Sen. Lankford discusses Trump policy towards energy, disaster relief and immigration

As President Donald Trump begins his second term in the White House, Republican leaders at the US Capitol are working with the new administration to enact policy.

US Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma joined the News 9 team on Thursday with an update on his work in Washington D.C.

One of the many topics Lankford is focusing on this year is the nation's policy regarding energy.

Q: What do you think this new focus on energy is going to do for the State of Oklahoma?

Lankford: It will have a significant impact not only on our state but for every state in the country, because if we can bring down the prices of energy, then we can bring down the price of everything; energy affects everything. About 15% of the economy in Oklahoma is somehow energy-connected, either directly or indirectly, so it's very significant. There have been massive restrictions on new development of energy in federal lands that do not affect us in Oklahoma, but there are lots of areas around the country where there's just been no leasing. Offshore leasing has been restricted, which directly affects the price of energy because it affects the accessibility of energy as well.

Q: What is your reaction to President Trump's claim that states should be the first to step in when it comes to disasters before the Federal Emergency Management Agency?

Lankford: Well it was interesting; I met with the President just two days ago, so it might have been Oklahoma on his mind, but his proposal is pretty simple: to m[use] the same dollars that we put in the bureaucracy of FEMA, and actually put that into block grants into states, so that states can faster implement those policies. For every tornado that I go to, "faith FEMA" shows up first, quite frankly, churches, neighbors and folks show up first. The state engages local law enforcement and fire response comes in first, and then the federal response is much later. What the president is recommending is to say to the folks that are getting there first, make sure they have actually got the [funding] to be able to do the job first. There are some assets that you can move that are national assets, certain heavy equipment, a certain amount of generators, other things that could help in to be able to be there, but the preponderance of that needs to be done by states and local entities. Some of the disasters I go to, it is months and people are waiting on FEMA to be able to answer.

Q: We're hearing reports that as many as 1,500 to as many as 10,000 troops are going to be heading to the southern border. What do you think is the right number, and what will their role be?

Lankford: The right number is what it takes to be able to secure it right now and to be able to stop this rapid flow. There's an initial wave that would come in to be able to say "We're closed." That's very significant, their role is going to be mostly logistical. The United States military, they're not law enforcement, that's not their responsibility. Our National Guard has gone down multiple times, taking down helicopters to help with observation, taking down folks to help with busses, transportation, setting up tents and setting up fencing, so that will be the primary task for those folks. For law enforcement, including Border Patrol, and ICE, they get the opportunity to actually enforce the law and to be able to follow through. There will be a separation of duties and responsibilities, but the key message is to send to the rest of the world, the border is not open anymore. We want you to be able to come, but we want you to come legally, not illegally.