James Lankford was born in Dallas, Texas, and earned a master's degree in divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before entering politics, he spent seventeen years as the director of a Baptist youth camp in Oklahoma, one of the largest Christian youth camps in the country. Lankford was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010 and then to the U.S. Senate in 2014, where he has served since.
Lankford serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee and has been the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He is known for his work on government efficiency, religious liberty, and border security, and attracted national attention for co-authoring a bipartisan border deal in 2024. Lankford has also been active on issues related to federal spending transparency and oversight of executive branch agencies.
- Senate Committee on Finance
- Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure — Chairman
- Subcommittee on Health Care
- Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight
- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Subcommittee on Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
- Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs — Chairman
- Senate Select Committee on Ethics — Chairman
- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- S. 4632: A bill to provide for a period of continuing appropriations in the event of a lapse in appropriations under the normal appropriations process, to establish procedures and consequences in the event of a failure to enact appropriations, and for other purposes. — Introduced
- SRES. 733: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the United States during Public Service Recognition Week and throughout the year. — Introduced
- SRES. 725: A resolution congratulating the University of Oklahoma women's gymnastics team for winning the 2026 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship, the eighth national title in program history. — Introduced
- S. 4398: CDL Act — Introduced
- SRES. 681: A resolution relating to the life and death of Chuck Norris. — Introduced