Ask for wisdom and grace for Senator Lankford in his desire to serve our national interests in the Senate. 

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“He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” (Dan 2:21)

During his four years in the House, James Lankford kept looking across the Capitol at the Senate and figuring something was wrong.

Now, in the Senate himself, the Oklahoma Republican is determined to do something about it.

Mr. Lankford is pushing changes to the nominations process, he’s part of a new select committee looking at budget reforms, and he even has his eye on a bigger filibuster reform, as he seeks to fix an institution that’s slipped from the World’s Greatest Deliberative Body into thorough debilitation.

His nominations plan would speed presidential picks through without all of them having to take up to 30 hours of debate. District court nominees and appointments to less than Cabinet-level positions wouldn’t have to absorb a day and a half of time, and thanks to Democrats’ 2013 “nuclear option” maneuver can be confirmed without having to face a 60-vote check.

Mr. Lankford says he’s got enough support to get the proposal out of committee, but Democrats are reluctant — even though they supported a similar change for President Obama five years ago….

He sponsored a plan with Sen. Thom Tillis, North Carolina Republican, to create such a pathway — but said it would have to be coupled with enforcement measures.

Activists, though, were unwilling to move toward Mr. Lankford to curtail future illegal immigration, and the Senate stalemated last month, defeating a series of plans, including what he said was a generous offer from President Trump….

He says he’s got enough support from Republicans to clear the Rules Committee, and says he’s been promised a vote in the committee after spring vacation.

Then, leadership staffers say, it’s up to Mr. Lankford to build support for a floor vote, which will require at least 60 votes’ support — in a chamber where the GOP controls just 51 seats.

In theory it shouldn’t be hard. A similar but temporary rules change passed in 2013, after negotiations by then-Democratic leader Harry Reid and GOP leader Mitch McConnell. The vote then was 86-9, and 38 of those Democrats who voted for it are still in the Senate….

He said he has a few Democrats who have said — privately — they will support him, but there are some Republicans who haven’t committed to back him yet. All told, seven Republicans still in the chamber voted against the 2013 Reid rules change….

“I guarantee what they do to us, we’re going to do to them more,” he added. (Excerpts from Stephen Dinan’s article in The Washington Times)