McBride bill would honor OK National Guard with Capitol Arch

McBride Bill Would Honor OK National Guard with Capitol Arch

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 7th) - Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, on Wednesday passed a bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that would fund the building of an arch at the Oklahoma Capitol to serve as an honorary symbol of the services performed by the Oklahoma National Guard.

McBride said the arch was part of early drawings of architect Solomon Layton before the Capitol was built in 1917. It was originally designed to stretch across Lincoln Boulevard much like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was one of the structures, like the dome, however, that was laid aside because of lack of funding at the time.  

Sens. Lankford and Mullin, Gov. Stitt return from visiting OK Nat'l Guard unit in Africa

Lankford Leads Congressional Delegation to Visit Oklahoma National Guard Members Deployed to Africa

WASHINGTON, DC (Nov. 14th) – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) returned today from a congressional delegation trip he led to the Horn of Africa to connect with members of the Oklahoma Army National Guard in the USAFRICOM area of responsibility (AOR) as part of Task Force Tomahawk.

Also traveling with Lankford were Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who serves on the Armed Services Committee, Oklahoma Governor J. Kevin Stitt, and Major General Thomas Mancino, Adjutant General of Oklahoma. Representatives Jim Banks (R-IN) and Larry Bucshon (R-IN) also participated in the CODEL as Indiana National Guard members are also part of Task Force Tomahawk.

Gov. Stitt to send OK Nat'l Guard troops to help Texas at southern border

GOVERNOR STITT TO SEND OKLAHOMA NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO SOUTHERN BORDER

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 1, 2023) - Today, Governor Kevin Stitt commits to sending Oklahoma National Guard Troops to the Southern Border in the wake of President Biden’s failure to secure and protect our nation. The commitment comes in response to Governor Greg Abbott’s call for reinforcements as Texas responds to the ongoing crisis.

Dahm files bill to revitalize State Guard

Sen. Dahm files bill revitalizing state militia

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, filed Senate Bill 1251 on Wednesday to revitalize the Oklahoma militia and provide greater protection for the citizens of Oklahoma.

“The Second Amendment states that a well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state,” Dahm said. “As the feds continue to fail in almost every regard, it is becoming more and more apparent that we as a state must provide for our own security.”

The bill states local guard units can be voluntarily funded and supplied, and that individuals may be required to use privately owned semi-automatic weapons if mustered into service.

Dahm files bills to send funds and Nat'l Guard to help secure the border

Sen. Dahm files bills for Oklahoma to send funds and National Guard to help secure the border

OKLAHOMA CITY – As lawbreaking foreigners continue to pour across the open southern border, Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, filed two bills to help secure the border. 

“As the feds continue to leave the border wide open, either due to utter incompetence or done intentionally to cause disruption in our nation, it has become obvious we as the states will have to pick up where the feds have failed,” Dahm said. “With these bills, Oklahoma will be able to help secure the border and stop the massive influx of human trafficking, illicit activities, and illegal immigrants.”

Senate Bill 1228 would send CARES funds received by the state of Oklahoma to border states to help them build the wall along the southern border. 

“The federal government is spending billions of dollars to secure the borders of other countries while intentionally leaving our border wide open,” Dahm said. “The border states are willing to do the job being neglected by this rogue regime but they need additional resources from other states.”

Senate Bill 1231 would empower the governor to send Oklahoma National Guard members to border states in order to help them secure their portion of the southern border. 

“Several states have already sent their law enforcement personnel to help secure the border,” Dahm said. “This will clarify existing law to ensure the governor has additional authority to send members of the National Guard to those border states that need the support.”

Oklahoma suing Biden admin over Nat'l Guard vax mandate

GOVERNOR STITT, ATTORNEY GENERAL O’CONNOR SUE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER NATIONAL GUARD VACCINE MANDATE

Stitt: “It is unconscionable that Biden is choosing to play politics with military paychecks.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 2, 2021) – Governor Kevin Stitt released the following statement regarding a federal lawsuit filed today to prohibit the Biden administration from punishing members of the Oklahoma National Guard for not being vaccinated against COVID-19 while in Title 32 status:

“The U.S. Constitution, the Oklahoma Constitution, and U.S. Code Title 32 are all clear: as governor, I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Oklahoma National Guard.

“Therefore, unless mobilized by the President of the United States under U.S. Code Title10, I retain the authority for all training and governance of the Oklahoma National Guard – including determining if and how training guidelines issued by the president will be implemented.

“This week, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin declared his intention to proceed with unconstitutional punishment that individually targets Oklahoma National Guard soldiers and airmen, including withholding their pay.

“It is unconscionable that President Biden and his administration are choosing to play politics with military paychecks, especially amid the highest inflation rate in 30 years and so close to the holiday season.

“Threatening the pay of National Guard members is manifestly unlawful and unfair, as unvaccinated active-duty personnel do not have their pay withheld.

“Further, it is hypocritical that Secretary Austin addresses the importance of medical readiness in his letter but fails to mention that unlike active-duty personnel, National Guard members are not provided health care and must purchase it themselves. If medical readiness is truly that high of a priority to the Department of Defense, it should provide health care for all National Guard Soldiers and Airmen like it does for active duty service members.

“I will continue fighting to protect Oklahoma against this alarming pattern of unconstitutional federal overreach coming from the Biden administration.”

Attorney General O'Connor Sues Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Military and Federal Employees

OKLAHOMA CITY - Today, the State of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit against the Biden Administration to stop its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirement for federal employees and the National Guard.  The Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General has asked a federal court to grant a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or preliminary injunction followed by a permanent injunction, preventing the Biden Administration from enforcing the vaccine mandate.

Additionally, the lawsuit asks the Court to block the Biden Administration from withholding federal funding from the Oklahoma National Guard or its Guard members.  Finally, our office asks the Court to declare the mandate unconstitutional on multiple grounds.

“Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate ensures that many Oklahoma National Guard members will simply quit instead of getting a vaccine, a situation that will irreparably harm Oklahomans’ safety and security,” said Attorney General John O’Connor.  “These patriots, along with many federal employees, who serve their country and their state are now at risk of being terminated because they do not wish to take the vaccine.”

Lankford calls for vote to prohibit National Guard pay cuts or discharge over vaccination status

Lankford Stands with National Guard, Opposes Pay Cuts Over Vaccine Mandates

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today stood firmly with the Oklahoma National Guard and Guard members around the nation and called for a vote on the Senate floor to offer his amendment to the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would prohibit the Department of Defense from discharging or withholding pay or benefits from members of the National Guard because of their COVID–19 vaccination status.

Members and leaders of the Oklahoma National Guard have reached out to Lankford’s office to express their grave concerns as earlier this week Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released a memorandum to warn unvaccinated National Guard members that they will not be paid or allowed to participate in training, and deployments if they don’t receive a COVID-19 vaccine. While the Defense Secretary can establish readiness requirements, he lacks the constitutional or statutory authority to enforce this type of requirement on Soldiers and Airmen within a state when the National Guard are not federally “activated” or deployed in defense of the nation. That power and authority regarding the Oklahoma National Guard is reserved to Governor Stitt at this time. Lankford’s amendment ensures Congress clearly maintains that important distinction with regard to the COVID-19 vaccination status.

Lankford has been vocal about President Biden’s Executive Order. Lankford introduced the COVID-19 Vaccine Dishonorable Discharge Prevention Act with Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) to prohibit the Department of Defense from giving service members a dishonorable discharge for choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Lankford sent a letter to President Biden outlining his concerns with the vaccine mandates and has stood firmly with Oklahoma service members, health care workers, federal employees, and private-sector workers who have chosen so far not to be vaccinated. Lankford called out President Biden and Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for not responding to a letter he sent in September calling on Austin to protect service members from being forced to choose between their sincerely held religious beliefs and serving in our nation’s military or National Guard.

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Gov. Stitt, task force provide COVID-19 update; Nat'l Guard assists long-term care facilities

GOVERNOR STITT AND GOVERNOR’S SOLUTION TASK FORCE PROVIDES COVID-19 UPDATE

Announces new saliva based testing and highlights focus on long-term care facilities

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 28, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt today joined Deputy Secretary of Science and Innovation Elizabeth Pollard, Deputy Secretary of Health and Mental Health Carter Kimble and Secretary of Health and Mental Health Jerome Loughridge to provide an update on the State’s response to COVID-19, announce new saliva based testing, and discuss efforts to protect Oklahomans in long term care facilities.