In a rare and lively gathering, the Bristow Lions Club and Rotary Club came together for an hour at the First Methodist Church of Bristow to host Senator James Lankford and Representative Kyle Hilbert. The event was filled with good food and good-natured ribbing between the two clubs. When asked about the difference between the Lions and Rotary Clubs, 91-year-old Lions Club member Marlin quipped, “Same as Rotary, but more fun and better food!” The playful heckling continued as both groups enjoyed a well-prepared meal.
Representative Kyle Hilbert, a familiar face in Bristow, is known not only for his role as a power outage informant on Facebook but also as the Speaker Pro Tempore in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He introduced Senator Lankford as a “workhorse who gets things done” and gave a heartfelt shout-out to Cindy Lankford for her years of sacrifice in support of her husband’s service to Oklahoma.
Senator Lankford, who spends about 12 weeks a year at home, discussed his work on the Prevent Government Shutdown Act of 2025. This bill aims to hold Congress accountable by creating an automatic, short-term continuing resolution (CR) to avoid government shutdowns at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. “Time is a bigger pressure point in Congress than not being paid,” Lankford noted, emphasizing the need for lawmakers to complete the annual budget process on time. He briefly touched on the One Big Beautiful Bill, which would return programs like SNAP benefits to state control to reduce errors, as well as proposed tax reforms, including allowing teachers to write off classroom supply purchases, eliminating taxes on tips, and exempting overtime pay from taxation.
The senator also spoke passionately about Oklahoma’s role in setting a national example. He urged the attendees to address cultural and spiritual challenge0s by returning to faith and modeling civility. “Disagreements don’t have to be violent,” Lankford said, encouraging Oklahomans to set a positive tone for the country.