Kevin Hern

Kevin Ray Hern is a Republican politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district. Born in 1961 on an Air Force base in Missouri and raised in Arkansas, Hern earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Arkansas Tech University in 1986. He later received an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1999. Before entering politics, he worked as an aerospace engineer for Rockwell International and built a diverse business career that included ventures in software development, real estate, and hog farming. He is best known for his successful career as a McDonald's franchisee, eventually owning 18 restaurants in the Tulsa area and holding national leadership roles within the franchise system. Hern was first elected to Congress in 2018 to fill the vacancy left by Jim Bridenstine and was subsequently sworn in on November 13, 2018. During his tenure, he has risen to prominent leadership positions within the House Republican Conference, serving as the Chairman of the Republican Study Committee for the 118th Congress and later as the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee for the 119th Congress. He also serves on the influential House Committee on Ways and Means, where he focuses on tax policy and trade. His legislative work often centers on small business advocacy and fiscal responsibility, drawing on his background as an entrepreneur.

Kevin Hern is a fiscal conservative who advocates for pro-growth economic policies, including tax cuts and deregulation. He supports the immediate expensing of capital investments for businesses and has been a vocal critic of international tax agreements, such as those proposed by the OECD, arguing they disadvantage U.S. companies. On healthcare, Hern favors moving away from the traditional employer-provided model toward individual plans to increase competition and transparency. He has advocated for work requirements in federal assistance programs and generally opposes increased government spending. Regarding immigration and foreign policy, his positions align with the Republican Study Committee's platform, which emphasizes border security and a critical approach to foreign aid spending.