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| Dear Friend, 2020 was a challenging year for us all, but as I consider the past year, I don’t dwell on the bad, I focus on all the good that brought us together. The struggles and lessons we faced in 2020 equip us to be better and stronger in the year to come. I hope that as you stare down 2021, you are filled with hope, peace, and love as we all strive to move forward together with our families, communities and nation. My team and I successfully engaged in over 550 meetings with constituents this year to answer questions, support our communities, and be as accessible as possible. Our casework team was able to close out 541 cases for constituents who needed assistance with a federal agency. Everything our constituents needed from military records, passports, Social Security, IRS needs and others, were carefully and compassionately handled – often times with favorable results. In addition to our casework, we were able to carry out our Student App Challenge, High School Art Competition, and (pre COVID-19) we conducted mobile office hours, where we go across the district to provide as much access to our services as possible. I am proud of the work our team did this year and respect the dedication they have in serving our constituents every day. COVID-19 Response When COVID-19 was making its presence known in March, I visited the hard-working people of TAEMA (Tulsa Area Emergency Management Agency). This Tulsa Fire Department’s coronavirus task force held meetings with our city managers, kept in communication with the Tulsa Health Department, met with area hospitals, and met with long-term care facilities to keep all the moving parts of our local coronavirus response running smoothly and on the same page. This great collaborative effort helped me identify the federal resources our communities needed and guided my work in Congress as we discussed aid. The safety and health of my constituents will always be of the utmost importance, and addressing COVID-19 will continue to be in focus as we enter 2021.
Blood Drive COVID-19 stifled the critical giving of blood this summer, so my wife, Tammy, and I decided to donate in May, and we were proud to see over 150 Tulsans come out to donate blood and fill all the available donation appointments. Our community has, and will continue to, come together to address the challenges we face.
USMCA - A New North American Trade Deal Before COVID-19 changed life as we know it, the historic United States - Mexico - Canada trade agreement was signed, updating the old North American Freed Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and bringing trade with our neighboring countries into the 21st century. For the first time in an American free trade agreement, an entire chapter is dedicated to small business agreements, opening this avenue to success for tens of thousands of American enterprises. The USMCA expands opportunity for our country's largest employers by creating new information sharing tools for our three nations and establishes a committee to oversee the implementation and creation of trade opportunities. One of the hardest parts of expanding into a new country is understand the consumer and business environment. This agreement solves that.
In September, House Republicans unveiled our plan to restore the American way of life, rebuild the greatest economy in the history of the world, and renew faith in the American dream. We have over 150 policy proposals included in this plan touch on every aspect of American life - healthcare, taxes, law enforcement, first and second amendment freedoms, infrastructure, energy, and more. This plan is a clear path back to the lives we led a year ago. I am proud to stand by my colleagues and offer Americans hope and opportunity after a year of devastation. When Congress reconvenes next week, I look forward to getting back to work on these policies and earning the votes of our Democrat colleagues on common-sense ideas to restore what COVID-19 took from us. Tulsa VA Outpatient Clinic & VA Hospital In August, I was able to see the construction underway for the new, state-of-the-art VA outpatient clinic in downtown Tulsa designed to provide comprehensive healthcare for our Tulsa-area veterans. This 170,000-square-foot health care center will consolidate important services under one roof for a one stop shop experience that delivers the highest quality of care for our deserving veterans. The clinic will provide a myriad of dental, mental health, and outpatient services that will strive to meet the needs of every veteran they serve and set a standard for excellence. Additionally, a world class, 275,000-square-foot VA hospital will open in downtown Tulsa in 2024 and stand ready to serve those who have sacrificially served us. Because of its central location, the new hospital plans to serve up to 30% more, or 61,000 veterans annually.
To that end, I joined multiple petitions and movements in support of our police officers, including signing the Heritage Action Police Pledge and the Stand with Cops Pledge. Eagle Ops Welcome Back 5k I was proud to speak at the Eagle Ops Welcome Home 5K this November. This event honors our fallen heroes, while also highlighting the needs of veterans in our community today. Too many of our veterans are lost to suicide year after year, and they need to know that the home they fought for overseas is eager to welcome them back with open arms. The veterans in our community are right here in front of us, needing a warm embrace and a “welcome home” from us all in 2021.
Our community mourned the death of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson this July following a violent shooting. Officer Aurash Zarkeshan was also severely injured in the incident and has made a remarkable recovery. Aurash is already back at work with TPD after a rigorous rehabilitation program – showing his Tulsa grit. Tammy and I were honored to be at Sgt. Johnson’s graveside funeral and witness the outpouring of love that lined the streets for miles and miles for him and his family.
Technical Sergeant Marshall Roberts, an Owasso National Guardsmen fought and died bravely in Iraq on March 11th this year. His ultimate sacrifice and the sacrifices of his family will be honored and not forgotten. No words can describe the love and respect I feel for our fallen patriots, and for the families that served nobly with them.
Blue Star Mothers Our soldiers are the ones sent out to protect our national security, but it’s their families that protect the home front while they are away. Tammy and I were able to help box up their latest shipment of 136 care packages that are being sent out to our deserving soldiers, and I was able to write them thank you notes, expressing how proud I am of them.
We're closing in on the end of a wild year. This year has challenged us in ways we never imagined, but we are coming out of it stronger than ever before. 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 know what's happening whether I'm in our nation's capitol or at work in Oklahoma. Sincerely, Kevin Hern Member of Congress |
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