Thursday was a busy day for Congresswoman Kendra Horn. She introduced a bill to stop federal government shutdowns and was elected chair of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.
Horn was joined by several freshmen Congress members to introduce the Shutdown to End All Shutdown (SEAS) Act. It would create a mechanism that if Congress did not pass appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year, a 30-day continuing resolution would go into effect to keep government running and avoid furloughs of federal employees. If a government shutdown did occur, the pay of Congress members would be suspended and travel would be curtailed. Members of Congress would be required to stay in Washington, D.C. until the funding matter was resolved.
“The 116th Congress inherited the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and made me painfully aware of the burden placed on furloughed government employees, and the families and communities that rely on their work, during a government shutdown. These furloughed employees, their families, and the communities that rely on government services did nothing to cause the government shutdown and should not have had to suffer because of it.” Horn said. “I am proud to support the SEAS Act to ensure this hardship is not endured again by federal employees who are not directly connected to the government shutting down.”
Horn will be wielding a gavel for the 116th Congress. She was elected chair of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.
“I am extremely honored by the opportunity to serve as chair of the prestigious Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee,” Horn said. “As the second largest private sector employer in Oklahoma, the aerospace industry supports directly or indirectly more than 67,600 employees and the production of $8.2 billion in goods and services in the Greater Oklahoma City area. Space and aeronautics have taken our country to the moon, expanded our horizons, and resulted in technological development, economic benefit, and countless innovations for our world.”
Horn has worked within the space industry. She joins Congressman Frank Lucas, who is the Ranking Member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, to give the Committee a major Oklahoma influence.
“My background in the space industry, prepares me to be a positive and impactful voice for our state on the important issues of space and aeronautics. I look forward to working with my Committee colleagues – including fellow Oklahoman, Rep. Frank Lucas, the Committee’s ranking member – in a bipartisan manner to make further strides in the Science, Space, and Technology fields.”
