Who’s Who in Defense: James Inhofe, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee

By Catherine Macaulay on February 26, 2021 at 12:41 PM

Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)

Responsibilities

As the top Republican on the SASC, Inhofe exerts considerable influence over a committee that dates back to 1816, (following the wars with Great Britain). Today, the SASC plays a crucial role in fulfilling the Senate’s constitutional and policymaking duties. This includes producing a bipartisan agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which implements the National Defense Strategy.

Stated Priorities

Reverse U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.
Prioritize the Indo-Pacific region in the Pentagon’s annual budget process.
Modernize platforms rather than buy new ones. Both Inhofe and SASC Chairman Jack Reed have criticized the Pentagon’s emphasis on new platforms rather than the capabilities required to support missions.
Streamline the military acquisition process to avoid more false starts on the military modernization programs.

Policy Quote

“As leaders in the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and industry come to grips with great power competition with China and Russia, we all agree (that) we must accelerate innovative research and development, acquire new capabilities faster, and transform the way the U.S. military fights if it is to prevail. This is hardly the first time U.S. national security leaders have felt a sense of urgency and attempted to do so.Unfortunately, results have been mixed at best, with absurd acquisition debacles that have set back the country tens of billions of dollars and delayed necessary weapon systems for years. While examples abound in each military service, we are particularly concerned with Navy shipbuilding. We believe there is a better way to develop new first-of-class ships.” – Excerpt from the commentary: The Navy Needs a Course Correction: Prototyping with Purpose by Senators Jim Inhofe and Jack Reed, U.S. Naval Institute website (September 2020). Proceedings Vol. 146/9/1,411.

Areas of Expertise

Served as acting chairman of the SASC while John McCain (R-Ariz.) fought cancer in 2018. After McCain’s death, Inhofe became the committee chairman. During that time, he helped secure passage of the record $716 billion NDAA (FY2019).
Led efforts to reject an amendment to the NDAA authorizing a new Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission round during the 115th Congress. The Pentagon claimed a BRAC round would save money and fund readiness shortfalls.
Helped establish Africa Command—one of 11 unified combatant commands of the DoD, with responsibility for military operations in Africa except for Egypt, which falls under U. S. Central Command.
Member of the Environment & Public Works Committee and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Political/Military/Business Career

Served eight years on the House Armed Services Committee.
Served 23 years on the SASC (ranking member from 2013 to 2015).
1995-Present: U.S Senator from Oklahoma.
1987-1994: Member of the U. S. House of Representatives.
1978-1984: Three-term mayor of Tulsa.
1969-1977: Served in the Oklahoma State Senate.
1967-1969: Served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
1957-1958: Served in the U.S. Army.
Inhofe worked in aviation, land development, and insurance. President of Quaker Life Insurance Company.

Early Years

Born November 17, 1934, in Des Moines, IA, the son of Blanche and Perry Dyson Inhofe. Grew up in Tulsa, Okla.

Education

Personal

Inhofe and his wife, Kay Kirkpatrick, have been married for 60 years and live in Tulsa. They have four children.
An avid pilot, Inhofe became the only member of Congress to fly an airplane around the world when he recreated Wiley Post’s legendary trip around the globe in 1991.

Affiliations/Awards Include: