Summary

James Inhofe was born in 1934 and is currently serving as the senior United States Senator from Oklahoma. Senator Inhofe’s seat is up for election in 2020.

Jim Inhofe was first elected in the U.S. Senate in the special election of 1994. He was elected for his first full-term in 1996 and was reelected again in 2002, 2008, and 2014. Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, Inhofe represented Oklahoma’s 1^st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 until 1994. During his career, Inhofe served also on both houses of the state legislature, and as Mayor of Tulsa.

Senator Inhofe is currently the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He serves also on the Environment and Public Works Committee; the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee; and Ex Officio on the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Below is Senator Inhofe’s voting record and public positions on issues important to the Jewish community. 

Senator Inhofe opposed the Iran nuclear deal and supported the Taylor Force Act, which states that no American governmental funds shall be given to a Palestinian entity that financially rewards terrorists or their families. Senator Inhofe cosponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and the Combating BDS Act, two bills that aim to fight discriminatory boycotts of Israel. He supported the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

In 2018, Senator Inhofe cosponsored the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, a legislation that supported full funding of security assistance to Israel as outlined in the 2016 U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding.

In 2019, he voted for the Strengthening America’s Middle East Security Act which, among other things, strengthens Israel’s security and allows a state or local government to adopt measures to divest its assets from entities that boycott Israel.