James Lankford

This bill would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in U.S. territories when the mother is not lawfully present and the father is neither a U.S. citizen nor a lawful permanent resident. Currently, individuals born in U.S. territories generally receive automatic citizenship; this legislation would create an exception to that rule for children meeting both conditions. The bill affects people born in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, particularly targeting children born to undocumented or non-citizen parents. The legislation contains no specific funding or implementation timeline. Senator Lankford introduced the bill in the Senate, where it was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary for further consideration.

This bill would exempt theology, religious vocations, and philosophy and religious studies programs at religiously affiliated colleges and universities from federal requirements that can make schools ineligible for federal student aid if their graduates have low earnings. Currently, the Higher Education Act includes provisions that can cut off federal funding for educational programs if graduates don't earn enough money after graduation, but this bill would carve out an exception for religious and philosophical studies programs at institutions that already qualify for religious exemptions under existing education law. The legislation would apply specifically to schools that are recognized as religious institutions under federal regulations. By preventing these programs from being penalized based on graduate earnings outcomes, the bill aims to protect religious education from being evaluated solely on financial success metrics.

This Senate resolution formally honors Prison Fellowship, a Christian nonprofit founded in 1976 by Charles Colson, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. It does not create new laws, funding, or programs, but instead recognizes the organization's history and impact, including its work reaching more than 600,000 people annually through programs like the Prison Fellowship Academy, Prison Fellowship Grow, Angel Tree, and Warden Exchange. The resolution highlights specific achievements, such as the Academy being the first nonprofit program approved as an evidence-based recidivism reduction program under the First Step Act of 2018, and Angel Tree serving more than 13 million children of incarcerated parents since its inception. It affects no specific group through legal mandates, but rather commends the staff, volunteers, correctional leaders, and participants who have been part of the organization's faith-based rehabilitation efforts. As a simple resolution, it carries symbolic weight and expresses the Senate's appreciation but has no binding legal or budgetary effect.

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, a federal policy enacted in 1976 that prohibits the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund elective abortion procedures. The resolution, introduced by a bipartisan group of senators, recognizes the amendment's long history of being included in annual appropriations bills and honors Congressman Henry Hyde's role in establishing the policy. According to the resolution, supporters claim the Hyde Amendment has prevented more than 2.6 million abortions and protected the conscience rights of taxpayers who object to abortion on religious, moral, or ethical grounds. The resolution has no direct budgetary impact, as it is a commemorative measure rather than legislation establishing new programs or funding. The resolution calls on Americans to reflect on the significance of the Hyde Amendment and the broader history of abortion policy in the United States since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

The Jimmy Lai Internet Freedom Act directs the U.S. government to develop and distribute tools that help people in Hong Kong bypass internet censorship and access blocked information online. The bill responds to China's implementation of national security laws and increased internet restrictions that have limited freedom of speech, press, and assembly in Hong Kong, citing the conviction of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai as a key example. The legislation establishes Hong Kong-specific internet freedom programs within the State Department and the Open Technology Fund, authorizing $5 million annually to the Open Technology Fund and $10 million annually to the State Department's internet freedom office through fiscal year 2031, with both agencies working independently to develop and distribute firewall circumvention technology, virtual private networks, and digital security tools. The bill requires the State Department to submit a detailed strategic plan within 120 days outlining how the government will increase availability and distribution of these technologies in Hong Kong and coordinate efforts across federal agencies. The two programs may merge with broader China initiatives after September 30, 2031, if officials determine it is appropriate.

This Senate resolution marks the 105th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party by commemorating what supporters view as decades of human rights abuses and atrocities. The resolution documents historical events it characterizes as major crimes, including the Great Chinese Famine that killed an estimated 30 million people, the Tiananmen Square Massacre, and alleged current persecution of Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, religious groups, and Hong Kong residents. The resolution also expresses concern about the Chinese Communist Party's targeting of dissidents and religious minorities living outside China and its pressure on Taiwan. This is a symbolic resolution with no funding or enforcement mechanisms—it simply expresses the Senate's official remembrance and condemnation of these alleged actions. The resolution was introduced by Senators Lankford and King and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

This Senate resolution expresses support for religious freedom and calls for fairness and transparency in how artificial intelligence systems handle religious topics. It affirms that religious liberty is a fundamental constitutional right protected by the First Amendment, and states that bias or discrimination against any faith, or against those who change faith or have no faith, harms society. The resolution encourages companies and organizations that build AI systems to adopt clear standards ensuring their tools treat religious viewpoints fairly and transparently, and to provide thorough, balanced responses to religious questions that reflect the diversity of beliefs and traditions. It also encourages Americans to rely on primary religious texts and religious leaders, rather than solely AI, when seeking to understand faith traditions. As a simple resolution, it carries no legal force or funding and does not require any specific action, but it signals the Senate's views on this issue.

This resolution honors the University of Oklahoma baseball team for capturing the 2026 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, marking the program's third national title and first since 1994. The Sooners defeated the University of North Carolina 13-2 in the decisive third game of the Men's College World Series finals in Omaha, Nebraska, under head coach Skip Johnson. The bill highlights the team's remarkable postseason turnaround, having entered the NCAA tournament with a losing record before winning regional and super regional rounds to reach the championship. It also recognizes standout player Jaxon Willits, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series. As a formal expression of congratulations, the resolution carries no funding, regulatory changes, or binding legal effect, but affirms the Senate's appreciation for the team and its representation of the University of Oklahoma.

This resolution, introduced by Senator Lankford along with Senator Hassan, designates September 2026 as "National Child Awareness Month." It is a symbolic Senate resolution that does not create programs, allocate funding, or establish any legal requirements. Its purpose is to raise public awareness of charities and youth-serving organizations across the country that support children and teens through health care, education, social services, the arts, and sports. The resolution specifically highlights vulnerable groups, including children experiencing homelessness, those in foster care, victims or at-risk victims of child sex trafficking, and youth affected by violence, trauma, or serious health needs. Since it was already agreed to by the Senate on August 7, 2026, it stands as an official recognition without further legislative action or timeline attached.

The Ballots by Election Day Act would require all absentee and mail-in ballots in federal elections to be received by election officials by the time polls close on Election Day in order to be counted. Currently, many states allow mail-in ballots to arrive and be counted for several days after the election, but this bill would establish a uniform national deadline. The legislation includes an exception for military members and U.S. citizens living overseas, who would continue to have additional time to submit their ballots under existing federal law. The bill would take effect for all federal elections beginning in 2027. The legislation was introduced by Senators Lankford and Lee and was referred to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

This bill establishes a task force to recover pandemic-era unemployment benefits that were fraudulently obtained or improperly issued and are currently held by banks or state unclaimed property administrators. The task force, led by a National Recovery Coordinator designated by the Secretary of Labor, will coordinate across federal agencies and state governments to develop standardized processes for identifying improper payments on prepaid debit cards and returning those funds. The bill requires the task force to issue guidance to financial institutions and state agencies on legal pathways for recovering fraudulent funds, establish best practices for determining what constitutes cost-effective recovery, and provide information to fraud victims about available resources. Additionally, the bill extends the statute of limitations for criminal and civil fraud cases related to pandemic unemployment programs from the standard timeframe to ten years after the violation occurs, allowing prosecutors more time to pursue fraud cases. The federal government will reimburse states for administrative costs associated with participating in the recovery coordination efforts.

The Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026 updates military chaplaincy regulations across the Army, Navy, and Air Force by establishing clear duties, protections, and leadership structures for chaplains. The legislation defines chaplains' primary role as advising commanders on religious practices, spiritual readiness, and accommodating free exercise of religion for service members, their families, and authorized personnel, including in combat environments. Chaplains gain explicit protections allowing them to conduct religious duties according to their sincerely held beliefs and their religious organization's practices without censorship, retaliation, or adverse personnel actions such as denial of promotion or disciplinary letters. The bill makes violations of these protections prosecutable under military law and requires the President to establish formal regulations within one year, including updates to the Manual for Courts-Martial. The legislation also elevates chaplain corps leadership by establishing deputy chief positions in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with these deputies serving as principal advisors to reserve components and the Space Force. The bill contains no new funding mechanisms or authorization amounts, instead amending existing military law to strengthen chaplains' roles in supporting religious liberty and accommodation in the armed forces.

The Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act of 2026 directs the Department of Justice to award grants to accredited nonprofit organizations to provide free training to small and rural police departments and sheriff's offices. The bill targets law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 sworn officers, which account for the vast majority of the nation's over 18,000 local police departments. Eligible training includes de-escalation, officer wellness, leadership development, victim-centered response to domestic violence, critical incident management, and specialized training for handling calls involving mental health crises, substance abuse, veterans, and other vulnerable populations. The legislation also allows multiple small jurisdictions to pool their existing federal grants together to contract with nonprofit training providers. No specific funding amounts or timelines are specified in the bill; it simply authorizes the use of existing Department of Justice grant programs to support this new training access model for understaffed agencies that currently lack resources to pursue federal funding opportunities.