Oklahoma senators back budget resolution
In a series of votes late Thursday, Oklahoma’s two U.S. senators paved a path toward dramatic tax reform and voted to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development, repeal the Affordable Care Act and limit enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.
The Senate approved, by a narrow 51-49 margin, a $4 trillion budget blueprint that will allow Republicans to proceed with efforts to overhaul the nation’s tax code. The vote tally fell along party lines, with all but one Republican voting in favor and all Democrats opposed.
“This budget resolution provides the legislative path for tax reform that brings our tax code into the 21st century,” said Sen. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City. “After a decade of economic growth below 2 percent, we must get our economy growing.”
The matter now goes to the House, where passage could expedite tax reform talks. If they pass the resolution, Republicans then can use a Senate procedure known as reconciliation to pass a tax package with a simple majority, bypassing Democrats.
“This budget resolution will also provide clear instructions to restart the engine of the ‘Made in America’ economy by instructing the Senate to take up comprehensive tax reform,” said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa.
Before the final vote Thursday night, senators voted on 21 amendments in a process known on Capitol Hill as “vote-a-rama.”
An amendment from Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., to prohibit oil and gas development within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska was defeated 48-52. Lankford and Inhofe voted against the amendment. Inhofe said in a statement that ANWR development will promote “North American energy independence.”
An amendment from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to prohibit federal regulation of endangered species that exist in only one state was defeated 49-51. Lankford and Inhofe voted in favor of the amendment.
Sen. Rand Paul’s amendment to lay further groundwork for repealing the Affordable Care Act was soundly defeated, 32-67, with 18 Republicans joining all Democrats and independents in opposition. Lankford and Inhofe both voted in favor of the amendment from Paul, a Kentucky Republican.
“Oklahomans are facing tripling premiums and lack of choice in their health care,” Inhofe said. “Congress must act to correct the failures of Obamacare and replace it with common-sense solutions that will make health care truly affordable, and this amendment was an opportunity to continue our efforts.”
Two other failed Paul amendments divided Oklahoma’s senators, with Lankford voting in favor of both and Inhofe voting against them. One would have cut $43 billion from an overseas contingency fund — sometimes called a war fund by supporters and a Pentagon slush fund by critics. Lankford was one of just five senators to vote in favor of the $43 billion cut.
Another Paul amendment would have ordered Senate committees to make significant cuts to federal agencies under their jurisdiction. The Finance Committee, for example, would be required to make $25 billion in immediate cuts and slash $1.5 trillion over a decade. Lankford was one of four senators voting in favor.
An amendment from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., would have prohibited votes on amendments analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office until at least 28 hours after the CBO’s analysis is made available online. Lankford and Inhofe both voted against the Kaine amendment and it was rejected, 48-51.