Danyell Lanier

Biography

Danyell is a native Oklahoman and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Danyell swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution when she answered the call to serve in the United States Navy. She will continue to honor that oath as the next Congresswoman from Oklahoma.

Platform Issues

Protecting Resources

Everyone deserves clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. I will stand up for Oklahomans and our lands. I will make sure current regulations are being followed before implementing new ones. There are almost 79,000 farms in Oklahoma and nearly 93% of them are run by families, yet big corporate farms receive most of the government funding in bailouts, leaving our family farms behind. Then they hire people at low wages and don't look after their workers' health, all while destroying our streams and rivers and local ecosystems, making it harder for our family farms to survive. Our district thrives when our farmers do. I will do all I can to protect our resources for the people, and fight back against large corporations owned by outside interests. I will start by making sure the laws we already have in place to protect our resources and our family farms, are being followed.

Improving Health

Too many of our rural hospitals are closing. People cannot afford the basic medications required to survive. I will make sure we have the funding available to improve our health and I will put it to good use. I will also listen to the advice of doctors and health scientists to protect Oklahomans. Whether it be COVID-19, the seasonal flu, or mental health we must have enough medical resources available to help protect the people who live in rural areas, not just those who live in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Investing in US

Our schools, roads, and bridges have been neglected too long. I will pursue legislation that employs American workers to rebuild our infrastructure, public buildings, and community services. Our schools are falling apart both structurally and financially. I will balance the need for funds with the need for jobs. We will invest where we can and create a plan to help us achieve our ultimate goal of a strong, stable, community with great jobs, great roads, and great schools!

Criminal Justice and Police Reform

Like most people in CD2, I was taught at a young age that right is right and wrong is wrong and that we should respect our community leaders including the police. Unfortunately, life doesn't always go as planned regardless of race, gender, or background. We have seen a disproportionate number of people in Oklahoma impacted by unfair drug laws which can cause financial ruin. The focus is on punishment instead of helping our fellow Oklahomans overcome addiction. The punishment often ruins the lives of our neighbors and their families, making it more difficult to get a job or a home, even once they have recovered. I will focus on uniting our communities, making sure we effectively curb crime by helping people get better and improve their lives, rather than destroying them. Part of this will include promoting unconscious bias training for elected officials and government employees. This will focus not only on biases regarding addiction issues, but also on race, and mental health issues too. I will also make sure we have the resources available to our communities so families and low-level offenders can heal and become contributing members of society again.