Rep. John Ratcliffe says recent congressional action will underpin progress in area
For the last two and a half years, I’ve had the great privilege of representing you in the U.S. House of Representatives. Every time I walk up the front steps of the Capitol, I’m reminded of the incredible responsibility folks like you have entrusted me with.
An undeniable political reality in this country is that regardless of your party affiliation, the divided government we had during the Obama administration simply wasn’t working. In response to this stagnation, the American people rose up this past November to elect a unified Republican government to tackle some of the biggest challenges we face.
I remain encouraged by the great opportunity my Republican colleagues and I have been given and appreciate the chance to report on some of the progress already being made on your behalf.
Repealing and Replacing Obamacare
For the first time since President Obama forced through an unpopular law without Republican support, House Republicans have successfully passed a bill to repeal Obamacare with a president in office who’s actually willing to sign it.
As Obamacare continues to collapse under its own weight – it becomes more evident each day that repealing it isn’t just an option – it’s a necessity. The passage of the American Health Care Act answers the call of the almost eight out of every 10 people in Texas’ 4th District who voted for President Trump’s plan to work with Republicans to repeal Obamacare, and against Hillary Clinton’s plan to double down on it.
While we worked to finalize the bill, I joined President Trump at the White House to discuss my key conservative priorities for healthcare in America. I was pleased that our conversation led to the president’s support for creating optional Medicaid block grants, incentivizing the implementation of work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid and preventing tax credits from being used to pay for elective abortions.
In addition to key, patient-centered, market-based reforms that will help bring down costs while expanding choice and competition, our replacement legislation also contained a number of provisions that empower states with more choice and flexibility. Now the ball is in the Senate’s court, and as we continue moving forward, you can count on me to remain steadfast in my efforts to return sanity to our nation’s healthcare system.
Eliminating Regulatory Overreach
I’m encouraged by the major strides we’ve taken alongside President Trump to undo the regulatory overreach that expanded exponentially under the Obama administration. Since taking office, President Trump has signed into law 13 bills I voted for in Congress to undo some of the most intrusive Obama-era regulations.
Thanks to this swift action, we’ve been able to overturn Obama’s attempt to wage an assault on innocent life by forcing states like Texas to allow federal funds to go toward abortion providers, we’ve stopped his attempt to limit the Second Amendment rights of 4.2 million Americans and we’ve brought a halt to his sweeping education regulations that would have significantly expanded the federal government’s choking grasp on local educators.
I couldn’t be more pleased that these Obama-era rules have already been dismantled—saving American taxpayers more $10 billion while putting power back into the hands of the American people.
With this much progress being made right out of the gate, I’m optimistic about the ongoing conservative wins we’ll continue to deliver. I’m looking forward to our ongoing partnership with President Trump, so we can advance the anti-regulatory efforts like those included in my bills—the Separation of Powers Restoration Act and the ALERT Act—which have already passed in the House this year.
Supporting Economic Development in Texarkana
Supporting local economic development and job creation has been another priority of mine as your representative. The adage that all politics is local isn’t just a sound bite. People rightfully care about what is taking place in their own backyards and want to ensure their children inherit a world that is opportunity-filled.
I was excited to recently announce a big economic development win for the greater Texarkana area – the designation of the TexAmericas Center as a HUBZone. This positions TexAmericas to become one of the largest industrial centers in the country and will allow it to more readily attract investment and create jobs in our region.
This announcement was the culmination of years of work by my staff and me with the Department of Defense and Small Business Administration. I’m happy to report that one local employer that was considering moving to Dallas, Braswell Services, has already announced their intentions to take advantage of this HUBZone designation.
Whether it’s advocating for local economic development or working to protect the Red River Army Depot from a federal hiring freeze, you can count on me to continue fighting for this region.
I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to represent you and to live in the greatest state in the greatest country in the world. God bless.