WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) Thursday was presented with the inaugural Pro-Life Leader Award during the Evangelicals for Life conference in Washington, DC. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and Focus on the Family hosted the conference in conjunction with the Washington, DC March for Life event, an annual pro-life march on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
“I’m humbled by this honor, but I really want to recognize the millions of dedicated pro-life activists and pregnancy center workers who compassionately advocate for life every day,” said Senator Lankford. “Momentum is on the side of the pro-life movement because of the compassion of dedicated individuals like them.”
Sen. James Lankford
Lankford continued, “Science continues to affirm that an unborn child has ten small fingers, ten toes, a beating heart, a functioning nervous system, and unique DNA. Our culture must affirm the value of the weak and vulnerable in our society, beginning with our children. The Declaration of Independence declares that everyone is endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including and especially life. We must never stop speaking up to protect the most basic of all human rights – the right to life.”
Focus on the Family President Jim Daly said, “Senator Lankford has been a champion in the U.S. Senate for all we believe about family, marriage, human life, and religious liberty. And his character and integrity are matchless. He is a trusted public servant, and we at Focus on the Family value and honor our friendship with him, his family, and his great team.”
Rep. James Lankford outside the US Supreme Court
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore said, “No one is more heroic on the dignity of all human life than Senator James Lankford. He has stood up for the most vulnerable—including the unborn—with clarity, conviction, and effectiveness. I am thrilled that he is the first to receive this Evangelicals for Life award for courage in the public square.”
Senator Lankford is a Member of the Senate Values Action Team, which serves as a liaison to organizations that are dedicated to advancing pro-family causes and policies. Last summer, Senator Lankford co-sponsored the Pain-Capable Unborn Protection Act, a bill to prohibit abortions past five months, and introduced legislation to redirect taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood to Community Health Centers.