Lawmaker Profile

Sen. James Inhofe

[R, OK]
Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) serves as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Sen. Inhofe is a proud Oklahoman and long-time resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

While our country is in the most threatened position in American history, Sen. Inhofe remains committed to rebuilding our military from the readiness crisis and addressing the growing threats from our enemies. As the Chairman for the Senate Armed Services Committee, he plays a key role in ensuring that our military has the best equipment, training and resources necessary to meet our nation's diverse security challenges.

Widely regarded by his peers and industry partners as a long time and staunch supporter of our men and women in uniform, he believes that protecting our country is the first function of the federal government, as dictated by the United States Constitution.

A champion of long-term reform of the Defense Department to become more efficient and effective, he has focused on streamlining the acquisition process in the face of multiple failures in the recent past. He has pushed the military and the defense industrial base to invest in research and development to validate requirements early while simplifying and shortening the process. He has worked relentlessly to deliver the best equipment to our service members, while making sure that taxpayers get the best value for their money. Earlier this year, he received the Eisenhower Award from the National Defense Industrial Association for his commitment to raising public awareness of the needs of our military and defense communities.

Sen. Inhofe has a long history of public service, beginning with his service in the U.S. Army to his current role in the United States Senate. He has a well-deserved reputation as an unabashed conservative who gets things done. He is a strong advocate of common sense Oklahoma values, including less government, less regulation, lower tax rates, fiscal responsibility and a strong national defense.

In addition to his role on Armed Services, Sen. Inhofe is also a member of the Environment & Public Works Committee, the Commerce Committee and the Small Business Committee.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the Committee on Environment and Public Works and member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Inhofe is a committed supporter of our infrastructure. Inhofe believes one of the inherent roles of government is to provide for a safe and suitable infrastructure to allow our nation access to transportation and fully connect our national economy. In addition to providing for the national defense, he believes the single greatest service we can provide our citizens is the necessary infrastructure to enable the United States to remain the economic engine that drives the world's economy.

Throughout his time in Washington, D.C. Inhofe has worked toward policies that encourage the U.S. to meet its energy needs domestically. He has worked tirelessly to cut through the red tape on unnecessary and burdensome regulations within the oil and gas industry. One of his greatest achievements to date began in 1999 when Inhofe introduced a bill to give states the freedom to make their own decisions about oil and natural gas regulatory structures, including those concerning hydraulic fracturing. The bill was incorporated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The latest battle on fossil fuels was won with the election of President Trump, but the war is still being waged and Sen. Inhofe continues to defend an industry that employs millions of Americans, provides more than a trillion dollars to our economy and helps Americans get to work, heat their homes and cook their meals. With the foundation Sen. Inhofe built and a President who understand the fossil fuel industry, the United States is working to pave a course toward energy dominance.

As member of the Senate Small Business Committee, Sen. Inhofe regularly visits with Chambers of Commerce across Oklahoma. Every community says the same thing- they need relief from overregulation and more support for small businesses. He is an outspoken advocate in Congress for pro-growth policies that allow businesses in Oklahoma and around the country to succeed. In addition, he has worked to ensure family-owned businesses of all types are treated the same under the tax code.

An avid pilot with over 11,000 flight hours, Inhofe became the only member of Congress to fly an airplane around the world when he recreated Wiley Post's legendary trip around the globe. He is a tireless advocate for aviation professionals.

Prior to serving the people of Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Inhofe served in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Oklahoma House and Senate and as Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Jim and his wife, Kay, have been married 58 years and have 20 kids and grandchildren.