Rep. Paul Ryan: Employee Town Halls, Business Tours, and One Inspiring Meeting

WASHINGTON, July 10 -- Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., issued the following news release:

Last Thursday and Friday, Paul traveled around Wisconsin's First District--from Janesville to Racine to Burlington--to speak with his employers in southern Wisconsin, as he often does (check out these links). In case you missed it, here are the high points:

Racine Journal Times: Tax reform is one of a number of measures the Republican-controlled Congress hopes to get to President Donald Trump's desk this term. Any reform of the tax code needs to cut tax rates for businesses and simplify tax returns for families, Ryan said, adding businesses like Burlington Graphics are at a competitive disadvantage with its high tax rate. Allowing businesses to immediately write off major costs like equipment purchases would lead to more investment and economic growth, Ryan said. "Our job and our goal is to get tax reform done in 2017," said Ryan, who represents Racine County in Congress, "so that when we roll into a new year in 2018, we roll into having a new tax code."

Kenosha News: When questioned about health care, Ryan said the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is collapsing. He said employees at Burlington Graphics won't be affected by the Republican plan to repeal Obamacare. "You get your health care here," Ryan said. He said the employer-sponsored market is not affected by the Republican plan. "Obamacare is the individual market -- that's roughly 10 percent of Americans who have to buy their own health insurance," he said.

Wisconsin Public Radio: Later, at another company in Racine, Ryan said he remains optimistic about getting most of the Republican agenda through Congress. He tried to shrug off media coverage of controversies in Washington. "I always tell people, don't turn on the news all that often," Ryan said. It sounds like it's depressing, distracting. Candidly, I just don't let it distract me. I know what we need to do. We need to fix this tax code." Ryan also said the U.S. needs to improve its energy policy and get rid of unnecessary regulations.

TMJ4: Ryan also visited Burlington Graphic Systems in Racine where he toured the plant and stayed on the same message; catapulting the manufacturing industry into the next decade with a renewed focus on technical education. "It's not the case that you need to go to a four-year college to have a good livelihood," he said.

Wisconsin Radio Network: He said tax and regulatory reform are twin priorities. "We want to have smart regulations that work, that don't make American products so prohibitively expensive that we can't make it here."

As promised, one inspiring meeting: Between these tours, Paul visited Bob Webster Sr., a World War II veteran who participated in the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. Heroes like Mr. Webster made America the great nation it is today. At the request of Mr. Webster's son, Paul flew a flag over the United States Capitol in honor of Bob's service, and presented that flag to him last Thursday: