WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 9747, a short-term government funding bill to maintain government funding levels through December.

“Democrats and their allies in the media would love to see a shutdown so close to Election Day,” said Rep. Hern. “They would falsely blame Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for every problem that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris created, but I refuse to play their game. In the past, I have supported government shutdowns as an alternative to continuing the status quo in Congress of spending with no respect to the taxpayer. Today is not the day to do that.

“Just last week, the House failed to pass a government funding bill that included the much-needed SAVE Act. I believe that if we had passed that bill, Republicans would dare the White House and Senate Democrats to shut down the government over their objections to ensuring only American citizens vote in our elections. The entire Oklahoma delegation supported this strategy, but unfortunately, the bill did not pass and we are now faced with a clean extension of funding through December or a shutdown.” 

Rep. Hern continued, “I am confident that we will soon have majorities in the House and the Senate, along with President Trump in the White House, working together to cut spending and deliver results for the American people.”

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