Now that the long and painful Schumer Shutdown is over, it's time to get back to the American priorities that were delayed by the nonsense. We still have nine appropriations bills, the National Defense Authorization Act to pass, nominations to confirm, and dozens of other bills on healthcare costs, agriculture, transportation and much more to consider. I am also demanding we take up my Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, so this last shutdown is actually the last shutdown. 
 
My bill should be a no-brainer for anyone in Congress after the costly and painful political theater we all just went through. 
 
The remaining nine full-year spending bills include bipartisan, conservative-driven funding priorities for our military and defense operations, commerce, the courts, science and research, interior operations, transportation-related programs, federal housing obligations, and labor-related programs - all essential priorities for our economy and national defense. 
 
I am working to ensure Oklahoma's military priorities are included in the National Defense Authorization Act because our defense installations are a critical part of our national defense strategy. Peace through strength is more than a slogan; it’s an essential doctrine to keep our nation at peace and out of foreign wars. When we are stronger than any other nation or terrorist entity, we can enjoy the peace that only strength can assure. 
 
We continue to work on affordability for all of us. One of the major sticking points during the shutdown was the Democrats' demand that American taxpayers give $400 billion to subsidize insurance companies who are providing Obamacare marketplace coverage to about 19 million Americans. But they had no solutions to actually bring down the cost of Obamacare to the American taxpayer or to reduce the cost of healthcare for the other 320 million Americans. 
 
Senate Republicans were willing to allow a vote on the Democrats' proposal to prop up Obamacare, but Democrats knew that vote would fail because we all know there are major problems with the bonus subsidies Democrats added during COVID. 
 
The COVID pandemic is over; it’s time the COVID bonus payments also end. 
 
Just during the four years of the Biden Administration, the number of people on Obamacare subsides doubled, and the Administration lifted the cap so even people making $300,000 a year could access the COVID subsidies paid by every other taxpayer. Most of you reading this email have been paying for your health insurance and the insurance premiums of millions of others through your taxes. 
 
Because I serve on Senate Republican leadership and on the Senate Finance Committee, I have been and will continue to be directly involved in the conversation to bring down the cost of prescriptions, hospitalization, doctor visits, and health insurance.
 
In the meant-time, please keep praying for our troops and first responders who will serve us over this holiday season and every other day. As we get into the holidays - my favorite time of the year - please consider how you can spend more time with your families and more time serving others, as my family does each year as well.
 

Paid for by Families for James Lankford