our state's agriculture community," said Lankford. "Further opening up the Japanese market for US exports has been a priority of mine since joining the Senate Finance Committee, and I commend the Trump Administration for completing this agreement that will see more of Oklahoma's beef and other major exports sold in Japan. In the days ahead, I look forward to the US engaging in further negotiations with Japan to bring a more comprehensive trade deal before Congress and the American people."" (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • "The USMCA negotiations ended more than a year ago, and it has been sitting in the House of Representatives waiting for a vote. Every manufacturer, agricultural producer, and international business in North America is waiting on the House to finally act. A vote on the USMCA agreement would demonstrate to Oklahomans and the American people that we're serious about updating NAFTA to reflect the 21st-century interests of American farmers, ranchers, producers, manufacturers, and more. I urge Speaker Pelosi to bring the USMCA to the floor for a vote before the end of the year." (justfacts.votesmart.org)
  • Voted in favor of HR 5430 "United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act." (votesmart.org)
  • "Since before we were country, we were for #freetrade. Right now, we must quickly conclude renegotiations of #NAFTA & #KORUS and begin opening up new markets for #Oklahoma exporters, while avoiding unnecessary tariffs & trade actions that result in harmful retaliatory measures." (twitter.com)
  • "The announcement on a trade agreement between the US and Japan is good news for Oklahoma and our state's agriculture community," said Lankford. "Further opening up the Japanese market for US exports has been a priority of mine since joining the Senate Finance Committee, and I commend the Trump Administration for completing this agreement that will see more of Oklahoma's beef and other major exports sold in Japan. In the days ahead, I look forward to the US engaging in further negotiations with Japan to bring a more comprehensive trade deal before Congress and the American people." (justfacts.votesmart.org)

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