Tulsa Standard

Republican Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss President Trump's economic agenda and the legislative priorities for Congress in the first 100 days. Hern emphasized the importance of passing a reconciliation bill to extend tax cuts, secure the Southern border, and restore energy dominance.

Hern stated, "We have been given the gift of the opportunity to be in this place to pass a reconciliation bill and do things like extend the tax cuts, secure the Southern border, and get our energy dominance back to what it was four years ago. But what we’ve not been given is the gift of time."

He also highlighted concerns about spending under the previous administration, noting, "A lot of the money you saw the Biden Administration spend on illegal immigration, with President Trump’s border policies, that will slow down or even stop."

Hern called for bipartisan cooperation: "This is important, this should be a bipartisan process. The Democrats should not want the American people to have tax increases."

The congressman also discussed dependency on foreign resources: "Right now, we are very dependent on the Congo for cobalt, and China for processing that cobalt and other rare minerals."

Regarding geopolitical influence, Hern expressed concerns over China's growing presence in South America and Central America. He remarked on America's reduced influence compared to two decades ago and stressed national security as a congressional priority.

"I want to look at this and see what the opportunities are [with regards to the Panama Canal, Canada, and Greenland]. The influence of China in South America and Central America is incredible," he said.