Lucas, Inhofe: Biden's death tax plan hurts farmers, ranchers

Biden's Stepped-Up Basis Plan Hurts Farmers, Ranchers by Sen. Jim Inhofe and Rep. Frank Lucas (December 11, 2021) You don’t have to travel very far in Oklahoma to understand how important farming and agriculture are to our state. We are the second-largest beef-cow-producing state and fourth-largest wheat producing state in the nation. Oklahoma is also home to over 86,000 farms, covering 35 million acres. Farms and ranches have been passed down in many families from generation to generation—our agricultural roots run very deep. Take the Brandon family from Kay County for example. Charlie Brandon and his wife, Lindsey, grow wheat, corn, sorghum, soybeans and oats on their family farm. They also own a hay business and a cow-calf and stocker operation. The Brandon farm has been passed down from generation to generation starting with Charlie’s great-grandparents. Charlie and Lindsey’s children, Piper, Baylin and Bowen, will be fifth-generation farmers—a very special opportunity. We are proud to know many families in Oklahoma who share the Brandons’ story—family farms are part of our state’s identity. Back in 2017, Congress made history by enacting the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the first comprehensive tax reform legislation in 30 years. This critical legislation continued Congress’ commitment to ensure farmers like the Brandon family aren’t disproportionately taxed on their assets. Our friend and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Sen. John Boozman, said it best in Fox News: “Farmers are land rich and cash poor. Their farmland is equivalent to a farmer’s 401(k). Instead of traditional retirement accounts, farmers and ranchers invest in cropland and pastureland, and tirelessly work that land in an effort to create a more prosperous future for their loved ones.” Democrats are trying to get rid of the stepped-up basis, consequently increasing taxes on hard-working farmers like the Brandon family to pay for their socialist agenda for coastal states like New York and California. They would like you to believe that stepped-up basis is a government subsidy for wealthy heirs and that the wealthiest family dynasties absorb the overwhelming majority of the benefit. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Read more » by Jamison Faught - December 17, 2021 at 11:57AM

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Lucas, Oklahoma delegation ask USDA to provide findings of Beef pricing investigation

Members of Congress Ask USDA to Provide Findings of Beef Pricing Investigation As Soon As Possible

Cheyenne, OK – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) led a bipartisan letter with 24 of his House colleagues to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting that he provide the findings of the Agency’s beef pricing investigation to Congress as soon as possible. Following the announcement of the USDA’s Packers and Stockyard Division investigation in August of 2019, Secretary Perdue, extended USDA’s investigation last month to determine the causes of divergence between live beef and box prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Beginning in the first few weeks of the crisis, cattlemen have seen prices drastically decline, with cattle futures falling 29% between the month of January and April, all-the-while beef prices increased on market shelves. While we do recognize the complexity of the beef markets generally, the devastating effect this has had on many of our constituents in the last few weeks is clear. This is of great concern to us for a variety of reasons but chief among them being the doubt it casts on our markets as a whole. When market participants begin to believe that markets are not competitive or transparent that suspicion has a dangerous industry-wide ripple effect. That is why we applaud you for expanding the ongoing investigation into the cattle market's reaction to the 2019 plant fire in Holcomb, Kansas to encompass the more recent CV-19 related market concerns. This oversight role the agency plays is an immensely important one that helps ensure that our markets are equipped to function properly,” the Members of Congress wrote.
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Lucas, Hern comment on passage of Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act

Hern votes ‘yes’ on bill to replenish funds for small business loans

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. The bill passed with a vote of 388-5.

“The Paycheck Protection Program is the lifeline our workers and business owners need right now,” said. Rep. Hern. “Our small business owners are some of the hardest hit during this pandemic. As a small business owner myself, I feel the same pain of the business leaders I’ve spoken with over the last several weeks. They’ve poured their life’s work into these businesses and are watching it all fall apart. They love their employees and are distraught over decisions to lay off or furlough staff.”

Rep. Hern continued, “Speaker Pelosi delayed these funds for two weeks while workers across the country were missing paychecks. There’s no reason we had to wait this long. Speaker Pelosi made it absolutely clear to the workers and business owners of our country what her priorities are: partisan tricks and unpopular, socialist policies at any cost. Small businesses are not pawns in Speaker Pelosi’s games, they are real people with real employees. In the strongest possible terms, I condemn the actions of the Speaker and Democrat Majority.”

Lucas Supports Paycheck Protection Program & Hospital Relief Package

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 266- the Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act, providing additional funding to support the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), and Oklahoma hospitals.

“More than a week after Oklahoma’s small businesses and workers saw the Paycheck Protection Program run dry, Congress has passed the Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act- providing dire relief for Main Street businesses, their workers, and America’s hospitals,” said Congressman Lucas.

Lucas continued, “There’s no doubt about it, our small businesses are the lifeline of our local economies. In the nearly two weeks the Paycheck Protection Program was open more than 35,000 small businesses in Oklahoma received more than $4.6 billion. Because of these funds, many of our community’s family-owned businesses will be able to keep their workforce employed.

Thanks to the legislation passed today, more of Oklahoma’s small businesses will be able to stay afloat and keep their employees on payroll, providing families across Oklahoma the certainty they need in order to get through these uncertain times. The relief package also guarantees the eligibility of agricultural businesses for relief programs provided by the Small Business Administration.

As the coronavirus launched an unprecedented attack on America’s economy and health care system, Oklahomans across our great state have stepped up to fight on the front lines. Our state’s medical professionals, agriculture producers, truck drivers, grocers, and bankers have all worked to ensure that no one faces this virus alone. I thank all of these workers, especially our health care workers, as they all have become everyday heroes in our time of need. The health care funding provided in the Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act will further support our efforts to combat the virus and ease the burden of our most distressed hospitals.

As I have told Oklahomans across the District, we will weather this storm together. We are all in this together.”

The Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act increases funding authorized by the CARES Act, providing $484 billion to small business relief programs administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration and to support for hospitals to expand testing and provide aid in response efforts.

Lucas has led or joined several letters to clarify guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program and other financial assistance programs, including urging that publicly hospitals are covered and ensuring agriculture producers are eligible for such programs.

Background:
The Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act provides funding to the U.S. Small Business Administration, including:

• $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, allowing the Trump Administration to continue providing forgivable loans to cover the cost of payroll and operating expenses for small businesses.
• $30 billion in guaranteed loans for lenders with less than $10 billion in assets
• $30 billion in guaranteed loans for lenders with $10 million to $50 billion in assets.
• $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans and grants, including:
• $50 billion for EIDLs- each loan can be up to $2 million with interest rates not to exceed 4% and long-term repayment periods of up to 30 years; and
• $10 billion for grants of up to $10,000 that do not have to be repaid.

The Paycheck Protection Program & Health Care Enhancement Act  provides funding to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, including:

• $75 billion for reimbursement to hospitals and healthcare providers to support the need for COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenue.
• $25 billion for necessary expenses to research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity for COVID-19 tests, specifically:
• $11 billion for states, localities, territories, and tribes to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, scale-up laboratory capacity, trace contacts, and support employer testing. Funds are also made available to employers for testing. 
• $1 billion provided to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory capacity expansion, contact tracing, public health data surveillance, and analytics infrastructure modernization.
• $1.8 billion provided to the National Institutes of Health to develop, validate, improve, and implement testing and associated technologies; to accelerate research, development, and implementation of point-of-care and other rapid testing; and for partnerships with governmental and non-governmental entities to research, develop, and implement the activities.
• $1 billion for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority for advanced research, development, manufacturing, production, and purchase of diagnostic, serologic, or other COVID-19 tests or related supplies.
• $22 million for the Food and Drug Administration to support activities associated with diagnostic, serological, antigen, and other tests, and related administrative activities.
• $825 million for Community Health Centers and rural health clinics.
• Up to $1 billion may be used to cover the costs of testing for the uninsured.

• Additionally, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has released guidance on how states can use CARES Act funds. This information can be found here.
• The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has also announced guidance on how it plans to release more of the CARES Act funds. This information can be found here.

from MuskogeePolitico.com

Lucas, Hern decry partisan NDAA bill

Partisan Politics Undermines Military Defense Funding

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) released the following statement after House Democrats passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 by a partisan line vote of 220 - 197.

“For nearly six decades, the NDAA was a symbol of Congress’ commitment to putting party politics aside and upholding the safety and security of our nation’s defense and the needs of the brave men and women who serve in the ranks of our military,” said Congressman Lucas. “Unfortunately, partisan provisions in this bill have swindled our armed services and defrauded the bill of bipartisan support.

Lucas continued, “Ignoring advice from top military brass, including individuals such as former Secretary of Defense Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dunford, calling for 3-5% growth, an increase of technological programs, and the strengthening of nuclear deterrent programs, the NDAA instead undermines our nation’s defense. Reducing personnel accounts by $1.2 billion, cutting programs critical to deterring Russian and Chinese aggression, and preventing the Trump Administration from securing the Southern border, House Democrats are instead using our nation’s military as a political pawn in their dispute with the President.

Oklahoma’s 58,271 active duty, reserve, and civilian defense personnel deserve Congress’ bipartisan support and our nation deserves a Congress who upholds its duty to provide for the common defense. I applaud Sen. Inhofe’s leadership providing such support in the Senate and look forward to Congress’ return to its bipartisan commitment.”

Background: The Senate passed the NDAA with a bipartisan vote of 86 – 8. The Senate-passed National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2020 supports a total of $750 billion for national defense programs, including a 3.1% pay raise for 2.15 million troops, maintains a secure and credible nuclear deterrent, and provides resources for the modernization of our nation’s military technology and capabilities.

The House-passed NDAA cuts personnel accounts by $1.2 billion, reduces nuclear modernization and recapitalization programs, forces the Trump Administration to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and bans construction projects on the Southern border.

REP. HERN CONDEMNS DEMOCRAT NDAA FOR LACK OF BIPARTISAN WORK

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting against the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

“Funding our national defense is a bipartisan priority, but bipartisanship is not reflected in this bill,” said Rep. Hern. “The NDAA has long been the result of spirited bipartisan debate and participation, but the new Democrat majority has chosen to forsake decades of precedent to further their own, unpopular policies. Even under Speaker Pelosi’s first turn as Speaker, the NDAA was a bipartisan bill. Now, the partisan poison pills included in this bill are forced long-serving members like my colleague Tom Cole to vote against funding our military for the first time in his Congressional career. The sad reality is that the Democrat majority turned this bill into something it was never meant to be.

Rep. Hern continued, “Thankfully, we have Senator Jim Inhofe leading the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator Inhofe is fully dedicated to getting our military the funding they deserve, and I truly believe his version of the bill is the one that will become law.”

BACKGROUND:

The House voted on the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today with a vote of 220-197.

The House NDAA seeks to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, transferring terrorists to US soil. It prevents President Trump’s Administration from taking military action to secure the Southern border and makes cuts to the programs and capabilities critical to deterring Russia & China, including nuclear modernization.

The Senate NDAA, which passed 86-8 in June, included an additional $17 billion for defense spending. The White House supports the Senate bill and has promised to veto the House version.



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