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Legislation & Issues

I am committed to confirming federal judges who will respect the Constitution and the original intent of our Founding Fathers.

I will oppose the confirmation of any judge who uses the bench to advance political agendas or to redefine American laws and institutions.

Congress has a constitutional obligation to limit the jurisdiction of activist judges who abuse their judicial power.

I am proud to have helped confirm two such judges to the Supreme Court during my time in the Senate, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito.

Press Releases

October 2014
Date Title
10/22/14 Wastebook 2014: What Washington doesn't want you to read.
June 2014
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6/30/14 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Hobby Lobby Ruling
September 2013
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9/19/13 Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn Continue Oversight in Wake of Navy Yard Shooting
July 2013
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7/31/13 Dr. Coburn and Senator Paul Introduce Legislation to Restore Constitutional Limitations on Congressional Power
February 2013
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2/12/13 Senate Rejects Amendments Protecting Victims of Sex Crimes
October 2012
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10/15/12 Coburn Releases Annual Report Highlighting Some of the Most Wasteful Government Spending in 2012
10/9/12 WASTEBOOK 2012
August 2012
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8/1/12 Dr. Coburn Hosting Town Hall Meetings Across Oklahoma
June 2012
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6/13/12 The Administration's "Campaign to Cut Waste", One Year Later
6/6/12 Coburn Releases New Report on Unspent Federal Dollars
May 2012
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5/10/12 Coburn Introduces Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act
February 2012
Date Title
2/28/12 Sens. Coburn, Collins, & Lieberman Say Annual GAO Report Exposes More Duplication in the Federal Budget, Less Responsibility Coming Out of Washington
2/28/12 Senator Coburn to Testify at House Committee on Oversight and Governmental Reform Hearing Today on Annual GAO Report Addressing Duplication & Overlap in the Federal Government
January 2012
Date Title
1/30/12 Dr. Coburn to Host Town Hall Meeting in Edmond on Saturday, February 4th
December 2011
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12/17/11 Dr. Coburn Votes "No" on Omnibus Spending Bill
November 2011
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11/22/11 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Failure of the Super Committee
October 2011
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10/5/11 Dr. Coburn Launches “Back in Black” Online Survey
September 2011
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9/8/11 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on President Obama’s Jobs Plan
July 2011
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7/25/11 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Breakdown in Debt Talks
7/18/11 Dr. Coburn Releases $9 Trillion Deficit Reduction Plan
June 2011
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6/22/11 Dr. Coburn Introduces Bill to Restore Constitutional Limitations on Congressional Power
February 2011
Date Title
2/2/11 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on the Nomination of Arvo Mikkanen to U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
July 2010
Date Title
7/20/10 Dr. Coburn Votes Against Elena Kagan in Judiciary Committee
November 2007
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11/6/07 Dr. Coburn Comments On Mukasey Committee Confirmation
September 2007
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9/17/07 Dr. Coburn Comments On Attorney General Nominee
August 2007
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8/3/07 Dr. Coburn comments on Senate Confirmation of Timothy DeGiusti
April 2007
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4/19/07 Dr. Coburn Calls for Resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
February 2007
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2/16/07 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Tim DiGuisti's Nomination
July 2006
Date Title
7/13/06 Senate Committee Approves Nomination of Oklahoma Attorney Jerome A. Holmes to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals
May 2006
Date Title
5/26/06 Dr. Coburn Votes to Confirm D.C. Appeals Court Nominee
March 2006
Date Title
3/2/06 Dr. Coburn Supports Passage of Patriot Act
January 2006
Date Title
1/31/06 Dr. Coburn Hails Confirmation Of Judge Samuel Alito
1/10/06 Dr. Coburn's Opening Statement in the Nomination Hearing of Judge Samuel Alito
November 2005
Date Title
11/8/05 Dr. Coburn Comments on Meeting with Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito
October 2005
Date Title
10/31/05 Dr. Coburn Responds to Nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to U.S. Supreme Court
10/27/05 Dr. Coburn Comments on Harriet Miers’ Decision to Withdraw Her Nomination to U.S. Supreme Court
10/24/05 Dr. Coburn Comments on Meeting with Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers
10/3/05 Dr. Coburn Responds to Nomination of Harriet Miers to U.S. Supreme Court
September 2005
Date Title
9/29/05 Dr. Coburn Hails Confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts
9/12/05 Dr. Coburn Calls for an End to Judicial Activism; Restoration of Core Constitutional Values and Principles
July 2005
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7/14/05 Dr. Coburn Supports Bill to Combat Supreme Court’s Land Grab Decision
June 2005
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6/27/05 Dr. Coburn Criticizes Supreme Court Decision on Ten Commandments
May 2005
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5/11/05
President Bush’s Nominees Deserve a Vote, by Dr. Tom Coburn

News

October 2014
Date Title
10/22/14 Wastebook 2014: What Washington doesn't want you to read.
June 2014
Date Title
6/30/14 Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Hobby Lobby Ruling
September 2013
Date Title
9/19/13 Chairman Carper, Ranking Member Coburn Continue Oversight in Wake of Navy Yard Shooting
August 2013
Date Title
8/6/13 Sequester This: Dr. Coburn Pens New Letter to Judiciary Questioning Lavish Conferences Amid Sequestration Reductions
July 2013
Date Title
7/31/13 Dr. Coburn and Senator Paul Introduce Legislation to Restore Constitutional Limitations on Congressional Power
June 2013
Date Title
6/13/13 Sequester This: Dr. Coburn Urges DOJ to Stop Crying Wolf on Sequester and Address Abundance of Wasteful Spending
February 2013
Date Title
2/12/13 Senate Rejects Amendments Protecting Victims of Sex Crimes
2/7/13 Dr. Coburn's Amendments to S. 47, the Violence Against Women Act
April 2012
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4/25/12 Dr. Coburn's Duplication Consolidation Amendment to the Violence Against Women Act
March 2012
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3/8/12 Senate to Vote on Coburn Duplication Amendment #1738 to the Highway Bill, S.1813
October 2011
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10/7/11 CRS Report on Majority Leader Reid Limiting Debate by Filling the Amendment Tree
July 2011
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7/27/11 9,000,000,000,000 Ways to Balance the Budget
May 2011
Date Title
5/23/11 CRS Report Findings Indicate Committees Are Primary Source of Backlog in the Senate Confirmation Process
March 2011
Date Title
3/1/11 Dr. Coburn's Amendment to S.23, the Patent Reform Bill
June 2010
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6/28/10 Dr. Coburn's opening remarks at the Judiciary Committee hearing of Elena Kagan
6/9/10 Why Words Are Not Enough From a Supreme Court Nominee
June 2007
Date Title
6/11/07 Dr. Coburn urges the Judiciary Committee for more consideration of patent reform bill
6/11/07 GOP Pondering Gonzales Strategy
6/11/07 Vote on Gonzales marks Juncture in Probe
6/8/07 No-Confidence Resolution on Gonzales is Scheduled
6/4/07 Senate GOP Votes Unclear on Gonzales Motion
April 2007
Date Title
4/24/07 Editorial - Still under fire: Gonzales hearing doesn’t allay concerns
4/23/07 Senators heap criticism on US attorney general over prosecutors flap
4/23/07 Editorial: After Gonzales
4/23/07 Republicans turn up heat on Gonzales
4/22/07 Five clergy members advocate for gay rights
4/21/07 Gonzales Seeks GOP Support, Gets Little
4/21/07 Gonzales aside, scrutiny turns to White House
4/20/07 Senators Aim Stiff Criticism at Gonzales
4/20/07 Gonzales Hit from Both Sides
4/20/07 Gonzales Gets Grilling, Vows to Stay
4/20/07 Editorial: Hearing Impaired
4/20/07 Coburn Urges Gonzales to Resign
4/20/07 GOP Leans on Gonzales
4/20/07 Court Security Legislation Unanimously Passes Senate
4/20/07 Gonzales Faces New Pressure to Resign
4/20/07 Gonzales's Hold Slips Further
4/20/07 Editorial: Roughed Up on the Hill
4/20/07 Senators Chastise Gonzales at Hearing
4/20/07 On a Very Hot Seat with Little Cover and Less Support
4/20/07 Senators crank up heat on attorney general; Oklahoma Republican calls for him to step down
4/20/07 GOP Senator Calls for Gonzalez to Resign
4/20/07 Attorney General Doesn't Satisfy Critics
4/19/07 Coburn Holds Up Court Security Measure To Make A Point
4/19/07 Senate May Work Overtime, Pending Action on Bill Addressing Courthouse Violence
4/16/07 Democrats’ Move to Limit Debate on Courthouse Violence Bill Could Get Snagged
4/10/07 Nominee Wins Support of Attorneys
March 2007
Date Title
3/23/07 Leahy Gets OK to Subpoena Rove; Sampson Hesitates on Testimony
3/15/07 Senate Judiciary Authorizes Subpoenas for DOJ
3/14/07 'Mistakes' Made on Prosecutors, Gonzales Admits
3/13/07 Gonzales’ Support in Congress Shaky

Floor Statements

February 2013
Date Title
2/25/13 Dr. Coburn Speaking on the Senate Floor Regarding Robert Bacharach Nomination
2/11/13 Dr. Coburn on S. 47, the Violence Against Women Act: Washington Duplication and Incompetence Blocks Justice For Victims
September 2012
Date Title
9/21/12 Coburn on Lack of Leadership in Congress: America Deserves Better
May 2012
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5/15/12 Dr. Coburn Illustrates the Oversized Web of the Federal Government
March 2012
Date Title
3/14/12 On Senate Leadership Avoiding Real Issues, Voting on Recess Appointments Instead
July 2011
Date Title
7/31/11 Dr. Coburn on Raising the Debt Limit: We Can't Play Games Anymore
7/31/11 Dr. Coburn on Raising the Debt Ceiling: Full Transcript
7/21/11 Dr. Coburn on the Floor: "We Have a Solution...Let's Not Let Vanity Get in the Way"
September 2010
Date Title
9/14/10 Dr. Coburn on the nomination of Jane Stranch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth District
August 2010
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8/5/10 Dr. Coburn Opposing the Confirmation of Elena Kagan to be Supreme Court Justice of the United States
May 2009
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5/7/09 Dr. Coburn on his opposition to the nomination of Gil Kerlikowske to be Dir. of Nat'l Drug Control Policy
April 2007
Date Title
4/18/07 Dr. Coburn discusses his amendment to the S. 378, the court security bill, and the U.S. Senate's spending priorities