Kustoff focused on tax reform, ‘not giving up’ on Obamacare repeal

Aug. 01--With a repeal of the Affordable Care Act seemingly on hold, Congress will seek an overhaul of the nation's tax laws by year's end, U.S. Rep. David Kustoff said Tuesday in Memphis.

In a speech to nearly 100 Memphis Rotarians, Kustoff ridiculed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, as a "colossal failure" that's headed for "collapse," and dismissed suggestions that the state expand its Medicaid program under the act. Instead, Congress will shift its focus to other issues while waiting for a chance to repeal the ACA.

"With that said, I'm not giving up," Kustoff said of repeal. "I'm not giving up until we find a solution that helps real people."

Kustoff, a Republican from Germantown, said economic stagnation is a major problem he's seen in his recent travels through the 15 counties that make up the 8th congressional district. Tax reform is especially vital for stimulating the economy of West Tennessee, which he said has missed out on the growth in Middle and East Tennessee.

But if Congress is going to act, it needs to act this year to avoid becoming mired in election-season politics.

"I don't think, quite frankly, we're moving fast enough," he said of tax reform.

Kustoff opened his speech by awkwardly joking about the handful of activists outside of the luncheon at The Bluff on Highland. Seven people held signs proclaiming him a "liar" and asking him to hold town hall meetings. They might put your name on their signs next, he laughingly told Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, his close friend and former law firm partner, before adding, "No, they're not going to protest you."

He also took aim at national media coverage of the attempted Russian interference in the election, saying the rush to break news "drives this stuff."

"That's not what real people are talking about," he said, saying he hadn't had a single constituent ask him about the Russian investigation.

Immediately after that statement, Kustoff got the elusive question from WMC Action News 5 co-anchor Joe Birch about whether his attorney "alarm bells" were being set off by President Trump's attacks on people involved in the investigation. The former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee and longtime Republican Party activist answered by saying his concern was that national media are out to get Trump.

"Some people are out to cook the goose, and I get that," Kustoff said.

But, he added, the president should allow everyone to "do their jobs."

"If there's anything that is there, we'll deal with it later," he said.

Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter at @ryanpoe.

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