TULSA, OK – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement this afternoon after the Paycheck Protection Program funding for small businesses ran out.

“Our small business owners need us now more than ever,” said Rep. Hern. “We’ve seen that the Paycheck Protection Program works. Millions of businesses around the country are already utilizing the loans to keep employees on payroll and maintain their business during the shutdown. The Program needs more money to keep helping our small businesses, but Speaker Pelosi and Senate Democrats would rather use it as a bargaining chip to insert unrelated, far-left policies into the relief packages. They are leaving countless workers and small businesses owners behind, and what for? I’d be on the next flight to DC if a clean bill with additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program were on the other side. In fact, I was prepared to fly to DC last week; I fully supported the Senate legislation to re-fill the PPP fund, but Senate Democrats killed the bill and left town.

“I’m on the phone every day with business owners and constituents in the First District. Our people are distraught over their loss of income and the forced closure of the businesses they’ve poured their entire lives into. They’re frustrated, and so am I! Our business owners are trying to do whatever it takes to keep their businesses running and employees paid, but Democrats are playing politics.”

Rep. Hern continued, “Look no further than our governors to see the potential of bipartisan work during this crisis. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and California Governor Gavin Newsome have been two of President Trump’s most vocal opponents, but even they have been able to put aside their differences to work with the President to keep their states safe – and they’re mature enough to give credit where it’s due. It’s easy for career politicians to grandstand in Washington, receiving their six-figure salaries, and entirely ignore the plight of millions of Americans. They needed our help a long time ago, but the bitter partisanship in Congress has let them down. Some of my colleagues would celebrate the downfall of our country if it meant the downfall of Donald Trump or the Republican Party. For better or worse, we’re all in this together. It’s time we started acting like it.”