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James Lankford Biography
James Lankford (James Paul Lankford) is an American politician serving as the junior United States Senator from Oklahoma since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. Representative for Oklahoma’s 5th congressional district from 2011 to 2015.
From 1996 to 2009, he was the student ministries and evangelism specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and director of the youth programming at the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center in Davis, Oklahoma. He stepped down on September 1, 2009, to run for Congress.
On January 2014, he announced that he would run in the 2014 U.S. Senate special election to succeed his fellow Republican Tom Coburn, following Coburn’s announcement that he would not seek another term in 2014.
He won the June 2014 primary elections with 57% of the vote, becoming the Republican nominee. He won the special election with nearly 68% of the vote and was elected to the balance of Coburn’s term. He was reelected in 2016 with again nearly 68% of the vote.
James Lankford Age
James Lankford was born on 4 March 1968 in Dallas, Texas, United States. He is 51 years old as of 2019.
James Lankford Net worth
James Lankford earns his income from his businesses and other related organizations. He also earns his income from the Awards industry. He also earns his income from his work as a politician. He has an estimated net worth of $ 2 million dollars.
James Lankford Family
James Lankford was born in Dallas, Texas, the United States to Linda Joyce Lankford (mother) and James Wesley Lankford (father) His mother was an elementary school librarian.
His maternal grandparents owned small dry-cleaning business, his father and paternal grandparents a dairy farm. His stepfather was a career employee of AC Delco, the parts division of General Motors.
His parents divorced when he was four; his mother and his older brother lived for a time in his grandparents’ garage apartment. He became a Christian at eight. His mother remarried when he was twelve, and the family moved to Garland with his stepfather.
James Lankford Image
James Lankford Education
James Lankford attended Lakeview Centennial High School in Garland. While at Lakeview he participated in the Close Up Washington civic education program.
He then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education (specializing in Speech and History) at University of Texas at Austin in 1990, and a master’s degree in Divinity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1994.
James Lankford Wife
James Lankford married Cindy Lankford in 1992. The couples were blessed with two daughters. He attends Quail Springs Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist church in Oklahoma City.
James Lankford Camp program director
James Lankford after graduating, he moved to Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City, where he still lives today. He served there with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He became later became its program director of Falls Creek, the largest Christian camp in the U.S.
James Lankford U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
After two-term incumbent Republican Mary Fallin announced she was giving up her seat to run for governor of Oklahoma, Lankford entered the race to succeed her.
He finished first in a seven-way Republican primary the real contest in this heavily Republican district and defeated former State Representative Kevin Calvey in the runoff. He then defeated Democrat Billy Coyle in the general election with 62.53% of the vote.
In the 2012 elections, he defeated Democrat Tom Guild with 59% of the vote. Following the election, he was named the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking position in the House Republican caucus. This is a senior position for a second-term House member.
James Lankford Political positions
Taxes
Lankford supports budget austerity by lowering taxes and reducing government spending. He took the taxpayer protection pledge promising to support no new taxes. He supports the repeal of the income and estate taxes and supports a sales tax to tax consumption and not savings or earnings.
Budget
Lankford supports prioritizing spending cuts if the debt limit is reached and the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge.[8] He also supports a balanced budget amendment and voted to terminate the Home Affordable mortgage Program.
Jobs
He supports compensatory time off for overtime workers and received a 100% rating from the CEI, indicating a pro-workplace choice stance. Gun rights
In 2014 Lankford was endorsed by the National Rifle Association and had an “A” rating for his consistent support of pro-gun legislation. Lankford supports loosening restrictions on interstate gun purchases.
He opposes firearm microstamping, a controversial method of imprinting casings with a unique marking to match it with a specific firearm, and would allow veterans to register unlicensed firearms.
After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in which the perpetrator used a Smith & Wesson M&P15 AR-15 style rifle to kill 17 and wound 17 others, Lankford said on NBC News’ Meet the Press he was open to requiring more comprehensive background checks for firearm purchases, saying, “The problem is not owning an AR-15, it’s the person who owns it.”
Defense
Lankford supports extending the Patriot Act and expanding roving wiretaps occurring in the US. He supports the prioritization of security, starting with military bases.
Energy
He supports expanding exploration of gas and oil both domestically and on the outer continental shelf. He opposes the Environmental Protection Agency regulating emission standards as he believes it hinders economic growth.
Environment
In addition to barring the EPA from regulating emission standards, Lankford believes manure and other fertilizers should not be classified as pollutants or hazardous.
Healthcare
Lankford has stated his belief that federally funded health insurance is unconstitutional and has made a statement that he will oppose any and all moves for a federal healthcare system. He supported an initiative to allow Medicare choice and also institute budget cuts.
Abortion
Lankford opposes abortion. He believes Congress should recognize life at the moment of fertilization. He opposes any federally funded programs that allow for abortion, as well as Planned Parenthood and other similar groups.
LGBT issues
Lankford has largely opposed legislation promoting LGBT rights. He believes marriage is between a man and a woman and opposes same-sex marriage. In the 2010 campaign for the House of Representatives, he disparaged the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded hate crime legislation to include greater penalties for hate crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or race.
Lankford supported Oklahoma Question 711, a statewide constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions that passed in 2004 with 75% of the vote and remained law until it was challenged in court and struck down by a federal judge as unconstitutional in 2014.
Lankford lambasted the decision, saying that “marriage is a state issue and Oklahoma has spoken.” He also endorsed the Defense of Marriage Act and condemned the 2013 Supreme Court decision striking down parts of the law.
Lankford has defended businesses and individuals opposing LGBT rights, including Chick-fil-A in the wake of its denunciation over donations to groups opposing same-sex marriage, and Phil Robertson after he was suspended from Duck Dynasty in 2013 following comments regarded as anti-LGBT and racist. Lankford attacked A&E for suspending Robertson, writing that Robertson “should be able to speak his views without fear of being silenced.”
In 2012, five days after President Barack Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, the first sitting U.S. president to do so, Lankford told a ThinkProgress interviewer that he believed homosexuality is a choice and that employers should be allowed to terminate workers for their sexual orientation: “I think it’s a choice issue.” After LGBT advocates condemned his statements, Lankford defended himself on local television, reiterating that homosexuality is a choice.
After the Southern Poverty Law Center designated the Alliance Defending Freedom an anti-LGBT hate group, Lankford criticized the designation and defended the ADF, which had described same-sex marriage as a threat to “healthy, free and stable society.”
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest organization advocating for LGBT rights in the United States, included Lankford in its 2016 “Congressional Hall of Shame” along with Senators Mike Lee and Ted Cruz.
Human rights
In August 2018, Lankford, Marco Rubio and 15 other lawmakers urged the Trump administration to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses in western China’s Xinjiang region.
They wrote: “The detention of as many as a million or more Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in “political reeducation” centers or camps requires a tough, targeted, and global response.”
James Lankford U.S. Senate
In January 2014, Lankford announced he would run in the 2014 Senate special election to succeed retiring Republican Senator Tom Coburn. He won the June 2014 Republican primary, defeating former state House Speaker T.W. Shannon and former state senator Randy Brogdon.
He won the election for the final two years of Coburn’s second term, defeating retiring state senator Constance N. Johnson by a margin of 557,002, 67.9%, to Johnson’s 237,923, 29.0%, with independent candidate Mark Beard collecting 25,965 votes, 3.2% of the total.
During the 2016 elections, Lankford was elected to a full six-year term in the Senate at the 2016 Oklahoma United States Senate election, defeating Democratic consultant Mike Workman with 67.7 percent of the vote. As in 2014, he won in a landslide, carrying every county in the state.
Lankford was sworn into office on January 6, 2015, by Vice President Joe Biden. On December 21, 2017, Lankford was one of six senators to introduce the Secure Elections Act, legislation authorizing block grants to states to update outdated voting technology as well as form a program for an independent panel of experts that would work toward the development of cybersecurity guidelines for election systems that states could then implement, along with offering states resources to install the recommendations.
James Lankford Commitees assignments
Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related AgenciesSubcommittee on Energy and Water DevelopmentSubcommittee on Financial Services and General GovernmentSubcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related AgenciesSubcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
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Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management (Chairman)Committee on Indian AffairsSelect Committee on Intelligence
James Lankford Campaign Contributions
Devon Energy | $85,810 | $65,810 | $20,000 |
Koch Industries | $52,500 | $33,000 | $19,500 |
Bancfirst | $37,900 | $37,900 | $0 |
Mathena Inc | $37,200 | $37,200 | $0 |
Energy Transfer Equity | $36,600 | $26,600 | $10,000 |
Oil & Gas | $910,185 | $524,085 | $386,100 |
Retired | $510,084 | $510,084 | $0 |
Leadership PACs | $358,953 | $0 | $358,953 |
Health Professionals | $316,964 | $222,464 | $94,500 |
Commercial Banks | $282,227 | $181,827 | $100,400 |
James Lankford&Trump
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today voted against the Senate’s resolution of disapproval regarding President Trump’s declaration of emergency to address the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. A “no” vote on this resolution means Senator Lankford approves of the President’s actions to secure the border. Despite Lankford’s “no” vote, the resolution of disapproval passed 59-41 but is expected to be vetoed by President Trump.
“There are two questions involved in this vote to disapprove of the President’s emergency declaration regarding the drug and humanitarian crisis at the southern border. Is there an emergency, and, if so, is there statutory authority for the President to act? I believe the answer to both questions is ‘yes,’ which is why I opposed the resolution of disapproval today,” said Lankford.
“I believe we have an emergency humanitarian crisis at the southern border. The President in cooperation with USCBP has identified the top-10 drug trafficking corridors between the ports of entry. All new fencing will be built in the areas of highest illegal drug trafficking. Where there is recently constructed replacement fencing along the southern border, The fencing at strategic points along the border, which is what we have discussed for months now, is working.
We must continue to build on this solution. We can and should work to prevent any unlawful entry into our nation while working to improve our legal immigration system. Leaders may disagree with the policy, but the National Emergencies Act of 1976 gives the President the authority to act.
President Trump has the legal authority to declare a national emergency and use statutorily available funds and resources to address the emergency at our southern border. I look forward to our continued work to secure our border and end this humanitarian crisis.” Lankford also spoke on the Senate floor just before the vote today to announce his decision to oppose the resolution of disapproval.
James Lankford Internship
The Office of Senator James Lankford is currently seeking unpaid interns to help in the Washington, DC office. Interns will be responsible for assisting with general front office duties including, but not limited to: answering phones, performing administrative tasks, assisting with database management, contributing to the official correspondence process, conducting tours of the US Capitol, and assisting with legislative research. Applicants should be detail-oriented with excellent communication skills and a friendly demeanor. Oklahoma ties are preferred but not required. I
PRESS INTERN – The Office of Senator James Lankford seeks an individual for an unpaid press internship position in the Washington, DC office. The press intern will work closely with the communications team on a variety of tasks, including daily press clips, social media messaging, video recording, transcribing copy, and answering the phone. Attention to detail and strong writing and grammar skills are required. The press intern is expected to work 25-40 hours per week. Interns in the Office of Senator Lankford are unpaid but can receive college credit.
Oklahoma City & Tulsa Offices
The Office of Senator James Lankford is seeking applications for interns in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa offices. Intern responsibilities may include but are not limited to: answering phones, performing administrative tasks, assisting with database management, contributing to the official correspondence process, supporting staff with projects, and conducting legislative research.
Applicants should be highly organized and hardworking. They should also have strong written and verbal communication skills and have the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment. Applicants must have completed high school.
Internships are unpaid; however, they provide an excellent way to gain valuable experience and skills and could lead to college credit (per your university’s requirements). Interns are expected to work a minimum of 14 hours a week over 2-3 days. State internship applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail and will be required to submit a resume, cover letter, brief writing sample, and two references prior to the application deadline.
James Lankford Military Service
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today spoke on the Senate floor to honor the women and men serving in the US military and their families during Military Appreciation Month. Lankford took a moment to thank the Gold Star Families families who have lost a loved one in military service during the speech.
Lankford introduced legislation this month that will expand the eligibility for the Fry Scholarship to spouses and children of members of the National Guard and Reserves who died of service-connected causes but whose deaths did not occur when the member was on active duty.
He also introduced the Reserve Component DD-214 Act of 2019, which is a bipartisan effort to help reserve component members of the US Armed Forces, including members of the Reserves and National Guard, receive the benefits they have earned following their retirement or completion of service.
Transcript:
Mr. President, the month of May is Military Appreciation Month. It’s a time when we, as a country, we come together, we pause, we recognize the sacrifice of those who have raised their right hand, worn the cloth of our country, and they continue to serve the world’s greatest military day-in and day-out. They have exceptionally long days, difficult tasks. Sometimes they fight the fight of boredom and hanging out and guarding a spot, and sometimes they are in an exceptionally stressful full-on combat mode. They’re prepared for both.
Throughout the month of May, there are actually six different days of observation to honor our nation’s military and their families who sacrifice so much: Loyalty Day, Public Service Recognition Week, Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Armed Forces Day, and, of course, at the end of the month of May, a pause for Memorial Day. All of these observances within one month, May.
It’s a clear sign that our military is one of the most important cornerstones of our country and their sacrifice is unmatched, and so it should be honored and celebrated. In addition to our service members and veterans, I hope that all Americans also recognize the service of their family members: husband, wife, son, daughter, mom, and dad. They are wearing the uniform, and they can be gone months at a time on multiple deployments.
I had the opportunity to be able to meet with many family members in Oklahoma, that their spouse, mom, dad, son, daughter have been deployed multiple times in several different theaters, and while they are forward deployed, their family waits. And it’s a long, difficult wait. It’s tough on the family, for those that serve in our National Guard, it’s tough on employers, it’s tough on their personal finances, and it’s a stressful environment.
For those folks that have done it and continue to serve, that one percent of our nation that defends the other 99 percent of our nation, we could not be more grateful for them and for their family members. And to our Gold Star Families, those who were left behind to continue the legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we thank you for your service and for your love of country.
It’s our duty as a nation to continue to support our Gold Star Families, to be able to encourage them, check on them, live life with them. Just last week I introduced legislation with Senator Carper to expand certain educational benefits to the survivors of Guardsmen and Reservists who have died as a result of their service. This is part of the least we can do as a nation to be able to walk alongside those Gold Star Families.
Over 33,000 active duty guard, reserve, and active duty personnel are currently assigned in Oklahoma and have Oklahomans serving our country and protecting our interests literally all over the world right now. We’re home to Altus Air Force Base, Tinker Air Force Base, Vance Air Force Base, Fort Sill Fire’s Center of Excellence, and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, as well as countless different National Guard lotions all around the state. We train and equip our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines. And I’m proud of the Oklahomans that wear that uniform.
As we continue this Military Appreciation Month, I hope all Americans take the time to remember that 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether you are awake or asleep, someone is on guard watching our nation right now. Someone is defending our freedoms right now—whether you are hearing about Military Appreciation Month while you’re at work, while you’re at play, while you’re at rest, someone is not resting right now they are defending your freedoms, and we are grateful.