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'{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox Officeholder |name = James Lankford |image = James Lankford official Senate photo.jpg |jr/sr = United States Senator |alongside = [[Jim Inhofe]] |state = [[Oklahoma]] |term_start = January 3, 2015 |term_end = |predecessor = [[Tom Coburn]] |successor = |state1 = [[Oklahoma]] |district1 = {{ushr|Oklahoma|5|5th}} |term_start1 = January 3, 2011 |term_end1 = January 3, 2015 |predecessor1 = [[Mary Fallin]] |successor1 = [[Steve Russell (politician)|Steve Russell]] |birth_name = James Paul Lankford |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|3|4}} |birth_place = [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], [[United States|U.S.]] |death_date = |death_place = |party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] |spouse = Cindy Lankford |children = Hannah<br>Jordan |alma_mater = [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas, Austin]]<br>[[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary|Southwestern Baptist<br>Theological Seminary]] |occupation = Youth worker |residence= [[Edmond, Oklahoma]] |religion = [[Baptist]] |website = {{URL|http://www.lankford.senate.gov|Senate website}}<br>{{URL|http://jameslankford.com|Campaign website}} }} '''James Paul Lankford''' (born March 4, 1968) is an [[United States|American]] politician who is the [[junior senator|junior]] [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[Oklahoma]]. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]],<ref name=Barone2012>{{cite book |last=Barone |first=Michael |authorlink=Michael Barone (pundit) |author2=[[Chuck McCutcheon]] |title=The Almanac of American Politics 2012 |year=2011 |publisher=[[National Journal Group]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |isbn=978-0-226-03807-0 |pages=1331–1333}}</ref><ref name=OfficialBio/> he served as the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] for {{ushr|OK|5}}<ref name="electionwin">{{cite news |title=Oklahoma elections: Republican James Lankford wins race to succeed Mary Fallin |first=Chris |last=Casteel |newspaper=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=November 3, 2010 |url=http://newsok.com/lankford-takes-fallins-seat-in-congress-5th-district/article/3510749 |accessdate=November 13, 2013}} {{subscription required}}</ref> from 2011 to 2015. From 1996 to 2009, Lankford was the student ministries and evangelism specialist for the [[Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma]], and he was director of the Falls Creek youth programming at the [[Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center]] in [[Davis, Oklahoma]]. He stepped down on September 1, 2009, to run for Congress.<ref name=CampaignBio/> In January 2014, Lankford announced he would run in the [[United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2014|2014 special Senate election]] to succeed [[Tom Coburn]].<ref>{{cite news|last=McCalmont|first=Lucy|title=James Lankford announces Senate bid|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/james-lankford-tom-coburn-senate-seat-102384.html|newspaper=Politico|date=January 20, 2014}}</ref> He subsequently won the June 2014 primary with 57% of the vote, becoming the Republican nominee for the November election, which he would win in the heavily-Republican state with nearly 68% of the vote. ==Early life and education== Lankford was born March 4, 1968 in [[Dallas, Texas]],<ref name=NationalJournal>{{cite news|title=James Lankford (R)|first=John|last=Ryan|newspaper=[[National Journal]]|date=October 27, 2010|url=http://nationaljournal.com/politics/james-lankford-r--20101027|accessdate=November 13, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101107034632/http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/james-lankford-r--20101027|archivedate=November 7, 2010}}</ref> the son of Linda Joyce (née House) and James Wesley Lankford.<ref>https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V88S-548</ref><ref>http://robbinsandestes.genealogyvillage.com/house.html</ref> His mother was an elementary school [[librarian]].<ref name=Barone2012/> His maternal grandparents owned a 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]].<ref>{{cite web|work=Our Campaigns|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - James Lankford|author=Scott, RBH|accessdate=November 13, 2013|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=240063}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was four; his mother and older brother and he lived for a time in his grandparents' garage apartment. He became a Christian at eight. She remarried when he was twelve, and the family moved to [[Garland, Texas|Garland]] with his stepfather.<ref name=Barone2012/> Lankford attended [[Lakeview Centennial High School]] in Garland. While at Lakeview Lankford participated in the [[Close Up Foundation|Close Up Washington]] civic education program. He earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[Secondary Education]] (specializing in Speech and History) at [[University of Texas at Austin]] in 1990, and master’s degree in [[Divinity]] at [[Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]] in 1994.<ref name=Barone2012/> ==Camp program director== After graduating, he moved to [[Edmond, Oklahoma|Edmond]], a suburb of [[Oklahoma City]], where he still lives today. He served with the [[Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma]]. He became the program director of [[Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center|Falls Creek]], the largest Christian camp in the U.S.<ref name=CampaignBio>{{cite web |url=http://jameslankford.com/about/biography |title=About <nowiki>|</nowiki> James Lankford |work=JamesLankford.com |accessdate=February 16, 2013}}</ref> ==U.S. House of Representatives== ===Elections=== ====2010 election==== {{Main|United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma, 2010#District 5}} After two-term incumbent Republican [[Mary Fallin]] announced she was giving up her seat to make what would be a successful run for [[Governor of Oklahoma]], Lankford entered the race to succeed her.<ref name=NationalJournal/> He finished first in a seven-way Republican primary—the real contest in this heavily Republican district—and defeated former [[Oklahoma House of Representatives|State Representative]] [[Kevin Calvey]] in the run off.{{Citation needed|date=October 2013}} He then routed Democrat Billy Coyle in the general election, winning with 62.53% of the popular vote.<ref name="electionwin"/><ref name=Barone2012/><ref name=NationalJournal/> ====2012 election==== Lankford defeated Democrat Tom Guild with 59 percent of the vote. Following the election, he was named chairman of the [[Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives|House Republican Policy Committee]], the fifth-ranking position in the House Republican caucus. This is a very senior position for a second-term House member. ===Political positions=== ====Taxes==== Lankford supports simple budget austerity through lowering taxes and reducing government spending.<ref name=issues>{{cite web| title =James Lankford (Republican, district 5) |work=On the Issues |url=http://ontheissues.org/House/James_Lankford.htm}}</ref> He took the taxpayer protection pledge promising to support no new taxes.<ref name=issues/> He supports the repeal of the income and estate taxes and supports a sales tax to tax consumption and not savings or earnings.<ref name=issues/> ====Budget==== Lankford is a supporter of budget austerity and thus supports prioritizing spending if the debt limit is reached and the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge.<ref name=issues/> He also supports a balanced budget amendment and voted to terminate the Home Affordable mortgage Program.<ref name=issues/> ====Jobs==== He supports compensatory time-off for overtime workers and received a 100% rating by the CEI, indicating a pro-workplace choice stance.<ref name=issues/> ====Gun rights==== Lankford supports loosening restrictions on interstate gun purchases.<ref name=issues/> 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.<ref name=issues/> ====Defense==== Lankford supports extending the [[Patriot Act]] and expanding roving wiretaps occurring in the US.<ref name=issues/> Lankford supports the prioritization of security, starting with military bases.<ref name=issues/> ====Energy==== He supports expanding exploration of gas and oil both domestically and on the outer continental shelf.<ref name=issues/> He opposes the [[EPA]] regulating emission standards as he believes it hinders economic growth.<ref name=issues/> ====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.<ref name=issues/> ====Healthcare==== Lankford has stated his belief that federally funded healthcare is unconstitutional and has made a statement that he will oppose any and all moves for a federal healthcare system.<ref name=issues/> He supported an initiative to allow Medicare choice and also institute budget cuts.<ref name=issues/> ====Abortion==== Lankford opposes abortion.<ref name=issues/> He supports banning all federally funded abortions and believes Congress should recognize life at the moment of fertilization.<ref name=issues/> He opposes any federally funded healthcare or coverage programs that allow for abortion, as well as Planned Parenthood and other similar groups.<ref name=issues/> He also opposes forced abortions by the UN Population Fund.<ref name=issues/> ====LGBT issues==== Lankford believes marriage is a union between a man and woman. He has also stated that being gay is a choice and should not be protected from workplace discrimination. He said he believes the distinction lies in a person's choice to act on their sexual orientation.<ref>http://www.newson6.com/story/18424646/oklahoma-rep-james-lankford-under-fire-for-comments-on-sexual-orientation</ref> ===Legislation=== As a Representative, Lankford sponsored 20 bills, including:<ref>{{cite web|title=Representative Lankford's Legislation|url=http://www.congress.gov/member/james-lankford/2050?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22lankford%22%5D%2C%22sponsorship%22%3A%22sponsored%22%2C%22type%22%3A%22bills%22%2C%22congress%22%3A%22all%22%7D|publisher=Library of Congress|accessdate=January 26, 2015}}</ref> ====112th Congress (2011-2012)==== * H.R. 569, a bill to exclude millionaires from receiving unemployment benefits, introduced February 9, 2011, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as H.R. 2448 * H.R. 1585, a bill to allow states not to participate in the [[Federal-aid highway program]], introduced April 15, 2011 * H.R. 2414, a bill to exempt certain farm vehicles from certain federal motor vehicle regulations, introduced July 6, 2011 * H.R. 3609, a bill to require government agencies to identify and describe each program they administer, the cost to administer those programs, expenditures for services, the number of program beneficiaries, and the number of employees involved, introduced December 8, 2011, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as H.R. 1423. H.R. 1423 passed the House but has not become law. * H.R. 4259, a bill to expand federal authority over taking action against contractors, grant recipients, and cooperatives that engage in human trafficking, introduced March 26, 2012 * H.R. 4307, a bill to prohibit the [[Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation]] from spending funds for cultural preservation outside of the United States, introduced March 29, 2012, reintroduced in the 113th Congress as H.R. 2245 ====113th Congress (2013-2014)==== * H.R. 3787, a bill to repeal a provision of the [[Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013]] that reduces the cost-of-living-adjustment for the retirement pay of veterans under the age of 62, to prohibit increases in pension payments for retired members of Congress under the age of 62, and to require the Secretaries of Defense and Veteran Affairs to jointly purchased brand-name prescription drugs, introduced December 19, 2013 * H.R. 4849, a bill to require [[Second-generation biofuels|advanced biofuel]], biomass-based diesel, and [[Cellulosic ethanol|cellulosic biofuel]] included in the renewable fuel program to be produced in the United States, introduced June 12, 2014 * H.R. 5786, a bill to reduce and exempt from certain regulations financial institutions with less than $10 billion in assets, and to require that at least one member of the [[Federal Reserve Board of Governors]] have experience with such financial institutions, introduced December 3, 2014 ===Committee assignments=== *'''[[United States House Committee on the Budget|Committee on the Budget]]''' *'''[[United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]]''' **[[United States House Oversight Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements|Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements]] (Chairman)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lankford.house.gov/about-me/committees-and-caucuses|title=Committees and Caucuses|publisher=|accessdate=September 30, 2014}}</ref> *[[Republican Policy Committee Chairman of the United States House of Representatives|Republican Policy Committee]] (Chair) ==U.S. Senate== ===2014 election=== {{main|United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2014}} In January 2014, Lankford announced he would run in the [[United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2014|2014 special Senate election]] to succeed retiring Republican Senator [[Tom Coburn]].<ref>{{cite news|last=McCalmont|first=Lucy|title=James Lankford announces Senate bid|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/james-lankford-tom-coburn-senate-seat-102384.html|newspaper=Politico|date=January 20, 2014}}</ref> Lankford won the June 2014 Republican primary, defeating former state House speaker [[T.W. Shannon]] and former state senator [[Randy Brogdon]].<ref name=TParti>{{cite news|last1=Parti|first1=Tarini|title=James Lankford wins Okla. GOP Senate nomination outright|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/oklahoma-primary-2014-james-lankford-108269.html?hp=l1|accessdate=June 25, 2014|publisher=Politico|date=June 24, 2014}}</ref> Lankford won the election for the unexpired portion of Coburn's Oklahoma U.S. Senate seat 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.<ref>[http://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20141104_seb.html], Oklahoma State Elections Board, November 4, 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.</ref> ===Tenure=== Lankford was sworn into office on January 6, 2015 by [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Joe Biden]]. ===Committee assignments=== *'''[[United States Senate Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]]''' **[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies]] **[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development|Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development]] **[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government|Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government]] **[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies|Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies]] **[[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs]] *'''[[United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs|Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs]]''' **[[United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management|Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management]] (Chairman) *'''[[United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs|Committee on Indian Affairs]]''' *'''[[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Select Committee on Intelligence]]''' ==Personal life== Lankford has been married to his wife, Cindy, for 20 years.<ref name=OfficialBio>{{cite web |title=Biography <nowiki>|</nowiki> Congressman James Lankford |accessdate=November 13, 2013 |url=http://lankford.house.gov/about-me/full-biography |work=Lankford House website}}</ref> They have two daughters: Hannah and Jordan.<ref name=OfficialBio/> He attends Quail Springs Baptist Church, a [[Southern Baptist]] church in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma|Oklahoma City]].<ref name=Baptist>{{cite news|last=Staff|first=|title=Ten Southern Baptists sworn in as new reps.|url=http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=34378|accessdate=25 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226010629/http://www.bpnews.net/34378|archivedate=25 December 2014|newspaper=Baptist Press|date=5 January 2011}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://lankford.senate.gov/ U.S. Senator James Lankford] official U.S. Senate site *[http://jameslankford.com/ James Lankford for U.S. Senate] *{{Dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Oklahoma/Government/Federal/US_House_of_Representatives/James_Lankford_%5BR-5%5D}} *{{CongLinks | congbio = L000575 | nndb = 217/000265419 | votesmart = 124938 | govtrack = 412464 | opencong = 412464 | rollcall = 31869 | politifact = | fec = S4OK00232 | opensecrets = N00031129 | legistorm = 2785/Rep_James_Lankford_OK.html | assets = james-lankford | followthemoney = | ontheissues = House/James_Lankford.htm | congress = james-lankford/2050 | worldcat = | c-span = jameslankford | imdb = | bloomberg = | nyt = | washpo = gIQAcjhZKP| }} {{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{s-bef|before=[[Mary Fallin]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Oklahoma|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Oklahoma's 5th congressional district]]|years=2011–2015}} {{s-aft|after=[[Steve Russell (politician)|Steve Russell]]}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Tom Price (U.S. politician)|Tom Price]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Chairperson of the [[Steering and Policy Committees of the United States House of Representatives|House Republican Policy Committee]]|years=2013–2015}} {{s-aft|after=[[Luke Messer]]}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Tom Coburn]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[List of United States Senators from Oklahoma|U.S. Senator]] from [[Oklahoma]]<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 3]])|years=[[United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2014|2014]]}} {{s-inc|recent}} |- {{s-par|us-sen}} {{s-bef|before=[[Tom Coburn]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of United States Senators from Oklahoma|U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Oklahoma]]|years=2015–present|alongside=[[Jim Inhofe]]}} {{s-inc}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|before=[[Cory Gardner]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Seniority in the United States Senate|United States Senators by seniority]]|years=92nd}} {{s-aft|after=[[Tom Cotton]]}} {{s-end}} {{OK-FedRep}} {{OKRepresentatives}} {{United States Senators from Oklahoma}} {{Current U.S. Senators}} {{Current Oklahoma statewide political officials}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Lankford, James | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American politician | DATE OF BIRTH = March 4, 1968 | PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], [[Texas]] | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lankford, James}} [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma]] [[Category:Oklahoma Republicans]] [[Category:People from Dallas, Texas]] [[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives]] [[Category:Republican Party United States Senators]] [[Category:Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumni]] [[Category:United States Senators from Oklahoma]] [[Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni]]'