Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after being notified that Bartlesville high school teacher, Mrs. Cheryl Fentress, received the Presidential award for excellence in mathematics and science teaching (PAEMST). Mrs. Fentress has been a dedicated teacher for over 35 years, and is currently a ninth-grade honors Biology teacher at Bartlesville High School. She was the 2... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced the Equal Opportunity First Amendment Act to the House last week. The bill addresses disparity between decisions made to ban certain First Amendment-protected activities under State of Emergency but not others. “Most states have seen wildly varying interpretations of social distancing guidelines over the last several months,” said Rep. Hern. “In many in... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement in support of HR 7575, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed the House by unanimous consent this afternoon. “There’s a lot to be happy about in the WRDA that passed today,” said Rep. Hern. “Included in the bill were funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to make upgrades on the Tulsa-West Tulsa Levee System. Last ... Read More »
First District Congressman Kevin Hern said Wednesday it’s imperative that the government perfect a playbook to effectively deal with the financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are re-inventing the wheel right now,” he said. “There is no precedent been set on how to deal with this. So this comes from how you keep businesses open, how you keep compensated so they can actually go out and f... Read More »
Small businesses are under siege. First COVID-19 shut them down; then protesters and rioters shattered windows and mayors imposed curfews. Now, everyone is hoping we don’t have a second wave of COVID-19 while working to rebuild the economy. Businesses adapted almost overnight, adjusting to operate in the new normal. Digital technologies and platforms played a key role for many small businesses. Te... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). “Recent actions in the South China Sea, the Middle East, and North Korea prove the need for an unparalleled American military,” said Rep. Hern. “We are the target of numerous dangerous rising world powers. If countries like China and Russia continue expanding their... Read More »
This week, Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) introduced a resolution recognizing that the implementation of Modern Monetary Theory would lead to higher deficits and inflation. “There is a startling idea popular among Democrats that says our federal debt does not matter,” said Rep. Hern. “Modern Monetary Theory is gaining traction among elected leaders at an alarming rate, worrying many on the left... Read More »
Today, Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) led a bipartisan letter with Representative Jared Golden (ME-02) to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza encouraging additional relief measures for seasonal employers who were impacted by changing PPP regulations. 23 Members of Congress joined Reps. Hern and Golden on the letter. The text of the letter can be fo... Read More »
This afternoon, Representative Kevin Hern launched the 2020 Congressional App Challenge for students in the First District. “Tulsa is home to fantastic STEM talent,” said Rep. Hern. “We have the potential to become the next great American tech hub, a lofty goal that starts with education. Our students have big ideas and big dreams; the Congressional App Challenge is a unique opportunity to showcas... Read More »
Today, after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on McGirt v. Oklahoma, Oklahoma’s congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives issued the following joint statement. The case and resulting opinion relate to the authority and jurisdiction of the Five Tribes of Oklahoma – Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole Nations – to prosecute crimes on their trib... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after this morning’s Supreme Court ruling that The Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic charity, cannot be forced by the government under the Affordable Care Act to provide free contraception to their employees in violation of their religious beliefs. “This is a decisive win for first amendment freedoms,” said Rep. Hern. “Our Fou... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) and Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) introduced the bipartisan Protect Telehealth Access Act today to build on telehealth’s proven success during the COVID-19 pandemic by codifying Medicare reimbursements for telehealth services. The Protect Telehealth Access Act removes the requirement that (1) an individual receiving telehealth services must be located in a... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting ‘no’ on HR 7120, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. “People are marching around the country, demanding action from their government,” said Rep. Hern. “They deserve justice, and they deserve meaningful changes at the federal level. Unfortunately, my colleagues across the aisle have no intention of changing anythi... Read More »
Last week, Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) and 37 of his fellow Representatives wrote a letter to Attorney General William Barr to thank him for the work the Department of Justice is doing to investigate the financial support received by Antifa. He offered the following statement in response. “Antifa is a terrorist organization,” said Rep. Hern. “It is self-evident to anyone who has witnessed th... Read More »
Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after hearing concerns of potentially violent demonstrations this weekend in Tulsa surrounding the President’s rally at the BOK Center. “In the midst of national unrest that has upended cities like Minneapolis, Seattle and Atlanta, Tulsa has proven to be a place of reason and peaceful discourse,” said Rep. Hern. “With reports of ag... Read More »
