Committees. Good morning. Guest good morning, pedro. Host this week, health care will be on the republican agenda. Where do you stand on the republican bill currently out . Guest its a big step in the right direction. Its not perfect. I think as republicans my message is we cannot let perfect be the enemy of good here. Singing and decline obamacare. It is doing away with the mandates, repealing the taxes, gutting the regulations that again is at the heart of government controlled health care as i describe it. And it begins the process of reforming with republican reforms that are based in markets. Ting situation in which you have insurers competing for us as patients or consumers, which i think if you have that dynamic and a robust way, you will have prices go down and you will have better services. You will empower patients. We have got tax credits in their, and expansion of Health Savings accounts. You have got ways to reform medicaid and give states more flexibility. I think its a big step in the right direction. There are a couple of things even in the Budget Committee that i offered and advocated for in terms of motions that would carry over as amendments in the rules committee, such as work requirements and some other things, but im pleased with the direction its going. Wet when you say medicaid, saw some additions by the house leadership when it came to what was proposed, allowing states to allow recipients to work, allowing states to choose a medicaid block grant. Do you think that will sway republicans who might be the fence on this bill . Guest i do because i feel most it is very and climate to have requirements for aslebodied adults required to work as part of assistance to the Medicaid Program. I think thats a big one, certainly at the top of my list. For the bar grant, for the current block grant like position, its a per capita cap. I do think that does not slow the growth and the expansion of medicaid like a traditional block grant where you just give the money and you index it and it keeps its value, but it doesnt expand at the rate of a per capita cap. E. Thats an option in ther i will like to see a traditional block grant because it does slow down the growth significantly, but it also gives maximum flex ability to states. Just having those options in there will ultimately bring enough people to make this out of the house in the senate. Host you mentioned work provisions twice. What would you like to see for the work requirement at how does that square with what is being proposed . Guest as far as the welfare to work reforms with bill clinton, i read an offense that he wrote an oped that he wrote in the nea New York Times in 1996 and he said that its incumbent on us as fiduciaries of the tax payers when we are putting together safety net programs on behalf of americans, because i think most americans are generous, gracious people, and they want to help folks truly in need and want to give temporary assistance so they can bounce back, but there needs to be and he was pushing for the basic tenets of work requirements and making sure that the incentives were there for people to move from welfare to work. I dont think this should be any exception. There is not a work requirement in medicaid. There is not a work requirement in these tax credits that we proposed or that they have proposed in this recent American Health care act. Again, thats just the basic standard that ought to be in any Welfare Program or any government assistance program, and i think most emergence agree with that. Can talk guest you and asking questions. 202 7488000 for democrats. 202 7488001 for republicans. 202 7488002 for independents. President trump will be on capitol hill. Are you meeting with them . Guest he will be my next meeting after you. He will be making a lastditch push for the passage of the Health Care Reform. I think he has made a significant contribution already, sitting down with folks from the conference who have had concerns like we just expressed, whether its work requirement or more flexibility with the states. I think he has played an Important Role and people want to know that he is going to be supportive of this. Theres always uncertainties in this process and any time youre taking something that has been out there for several years and fundamentally altering it, even with the cbo, it says premiums will go up before they go down, but ultimately they are going to go down at least. Thats their prediction. I believe that. You have to have faith in the markets. Youve got to have faith and these reforms, but you need a president who is all in. When he expresses that strong sentiment personally to the congress, i think its going to make a difference and i think its important as our Republican Leaders that he does that. Host do you think the events from yesterday concerning the fbi and the testimony does that cloud or impede efforts by the president on the agenda . Guest its a minor distraction, but i dont take it will cloud. We have been focused on this as a centerpiece of the republican reforms effort for this session. I think we are very focused on getting it passed. No, i dont think its a minor distraction. Today, the conversation is going to be about finishing what we started, keeping our promises, because most of us who campaigned last year, i think obamacare and the repeal and replacement of obamacare was at the top of the list. Host your first call comes from new jersey on the independent line. Frank, go ahead. , i just wantessman to elaborate. I dont think we are being honest with ourselves about the budget. The last time i looked, we are at 4 trillion we are spending every year. We are importing 1. 2 trillion. Onont know if the deficit the annual budget i dont know if washington knows the seriousness of the position that we are in. I dont know if people in washington have enough bravery and concern for our country. The cuts are not bold. They are not deep enough. These are concerns of real American People. 100,000 people that donald trump met last night and they are concerned about the budget. Guest thank you for your comment. I couldnt agree more with you. Im not so delighted that this was the first call that we took because its exactly my sentiment and the sentiment of many americans. Unfortunately i dont think we are talking enough about it. We are talking about reforming the regulatory state that we is crushing i think our economy, especially small businesses, especially Rural America where we have a disproportionate number of small businesses. We are talking about Health Care Reform and future tax reform all very important, all part of getting our economy going and americans back to work. The elephant in the room is the fact that we are on an unsustainable fiscal path with 20 trillion in debt and a 10 year projection of 30 trillion. We talked about Health Care Reform, medicaid. If we kept the Obama Policies in place, obamacare policies in place, we will be paying in 10 years 1 trillion a year in medicaid. Its unsustainable. I think its the biggest threat to the future of our country, to my kids, and to some of the viewers tossed kids and grandkids. Grandkids. S kids and we have got to reform our fiscal affairs. We have to live within our means like every american. Im very concerned about our situation. I do like the fact and i think it needs to be highlighted that this American Health care act, or the Obamacare Repeal and replace, will reduce deficit spending by over 300 billion. With the president s Budget Proposal submitted recently, it is a general outline, but its focused on discretionary. Why do think there are plenty of cuts while i do think there are plenty of cuts and inefficiency on the discretionary side, the lion share of spending and the drivers of our debt or on the mandatory side. And we didnt see any proposal on the mandatory side. I appreciate your comment. I agree with you. As a member of the Budget Committee, im very hopeful that we are going to make this a centerpiece of our discussions and our budget going forward. Host republican line, zach for minneapolis. Caller hello, congressman. I just have a comment any question. And a question. I know a lot of the things going around in washington do not focus on lowering the cost and accessibility. One thing that could be done that wouldnt cost the government a dimes allow more foreign graduated doctors to work here in the United States. Right now there is a limit on the amount of residency slots. Even if they are here, they cannot practice because they are knocked out by the ama limiting the medical slots for just United States medical graduates, so that could be something that would increase coverage. It would lower costs. It would be a good thing. It wont cost you a dime. I wish you could look into that. Guest thank you, zach. Obviously there is a shortage of is somethingd that we have to consider when were looking at health care and access to health care. One thing i think we need to look at is innovation and health care. Making sure that government isnt stifling innovation. For the previous two years before i was elected to congress, i worked at a Health Care Innovation company and our focus was telemedicine. Ake ive said, i represented rural district of 29 counties, mainly rural. We would pipe and effectively are speciall Specialty Care doctors and there could be a nurse when theres not a doctor and some of these counties, and we would Bring Health Care to folks who are limited by geography and the lack of the supply of Specialty Care physicians. Technology can both provide access and then the cost curve most important to your point. Thanks for your comment. Host our guest was the president of scott laboratories. He was the chief of staff and vice chancellor of Texas Tech University and served as an advisor to then governor george w. Bush in 2001. Next call, democrat, james. Caller thank you, representative arrington, for having the kurds to appear on the show and take questions on this wide range of political opinions that we have in the country. Im really happy that you that to me,he fact as i understood it, one of the reasons for having the Affordable Care act was to help you with the deficit. My understanding at the time was that Health Care Costs were one of the driving factors pushing the deficit. I do have some questions. I dont have comments. Ive questions today. My first question is when do we as americans im talking about the electorate given the dissensions between activities of politicking and getting elected and the activities of governance and what we are relying on are our elected officials to do and make sure that our democratic republic is a compromised . Realize that compromise is not an option but a mandate of our system. Doond question is americans as a whole where do they stand on the political been bandwidth and understand the abuse of power by elected or having a officials Strong Influence in the that wey of the trust as a public have in our government and on the foundation of our democracy . Host we going to leave it there for our guest. Guest james, let me say first that what our country desperately needs and what they need to see from our leadership here in washington is the kind of tone that you set with your question. Fact that you called on the democrat line and thanked me for coming and taking questions and then you very respectfully and playfully articulated politely articulated your concerns and the questions about politics versus governing you mentioned other things, but tone is a lot of it. Relationships is a lot of it. Its not rocket science. Than youro different business relationships, family relationships, and friendships. I agree. Firstd to be americans and we need to govern on behalf of all americans. Im obviously a conservative. I have strong held beliefs in conservative principles is the to a path forward stronger, more prosperous, safer, freer america, but i respect the fact that i have colleagues on the other side of the aisle who are just as passionate about their philosophical views. We dont have an endless source of money. As my dad says, money doesnt grow on trees. I havent found the money tree here in washington since i took office. As long as we dont have to raise taxes or make significant cuts, we just keep farming. Nobody feels any pain. Thats a real problem. It is deceptive. Oflulls us into a sense apathy about our fiscal condition. We keep kicking the can down the road. I think the chickens will come home to roost unfortunately probably when my kids are trying to start their careers and their families. Im determined not to let that happen and im determined to work in a bipartisan way to a dress what i think is the Biggest Issue facing our country. Really appreciate your town and andor tone and candor your point youre making about getting back to government. Its difficult. I think term limits are going to be a part of this equation of getting back to governing. I am for term limits. I plan on introducing a term limit bill with a democrat. I have a friend who i made as a freshman member on the other side of the aisle from california. He worked in the obama administration. I worked in the bush administration, but we both agreed that the culture of washington has to change. We are willing to do that together, and i think thats pretty cool and i think that is what americans want to see. Serves on thet agriculture committee, Budget Committee, and veterans committee. We are seeing boosts for veterans affairs, but we are seeing the potential of almost 5 billion cut from the agriculture department. Can you square those two . Guest the way i can square them is that you have a president who is at least prioritizing. For too long, we are not making any cuts significantly. We are not making any offsets. At least here there is a prioritization with National Security with real offsets and other programs. Now the devil is in the details. Im working hard on the ag committee with chairman mike conway to make sure there is a strong safety net for our act producers. For not only our economy but our National Security. We have to feed and close the American People and not be dependent on foreign imports. That will not be touched. When i served with president bush, i was at an agency for four years. We cut 20 of the budget. Most of that was in people. We didnt miss a beat. I think theres tremendous bloat and overhead. I think that there is tremendous inefficiency in programs, but we do need my concern is not having an ag secretary in place so that person can be a part of the discussion and be a champion for the programs that he things are most important to Rural America. And there are some Rural Infrastructure grants as part of Rural Development that i know have helped communities like the ones i represent from west texas. Veterans have been far too long going without the kind of service that i think every american expects, but we somehow cannot seem to deliver and thats a real problem. Ist if the budget passes as , will programs like clean water and infant programs will they be affected by these cuts . Guest again, there are more details for me to flesh out. I think he has given sort of a topline number to that. There are some programmatic references. Ag i think every agency from to epa certainly has room to take cuts. Bothur callers question, republican and democrat colors have referenced debt. At some point, there are a lot of good programs out there, but we have got to weigh the cost of a good program with strapping the next generation of americans with such a great debt that they can never come out of the debt and actually have the opportunities that we have had. I put a great deal of weight on making the painful, fficult decisis, even in areas that are going to affect communities like mine in order to give my kids and the kids and grandkids of your viewers a fighting chance to have the kind of america that we have had. Int lets hear from roger sarasota, florida on the independent line for our guest, Jodey Arrington from texas. Caller good morning, representative arrington. Im glad i have a chance to talk to you. I got a couple of suggestions. Im 76 years old and retired for quite a while. I am one of the lucky ones. I have income generated largely by investments. For myd on wall street prosperity, but wall street has treated me pretty well come even inough the last downturn 20082009. I have a suggestion for you. I think that people like me and people who are far richer than i pay for be willing to our own care to the extent that we are able. And i would suggest to you. And i would like to hear what you think of this. I would like to see all medical expenses, the cost of insurance premiums, all doctors visits, all dental visits, all visits to the laborato, all hospitalizations, the cost of medication from a pharmacy, all of that should be taxed though n taxdeductible from a taxable income. In my opinion, that would be a very great help in reducing costs to us. As a fairly prosperous person, i have an income of about 50,000 a year, which is fine for a single person. Im not rich, but im comfortable. Im content with that. But i dont see any reason why the government should pick up all my Health Care Costs. Im grateful for what they do. Medicare is very satisfactory, but im not sure its fair. Host got you, roger. Thank you so much for your call. We will let our guest respond. Guest roger, i think thats a great thought and strategy that needs to be talked about, not just in Health Care Policy andrms, but Social Security other entitlement programs. They are really unsustainable. Just talking about Social Security for a minute, i mean i mean,2034i believe in 2034, i believe the program will be insolvent and we will only provide 70 of the services that we have provided in the past t100 of the neficiaries. I think we he do something at least for my age and below. We to make some of these changes. I understand that seniors and those about to retire, whether its health care or Social Security, they have worked to plan for their retirement and we ought to draw a ring around them and let them operate under the current conditions, but im 45. Age andgent below below, we have got to change the rules of the game if we are going to sustain it. Theses about making sure important safety net programs are there for our children and grandchildren. Again, to me, thats the goal every time. Its not how comfortable can we live and can we sustain our Comfort Level . Can we provide opportunity and security for our kids and grandkids. I think your point is good about sort of incomebased policies. In fact, this is some of the provisions that came out of this discussion with the white house and other republican members and the leadership that are going to make its way to the managers amendment and the rules committee. That is tweaking this tax credit in a way that makes it a little more riskbased and incomebased. That is those on the lower end could see more credit because there is greater need and those that are transitioning, whose premiums will certainly be higher because they are older and have a greater risk profile, that they would have some increase in the tax credit. Think that sort of sliding scale is important, but its also important to recognize that employers provide they get tax benefits as do the employees who receive employerbased health insurance. Part of the tax credit is just making sure there is parity among americans that dont receive that benefit. Host jacksonville, florida, ricky, republican line, youre next. Caller how are you doing this morning . Guest im doing great. How are you doing, ricky . Caller pretty good. My question is i was under the influence that the people thats on medicaid have some kind of mental or physical disability. How do they get work . Guest its a great question. I actually had the same question as i was trying to discern how we should reform our health care system, including medicaid and the Medicaid Program moving forward in this bigger packets package that we are calling the American Health care act. Under the obamacare plant, states were allowed not just to expand from 100 poverty line but above the poverty line to 138 initially and beyond. Some states, ricky, have expanded medicaid to people who live up to 400 over the poverty line. As there has been an expansion, there have been millions of ablebodied people who are now on medicaid rules. At a federal match of 100 . That is why they did it. Obamacare and president obama and the administration wanted to get more people on insurance so they could claim that more people are covered by insurance. By the way, having insurance and having access to care are two Different Things because we know a lot of people got on the Exchange Programs and they cannot afford the premiums nor can they afford the deductibles, so they are no better off than they were before. In fact, they are worse off. But i think what you have seen is this expansion well beyond the attempt content of the safety net of medicaid and you have millions of ablebodied people on medicaid. Ive refreezing that. I am for going back to preobamacare fiv funding. If you are in ablebodied person, you are incentivized to work and expected to work. That is an expectation that most americans support. Host house leaders have suggested to you that they have the votes to pass the Health Care Bill on thursday . Guest ive not heard that level of confidence. I think we have heard stuff like we are moving in the right direction. We are confident we will have the votes at the time. I can just tell you from my gut and my conversations with my colleagues and my class. 29 freshman republican who i dialogue with regularly. I think there is greater confidence because of these new provisions that are going to be included that we are going to get i dont know if were going to have many if any from my class voting against it. Inthat is any sample reflection of the greater population of republicans, i think were going to be ok. Host represent of Jodey Arrington, can of texas, search the 19th district. Thanks for your time. Guest thanks for having me. Host coming up, we will talk with democratic representative robin kelly of illinois on the president s request on health care and the congressional meeting at the white house. We will take your questions and calls all as washington journal continues. Cspans voices from the road. We recently visited 17 historically black colleges and universities, asking students what issue you would like the congress or administration to address in the first 100 days . Hi, my name is ikea harris. In the first 100 days, i Like Congress and trump to battle Mental Health and bring awareness and understanding stigmas more and allow Better Health care for underserved populations who need Mental Health counseling. My name is raphael evans. Im a junior studying mass communications. My question for President Trump or the thing that i would want him to solve within the first 100 days would be the flint crisis in michigan. Lead in the water is unacceptable and some example that it has gone on for this long. For president to have made so many executive decisions in the short amount of times that he has been resident, i think that flint, michigan and the lead crisis in our country would be one of the top things that he could use his executive position for. My name is sarah thomas, a senior. I major in communications. My question for President Donald Trump is while you have put out the immigration ban, what are you going to do to bring more unity because theres a lot of chaos going on in the world . What will you do to fix it . My name is nicholas rogers. Im a senior here majoring in broadcast journalism. One of the main issues i would love to see the president actually take over on his relationships between minorities and law enforcement. And how do you go about creating a more special bond between minorities and those in charge. Hello, my name is sarah, and education major here at morgan state university. What i want more than anything from the congress is education, money for education. Ive from west baltimore and theres a lot of bars and crime and violence. But theres not a lot of education. Currently 1000 teachers were just laid off. , i wouldre teacher like to see more money spent on education. Especially for children of color. Voices from the road on cspan. Announcer washington journal continues. Ist joining us now representative robin kelly, democrat from illinois, member of the Foreign Affairs committee and the oversight and Reform Committee and member of the congressional black caucus. Good morning. Our previous guest talked about the release of the budget by President Trump and talk about how programs have to be looked at