Kevin Hern

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I recognize today as National Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day, and additionally October as National Spina Bifida Month. Spina Bifida impacts families across our great nation, including my own; many in my family have suffered with Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is a birth defect which forms from a hole in the spiral cord where it fails to close properly, allowing nerves and fluid to form a sac outside the body. To correct this, the child must undergo dozens of surgeries before they become adults, and even then, they face a myriad of physical and mental health issues. No two children will be affected the same way, as each condition is unique. In a testament to the innovation and research of our American scientific ingenuity, we currently have the first generation of adults to live with Spina Bifida. Still, there is much work to do. It is our responsibility to ensure proper funding for Spina Bifida care and research so that both treatment and quality of life improve for all Americans with the condition.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor a very special anniversary in my community. In 1972, frustrated and overwhelmed by the lack of early childhood care options for their visually impaired daughters, Marcia Mitchell and Sheryl Poole decided to take a leap of faith and founded the Little Light House. In the 50 years since, their organization has proved invaluable to countless families in the Tulsa area. Their mission is simple: serving the whole family by offering free, unparalleled services to help every child reach their unlimited potential by providing tools to assist them in communicating, walking, and learning, all while serving and glorifying God. The Little Light House has grown into a major operation, currently serving 116 families in their Developmental Center and 126 families in their Early Intervention Program. In 2006, they opened their first affiliate location in Jackson, Mississippi, and continue to expand the reach of their community impact to this day. Marcia & Sheryl's mission still burns brightly at the heart of the Little Light House today. I'm honored to recognize them as they celebrate this milestone. Happy 50th Anniversary, Little Light House.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 77th anniversary of V-J Day on August 14, 2022. Without the sacrifices of our service members on that day, and on the horrific days of World War II leading up to it, we would not be a free people. Victory over Japan Day, V-J Day, marked the triumph of American forces and the end of the most consequential war in modern history. This day commemorates the signing of Japan's surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945. Our veteran community in Oklahoma esteems this day as all Americans should. Fewer and fewer members of the greatest generation are with us today, and those we have left are American treasures to admire. Frank Reisinger, a veteran himself, is one such treasure who has coordinated the remembrance of this historic moment in Broken Arrow for many years. Frank still remembers celebrating the initial V-J Day in downtown Tulsa with his father 77 years ago as an 18-year-old young man. This memory is forever seared into Frank's mind and the inspiration of that glorious moment has lasted him a lifetime. Now he inspires countless others to revere our great American flag and the freedoms it represents. I am thankful for this event and the work of Frank Reisinger, and the city of Broken Arrow to honor this day.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. I rise today in strong opposition to the bill before us today. Never in our history has the Federal Government responded to a recession by raising taxes on Americans. It is simply unthinkable. Nearly everything our colleagues across the aisle have said about this bill has been proven false. I have noticed they have stopped calling it the inflation legislation because they know it is not true. They are hailing it as a climate and tax plan. I will give them that because this legislation will raise American taxes and give that money to handpicked socialist green companies. I wouldn't be proud of that if I were them. What this bill will absolutely do is not reduce inflation. In fact, even liberal economists are warning it will do the exact opposite. Just today, 56 percent of Democrats and 91 percent of Independents are now gravely concerned with the direction of our economy. I have received thousands of phone calls, text messages, and emails from my constituents over the last week pleading with me to stop this bill from passing. They understand what half of this Chamber does not. When the Federal Government spends more, American families have less. I find nothing redeemable in this legislation and, therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote a resounding ``no.''

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, a member of my delegation and my colleague, Mr. Lucas, for his leadership on this bill. No one has worked harder on this issue, and the fact that he is willing to stand up against it today is a testament to the importance of stopping the build back broke plan. America is in crisis. Even Obama's economic advisers agree that wasteful government spending is what got us into this mess. And yet, the Democrats continue to push for more. We are staring down the barrel of another useless, wasteful build back broke plan that will only make our problems worse. We should not pass one more bill on this floor until we see a bill than reins in government spending, lowers taxes, unleashes American energy, and gets Americans back to work. When the government spends more, the American people have less. The time to fight is now. I hope all of my colleagues will join me in opposition to this legislation.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4040, which will maintain seniors' access to telehealth, or what should be more appropriately called virtual health. In 2020, the Trump administration eliminated bureaucratic red tape so seniors could access healthcare virtually from the comfort of their homes. As a result, 52 million seniors sought their medical care virtually in 2020. I am proud to see my bill, the Protecting Mental Health Services Act, included in this legislation to ensure seniors have virtual access to mental health and substance abuse treatment. My bill ensures all Oklahomans can access high-quality care, regardless of their physical location. While this legislation is a step forward, it is unfortunate that it excludes employer-sponsored healthcare from the same low-cost access to telehealth. It is critical to provide folks on the job with the ability to seek flexible treatment, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this provision at a later date.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Chair, I rise today with a deep concern over the rampant spending that has come out of this Chamber over the last 2 years. While our constituents suffer from 40-year high inflation, this Chamber has done nothing to help them. Instead, my colleagues across the aisle have doubled down on their reckless spending and continue to make each bill bigger than the last. The spending has got to stop. We know that the American Rescue Plan was the catalyst for inflation problems. We know that Biden's agenda has worsened those inflationary pressures. And yet, today--today--we are looking at even more exorbitant spending. We have been here before. Me and my colleagues remember the 1970s and the 1980s when inflation was even worse than it is today. Inflation isn't new. We know how to reverse it. We have to stop the spending. That is what my amendments do, cut our spending. I urge every Member of this Chamber to support my amendments, which will cut wasteful spending from government programs. The status quo is not serving our constituents. For 20 years, we have operated without the appropriate appropriations process in this country. For the last 4 years, since I have been in Congress, I've never seen a budget that has been provided and worked out, as my colleague just mentioned prior to me. The spending has continued to rise unchallenged. When will it end? To maintain what we have done for the last 20 years is a disservice to the people counting on us. When I am home in Oklahoma, the only thing my constituents ask me is: How are you going to stop inflation? I know it is the same for all of my colleagues. Here is how we can answer them: Cut the spending. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendments from both sides of the aisle.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the comments from my colleagues across the aisle. What the American people have just heard is the only way forward is to spend even more. Remember, the Obama administration's own Treasury Secretary said the spending is what caused the inflation that you are experiencing that is running rampant across America. The spending is crushing the future of our American kids and our grandkids and future generations, with over $30 trillion in debt. The same inflation that the Feds right now are raising interest rates, they are going to drive up our mandatory spending on the interest on our debt. The answer is not to continue spending ourselves into bankruptcy. There has been no offer from my colleagues across the aisle where there is any way to quit spending the amount of money we are seeing today. Moody's just said that the American people have $5 trillion more in their bank accounts today than they had just a little over a year ago, money that was sent to them by the Federal Government that we borrow from places like China. Friends, we have got to be more fiscally responsible. I spent the last 2 years--5\1/2\ months last year, 5\1/2\ months this year--as the budget chairman for the Republican Study Committee, actually working on the budget, actually seeing where our spending goes. We cannot keep having double-digit increases in our spending and expect to be ever responsible to the American people for the future of this country.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding the time. Last month, our Constitution was upheld at the Supreme Court, and States like Oklahoma took immediate action to protect the lives of the unborn. This shouldn't be a hard vote. It is the right for children, fully formed in the womb, to be born. Our allies and like-minded nations around the world do not allow abortions up to the moment of birth, as this bill would do. It is simply barbaric. My colleagues know it is an unpopular position, which is why they have resorted to lies and deceptions about lifesaving care for pregnant women. Madam Speaker, I urge every Member of this Chamber to vote ``no'' on H.R. 8296 and protect the right of our future generations to be born.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York. It is refreshing for all of America to hear that New York cares about America. We hear so many times that nobody cares. It is so refreshing to hear your conservative values about something as simple as a balanced budget. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa), a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He is from another State where we always assume that nobody cares about fiscal responsibility in America.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, America is in crisis. Inflation is at its highest in four decades. Drugs, weapons, and all other manner of contraband, along with hundreds of thousands of unvetted migrants, are pouring over our southern border with almost no resistance. Our national debt is over $30 trillion, a sum of money that most people cannot even begin to comprehend. Suffice to say, the past 18 months of Democratic rule have been a disaster. The American people are sick and tired of their government recklessly spending their tax dollars while families struggle to put food on the table and fill up their gas tanks. Can you blame them? Families across the country are sitting at home trying to make ends meet while the Federal Government runs around and spends their money like it is going out of style. President Biden often likes to tout his understanding of kitchen- table economics. However, the so-called budget that the President produced a few months ago never balances and adds trillions of dollars to our national debt over the next 10 years. There isn't a single kitchen table in the country where you can spend more than you make year after year and survive financially. One of Speaker Pelosi's most famous phrases is: Show me your budget, and I will show you your values. It is plain to see that Democrats care little for financial responsibility and a strong American economy. They won't even draft a budget. I have been in Congress 4 years, and under Speaker Pelosi's leadership, the Democrats have not created a single budget in the House Budget Committee. If Congress continues down this path, we will add $15.1 trillion to the debt this decade, $24.2 trillion in the 2030s, and $41.8 trillion in the 2040s. These are incomprehensible numbers. It is long past time to return to a state of fiscal stability. That is where the Republican Study Committee's budget comes in. Our Blueprint to Save America isn't just hyperbole. It is a no-nonsense plan that slashes spending, reduces deficits, and bolsters our economy, all things that the President's budget fails to do. It is the most pro-life budget that the RSC has ever produced. It ensures the protection of Americans' constitutional rights. It solidifies our national security and secures our southern border. It saves Medicare and Social Security from insolvency. While the President's budget increases spending to $73 trillion and taxes to $58 trillion, our budget decreases spending by $6.7 trillion, all while balancing in just 7 years. This is exactly what our country needs right now. Tonight, we are going to hear from the hardworking men and women who helped create this budget and who are committed to putting these policies into action next year. I thank all the members of the Budget and Spending Task Force for all of their extremely hard work over the past months, as well as Chairman Jim Banks for trusting me with chairing this task force for a second year. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Keller), my friend from the 12th District, a member of the Education and Labor Committee, and a member of our task force.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his hard work over the last 6 months to arrive at this budget. It is not a conservative budget; it is an all-of-America budget. It is what all Americans have to do, create a budget. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany), another member of the task force and a member of the Committee on Natural Resources, from Wisconsin's Seventh District.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Wisconsin for his words. What you just heard is what most of America experiences in our individual families, our businesses, our cities, and our States. They have to balance their budget. It is hard work. It doesn't know any partisanship. It is constitutional and has to be done. One of the first, primary things we should be doing as Members of Congress is being good stewards of American taxpayer dollars. But what I fear is that after people have been here for a period of time we lose sight of that. It is not our money; it is the American people's money. We need to be accountable to that. We need to not be running up $30 trillion debts and another $15 trillion on the horizon with the President's budget, the only Democrat budget that has been put out, that increases the debt to $45 trillion in the next 10 years, assuming he can get $7 trillion in additional taxes out of small businesses and individuals in America by allowing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's tax cuts to expire. The American people deserve better. We in Congress need to work hard together. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce), my dear friend from Pennsylvania's 13th District, who is on the Energy and Commerce Committee and a fellow classmate of mine.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his very poignant words on where America is right now and our ability to, once again, return to energy dominance if we just get out of the way. We were there some 16 months ago, 18 months ago, and we saw energy prices at the pump at $2.39. All of America needs to hear that: $2.39 until policies of the Biden administration came on the scene. Now, we are over $5 across America, with $6 on the near horizon. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Tenney).

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania for his words. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill), a dear friend of mine, somebody that knows a lot about budgets and finances in his personal life, a member of the Financial Services Committee, and a longtime study of what it takes to balance a budget in America.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his words and for his personal knowledge of how the budget is so important to all the American people. You have heard a lot from my colleagues about pieces of legislation to be included in this budget. Some 203 pieces of legislation by some 82 Members of the Republican Party have been included in this budget to design and develop and produce a balanced budget for all Americans. All Americans sitting at their table, they don't look and see first if they are Democrat or Republican. They don't care about politics when it comes to spending. Members of Congress talk about how they care about the least of us in our economy across America. If we cared, we would sit down and work together to produce a balanced budget, one like we haven't seen in over 20 years. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore), my colleague from Utah's First Congressional District, and an outstanding freshman member on the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. Mr. Speaker, as we look at inflation, and we heard one of my colleagues talk about it earlier, it says it is 8.6 percent inflation caused by excessive spending. We have heard this from many of the past treasurers under the Obama administration. We have heard the current Secretary of the Treasury admit that she got it wrong last year, that excessive spending drove the inflation that we are seeing today. The problem is that most Americans don't believe the 8.6 percent. I mean when you look at gas prices up over 100 percent since Biden took office. If you look at hot dogs--something as simple as an all-American hot dog--up 64 percent; milk up 32 percent. And the numbers go on and on and on. The American people are struggling. We can do better. We must do better. We must produce a balanced budget, get it on the floor to have it voted on. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr), my dear friend, a member of the Committee on Financial Services, a very innovative member.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, it is 45 percent of the economy in Oklahoma. The Biden administration and the Democrats have made--it is very well- known. The President has said time and time again, and he said it just in the last week, that the high gas prices in America, and that Americans are suffering, are part of the grand transition plan off of fossil fuels to electric vehicles and others. Yet, in polling, when you ask the young Americans today where they think electricity comes from, the response is the wall, not knowing how electricity is actually generated in our generation plants around the country. The fact that our grid can't even supply what they are proposing to quickly convert our country to, and would destroy economies throughout our Nation, it is really a tragedy to see what has happened.

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I had the very great fortune of being introduced to politics by the late Senator Tom Coburn. When he was running for Senate in 2004, he quickly gained the title of ``Doctor No'' because he was always pushing for responsible spending. He wasn't against spending; he said we just should pay for it. He wasn't against helping people; he said we should just pay for it like you do at home, like you do in your business, like you do in your cities or your States. He was ridiculed by many Members over his time in the Senate because he always pushed for fiscal conservatism, fiscal responsibility for American taxpayer dollars. In 2004, when he ran for Senate, and he spoke about this on the campaign trail, the national debt was $7.3 trillion. Here we are, 18 years later, and we are approaching $31 trillion. I would say he understood a little bit about being responsible with taxpayer dollars. As you just alluded to, there should be no pride in either one of the parties taking this acknowledgment of having a balanced budget. It should be just what we do as Congress. This should be a nonconversation. We should produce a balanced budget, as we did under Newt Gingrich's leadership. As he just acknowledged this week, it is time for us to return to the era of the 4 years where we had balanced budgets and a divided government, where the House and the Senate were Republicans and the White House was the Democrat. President Clinton knew it was the right thing to do. He knew that we had to be more responsible for taxpayer dollars and joined up and created a bipartisan budget that lasted until the attack on us in 2001. We have to get back to that. Our Nation is under attack by the debt load that we are having. The interest on our debt, much of which we will pay to China because that is who we are getting our money from, is overtaking us. In the next 4 years, the spending on our mandatory interest on our debt will surpass what we spend on protecting this great Nation and the support of our men and women in uniform. As we look at this, I just want to thank my colleagues from California, New York, and across this great Nation who have worked on this issue, not just on this budget and spending task force, but on this issue. The very core of who they are and why they came to Congress was to be responsible to the American taxpayers, not just to the ones who elected them but to all Americans, Democrat, Republican, to be fiscally responsible for their money, their hard-earned money that they make back home. They go to work every day and send tax dollars up to Congress. We have to do better. The American taxpayers are much more responsible with their dollars in their pockets than we are here in Washington, D.C. We need to return the American taxpayers' dollars back to them. We need to be less on the spending side and more on acknowledging that American taxpayers are smart. They will spend their money in their communities better than we will. That is why we need to rebalance our government. So as I hear from constituents back home, they are worried that no one in Washington cares about our spending anymore. They are worried that there is no one left--even Republicans--who care about balancing the budget. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you I do. You heard the Members tonight. You heard my friend from California talk about how he cares. He has cared since he got here, and all the members on the Republican Study Committee care. Balancing the budget isn't a conservative idea. This isn't a budget just for one party. This budget is our blueprint to save all Americans--all Americans--not just Republicans. We are not excluding Democrats. This is all Americans. When Congress spends less, the American people have more. That is at the center of what we do, what we are doing, and what we are here to talk about. I thank everybody, again, for coming and speaking tonight. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Mississippi for hosting this Special Order tonight. The National Guard is a special group in every one of our States. They are the everyday citizens, your neighbors, your coworkers, and your friends who choose to use their free time to serve their community and protect their fellow Americans. The Oklahoma National Guard is an exceptional group of men and women who have responded to the call of duty time and time again. Over the past few years, the Oklahoma National Guard has shown their dedication to our country numerous times from supplying our States with necessities as we navigated the pandemic to assisting our border agents at the southern border and even representing Oklahoma in Washington, D.C. I am proud of the work they have done on behalf of our State. I can't mention the Oklahoma National Guard without honoring the memory of an important constituent of mine, Technical Sergeant Marshal Roberts, who served in the Oklahoma National Guard and was deployed to Camp Taji when his team came under rocket fire on March 11, 2020. He was killed in the attack, making the ultimate sacrifice for his Nation. The day Sergeant Roberts' body landed in Tulsa was a day I will remember forever. The Nation had just shut down due to the pandemic, but that didn't stop Tulsans from lining the streets at the airport by the thousands, a solemn show of gratitude and honor for Sergeant Roberts, his wife, Kristie, his daughter, Paityn, and the entire Roberts family. I am glad to have this opportunity to share Sergeant Roberts' story again on the floor of the United States House of Representatives and join my colleagues in honoring and celebrating the incredible National Guardsmen and women who serve us across this great country.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 3807.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, a very special friend and constituent of mine turned 100 years old last week. Her name is Marina Metevelis, but back home, she is better known as Tulsa's ``Rosie the Riveter.'' Marina took the iconic red bandana for the first time and wrapped it around her head when she was 16 years old in 1941, when she reported to work on the B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Marina joined the ``Rosie the Riveter'' sisterhood that day and stood shoulder to shoulder with an army of extraordinary women who became the most formidable munition and war supply manufacturers in modern history. They played an integral role in World War II, for which the entire world is grateful. Marina still wears the red bandana to this day. She hasn't slowed down for one second, working to forge a better community for Tulsa and continuing her lifelong mission to support our veterans by raising funds for numerous veteran organizations. Happy birthday, Marina. Thank you for your service to our Nation, and may God bless you.

Mr. HERN

Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose the previous question so that we can immediately consider H.R. 6858. This administration has sent desperate requests for oil from oppressive regimes like Iran and Venezuela. It is past time the Biden administration start making those frantic calls to Oklahoma instead of OPEC or even my friends in Texas instead of Tehran. Until that happens, gas prices will continue to soar, and hardworking Americans will suffer. While Putin continues to wage war on Ukraine, exposing our dependence on Russian energy, Biden continues to wage war on our domestic oil and gas industry that provides sustainable, reliable energy to the American people. This week, Biden doubled down his attack by releasing a budget that includes an astonishing $45 billion in tax hikes on American energy producers. Seventy percent of goods in America are moved by trucks. An increase in gas prices will continue to be passed down on the food and products that all Americans buy. Let me be clear: Biden's energy policy is hurting all Americans and not just at the pump. Whether you like it or not, traditional energy powers our country. Oil and gas are essential to power our homes and, yes, provide the energy to power electric vehicles. Biden's war on energy poses a threat to all of us. It is imperative that the Federal Government stop villainizing the industry that powers our world. Global energy markets are complicated, but one thing is certain: If policymakers continue to impose barriers on domestic energy production, prices will continue to rise. Therefore, we need to instill confidence in the industry that plays such a crucial role in our economy by restoring stability and consistency with policies that prioritize American energy production. Investors and business leaders make their decisions based not only on the policies debated and voted on in D.C. but also on the rhetoric from public officials. What happens in this Chamber impacts businesses, but also what we go out and say on cable TV. Trust me, I was a business leader for 35 years. Today's political climate will directly influence future investment decisions, especially in heavily regulated industries like energy. The Biden administration has been sending mixed messages. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle say they are concerned about the high prices reflected by the weak oil and gas supply, but their actions tell a different story. They aggressively push a plan to crush oil and gas production entirely. Their video simply doesn't match their audio, which is why the American people have lost faith in Democratic leadership. We must restore sanity and pursue energy dominance once again on the world stage.