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James Lankford: “During that 76 day time period, the Senate was in session 35…”

Featuring: James Lankford, Republican | U.S. Senate, Oklahoma

Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act

Published April 30, 2026 | Video Starts at 04:00

We were shut down 76 days because my Democratic colleagues did not want to fund ICE or border protection. So we had a 76 day shutdown. During that 76 day time period, the Senate was in session 35 of those days. Less than half 76 days. Department of Homeland Security was nonoperable, unfunded. We were here 35 of those days. If you think that's bad, let's talk about the House of Representatives. (04:00–04:07)

CLAIM

Asserts that the Senate was in session for 35 out of the 76 days of the shutdown.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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James Lankford

“Since 1977, this body has passed the 12 appropriation bills on time four times.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 00:00-00:15
“The latest [government shutdown] ended today. It was 76 days long. And it shut down the Department of Homeland Security.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 00:45-00:55
“CBS News has reported within the last 24 hours that we now have up to 6,000 different residences for just the Coast Guard, that their power…”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 06:31-06:47
“This body decided not to fund homeland security for 76 days.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 01:10-01:18
“Since 2019, [Maggie Hassan] and I have worked across the aisle to convince our colleagues there is a way to prevent future government…”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 01:39-01:49
“Last session, we brought it to this body and had 57 votes. We need 60.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 02:35-02:41
“We were shut down 76 days because my Democratic colleagues did not want to fund ICE or border protection.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 03:48-03:57
“The House of Representatives...were in session 29 of those 76 days.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 04:23-04:29
“President Trump has taken some of the emergency funding set aside in the bill we passed last year in reconciliation, has used that to be…”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 06:05-06:14
“Commandant of the Coast Guard made this statement about the ongoing shutdown right now of Homeland Security, including the United States…”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 07:03-07:12
“The power was shut off because the bills hadn't been paid.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 07:40-07:44
“If you want to go to the Coast Guard station in Hawaii, they were literally working at the station by flashlight.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 07:45-07:52
“Contracts weren't being paid, contractors were not being paid, and program dollars were not done.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 07:55-08:03
“All the fire training center, all the domestic preparedness conferences, all the things that we do to be able to prepare for a hurricane…”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:07-08:17
“All the work to be able to prepare for wildfires, none of that could actually happen.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:16-08:22
“Our cybersecurity professionals while we have an ongoing conflict with Iran. Many were furloughed or couldn't do their work.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:22-08:30
“We couldn't do preparation for security for [FIFA] coming.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:35-08:35
“The United States Secret Service...had no additional money to be able to plan and operate.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:41-08:58
“This body chose to go home rather than fund them.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 08:58-09:05
“Contractors don't get paid, utility bills don't get paid, all the grants don't get done.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 09:20-09:28
“For the Coast Guard, they're working at their station by flashlight.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 09:43-09:48
“Republicans and Democrats alike have put a stake in the ground and said we're going to shut the government down because we're mad.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 09:59-10:06
“In a bipartisan basis and bicameral basis, we are dedicated to saying government shutdowns need to end.”
Lankford Speaks on Senate Floor Following End of DHS Shutdown and Prevent Government Shutdowns Act | Uploaded April 30, 2026 | 10:56-11:05