Lucas hits on several topics during town hall meeting

Woodward News, The (OK)

Oct. 17--Healthcare, tax reform, Dodd Frank and the reason why, even with the control of every part of government, Republicans can't seem to get any movement on their issues were all matters discussed Monday at Congressman Frank Lucas' town hall gathering in Woodward.

Each year, at least once a year but usually twice, Lucas make sure to make the rounds to almost every small community within his mammoth district to spend time with his constituents. In those meetings, he offers an update on where legislators are regarding high profile issues and plans for the coming legislative session.

This year, a small but passionate group of Northwest Oklahoma residents gathered at the Woodward Conference Center to listen, but really more to express their outright discouragement over what seems to be total gridlock in a political situation all felt could finally open the door to improvement.

"Regarding the Healthcare bill," said Woodward resident Genevieve Duncan. "There were seven years where Congress could have been developing a workable healthcare bill. Many bills were presented when they knew the President wouldn't sign them. And now, we get a Republican President who really wants to make some changes and nothing happens. Does Congress understand that the reason Trump won was because we are sick and tired of no action. I do not feel that the Republican party represents me."

According to Lucas, while the vote has been close on beginning to break down and repeal the most problematic bits of the Affordable Care Act, Lucas lamented about the obstructionist attitude of Sen. John McCain.

Lucas said the overall goal is to repeal the most burdensome portions of what he calls "Obama-McCain Healthcare," which are the requirements for individuals, especially those who are purchasing their own coverage, to purchase a certain kind of coverage. The focus of Republicans appears to be to allow insurance companies to offer cheaper and not as comprehensive policies that people can better afford.

"I am as frustrated as anybody," Lucas said. "The other body (The Senate) couldn't get us to the next stage. John, twice, was the blocking vote in moving the process forward."

Lucas also addressed the complete inability for Congress to act in any way to repeal even the most harmful parts of Dodd-Frank, a regulatory law that was meant to oversee large banking institutions who were key in the 2008 crash but which also hamstrung small community banks.

The congressman said real action might take a while as change was needed to the leadership in the banking regulatory agency.

Lucas appeared to support the tax reform plans put forth by Trump and House leadership, noting that the biggest obstacle may be eliminating the deduction of state and local taxes from the federal income taxes. Eliminating the ability to deduct state and local taxes from federal taxes is the primary source of funding for the tax cut proposal.

Lucas said high tax states on the east and west coasts are pushing back against getting rid of those deductions.

Internationally, Lucas said he really didn't see military action breaking out involving Korea, primarily because China is a factor there, and that nation can't afford any disruption at all to the shipping lanes in the region, something that would happen in any military activity.

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