Senator James Lankford Tours BA Business, Tulsa Non-Profit

Senator James Lankford visited a manufacturing facility in Broken Arrow, then, children at a non-profit Wednesday afternoon.

Lankford said he has spent August trying to make the rounds here at home - talking to business, community leaders, and getting a sense of the issues people are concerned about.

The sounds of drills and machinery filled the background as Lankford toured  PACCAR Winch, a company which has about 150 employees. The company, located in the 800 block of East Dallas plays a big part in Broken Arrow's economy.

Lankford is back in the state from D.C. to touch base with his constituents.

"It's just a chance to meet people - be able to interact and talk about the issues that are happening, and what kind of challenges there are so far as expanding for businesses, where the target opportunities are for the growth of the business, and how that fits into the rest of our economy," Lankford said.

Manufacturing is a big industry in Broken Arrow, and something the Chamber President Wes Smithwick wants to keep flourishing.

"Broken Arrow is the third largest manufacturing cluster in the state, primarily centered on advanced manufacturing supporting aerospace and the energy industry,” he said. “So, those are two critical components to our nation’s economy, and it's important for Senator Lankford to see what we've got going on in Broken Arrow that supports all that."

Lankford said while manufacturing seems strong in Oklahoma, he's concerned about overall growth in the state.

"A typical American economy grows much faster, but this seems to be very suppressed," he said.

Lankford also paid a visit to Pocket Full Of Hope, a non-profit that encourages underprivileged youth through theater, music and dance.

Lankford says his goal is to get a pulse on the community.

"So, it's a typical day for me to get a chance to be with a lot of different people,” Lankford said.

The senator said he’ll take all his conversations back to Washington for the next session. The U.S Senate meets again after Labor Day.