All Things With Kim Strassel: Inside the 119th Congress with Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford
Jan 7, 2025
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James Lankford, Republican Senator from Oklahoma and Vice Chair of the Senate GOP Policy Committee, discusses the fast-paced agenda of the 119th Congress. He shares insights on Trump's swift cabinet confirmations and the strategic shifts in opposition tactics. Lankford highlights the challenges of upcoming reconciliation legislation and the potential for bipartisan support on regulatory issues. He also reflects on the impact of Biden’s aggressive regulations and the evolving leadership dynamics under John Thune as the Senate navigates critical legislative battles.
Senator Lankford highlights the urgency for Congress to unify and swiftly address a looming $4 trillion tax increase amid internal party factions.
Trump's rapid nomination strategy during his transition created challenges for opposition, complicating attacks on multiple candidates simultaneously.
Deep dives
Rapid Nominations Under Trump
Donald Trump's approach to nominations during his transition period involved a rapid succession of candidate announcements, reflecting his prior preparations and preferences. By quickly identifying loyal and competent individuals to fill roles, he set a record pace, naming over 100 nominees within a month. This strategy potentially overwhelmed opposition efforts, as detractors found it challenging to focus their attacks on multiple candidates simultaneously. The urgency of gathering essential background information and ethics reports, however, presented significant challenges in processing these nominations efficiently.
Challenges Ahead for Tax and Reconciliation
The upcoming legislative session poses substantial challenges as Congress must navigate contentious tax policy while ensuring unity among party members. With various factions within the party holding differing priorities, Senator Langford emphasized the importance of a cohesive approach to passing tax legislation without triggering significant divisions. The Republican majority faces a looming $4 trillion tax increase if no action is taken, creating pressure to act swiftly. Engaging stakeholders in a constructive manner is crucial for advancing key issues like immigration, healthcare, and energy as the House faces skepticism about handling comprehensive bills.
Democratic Regulatory Challenges
The current administration has continued to issue significant regulatory changes, raising concerns about their potential long-term impact. New rules affecting issues like offshore oil drilling and hot water heater standards reflect an aggressive regulatory agenda that could impose hardships on Americans. Senator Langford suggested that these policies may face bipartisan opposition, especially regarding energy security and consumer costs. Utilizing the Congressional Review Act to reverse these regulations, the Senate aims to mitigate some of the burdens faced by constituents while balancing the prerogatives of federal authority.
The 119th Congress is steaming ahead, with a mountain of work that includes everything from confirming Donald Trump's cabinet nominees to sealing a reconciliation spending bill (or two) into law. How will the House and Senate navigate it all? On this episode of All Things, Kim Strassel speaks with the Vice Chair of the Senate GOP Policy Committee, Sen. James Lankford, about where things stand in the reconciliation wars, the wisdom of Trump's quick nominations, Joe Biden’s aggressive midnight regulations and how the new GOP Senate majority will function under new GOP leader John Thune.