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Republican (1854-present)

James Lankford

Before his service in Congress, James served students and families for more than 20 years in ministry, including 15 years as the Director of Student Ministry for the Baptist Convention of Oklahoma and Director of the Falls Creek Youth Camp, the largest youth camp in the United States, with more than 51,000 individuals attending each summer.

James and his staff enjoy serving people from all backgrounds across Oklahoma. As Ranking Member of the Government Operations and Border Management  Subcommittee, which covers border security, management, and operations; regulatory reform; and the federal workforce. He demands we have a secure, more fiscally responsible, and transparent federal government, and our nation remains the world leader. He believes that the federal government has an important role in our nation, but empowered families, individual people, and private businesses grow our economy and pass down our values.

Guantanamo Bay

President Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan this August now leaves questions for the future of our vital detention center facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  • This summer, Senator Lankford received a very unsatisfactory and troubling response from the Biden Administration regarding their plans for the future of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
  • In May Senator Lankford led a letter to President Biden to demand a status update on his plans for continuing to detain terrorists at US facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, even as the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan this week, which Lankford opposed, has essentially allowed the Taliban terrorists to regain full control of the country. The Department of Defense’s short response, after three months, indicated they plan to continue to move forward to close the facility.
  • Since 2016, Senator Lankford has spoken out about the important role Guantanamo Bay detention facilities play in combatting terrorism and ensuring we do not bring radical and recruiting terrorists into US detention facilities.

Protecting Second Amendment Rights

Senator Lankford strongly believes in protecting our Second Amendment rights for law-abiding Americans.  

Gun owners must meet numerous stipulations and requirements when exercising their basic constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Federal legislators and regulators should not restrict law-abiding hunters, responsible gun owners, and gun or ammunition manufactures, but the violation of firearms laws and multiple criminal statutes should lead to punishment for violent criminals.

We should identify real and meaningful solutions to address the issues of broken families, drug use, and violent crime.  We must work together to support healthy families, enhance access to mental health services, and continue respectful national dialogues about the harm that hatred and violence cause.

  • President Biden's nomination of David Chipman to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)
    • Oklahomans have shared concerns about this nomination because they believe Chipman will take action to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. Senator Lankford share these concerns. 
    • On May 26, the Senate Committee on Judiciary held a hearing on Chipman's nomination. Senator Lankford was alarmed by Chipman's answers regarding gun control and his open support of an AR-15 ban. 
    • In early September, the White House pulled his nomination from consideration. Senator Lankford did not support the nomination of David Chipman.
    • Rumors about the possibility of universal background checks. 
      • Senator Lankford is opposed to universal background checks. But he does support the need to be able to consistently monitor and update the National Instant Background Check System (NICS).
      • It is imperative that the necessary records are uploaded to the NICS system so individuals who are not authorized to purchase a firearm are prevented from doing so. 
      • Rumors about the possibility of federal incentives for states that enact red flag laws. 
        • Red flag laws, both federal proposals and current state laws, withdraw a constitutional right first, then force individuals to go to court to get their rights back or get due process. 
        • Decades ago, federal law was changed to not allow a person who had been treated in-patient for mental illness or adjudicated by a court as “mentally deficient” to own, possess, or purchase a firearm of any type.  We should consistently enforce our existing law to protect people with mental illness from doing harm to themselves or others.  Our existing law allows for the removal of firearms from someone who is a threat, but it also prioritizes getting them treatment.  I will continue to look very carefully at any federal legislation that could curtail law-abiding citizens' right to keep and bear arms.