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Rep. James Lankford’s Surprising Votes

Ashe Schow at Heritage Action for America very kindly alerted me to their legislative scorecard, released last September, and it appears the scorecard is continually updated as important votes are taken in Congress.

After reviewing the scoring for Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation, I was greatly surprised that Rep. James Lankford scored only 78% as of this post.  Rep. Lankford was elected as a fiscal conservative and in town hall meetings, two of which I attended, he continually emphasized the need to get debt and spending under control.  Some of his votes are in conflict with that need.

The rest of Oklahoma’s delegation scored as I would have expected, with Senator Coburn scoring the highest from our state.  The only positive thing about the voting from Reps. Lucas and Cole is that they are slightly better than the Democrats who used to be elected from those districts in years past.

Here are some of the votes for Rep. Lankford that puzzle me:

Vote # H143-2011

Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Reduce 2011 Federal Spending to 2006 Levels: Amendment would reduce 2011 discretionary spending to fiscal 2006 spending levels, with some exemptions.
Lankford vote: No

Vote # H179-2011

Additional Continuing Appropriations Amendments, 2011

Temporary – “Kick the Can” – Spending Measure: Legislation provided for the continuing appropriations for the federal government through April 8, 2011 – a short-term funding measure that “kicked the can down the road.”
Lankford vote: Yes

Vote # H424-2011

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Cut $1.8 billion from Agriculture Appropriations: Chaffetz, R-Utah, amendment would cut $1.8 billion by reducing wasteful spending.
Lankford vote: No

Vote # H455-2011

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012

Prevent Farm Subsidies to Those Over Certain Income: Flake, R-Arizona, amendment would reduce farm subsidy payments to those earning over a certain income.
Lankford vote: No

Vote # H677-2011

Faster FOIA Act of 2011

Increase Debt Limit with Minimal Cuts: Legislation – Budget Control Act of 2011 – would provide for a two-step debt limit increase of $900 billion and $1.6 trillion, in exchange for various “cuts” and statutory spending caps.
Lankford vote: Yes

Vote # H690-2011

Budget Control Act of 2011

Final Debt Limit Increase, w/ Super Committee: Legislation would provide for a debt limit increase of $900 billion and $1.2 trillion, in exchange for “cuts,” statutory caps and a so-called super committee tasked with further deficit reduction.
Lankford vote: Yes

Vote # H719-2011

Small Business Program Extension and Reform Act of 2011

This bill included the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, would fund the government through November 18, 2011 at an annual level of $24 billion above the House-passed Ryan budget. 
Lankford vote: Yes

Vote # H941-2011

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012

This spending bill increased the total FY12 discretionary spending figure to $1.051 trillion – $1 billion more than 2011 and over $30 billion more than the House-passed budget. The omnibus fails to stop Obamacare and other bad policies.
Lankford vote: Yes

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