Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., upon the release of the eighth edition of his "Federal Fumbles" report detailing waste in government spending, told Newsmax on Wednesday that the United States government slows down the economy and that problem must be solved.
"Whether it's wasteful spending or whether it's too much government that's actually slowing down our economy, we need to be able to fix [it]," Lankford said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "We identify those in this 'Federal Fumbles' book, as we always do, and say these are reasonable things that are not partisan. I think almost every American would say 'That's wasteful.'"
For example, this year's report details how it takes 16 years for the U.S. government to permit a new mine, but in Canada, it takes just three years.
"We are now internationally at the same status as Zambia for trying to be able to permit new projects for manufacturing and mines," Lankford said. "That's a bad spot for us to be where, in the United States of America, we know how to do things."
Lankford's report comes as cuts to government spending are making headlines and facing controversy through the efforts of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency team.
But the senator defended Musk, explaining that he is working for President Donald Trump to find areas of waste.
"I've put out a 'Federal Fumbles' book every year," said Lankford. "One of the areas that Elon Musk mentioned yesterday was about the federal retirement system. That's something we actually outlined five years ago … saying this is an area that's serious. We've got to be able to take a look at it. We've had a hard time getting anyone's attention on that."
Musk, meanwhile, is drawing attention to the problems "that are known that are out there," Lankford said.
"We know that 17 of our agencies have less than 25% at their offices, and there are tons of empty office space," he said. "We know there was $2 billion that went to the Taliban after our withdrawal. We know that there's $1 billion in subsidies of American tax dollars that went to a Chinese solar company."
All are actions that Americans would question, and it's a "reasonable conversation to say let's make it stop," Lankford added.
The senator also discussed the upcoming confirmation hearing Wednesday for Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence and said he believes she will pass "overwhelmingly" through a partisan vote.
However, he pointed out that Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are lifelong Democrats, but at the same time, Republicans in the Senate don't want anyone sidetracking Trump's agenda.
"We've gone through those questions, had lots of time to be able to visit and be able to drill down on national security issues and such," said Lankford.
He also said he believes FBI nominee Kash Patel's confirmation will move forward, despite claims from Democrats on the Judiciary Committee that he lied under oath about the dismissals of FBI agents.
"I've talked to Kash," Lankford said. "Kash is not directing the FBI at this point. There are interim folks that are there that are in the leadership on it, and Kash is separate from that."
But, Lankford said, Patel will end up being confirmed, as "we need an FBI director in that seat. I think he'll do a good job."
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