WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after passage of S 3548, the CARES Act, this afternoon. The bill passed by voice vote.

“The government caused these problems by forcing our businesses to close – many of them may never reopen,” said Rep. Hern. “It is therefore our responsibility to stop the bleeding. This could have been done a week ago if it weren’t for the self-serving actions of Speaker Pelosi. Let me be clear, this vote was held up for one reason: so Pelosi could fund her pet projects. Almost all of her unrelated wish list items have been removed from the final package, but there are still a great deal of unrelated, unnecessary, and reckless spending measures that have nothing to do with coronavirus relief included in the bill.

“With that said, there is a great deal to be happy about with this legislation. This isn’t a bailout. It’s a repayment of what the government has taken away from American workers and businesses. It’s a lifeline to the industries facing destruction. Yes, this is unprecedented spending, but these are unprecedented times. I stand in full support of the actions we are taking today, but I advise my colleagues and my constituents not to get used to this kind of spending from Congress. I will not make a habit of votes like this.”

Rep. Hern continued, “Our next step is to pay for the measure we approved today. $2 trillion does not appear out of thin air. This will take some serious thought and bipartisan determination. Money is not an imaginary concept, it is dependent on very real resources, resources that are finite. $2 trillion in unexpected spending means there will be cuts down the road. Just like when a family needs to tighten their belts to make up for unexpected costs, our government will need to do the same.

“I do firmly believe our nation will win this war. Not because of the necessary actions we are taking in Congress today, but because of the resolve and ingenuity of the American people. We will recover. We will come back. The American spirit is too strong to be knocked down for long.”

Due to coronavirus-related quarantines and family emergencies, Rep. Hern is the only member of the Oklahoma delegation to be present in the House today. Following today’s vote, the House is expected to be in recess until April 20, 2020. This is subject to the call of the Speaker.

Hern debates in favor of S 3548, the CARES Act

Watch the video here.

Hern’s remarks as prepared:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the American people.

It is unfortunate that this bill was delayed in pursuit of certain wasteful provisions that have nothing to do with the coronavirus.

With that said, I am thankful that the vast majority of this bill rightly focuses on the needs of Americans. It will save Small Businesses in my district, provides much needed funds to the Hospitals on the front lines of this fight, and provides a safety net for people who lose their jobs due to no fault of their own.

Our citizens are hurting. The American people need us now more than ever.

Thank you to Leader McCarthy, Ranking Member Brady, President Trump, and the members involved for their unrelenting work on this.

To the American people, it’s much later than anyone wanted, but help is on the way.

I yield the balance of my time. 

Background Information:

Bill text for S 3548, the CARES Act can be found here.

Rep. Hern voted against the Phase II bill, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. His statement on that vote can be found here.  

Previously, Rep. Hern called on Speaker Pelosi to keep Congress in session until they could come to a bipartisan agreement on legislation like today’s bill. Instead, Pelosi called 2 weeks of recess.