Oklahoma Senator James Lankford recently shared insights from Washington D.C., addressing topics ranging from government spending to the upcoming farm bill and the current mood in the nation’s capital. Farm Director KC Sheperd caught up with him to get the details.
Lankford emphasized his long-standing commitment to fiscal responsibility, stating, “This is something I’ve actually worked on for years. People know about my federal fumble book that I put out every single year that really focuses on what can we do more efficiently in government.”
He highlighted the importance of transparency in exposing wasteful spending, adding, “What Elon Musk has brought is the ability to be able to put his big microphone on a lot of these – put some spotlight on it – and to say, this looks crazy.” He cited examples like “a transgender comic book for Peru” and funds sent to “Hamas.”
While acknowledging that some USAID programs are beneficial, he stressed the need for greater oversight, saying, “When it restarts, it’s not gonna be USAID making their own decisions. It’s gonna be under the State Department and it’s gonna have more oversight.”
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Turning to agricultural matters, Lankford discussed upcoming confirmations, noting that Brooke Rollins, the nominee for Ag Secretary, “is gonna be awesome… She knows a lot of our issues well and is very respectful of agriculture.” He also addressed concerns about RFK Jr., stating, “The problem with RFK Junior is basically every single position on everything. He’s taken [the] opposite position at some point in his life.” He recounted conversations with RFK Jr. on topics like gluten and Roundup, explaining, “Roundup was the biggest conversation. When I talked to him about Roundup, the first thing he said was, ‘It causes cancer.'”
Lankford emphasized the importance of scientific evidence, saying, “I said, hold on… all the questions that have been asked of Roundup so far don’t show it causes cancer, but let’s ask the questions of it. Let’s actually stick to the science on this.”
Regarding farm labor, Lankford explained the administration’s immigration priorities: “Right now, the administration is focusing on criminal aliens as their first priority.” He clarified the policy, stating, “The Trump team has said, if you hire somebody on your crew that is a criminal alien, when we come in and get them, we’re gonna ask everybody else for their status as well.”
On the topic of the farm bill, Lankford expressed optimism: “Oh, yeah. It’s definitely moving at this point.” He acknowledged the need for Democrats to organize their leadership but noted progress on the Republican side, saying, “On the Republican side, we’ve had that leadership and that staff already there. They’re moving to be able to get it done.” He predicts passage later in the year.
Finally, Lankford offered a glimpse into the atmosphere in Washington, describing the president as energetic and focused: “He is just throwing it out the door as fast as he can.” He also addressed concerns about legal challenges, stating, “Of course, he’s gonna honor the court. That’s a normal checks and balances.”
He shared an anecdote about a recent dinner with Republican senators at Mar-a-Lago, saying, “We sat down for about three hours, for just casual conversation. He’s really excited about where things are. He’s very optimistic and upbeat.”
Lankford says there’s been a lot of discussion about tariffs. The President and Brooke Rollins want to increase international sales of American agricultural products. “While the President is committed to this goal, he also wants to address trade imbalances where other countries, like India, impose high tariffs on U.S. goods. He aims to stop these practices.”
He also noted progress on trade, stating, “The prime minister of India is coming to Washington DC this week and one of the first things he’s set to say is, ‘I’m gonna reduce tariffs.'”
For more information about Senator Lankford, visit: www.lankford.senate.gov.
