Dear friend,
May was a month of tribute and honor, in many ways. From the memorial service of a dear friend to the reverent remembrance of our fallen heroes on Memorial Day and the centennial of Tulsa's darkest day - it was a month full of meaning and import.
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You may not know this, but the late Senator Tom Coburn is the reason I got involved in politics. Much of what I know about fiscal responsibility, individual liberties, and politics in general comes from time I spent with him. As a private pilot, I had the great privilege of flying Senator Coburn around the state on his campaigns. I spent countless hours in the sky learning from him.
Senator Coburn passed away last year on March 28, 2020, and his memorial service was on May 1st of this year. While we've missed his strong voice in Congress for many years, I've been fortunate to have his wisdom and friendship at the outset of my political career and have deeply felt his loss over the last year. It's on all of us to honor his legacy by fighting for the freedoms he fought for his entire career.
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Official portrait of U.S. Senator Tom Coburn
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Memorial Day is not simply a long weekend – it is a profound and sobering time where we recall the immense sacrifices of our veterans and their families that have paid for our freedoms as Americans.
I am so honored to represent Americans who have such an outpouring of love and respect for our veterans. Tammy and I were honored to be at the Avenue of Flags event in Broken Arrow where 4,142 casket flags of veterans were raised and honored by hundreds of people. I was also honored to be at the Field of Heroes event in Tulsa where 403 adorned pairs of boots laid in formation to commemorate 403 fallen Oklahoma veterans.
To those who have lost a veteran hero, I can’t say it any better than President Abraham Lincoln, “I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.”
God bless our veterans and their families.
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Rep. Kevin Hern addresses the crowd at the Avenue of Flags event
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May 31st - June 1st marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. This attack on Tulsa's Black community resulted in the murder of hundreds of Black residents, the destruction of Black Wall Street, and the burning of the Greenwood district.
The horrific realities of this part of Tulsa's history can be painful to confront, but 100 years, we must remember. This weekend was full of meaningful events meant to honor those killed, educate the public on the true story of what happened here, and move towards reconciliation.
This moment in Tulsa's history, however shameful, is a part of Tulsa's story. The true account of the horrors inflicted on Black Tulsans 100 years ago should be known by all Americans. I'm proud of the way our city has committed to honoring the memories of those lost in 1921 by shining a light on the truth, and I look forward to our shared pledge of unity and healing as we move beyond this week's centennial.
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Rep. Kevin Hern in the historic Greenwood district
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For 15 days, our allies in Israel defended themselves from a never-ending barrage of rocketfire from Hamas. While Israel targeted Hamas terrorists with the goal of taking out dangerous individuals and anti-tank missiles, Hamas targeted Israeli citizens with the goal of killing as many civilians as possible.
Hamas has never been shy about their goal: the complete destruction of Israel.
Our allies in Israel need us now more than ever. I have always supported Israel and will continue to do so.
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As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, trade issues are now a major part of my committee work. Over the last month, I've met with several key figures to discuss the important trade partnerships that are integral to American businesses.
The U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, testified in front of the Ways and Means Committee last month and we had the opportunity to discuss issues with our softwood lumber trade.
To that end, I also met with the Consulate General of Canada, Rachel McCormick, to discuss the same softwood lumber shortage. I'm hopeful that we're close to a solution to alleviate the spike in cost for lumber.
While in DC last month, I was honored to join Taiwan's ambassador to the US, Bi-Khim Hsiao, at the Taiwanese embassy for dinner and a discussion on the important relationship our countries share. Taiwan is a leader in global health initiatives, a strong defender of democracy in the East, and a critical trade partner for the United States!
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I spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Green Lake Bridge in Washington County, near the city of Vera.
Our founding fathers knew the importance of infrastructure - every great civilization before us has imploded because of a failure to maintain infrastructure - and they were determined to prevent that in America.
I want to see more roads and bridges like this one built in our district and across the country. I will always advocate for local governments to have more control over their own infrastructure.
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Rep. Kevin Hern speaks at the Green Lake Bridge ribbon cutting ceremony
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You may know that I was chosen to lead the Republican Study Committee's Budget and Spending Task Force at the start of the year.
The main goal of the Task Force is to draft a fiscally conservative budget - and I'm proud to say we finished the job and introduced our FY '22 budget to the House on May 19th.
Our budget is called "Reclaiming Our Fiscal Future", and it does just that. We eliminate $14.4 trillion in federal spending over the next 10 years, and balance in just 5 years. Our budget cuts taxes on working class families and strengthens small businesses.
This budget is a clear outline of how Republicans are prepared to govern in the majority - with a deep respect for taxpayer funds and a commitment to reducing the deficit.
Learn more about my budget at Hern.house.gov/budget
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Everywhere you look, 'Help Wanted' signs are windows. More than a year after COVID-19 shutdowns began, our small businesses are still struggling to recover. Local restaurants, shops, gas stations, and more are struggling to hire employees because workers are still incentivized to stay home.
It's all connected - daycares and schools aren't back to normal operations, so parents have to be home with their kids. It's easier to accept federal unemployment for the flexibility to be home with your kids than return to work and figure out what to do with your kids during the day. As a result, businesses can't hire enough staff to return to normal operations, and the circle continues.
We will never return to 'normal' as long as we are incentivizing workers to stay out of the workforce. That's why I introduced the Help Wanted Act to eliminate the added $300/week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).
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Last month, I joined Mission 22 for the Kentucky Derby Polo Match, and had the pleasure of throwing out the commemorative "first ball".
Every day, at least 22 veterans take their own life. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) takes a devastating number of veterans away from us. There are memorials around the country dedicated to those who fell in every major conflict in our country's history, but there are no monuments to those who fell in the war against veteran suicide.
Broken Arrow will be home to the Mission 22 Project, a beautiful monument that commemorates the lives of the veterans who found themselves in a battle at home.
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Rep. Kevin Hern speaks at the Mission 22 Kentucky Derby Polo Match
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When I'm home in Oklahoma, I spend as much time as possible out with my constituents.
It's easy to see that our small businesses have been hurting this year, especially in rural towns like Kiefer and Mounds. Programs like the Paycheck Protection Program helped when businesses were closed, but now businesses are facing a hiring shortage as they try to reopen and get back to 'normal'.
I also met with the leadership team at Oklahoma Home Builders Association, a group severely impacted by the rising prices of lumber and other goods necessary to build the homes and buildings we live and work in.
I enjoy meeting industry leaders and members of our small business community to hear how federal legislation impacts them and their employees.
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This year's High School Art Competition winner is Anh Truong, who painted this beautiful piece called "The Gloss Mountain". This year's theme was "Explore Scenic Oklahoma: The natural features and attractions that make Oklahoma uniquely beautiful".
Anh is a junior at Victory Christian School in Tulsa. I presented her with her award and was able to see the painting in person, it's a true work of art!
"The Gloss Mountain" will now be sent to Washington, DC, where it will hang in the halls of Congress at the U.S. Capitol Building alongside art competition winners from around the country.
You can learn more about the art competition at Hern.house.gov
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Anh Truong and Rep. Kevin Hern presenting "The Gloss Mountain"
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Please let me know if there's anything my office can help you with, call us at (202) 225-2211 in DC or (918) 935-3222 in Tulsa. As always, I keep everything up-to-date at Hern.house.gov and on my Facebook page, so you always know what's happening whether I'm in our nation's capital or at work in Oklahoma.
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Sincerely,
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Kevin Hern Member of Congress
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