Spending is out of control at the federal government level, U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern told a Tulsa Regional Chamber audience Tuesday.

To illustrate, he said interest on the U.S. debt this year ($1.1 trillion) surpassed the money the country devotes to its military.

“We have got to get more fiscally responsible, and it starts with having a budget,” the Oklahoma Congressman said. “There’s not a soul in this room who does not have to deal with a budget…because a budget is more than just about money. It’s about focus of energy.”

At the Chamber’s final Congressional Forum of the year, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Downtown, Hern tackled many topics, including finding common ground as a legislator, touting Oklahoma’s attributes and thwarting ransomware attacks.

Congressional Forums provide opportunities for the northeast Oklahoma business community to hear directly from members of the state’s federal delegation. Before a crowd of about 240, Hern on Tuesday shared an overview of his work and fielded questions from the audience.

The Congressman said Oklahoma possesses many traits that set it apart, including its relatively young population and great rural contingent.

“We have a lot to offer the rest of the country and we’re seeing that as we’re continuing to grow,” Hern said. “We’re continuing to be a place where people want to come back to.”

The Congressman warned that the ransomware attacks that are plaguing the globe aren’t going to relent. In the past couple of years, such attacks have affected the City of Tulsa and local hospitals.

“This is not about somebody just simply hacking,” Hern said. “…This is about shutting down a grid, shutting down water supply in America and around the world.

“This is where war is being fought. Somebody said this is the bloodless war. Maybe on the surface it looks that way, but we don’t know what happens on the end of these cybersecurity issues. So, this is our future, and we are going to continue to fight back.”

Hern, who represents Oklahoma’s First Congressional District, was elected in 2018. He said that effective lawmaking takes seeking similarities among peers.

“I’m one that thinks in a bipartisan way that we all can save America,” Hern said. “We can’t do it with extreme polarization on either side. You have to find ways to work together.

“Our common solution ought to be every single day to make sure that America is the greatest place in the world and that Oklahoma is the greatest place in America.”