The Big Picture

FreedomWorks is excited to recognize Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) as our member of the month for April 2022. A reliable voice for free markets and fiscal sanity in Washington, Hern’s wide breadth of experience in the private sector gives him a clear view of the harm big government has on working Americans.

After working as an Aerospace Engineer for Rockwell, Hern began saving to purchase his first McDonald's franchise through several small business ventures. These included writing computer programs to automate tasks for businesses, real estate, and even hog farming. Purchasing his first McDonald's franchise in 1997, he would eventually own 24 locations employing hundreds of people in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area. Hern’s entrepreneurial spirit has brought him success in banking, manufacturing, real estate development, multiple technology companies, and sports publishing.

In 2018, Hern was first elected to Congress to serve out the remainder of Congressman Jim Bridenstine’s term. He has since served as one of Washington’s most consistent conservatives.

The Details

Rep. Kevin Hern introduced H.R. 814, the Union Accountability Act, in the 117th Congress.

• In January 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14003, which rescinded three executive orders signed during the previous administration to limit collective bargaining and protect taxpayers. Additionally, House Democrats have passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, H.R. 842. The PRO Act is one of the most dangerous and consequential pieces of legislation introduced this Congress.
• President Biden’s far-left pro-union stances will ultimately harm taxpayers, American workers, and businesses.
• The Union Accountability Act would nullify Executive Order 14003, ensuring that it will have no force or effect.

Currently, Americans are dealing with the ramifications of skyrocketing inflation. During the month of March, the Consumer Price Index reached a new high of 8.5 percent. This is in large part thanks to the consequences of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). Alongside Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rep. Kevin Hern introduced H.J.Res. 267, a Resolution Condemning Modern Monetary Theory.

• MMT is a relatively new macroeconomic theory that radically rejects the basic economic principle that spending should be constrained by revenues. This idea that governments should not have to care about spending or deficits flies squarely in the face of commonly understood economics and, if enacted into law, would lead to hyperinflation. MMT has already been mostly rejected among economists, but some in Congress are still flirting with this strain of fiscal thought.

Rep. Hern holds a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2022 FreedomWorks scorecard and a very solid lifetime score of 87 percent. He is also a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee.

Why it Matters

It’s critical to have members like Rep. Hern who have substantial private sector experience in the halls of Congress. His support for capitalism and free markets is indispensable. He is the opposite of a career politician in just about every way.

You can follow Rep. Hern’s work in Washington on Twitter and Facebook, and of course, follow FreedomWorks' coverage of the excellent work of members like Rep. Hern on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

We thank Rep. Kevin Hern for his excellent work promoting freedom and are excited to honor him as our member of the month for April 2022. We look forward to watching as he continues to fight for individual liberty and serve the constituents of Oklahoma’s first congressional district.