Congressman Kevin Hern provided Oklahoma’s only no votes on the veto override of the National Defense Authorization Act and the increased stimulus payment bill on Monday. However, it should be noted that Congressman Markwayne Mullin did not vote on either measure.
H.R. 6395 is the first successful veto override in the House since President Trump took office. The final vote was 322 to 87 with 109 Republicans joining the effort. This was Trump’s ninth veto.
H.R. 9051 would increase the stimulus payment from $600 to $2,000 as advocated by Trump and supported by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. That vote was 275 to 134 with 44 Republicans voting for the increase.
Trump’s main reason for vetoing the NDAA, which is usually a bi-partisan effort, was because of a non-related provision which protects social media companies from being treated like a publisher. He also opposes renaming military bases with Confederate generals’ names and the limits on troop withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cole says he was disappointed that Trump decided to veto the NDAA to make a stand on those issues.
“I am disappointed by the president’s decision to veto the National Defense Authorization Act, which is vitally important to supporting and strengthening our common defense and ensuring our service members have the resources they need to keep us safe. As the representative for the Fourth Congressional District of Oklahoma, which includes Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and Fort Sill in Lawton, I could not vote to sustain the president’s veto. If Congress does not enact the NDAA for fiscal year 2021, it will cost military families their extra combat and flight pay, effectively giving them an undeserved pay cut for Christmas and shamefully disregarding the selfless sacrifices they daily make to ensure our shared safety and security.
“While I understand the president’s concerns with certain provisions, I believe that this NDAA, in its entirety, makes essential progress in meeting our national security objectives. To be clear, we can and should address the president’s valid concerns in other legislation, but I will certainly not jeopardize the important missions at Tinker and Fort Sill or the brave men and women who carry them out,” said Cole in a statement after the veto override vote was taken.
Lucas echoes Cole’s sentiment on the veto.
“The enactment of the Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act into law is the 60th consecutive time Congress has passed and ensured the National Defense Authorization Act has become law. Our nation’s defense and those who serve within its ranks are well-supported by this critical piece of legislation,” said Lucas. “While Congress shares President Trump’s concerns regarding Section 230, a provision which deserves its fair share of congressional scrutiny, Congress must not miss the opportunity to pass such a strong bill that provides for our Armed Service members, supports military families, and includes meaningful measures that counters aggression shown by Russia and China.”
According to a post on his Facebook page, Mullin was stuck at a Dallas airport and could not get to Washington, D.C. in time for the votes. However, he does indicate he would not have supported the veto override.
Congresswoman Kendra Horn, in one of her final votes, supported the veto override.
“Today I voted to override the NDAA veto on behalf of all the military families who deserve stronger housing protections, service members who deserve a raise, federal employees who deserve paid parental leave, and to update our defense policy to reflect new and emerging threats.
“This bill passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and it sets critical defense policy to keep the US secure. I was proud to include amendments like increased investments in cybersecurity and AI research. We can’t let the President play political games with the NDAA,” said Horn.
The same voting pattern from Oklahoma’s Delegation emerged on the stimulus increase bill which was pushed through by Pelosi. After the massive Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes the $900 billion for COVID-19 relief, was passed, Trump signaled he might veto the measure because he wanted $2,000 direct payments instead of the $600 Republicans secured in the compromise stimulus package.
At that time Hern issued a statement supporting the President’s move.
“I agree with the President: the American people deserve more,” said Hern. “I am ready to return to Washington to work with him to pass his proposal to increase the funds returning to the American people. I believe that we can pay for these direct payments by eliminating the waste and unnecessary spending in the package that Americans, including myself, disdain.
“I do wish that Secretary Mnuchin, whom I have been critical of in the past, would have been honest with us when he said he spoke for President Trump, asking Republicans to vote for the previous proposal. I supported getting what aid that we could to American taxpayers and small businesses as quickly as possible, but I believe we now have an opportunity to fix this legislation so that we can bring effective help to the American people.”
However, Hern did not vote to increase the direct payment on Monday.
Cole and Lucas did.
“The wrath of the coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented hardships for many Americans, and I applaud President Trump for urging Congress to deliver more targeted relief to individuals and families in the form of stimulus checks. I am proud to support the president’s request to increase the amount on checks soon to reach most Americans, providing additional help as we continue to grapple with the uncertainties and challenges facing our communities,” said Cole after the vote on H.R. 9051 which has been dubbed the Caring for Americans with Supplemental Help Act of 2020, or the CASH Act.
“The coronavirus pandemic has caused tremendous societal and economic hardships across Oklahoma and the United States. While a number of our communities have begun to recover, many Oklahomans and families are falling even further behind and are now faced with the consequences of delaying bill payments in order to purchase necessities for their families. Our recovery will depend significantly on the course of the virus in our communities, but during times of need, Congress must provide stability and a bridge for individuals and families until we are fully on the path of recovery,” said Lucas. “Joining with President Trump, I’m hopeful the aid the House voted on tonight will further assist Oklahomans during this historic pandemic and economic crisis.”
Both bills are now headed to the U.S. Senate. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated procedures will begin on H.R. 6395, the veto override, on Tuesday. However, he has not committed to H.R. 9051.
Here’s the Delegation’s vote breakdowns on the bills:
NDAA Override House Vote H.R. 6395
Cole – Yes
Hern – No
Horn – Yes
Lucas – Yes
Mullin – Not Voting
Increase Stimulus Payment Vote H.R. 9051
Cole – Yes
Hern – No
Horn – Yes
Lucas – Yes
Mullin – Not Voting
