(Cushing, Okla.) City Hall was packed Wednesday afternoon as Senator James Lankford made a stop in Cushing for a Community Conversation Q & A.
House of Representatives Speaker Pro Tem Lee Denney spoke and took questions from the audience while waiting for the Senator’s arrival.
“You know how they ask someone to warm up the crowd while waiting for a big celebrity,” Denney quipped, “I’m that person.”
Denney spoke about her biggest passion – education. “The teacher shortage is reaching a fever pitch,” she said. “It hasn’t been a lack of willingness [to increase teacher pay] but the need for a stable ongoing funding source. We are open to ideas.”
She also addressed a question as to how the drop in oil prices will affect Oklahoma’s budget saying although it won’t be seen in this year’s budget, it is expected to have a huge impact next year – possibly creating a budget hole of as much as $1 billion.
Governor Fallin approved to use approximately $140 million from the Rainy Day Fund in order to balance the budget. Approximately $360 million remains in the fund.
Also mentioned during Denney’s Q & A – the alarming statistics regarding mental illness in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is second in the nation when it comes to the number of people suffering from mental illness and yet ranks at the bottom for resources.
Denney said she expects the recent tragic death of Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello will bring this topic back to the forefront.
Denney is currently serving her last term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and is urging others who may be interested – especially women and minorities – to step up and run for her seat. “I’ll be happy to talk to anyone who may be interested,” Denney said.
As soon as Senator Lankford arrived, Rep. Denney introduced Oklahoma’s newest Senator to the waiting crowd.
Sen. Lankford stated his goal for coming to Cushing and other Oklahoma communities during his one month hiatus from the Capitol is “to listen” to his constituents and their concerns.
In order to allow plenty of time for questions, he gave only a brief overview of the committees he currently serves on or oversees, as well as issues coming up for a vote, including completing the budget by September 30th.
One topic he spent considerable time on, however, was Iran and why he is vehemently opposed to having sanctions lifted.
“This is not a partisan issue,” he said. “This is a national security issue.”
Click here to visit Senator Lankford’s website to read the full Iran Nuclear Agreement and/or view or read his speech. Info on Iran Nuclear Agreement
He also addressed a question from the audience regarding the 1973 ban on exporting crude oil, saying a lot had changed since then.
“We need a coalition of 60 people to reverse the ban – and we are very close,” he told the concerned citizen. “There are only two countries that are not allowed to export crude oil – the United States and Iran. It’s ridiculous the United States isn’t allowed to do so. We are working to change that.”
Senator Lankford concluded the Q&A by saying, “Changes in D.C. come from families. Mentor younger families and engage with your own.”
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