On Sunday, December 18, 2016, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) joined C-SPAN’s “Newsmakers” to discuss President-elect Trump’s top priorities and how the Ways and Means Committee is ready to deliver solutions on tax reform and health care.

Excerpts: 

On Restoring American Competitiveness

“We have a new President who wants to make America competitive again—both here at home and around the world. Tax reform is key to that. So we focused a whole day on our ‘Built for Growth’ tax code, focusing how to create more jobs here in America. How do you eliminate any incentive for American companies to move their jobs or their headquarters overseas? How do you create a tax code so competitive that the best place to sell to America and the best place to sell to the world is from right here at home in the United States … we are going to be ready for this new President on his tax reform initiative.”

“The way things are going today, we just can’t compete and win. We are literally competing with one hand tied up behind our back. I am convinced that going in that direction, exactly where [Mr. Trump] wants to take us, by fixing this broken tax code really goes deep to the heart of this and puts us on a level playing field, and more importantly companies will be disadvantaged when they move their operations overseas and away from America if they want to sell in the U.S. and around the world. So we will work closely with them on all of these issues. Our goal is exactly the same, which is to strengthen our economy and let us compete and win anywhere in the world.”

On Ending the “Made in America” Tax and Leveling the Playing Field

“We want to redesign the code because, right now … we have an advantage for foreign products over Made-in-America products. We have the big incentive to move companies overseas. So as part of our discussions, we are making sure we level the playing field here in America. And wherever the products are made and whoever makes them, we will have real competition here in America. We want to make sure this is the best place, the 21st century magnet, for the next companies.” 

“We have made a strong case that for America to compete and win again, we need to change the way we tax. And right now all of our competitors border adjust their taxes. They take their taxes off the goods and services coming our direction, so that gives them the price advantage over us here in America. We don’t, sending out products around the world. So today we lose both here in American and around the world. That can’t stand. This is a key part of our built for growth tax code.” 

On House Republicans’ Plan to Deliver a 21st-Century Health Care System

“We know that Obamacare isn’t working. Premiums are accelerating for families. Fewer and fewer choices of insurers. Fewer doctors and local hospitals. We know this is not fixable. So what we are proposing is to replace that big, huge bureaucracy, that woolly mammoth of Obamacare, with the concept of a health care backpack … This health care backpack concept means that, in addition to choosing a plan that is right for you, it can travel with you. And you can change it to meet your changing needs.” 

“We also think the tools in the backpack are easy access to health savings account that makes health care more affordable for those routine costs and control of your electronic medical records so you can choose to give your medical history to that new doctor for your child or that emergency room if you find yourself in that situation. And what that health care backpack approach requires is to knock down a lot of silos to focus not on what Washington needs, but to laser focus on what families, and patients, and local businesses need. It is a big change from where obamacare is today.”

“I can assure Americans that they will have peace of mind, plenty of time and plenty of opportunities to choose a plan that is right for them under the health care backpack concept … as we outline our new options and the new choices that Americans will get, they will be plenty of time to make those choices. What I know is this: Americans can’t continue too much longer with these plans that they can’t afford with the high out-of-pocket costs. Frankly, this just is not working for them more.” 

On Strengthening and Preserving Medicare

“This is such an important program for 50 million or more Americans. so we have to take the steps, small and large, to save Medicare. And, over time, we want to make sure that seniors have options for Medicare Advantage, and they have options for their drugs and medicine, which has proven very popular, that they also have options for their overall care as well. So we think, over time, seniors should have another choice to carry that health care backpack, that plan that works for them, into their retirement, rather than being forced out of it and just taking what they are given. So yes, we will continue to work on improvements for medicare for the future … we will continue to look for solutions. And bipartisan solutions as well.”