Rep. Brooks puts tax reform atop priority list

Aug. 11--LAPEL -- Tax reform will be a top priority when Congress returns from the summer recess, Rep. Susan Brooks says.

Brooks, a Republican who represents the 5th District that includes Madison County, met with area farmers on Wednesday at the farm of Andy Bracken to discuss farm and national issues.

She said the tax laws have not been reformed in 31 years, and the goal is to simplify, reduce and have fewer tax rates.

"I hope tax reform will pass the House with bipartisan support to make passage in the Senate possible," Brooks said. "The tax code is ramping down our economy. The business tax rate is among the highest in the world."

Brooks said Republicans with control of both houses of Congress and President Donald Trump in the White House have to do better on passing tax reform legislation than they did on health care reform.

"Everyone agrees tax reform is necessary," she said. "People want us to get things done."

A goal is to make it possible for most Americans to file their tax return on a postcard and to eliminate loopholes while maintaining the deduction for interest paid on a home mortgage and for child care, Brooks said.

As with tax reform, she said a bipartisan effort is needed to reform the Affordable Care Act.

"The House bill wasn't perfect," Brooks said of legislation passed to replace the Affordable Care Act, "but it was a good start. We kept the good in the Affordable Care Act and worked to make it better."

Retaining health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing young adults to remain on their parents' policies were retained in the House bill, Brooks said.

"I was disappointed we didn't get it done," she said. "We're not going to give up. We need to work in a bipartisan way to fix the concerns. The challenge is to find that common ground."

Brooks said the health care reform was so contentious in the U.S. Senate that it's holding up action on the legislation already approved by the House.

"I hope the failure on health care reform will serve as a wake-up call," she said. "We (GOP) have to obtain wins on legislation in a bipartisan manner; it might not be all we want. We have to move the ball down the field."

Concerning the federal budget, Brooks said the House has passed four budget bills and that there will be a lot of focus on raising the federal debt ceiling limit in September.

She noted that in 2012 the national debt was $14.6 trillion, and it is now almost $20 trillion.

"We're handing the debt down to our children and grandchildren," Brooks said. "We need to make tough choices.

"Do we raise the debt ceiling or make some modifications in spending?" she said. "We need to make some modifications."

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 640-4863.

Coming Sunday in The Herald Bulletin

Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., talks about the debate on the farm bill, noting the importance of maintaining crop insurance.

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