Sen.-elect James Lankford urged people to turn to their loved ones during the holiday season, saying strong families hold the nation’s fabric together.
“The future of our nation is dependent on the future of our families. Broken families not only affect the people involved, but they have an impact on public policy decisions in Washington, D.C. and state capitols around the nation,” the Oklahoma Republican said during the weekly Republican address.
“America is strongest when families take care of each other and walk with one another through need and loss. Christmas is a great time to recommit to each other and our communities,” he said.
Lankford also thanked the military and touted America’s respect for freedom of religion.
“Americans honor and respect each other’s faith, and we honor those that choose to have no faith. Under our freedom, no one is silenced because of their religious belief,” he said.
And while Washington has played host squabbles that even the most dysfunctional family would be hard-pressed to replicate, he said the holidays were the perfect time to come together whether seated across each other at the dinner table or across the aisle.
“In the next few days, the decorations will come down, schools will restart, a new Congress will be sworn in and another year will begin,” Lankford said. “But for today, enjoy Christmas. Let’s set aside our political and ideological differences and take a moment to love our families, hug our children, parents and grandparents and through love and respect, strengthen the bonds that made us the greatest nation on Earth.”
