Monroe News: Walberg says 2016 is full of challenges
January 20, 2016
The new year has started aggressively in Washington, D. C., U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg says.
Rep. Walberg, R- Tipton, spoke Tuesday at a legislative luncheon hosted by the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce at the Monroe Golf & Country Club.
"The final year of Obama looks to be a challenging year," he said. "He has not matriculated to be a coalition- building president."
He took some time to recap the accomplishments of Congress during its last few weeks of 2015.
"It marked the end of sequestration for the military," he said. "It was not a good thing for our country or for our security but we are now able to shape the military to be all that it can be."
Rep. Walberg talked about the fiscal year 2016 spending bill. He said he often is asked why Congress did not defund the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
"Obamacare is not under discretionary spending," he explained. "It's an entitlement. It received funding like Medicare or Social Security. Money will be expended for it. Our efforts, instead, were to replace parts of it."
He said Obamacare has had a "significant" impact on the health- care system and he hopes to work "aggressively to change it."
One of the biggest accomplishments in the funding bill was a five- year highway bill to fund the nation's transportation infrastructure, the congressman said.
"At least there is certainty of a long- term funding mechanism that we can count on," he said.
Rep. Walberg cited a few " wins" for Michigan when it came to the omnibus spending bill, including funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, clean water state revolving fund and expediting efforts to address the threat of Asian carp in the Great Lakes.
State Rep. Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe, asked Rep. Walberg about the bill he co- sponsored with Candice Miller to protect the Great Lakes and other waterways.
Last year, the pair introduced the Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act, which builds off the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program ( MAEAP). The program encourages states in the Great Lakes Basin to develop voluntary agricultural assurance programs to promote conservation and minimize agricultural pollution risks.
"It's a great proposal," Rep. Walberg said. "Here in Michigan the MAEAP works for 10,000 farmers and we hope it establishes a pattern for others."
He said other Great Lakes states can benefit and reduce the nutrient runoff that enters waterways.
"It's in committee, and ultimately, I think we will see if it passes before the end of this term," he said.
Looking ahead to this year, Rep. Walberg said several priorities are on tap, including tax reform, changes to the Affordable Care Act, addressing the economy and the " job situation" and poverty.
"We will have some battles in 2016," he said.
This article originally appeared in the January 20 edition of the Monroe News.
Rep. Walberg, R- Tipton, spoke Tuesday at a legislative luncheon hosted by the Monroe County Chamber of Commerce at the Monroe Golf & Country Club.
"The final year of Obama looks to be a challenging year," he said. "He has not matriculated to be a coalition- building president."
He took some time to recap the accomplishments of Congress during its last few weeks of 2015.
"It marked the end of sequestration for the military," he said. "It was not a good thing for our country or for our security but we are now able to shape the military to be all that it can be."
Rep. Walberg talked about the fiscal year 2016 spending bill. He said he often is asked why Congress did not defund the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
"Obamacare is not under discretionary spending," he explained. "It's an entitlement. It received funding like Medicare or Social Security. Money will be expended for it. Our efforts, instead, were to replace parts of it."
He said Obamacare has had a "significant" impact on the health- care system and he hopes to work "aggressively to change it."
One of the biggest accomplishments in the funding bill was a five- year highway bill to fund the nation's transportation infrastructure, the congressman said.
"At least there is certainty of a long- term funding mechanism that we can count on," he said.
Rep. Walberg cited a few " wins" for Michigan when it came to the omnibus spending bill, including funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, clean water state revolving fund and expediting efforts to address the threat of Asian carp in the Great Lakes.
State Rep. Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe, asked Rep. Walberg about the bill he co- sponsored with Candice Miller to protect the Great Lakes and other waterways.
Last year, the pair introduced the Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act, which builds off the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program ( MAEAP). The program encourages states in the Great Lakes Basin to develop voluntary agricultural assurance programs to promote conservation and minimize agricultural pollution risks.
"It's a great proposal," Rep. Walberg said. "Here in Michigan the MAEAP works for 10,000 farmers and we hope it establishes a pattern for others."
He said other Great Lakes states can benefit and reduce the nutrient runoff that enters waterways.
"It's in committee, and ultimately, I think we will see if it passes before the end of this term," he said.
Looking ahead to this year, Rep. Walberg said several priorities are on tap, including tax reform, changes to the Affordable Care Act, addressing the economy and the " job situation" and poverty.
"We will have some battles in 2016," he said.
This article originally appeared in the January 20 edition of the Monroe News.
Issues:Local Issues