WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The bill passed with a vote of 388-5. 

“The Paycheck Protection Program is the lifeline our workers and business owners need right now,” said. Rep. Hern. “Our small business owners are some of the hardest hit during this pandemic. As a small business owner myself, I feel the same pain of the business leaders I’ve spoken with over the last several weeks. They’ve poured their life’s work into these businesses and are watching it all fall apart. They love their employees and are distraught over decisions to lay off or furlough staff.”

Rep. Hern continued, “Speaker Pelosi delayed these funds for two weeks while workers across the country were missing paychecks. There’s no reason we had to wait this long. Speaker Pelosi made it absolutely clear to the workers and business owners of our country what her priorities are: partisan tricks and unpopular, socialist policies at any cost. Small businesses are not pawns in Speaker Pelosi’s games, they are real people with real employees. In the strongest possible terms, I condemn the actions of the Speaker and Democrat Majority.”

Background Information

The bill text for H.R. 266 can be found here.