© 2024 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

VIDEO: Coburn, Lankford Floor Speeches On Gov't Shutdown

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) greeting President Barack Obama.
Tom Coburn
/
Facebook

Oklahoma’s U.S. Senator Tom Coburn and Congressman James Lankford both took to the floors of their respective chambers Wednesday.

Coburn says the current impasse between House Republicans and Senate Democrats is the product of inaction, and the continuing resolution shows they haven’t been doing their job anyway.

"And one of the reasons we are where we are is, I think, failed leadership,” Coburn says. “Both by Republicans and Democrats.”

http://youtu.be/KvHZMj9A1XQ

The state’s junior Republican Senator says the continuing resolution actually adds $38 billion to the federal budget.

“The way you get rid of trillion-dollar deficits is a billion dollars at a time. Or $38 billion at a time,” Coburn says. “So I'm disheartened that we're playing walnut shell game on the American people with this bill.”

Coburn says even though he disagrees with much of the Affordable Care Act, changing the law at this time "is probably not going to happen."

Lankford spoke on the House floor Wednesday about what he calls "reasonable proposals" both Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree on.

The Fifth District Republican wants to remove the exemption from members of Congress and the White House.

http://youtu.be/HkHS_752_Hg

"For my colleagues that support Obamacare, I am amazed that they're fighting like crazy to not be in it,” Lankford says. “At this point, we should meet face-to-face. I was pleased to see the president say he wants to meet. I was disappointed to say he wants to meet to say he won't negotiate. Let's meet face-to-face and solve this.”

Lankford also says he wants to take away penalties for enrollees in the insurance exchanges if they make a mistake or have problems during the first year.

_______________________________________

KGOU produces journalism in the public interest, essential to an informed electorate. Help support informative, in-depth journalism with a donation online, or contact our Membership department.  

Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.