Lucas urges patience as Congress works on new tax code
TULSA — Third District Congressman Frank Lucas cautioned a crowd of Tulsa business leaders Monday to have patience when the draft of the new tax code is released later this week.
The road to a final vote includes multiple steps and debates that could significantly alter the document, he said at the Tulsa Regional Chamber congressional forum held at the Doubletree Warren Place.
“All bets are off until the public response,” he said.
Lucas called tax reform the “single biggest issue” facing Congress. The tax code was set in 1954 with a modification in 1986, he said.
Each section has its own pros and cons and factions with vested interests.
“Everything has been put there in the course of time by people with a targeted point of view,” Lucas said. “It will be an epic battle to address.”
Lucas currently serves on three congressional committees: House Committee on Agriculture, the House Committee on Financial Services and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Next year, he is up for a possible committee chairman role on financial services or science, space and technology.
When asked which he would prefer, he touted the merits of both, pointing out the science committee would be “fun” with the research resources in health and weather of particular interest to Oklahoma. That committee would also oversee NASA and some operations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
With Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the current head of the EPA and First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine nominated to run NASA, Lucas joked: “Looking over the shoulders of my fellow Oklahomans would be fun.”
Lucas then said the financial committee would be of better service to the state because it has oversight of banking, consumer protection, credit and securities and exchanges.
“It is the place with the greatest economic impact on my constituency,” he said.
Lucas said he has been to the White House three or four times in the past few months and watched President Donald Trump at live speaking events.
He said those speaking events have shown about 60 percent are from prepared text while 40 percent are from extemporaneous speech. He said Trump is not hesitant about jumping in to take action or change the tone in the spur of a moment.
“Based on what I’ve observed, yes, the Donald Trump you see is the Donald Trump you have — an action-oriented fella who says what he wants, when he wants in the way he wants,” Lucas said.
Asked about the rifts between the political parties and factions within the Republican Party, Lucas said the environment is one where “everyone seems to say everything” they think in the moment.
“Being civil is important, whether that is in D.C., down the turnpike or in Tulsa,” Lucas said, which garnered applause.