Community Trust and Law Enforcement

Phil Roe

by Phil Roe - In the weeks since George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, our country has debated how to ensure that police officers are best serving our communities.

As I have said before, the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are good men and women, and the actions of a few bad actors are not representative of all officers.

However, we also recognize that the actions of bad officers erode community trust and make it harder for good officers to do their jobs. We should hold officers who engage in wrongdoing accountable for their actions, while ensuring that good officers still have the resources they need to serve and protect us. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 7278, the JUSTICE Act, introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN), which will enact a number of reforms to do just that.

The JUSTICE Act would require state and local governments to report more information on police use of force and the use of no-knock warrants and would create a new grant to help jurisdictions meet these reporting requirements. This information will help law enforcement develop training and best practices on de-escalation methods.

This legislation would also take steps to hold bad actors accountable by incentivizing the use of body-worn cameras, increasing penalties for falsifying police reports, and requiring jurisdictions to limit chokeholds as a condition for receiving certain federal grants. The bill would also require police departments to keep employment and disciplinary record of officers for at least 30 years to ensure that departments know about any past incidents involving those officers they are considering hiring.

Additionally, the bill will provide training resources so that good officers can continue to do their jobs well. The JUSTICE Act requires the U.S. Department of Justice to develop training on alternatives to use of force, de-escalation techniques, and how to respond to behavioral health crises. The bill also implements steps to study the conditions and causes of racial disparities in the criminal justice system and would make lynching a federal crime. Altogether, the reforms in the JUSTICE Act will ensure that officers have the tools they need to do their jobs better and will restore community trust in the police.

Last week, President Trump issued an executive order to increase transparency and accountability in law enforcement. This executive order provides incentives to state and local law enforcement agencies to seek independent credentialing to certify that they comply with the latest standards on use of force, de-escalation, and community management. The order also directs the Department of Justice to develop a program to facilitate information sharing between departments and directs the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services to identify opportunities to improve law enforcement agencies’ ability to respond to mental health crises. I applaud the president’s executive order; I believe it will ensure that officers and law enforcement agencies are well trained and equipped to serve our communities. Police officers have an incredibly difficult job.

Unfortunately, this week, the House Democrats brought to the floor a bill that will make their jobs even harder. I voted against this bill because it would drastically lower the standards for charging an officer with criminal misconduct and will weaken legal protections for police. These changes would put the police at risk of jail time or lawsuits just for doing their jobs. In addition, the bill would create a public registry of disciplinary records, lawsuits and settlements, and complaints against federal, state, and local police officers, including complaints that have not been adjudicated yet. We certainly want to hold bad actors accountable, but publicly shaming officers for unadjudicated complaints that have not yet been afforded due process is wrong. If these so-called “reforms” are enacted, then police will have an even more difficult job, and I have no doubt that many good people would no longer even consider becoming a law enforcement officer with these changes in place.

I have also heard some people call for “defunding the police” or establishing police-free “autonomous zones.” These are offensive ideas. Policy needs to be based on real reforms, not slogans, and I will oppose any efforts to defund the police.

The brave men and women in law enforcement are deserving of our constant thanks and praise for their hard work. As we consider reforms to law enforcement, we should continue to stand behind them as they serve our communities.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

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Eliminating Terrorist Soleimani was Acting in America's Best Interest

Rep. Phil Roe

by Congressman Phil Roe - The relationship between the United States and Iran was not always fraught with tension; but since the 1979 Revolution, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini made it clear Iran would no longer be a friend to the U.S. From the hostage crisis in November 1979 to present day with Iran shooting down an American drone in June 2019, tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been escalating for 40 years. These tensions reached a breaking point on December 31, 2019 when Iranian-backed militia groups chanted “death to America” and “death to Israel” while storming the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, setting fire to buildings.

This incident was the latest in a string of destabilizing attacks by Iranian-backed forces that escalated as they faced little consequence for their attacks. Thankfully, the president took decisive action and eliminated one of the world’s top terrorist - designated as a terrorist under the Obama administration- who is most directly responsible for those attacks, Qasem Soleimani.

As leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) – a group President Trump rightly designated as a terrorist organization, General Soleimani planned and carried out numerous terror attacks resulting in the deaths of over 600 Americans. Under Soleimani’s direction, the IRGC-QF engaged in numerous terrorist activities: in May 2019, they reportedly attacked and seized commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman; attacked Saudi Arabian oil facilities in Abqaiq and Khurais in September 2019 attempting to destabilize the world oil market; and fired rockets into the K1 military base in Iraq, resulting in the death of a U.S. civilian contractor and four U.S. servicemembers.

The recent escalation by Iran led President Trump to act against Soleimani on January 3, 2020. President Trump ordered the elimination of General Soleimani by airstrike, thereby holding Iran accountable for their actions and no longer allowing Iran and the IRGC-QF to operate with impunity in the region and around the world. I support the president’s action and think the world is a safer place because of it.

Unlike the Obama administration that did nothing but appease the leaders of Iran, President Trump continues to promote accountability and “maximum pressure” on Iran through monetary sanctions and military action when necessary. President Trump rightfully pulled the U.S. out of the Obama administration’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – more commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal. That disastrous “deal” lifted many of the economic sanctions that were in place, provided access to over $1.5 billion in cash and allowed Iran to maintain portions of its nuclear program. The U.S. should never have entered this deal that provided sanction relief to Tehran, and we should have continued economic pressure until Iran not only ceased its nuclear program but also its support for, and funding of, global terrorism.

President Trump showed great restraint throughout all the escalation by Iran, even stating the U.S. was willing to “embrace peace” after Iran fired missiles at the Ayn al-Asad airbase in Iraq on January 8, 2020, a strategic location where the U.S. maintains a military presence. Thankfully, no U.S. or Iraqi servicemembers were harmed in that missile attack. He said to the people and leaders of Iran, “We want you to have a future and a great future – one that you deserve, one of prosperity at home, and harmony with the nations of the world. The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.” I could not agree more. No one wants war, and we are ready to encourage peace throughout the region.

Despite Iran’s continued escalation and the decisive military action taken by President Trump, many of my Democrat colleagues claimed the attack on Soleimani was unjustified and escalated tensions. I disagree. Instead of supporting the president’s act of strength, House Democrats passed a misguided resolution that undermines President Trump’s anti-terror efforts, rebuking his actions to eliminate this threat. Soleimani repeatedly advocated for, and implemented, attacks that cost Americans their lives. By removing him, Iran is truly deterred from continuing to fund attacks that destabilize the Middle East. In the future, hopefully Iran will come to the table for real negotiations. President Trump’s actions and attitude toward Iran and its constant aggression and escalation has been tough but fair. He took decisive military action after Iran repeatedly acted against the U.S., our allies and assets across the Middle East. The president’s decision to remove a top international terrorist is the response I hope to see our president make and the kind that is in America’s best interest.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

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A Shameful Day in the House of Representatives

Phil Roe

by US Rep. Phil Roe, M.D- Last Wednesday, was a sad day in American history. House Democrats gave in to their party radicals and voted to impeach a duly-elected president because of a partisan, political agenda. Speaker Pelosi made clear in March that impeachment divides our country if it is not bipartisan. This process wasn’t bipartisan; this vote wasn’t bipartisan; and there was no evidence supporting impeachment. This was a rigged process with impeachment as the end goal and I proudly voted against the articles of impeachment.

The impeachment inquiry didn’t begin in September. It started the moment Donald Trump was elected president. For two years, many leading Democrats claimed they have evidence President Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election. It took a two-and-a-half year, $25 million investigation to prove there was no collusion. Rather than accepting these results and getting to work on the issues Americans care about, they continued on with impeachment. In July – before the call with Ukrainian President Zelensky ever occurred – 95 House Democrats voted to impeach the president. It wasn’t based on serious evidence then, and it’s not based on serious evidence now. Even as House Democrats claim this was a last resort, the truth is once they took the House majority, their goal was to impeach Donald Trump.

The American people are fundamentally fair. Rich or poor, president or factory worker – we believe all deserve fairness. This process has been anything but fair. The Democrats conducted over a month’s worth of hearings behind closed doors; blocked Republicans from calling their own witnesses; and prevented the president’s counsel from cross-examining witnesses. Imagine you were accused of a crime and were prevented from calling witnesses who could exonerate you. Worse still, you were prevented from questioning those accusing you. That is what happened these last few months in committee hearings. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff – whose staff advised the whistleblower prior to the complaint that started this charade – even read a fictional version of President Trump’s phone call transcript in the first public hearing. You can’t make it up.

When Democrats finally wrapped up their sham inquiry, they filed two articles of impeachment, neither of which constitute “high crimes” or misdemeanors, and neither of which have they proved the president is guilty. The Constitution states the president “shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery or other high Crimes and misdemeanors.” The first article of impeachment claims “Abuse of Power.” They arrived at “abuse of power” only after polling showed the public didn’t believe their claims that the president engaged in “quid pro quo” or “bribery.” The only abuse of power that has occurred is by House Democrats.

The second article of impeachment claims “Obstruction of Congress.” If House Democrats were serious about this being an impeachable offense, they should have supported the impeachment of then-Attorney General Eric Holder, who refused to comply with congressional subpoenas. This is a standard they’re only willing to apply to President Trump. Further, there is no basis in law for an “obstruction of Congress” claim, and the Supreme Court is reviewing whether the Democrats’ claim is even constitutional. The White House has complied and released two unredacted call transcripts for the public to review. Furthermore, President Trump told Ambassador Gordon Sondland to testify before Congress and tell the truth. That is not an obstruction of anything, let alone Congress.

Even with Democrats using all their authority to push their presidential impeachment, no witness they called had firsthand knowledge or witnessed the alleged quid pro quo. No witness contradicted the key facts that have remained true since President Trump released his call transcript: the transcript showed no pressure on Ukraine to open an investigation; both presidents confirmed multiple times there was no pressure; the Ukrainian government was unaware U.S. security assistance was held at the time of the call; and aid was released on September 11 without any investigation occurring. How can there be a quid pro quo without a quid or a quo?

Impeaching a president with no evidence of a crime is a dangerous precedent to set and will create a new norm for what Congress considers impeachable conduct. Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) stated in May that he is “concerned that if we don’t impeach this president, he will get re-elected.” That says it all. Democrats made this impeachment process as partisan as possible, turning a solemn process into a political sham. This was an embarrassment and I am ashamed by what occurred in the House.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

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Energy Independence for a Strong Nation

Rep. Phil Roe

by Congressman Phil Roe - Last December, the United States became a net exporter of oil – breaking an almost continuous 75-year streak of dependence on foreign oil and is now the world’s 8^th largest oil exporter. This was not always the case. I remember serving at the DMZ in Korea, where we only had heat 3 hours a day because the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries barred oil exports to the U.S. for our support of Israel – also known as the Oil Embargo of 1973. Today, we are no longer forced to rely on regimes that do not always have America’s interest as their foremost concern.

Iran is believed to be responsible for attacking a Saudi Arabian oil refinery last week, with drone and missile strikes that severely damaged the world’s oil largest supplier. The good news is our energy independence reduced the impact that these attacks could have had. If that attack had taken place in the 1970s, the price of oil would have skyrocketed. Even still, these attacks left the international benchmark for oil prices up nearly 15 percent on Monday, the largest single-day jump in nearly 30 years. These attacks reminded us of the importance of energy independence and not depending on the Middle East to power our nation.

It’s difficult to understand why we would want to reverse this remarkable revolution, but last week, House Democrats took their best shot with legislation aimed at blocking American oil and gas development. Three separate bills would have collectively blocked oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), the Atlantic and Pacific Outer Continental Shelves, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The land Democrats targeted in ANWR is only 1/10,000^th of the total acreage, but could result in 10.4 billion barrels of oil, lowering energy costs and promoting economic growth across the country. The prohibition on the sale of oil and gas leases on the OCS and the Gulf of Mexico would block billions of dollars in revenue for the Treasury. Lease sales are also the primary funding source for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is vital to funding projects that preserve our natural resources and promote outdoor recreation.

Affordable energy is essential for economic growth and Americans’ well-being. To help make energy more affordable – and create more jobs – Congress should enact a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy policy that includes oil, gas, coal, wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear and hydro energy. When we use our natural resources, we should be innovative in order to be environmentally-responsible. We can achieve that goal without losing our energy independence and American jobs. Instead of looking for real solutions, we are spending time discussing the “Green New Deal,” a resolution whose authors described the plan as a complete overhaul of the U.S. economy and an embrace of socialist principles. A plan that achieves “net-zero” emissions in 10 years would require the U.S. to stop producing oil, natural gas and coal – the fuel for 80 percent of our economy that provides jobs to thousands of Americans. This would devastate our economy.

As an avid outdoorsman, I love East Tennessee’s natural beauty. It is our duty to protect our natural resources, like the Appalachian Trail and the Great Smoky Mountains. Energy exploration can be complementary to protecting these resources, and it’s critical to our nation’s energy independence and to our national security. Rather than implementing more burdensome regulations that drive up costs and destroy jobs, I believe there are several realistic, commonsense changes we can and should pursue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save taxpayers money and promote job-creation.

When I served on Johnson City’s City Commission, and then as Mayor, we worked to cap the gas coming out of our landfill – mostly methane, a significant greenhouse gas – and used it heat and cool the Mountain Home VA Medical Center, instead of burning it off into the atmosphere. We also audited all public buildings for energy efficiency and established a “Green Team” to work with entities on ways to be more environmentally friendly. Johnson City was also the first municipality in Tennessee to offer curbside recycling and we replaced stoplight and streetlight bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that save energy and taxpayer money. There are commonsense measures that could reduce emissions without sacrificing what is the strongest economy in the world. It's clear energy independence is critical to our economy, our national security and American families. Given the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, I hope my Democrat colleagues will soon join us in working towards energy independence.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.  

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Maximum Pressure for a Denuclearized Iran

Rep. Phil Roe

by Congressman Phil Roe - One of the first policy questions I was ever asked was, “Do you think Iran should have a nuclear weapon?” I remember my answer clear as day: “During the Vietnam War, I served nearly 13 months near the Demilitarized Zone in Korea. Does anyone believe the world is safer and more stable now that North Korea has the capability to develop nuclear weapons?” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ support for militant groups abroad has helped destabilize the Middle East and represents a clear threat to U.S. regional security interests. Historically, the U.S. placed strong sanctions on Iran in response to their nuclear and terroristic activity, until the 2015 nuclear deal. These sanctions were a proven success in curbing Iran’s aggressive activity. 

On May 12, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported that four oil tankers and Saudi oil pipeline infrastructure had been attacked. Last week, Iran shot down a U.S. military drone in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, attacked two more oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and attempted to shoot down another U.S. drone that was surveilling the attack. 

President Trump showed leadership and restraint when he decided against a military response to this latest aggression, instead deciding to impose new sanctions that would deny Iran’s leadership the financial resources for oppressive activity. War is never a desirable outcome, and I’m proud the President found a way to hold Iran accountable while leaving room for military escalation should their actions continue. The U.S. warned world leaders of the Iranians’ capacity to destabilize the region, and based on recent actions, that’s exactly what is happening. Our allies need to come together and accelerate sanctions to force the Iranians to the negotiating table. I am proud to support President Trump’s approach.

In 2015, the Obama administration negotiated the “Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action” (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear agreement, which overwhelmingly relieved sanctions against Iran in hopes they would limit their nuclear program. However, that agreement fell short. The U.S. was denied access to certain Iranian military areas, Iran’s missile program was left unchecked, and its regional influence enabling human rights abuses was not addressed. That’s why I voted against the Iran Nuclear deal when it was brought before Congress, and why I strongly supported President Trump’s decision to pull out of the agreement to push the Iranian regime for additional concessions.

Since the moment the agreement was announced, strong bipartisan majorities in Congress – including myself – have voted against putting this agreement into place. Despite Congress’ opposition, the Obama administration pushed forward with their agreement. Now, many of the officials who negotiated this agreement are trying to push a false narrative that President Trump’s decision to pull out of the agreement is the cause of Iranian aggression. You have to ask yourself: why on earth would a country committed to denuclearization attack another country who also wants them to be denuclearized? This logic doesn’t add up.

On July 25, 2017, I was proud to vote for the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act which passed the House by a vote of 419 to 3. This legislation, which President Trump signed into law, establishes new sanctions and enhances existing sanctions, against Iran, Russia and North Korea. If we are going to achieve a diplomatic solution, which the president has made it clear that he prefers, it needs to be one that guarantees a nuclear-free Iran. 

This May, the administration ended a U.S. sanctions exception for the purchase of Iranian oil, ended waivers allowing countries to help Iran remain within stockpile limits of low-enriched uranium and of heavy water reactor fuel and accelerated plans to send a strike group to the Persian Gulf region. Additionally, the President issued an executive order freezing U.S. based assets of personal and entities determined to have conducted significant transactions with Iran’s iron, steel, aluminum or copper sectors. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani responded by announcing Iran would no longer abide by the JCPOA on stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water, threatening to enrich it to a higher level. 

There are still Iranians that march through the streets chanting “Death to America.” We should take them at their word. While we do not want a war with Iran, any potential diplomatic solution also has to ensure American security. I will continue supporting President Trump’s actions to put American safety and security first, and I hope we can make real and lasting progress that ensures a future peace.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee. 

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Congressman Roe Offers Amendment to Ensure Access to Affordable Health Coverage Options

Rep. Phil Roe

WASHINGTON D.C. – Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after offering an amendment during an Education and Labor Committee markup on H.R. 1010, which seeks to overturn the Trump administration’s “Short-Term Limited Duration Insurance” (STLDI) rule:

“Instead of working on a bipartisan basis to improve health care, today we considered legislation that will take essential health benefit options away from patients and make it more likely – not less likely – that patients choose to go without health insurance. I offered a simple amendment that would have gone in the opposite direction by codifying the current definition of STLDI plans and allowed for guaranteed renewability. This insures patients get to pick what essential health benefits they need, not the government.

“While my Democrat colleagues were pontificating and calling STLDI plans ‘junk,’ they refused to acknowledge that President Obama’s eleventh-hour change to the definition limiting these plans to a three-month duration instead of 12 months upended over 20 years of regulations in place since the Clinton administration – and in effect for the entire Obama administration. We need to be working together to increase affordable coverage options rather than eliminating them through one-size-fits-all government mandates.”

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The Damaging Effects of a $15 Minimum Wage

Congressman Phil Roe

by Congressman Phil Roe - All Americans deserve to be compensated fairly for the work they do. Having previously helped to manage a business for over 30 years, I know from firsthand experience nothing makes you feel better than knowing an employee will be able to live comfortably and retire with peace of mind about their financial security.

Washington needs to get out of the way, keep taxes low, reduce unnecessary regulations, and pave the way for economic growth and job creation. That’s why I was proud to support the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which resulted in 3.1 percent GDP growth in 2018. It seems like common sense to me to keep this going. Instead, House Democrats have a radical proposal to more than double the minimum wage to $15 per hour as part of their bill, H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act of 2019, which I voted against when it was considered in the House Education and Labor Committee.

According to an analysis of the bill, this raise will cost two million jobs and will hit the oldest, youngest, and lowest-skilled employees the hardest. The worst aspect of this legislation is that it treats small towns and rural areas as if they have the same labor markets and cost of living as large metropolitan urban areas. Some estimates indicate the cost-of-living in Washington, D.C. is 96.1 percent higher than Johnson City, Tennessee. Even within the state of Tennessee, the median home cost in Nashville is 189.4 percent higher than Newport. Cities and towns across America are different – different jobs, opportunities and costs-of-living – which is why a national $15 per hour minimum wage is so harmful.

People are now optimistic about our country’s financial future thanks to the economic growth rate and record low unemployment over the past two years. This legislation could undo this progress. In Tennessee, it is estimated that raising the wage to $15 an hour will cost 66,313 jobs. Even in a large city like Seattle, a study concluded that a locally implemented minimum wage of $13 an hour – $2 shy of what the Democrats proposed – caused reduced hours in low-income jobs. These proposals all too often hurt the very individuals the bill’s supporters claim they would help.

Small businesses are the true backbone of rural America. That’s why I believe we need to carefully consider the impacts of such a sweeping bill before allowing it to go into effect. When the House Education and Labor Committee held a markup on H.R. 582, I offered an amendment that would delay implementation until the Government Accountability Office – Congress’ nonpartisan investigative arm – conducts a study to determine the effects this bill would have on rural areas like East Tennessee. If more than 200,000 jobs would be lost because of H.R. 582, its implementation would be halted. While most East Tennesseans think it’s common sense to stop job-destroying legislation, committee Democrats defeated my amendment.

Instead of rushing legislation through the House that will do nothing but limit opportunity, we should work toward implementing policies that provide tools for all people to seek jobs with higher wages. In Morristown, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology provides students with an education that hosts a 75 percent student completion rate, 99 percent licensure rate for programs that require licensure and 97 percent rate of success in employing students in their field of study. Most impressively, students graduate with no student loan debt. In addition, in 2020, the University of Tennessee will be providing free tuition to Tennessee residents that come from a low-income household, encouraging more individuals to better their future through education. These students are getting the skills they need at our state to get jobs that pay much higher than the minimum wage.

Tennessee has worked hard as a state to help provide opportunities for its residents to attain the education and training needed to excel in higher paying jobs. Simply put, arbitrarily increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour does nothing but inhibit job growth for both employers and employees. Instead, we should be working on legislation that promotes economic opportunity for all Americans.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

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The "Green New Deal" is a Green Disaster

Rep. Phil Roe

by Phil Roe - Elections have consequences. Under the House Republican majority in the previous Congress, we focused on creating jobs, growing the economy, improving our security, taking care of our veterans, and making America energy independent.  Now that House Democrats have the majority, they have replaced our agenda with an agenda much more closely aligned with socialist principles and government control over all aspects of life. As President Trump pointed out in his State of the Union speech, history is littered with examples of the destruction caused by socialism, with Venezuela being the most recent. No document better lays out Democrats’ embrace of socialism than their recently-introduced “Green New Deal.”

The resolution, H.Res. 109, has the support of 68 House Democrats and 12 Democrats in the Senate on their version. Senate Democrats supporting this resolution include Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), among others. The resolution puts forth a goal for the United States to meet 100 percent of the U.S. power demand using zero-emission energy sources. This would require stopping the production of oil, natural gas, and coal – three of our most abundant energy sources and the energy sources that power 80% of our economy. The resolution also calls for updating or replacing ALL U.S. buildings, and calls for “guaranteeing a job . .  for all people of the United States.”

Some of their proposals are far too extreme and unrealistic to achieve in their 10-year goal. For instance, the resolution calls for “overhauling transportation systems in the United States to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions” and “working collaboratively with farmers and ranchers in the United States to remove pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector.”

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), put out a FAQ along with the resolution to illustrate some of the policies the resolution calls for. The FAQ states they “aren’t sure that we’ll be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast,” - you can’t make this stuff up! Why on earth would anyone want to eliminate air travel or livestock from our agricultural system?

Here’s the most troubling part of the Green New Deal: it’s not about climate change, it’s about centralizing control of our economy with the government. Within the FAQ, the bill’s sponsors indicate the goals of the new deal include: providing “economic security for all who are…unwilling to work;” to “create millions of family supporting-wage, union jobs;” “guaranteeing…higher education;” and to “ensure a just transition for all communities and workers…that have historically relied on fossil fuel industries.”

Their plan to pay for this legislation is through credit extended by the Federal Reserve or by new public banks, or a carbon tax. California’s failed plan to build a high-speed rail is a prime example of how this “deal” would bring devastation to our country. The rail was estimated to exceed $77 billion in costs by the time of completion, and since abandoning the project, California has to return $3.5 billion to the federal government. The Democratic resolution isn’t a “green dream”, as Nancy Pelosi called it – it’s a green nightmare and a socialist fantasy.

If we are interested in reducing emissions, local communities are already leading the way with commonsense changes that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are good for the economy and taxpayers at the same time. While I served on the Johnson City Commission, including my time as Mayor, we worked to cap the gas coming out of our landfill – which is made up of methane – and used it to heat and cool the Mountain Home VA Medical Center instead of burning the methane off into the atmosphere. For that, we received a national award from the EPA. We also audited all our public buildings for energy efficiency and established a ‘Green Team’ that could work with entities to find ways to help them be more environmentally friendly. Johnson City was the first municipality in Tennessee to offer curbside recycling, and we replaced stoplight and streetlight bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that save energy and taxpayer dollars.

I’m all for solutions that will leave our children and grandchildren a healthier planet, but the extreme Green New Deal is not the answer.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.  

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The Clearest Sign Yet We Need a Balanced Budget Amendment

Phil Roe

by Phil Roe - Earlier this week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an alarming projection about future budget deficits over the next 10 years. While CBO doesn’t always get it right, this warning cry should hit home for every American; it certainly does for me. If out-of-control spending is left unchecked, CBO predicts America’s deficit will surpass $1 trillion by 2020. To me, this is the clearest sign yet that we have to pass a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment, which the House considered this week.

First, let me dispel one of the biggest myths there is: that somehow last year’s tax cuts are responsible for our nation’s budget deficits. Last year, the federal government took in $3.3 trillion in revenue. That is the most revenue that has been collected – ever. In fact, since 2010, federal revenue has increased $1.1 trillion – a 53 percent increase, or just less than 8 percent annually. And we should expect revenue growth to continue because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act because as our economy grows and more jobs and prosperity are created, revenue to the federal government will grow, even at lower across-the-board tax rates.

Another myth that’s been put out there is that discretionary spending is responsible for our annual budget deficits. Discretionary spending is the funding Congress votes on every year, and funds our military, education, veterans programs, environmental programs, etc. This part of the budget – because Congress reviews it annually – has been well-controlled. Over the past 14 years, since 2004, our discretionary budget has only grown 34 percent, which is just over 2.4 percent growth annually. Even with the recently-passed Omnibus, discretionary spending is still growing at a manageable pace.
So what causes our budget deficits? Primarily, the deficits are driven by our mandatory programs that are on autopilot – programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security and Medicare. Over the same 14 year time period, our mandatory program spending has doubled, growing at 7.5 percent per year. This is unsustainable. This will require hard choices, but Congress will only make those hard choices if it’s forced to.

That’s why, this week, I am proud to support H.J.Res. 2, a constitutional amendment that will require a balanced budget. If ratified, a balanced budget amendment would require the federal government to balance its budget annually, just like states and families do, unless the country is at war. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation. A Balanced Budget Amendment is the only way we will ever tackle the growing threat caused by deficit spending. By passing this amendment, we can work together to repair the damage that’s been done over the years through out-of-control spending.
Forty-eight states, including Tennessee, have balanced-budget requirements. It’s time for Washington to live by the same rules and take this critical step to get our spending under control. Our children and grandchildren’s futures and the future of our democracy depends on it.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.  

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Thoughts on Charlottesville

Phil Roe

by Phil Roe - Last week, neo-Nazis, KKK members, and other white supremacists came together for a rally in Charlottesville at the heart of the University of Virginia’s campus, which led to the death of a 32-year-old counter protestor, Heather Heyer. We must be clear and unequivocal in rejecting and denouncing this hateful ideology. I am extremely saddened by these acts of violence, bigotry and hate that occurred last Saturday – my heart is still grieved. In order to move forward from this act of domestic terrorism, we must shine light on the darkness and talk openly and honestly about this abhorrent ideology. 

As I said last week in response to this tragedy, racially-motivated intimidation and violence have no place in today’s society, and groups fueled by hate must be condemned in the strongest terms. These groups are not representative of American values. 

While we must be unequivocal in condemning these groups, protest groups on the left, such as Antifa - which advocates violence in response to speech it disagrees with, also escalated the conflict unnecessarily. The right to free speech can lead to discourse that must be condemned, but as a free society we must also be committed to addressing it peaceably.  

When America declared its independence, we aspired to create a nation in which “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” While the path to equality hasn’t always been straight, we can unite around this founding moral principle and become stronger as a country.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee. 

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Hope for the American Health Care System

by Phil Roe, M.D.,  U. S. Representative 1st District of Tennessee, May 12, 2017- Last Thursday, Republicans in the House of Representatives took a giant step toward fulfilling our promise and President Trump’s pledge made to the American people that we would repeal Obamacare and replace it with patient-centered, free-market health care. The House-passed bill, H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), will take away power from Washington bureaucrats and return it to the American people.

I’ve been opposed to Obamacare from the start, in large part because as a doctor, I’ve seen first-hand what happens when you take power out of the hands of patients and their doctors and centralizes it in the hands of government bureaucrats. In Tennessee, we had our own experiment with universal access to care under TennCare. What happened? Costs exploded, forcing the state to remove people from the rolls, which resulted in one of the most stringent systems in America.

Across the country, Obamacare is failing, especially in East Tennessee. While it was welcome news that on May 9 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee announced it would offer a plan option for residents of the Knoxville marketplace, one plan option is not real choice. In 2016, premiums across Tennessee increased an average of 46 percent, with many individuals seeing their premium increase more than 60 percent. These increases were on top of the explosion of deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, which make it extremely difficult for the middle class to afford necessary medical care. You can see that with how hospital systems in our area are now are seeing 60 to 70 percent of their uncollectible debt coming from people with insurance. That’s why we are acting.

One thing I’ve heard consistently since this debate started is how much people are concerned about losing their health insurance due to a pre-existing condition. There’s no doubt about it: the last thing you want to be doing when your loved one is sick or dying is worrying about whether you are covered. As a doctor, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to have to jump through all the bureaucratic hurdles to get life-saving care approved. I want to protect people with pre-existing conditions – but we believe there is a better way to achieve these protections without driving up the cost of health insurance and making coverage unaffordable for millions of Americans.

That’s why I’m proud to say, despite a great deal of misinformation being circulated, the AHCA continues strong protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The AHCA requires insurers to cover individuals regardless of their health status, while also prohibiting insurers from charging higher premiums because of one’s illness. Individuals who maintain health insurance will be protected by a “community rating” that prohibits charging higher premiums, and individuals who don’t maintain continuous coverage will have to pay a 30 percent surcharge – instead of taxing you on the front end if you fail to purchase government-approved coverage.

We also added an amendment to give states the flexibility to experiment with better plan designs that can lower premiums, stabilize the insurance market or improve conditions for people with pre-existing conditions. If you look at the experiences of states like Maine and Wisconsin, we know it is possible to lower costs for everyone – including people with pre-existing conditions – when states are given the opportunity to opt out of Obamacare’s strict regulatory structure.

Aside from the continued protections for pre-existing conditions, the AHCA should be a welcome improvement over Obamacare’s status quo. We create a refundable tax credit which helps bring parity to individuals who purchase health insurance on their own with individuals who receive health insurance through their employer. We expand health savings accounts, which incentivize high-deductible health plans. Because studies have shown Medicaid doesn’t improve health outcomes over being uninsured, we give states the ability to restructure their Medicaid programs, improving access to care for millions of beneficiaries.

Now, it is the Senate’s turn to act. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: AHCA is a great start, but it’s not a perfect bill, and I hope our Senate colleagues will try to build on the work the House has done. One thing is certain – we cannot afford not to act. I look forward to helping East Tennesseans obtain the affordable health care coverage they deserve.

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Simplifying Our Tax System

by U.S. Representative Phil Roe, M. D., 1st District of Tennessee - Every April, instead of enjoying springtime, Americans will spend countless hours on long tax forms and working through confusing tax rules. This year, Tax Day falls on April 18^th with Easter and Emancipation Day affecting the federal holiday schedule. In their 2015 annual report to Congress, the Taxpayer Advocate Service found that, in fiscal year 2015, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collected over $2.8 trillion dollars. In the IRS’s 2016 annual report to Congress, it is reported that taxpayers and businesses spend around six billion total hours a year complying with tax-filing requirements. There’s no question our tax code is too complicated, and taxes for hardworking families are too high.

President Donald Trump promised to reform our bloated, overly complicated tax code, and I strongly support him in this effort. Tax reform won’t just help families keep more of their hard-earned pay, but it will make them more financially secure during a time when our economy is still recovering from the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression. If done correctly, tax reform can also help keep and bring jobs back to the United States. We are going to work to replace our complicated and confusing tax code with a leaner, simplified and more competitive plan than ever before. House Republicans are proposing a plan so simple that, if adopted, taxpayers will be able to file their income taxes on a post card, rather than spend much of their time and money trying to follow our complicated tax laws.

In House Republicans’ Better Way agenda, an effort to address our nation’s most pressing issues led by Speaker Paul Ryan which can be reviewed at better.gop, we lay out a three-pronged approach to tackling our burdensome tax code. First, we prioritize making the tax code simpler and fairer. Our plan consolidates the seven existing tax brackets into three. We also would create a larger standard deduction and more generous child tax credit, so hard-working families will be able to bring home more of their hard-earned pay checks. By streamlining and realigning the IRS system, we can overhaul our business tax system so that it is built for growth. I’m confident we can develop commonsense proposals to simplify our current tax system and lower taxes.

The second important prong of comprehensive tax reform is to utilize our tax code to promote jobs and economic growth. Right now, our tax code is so complicated and poorly written that it often times incentivizes businesses to move their operations overseas. Right now, America is following – not leading – the world in tax rates; in fact, the United States has the highest corporate tax rate out of developed countries in the world. An astounding 160 countries worldwide have consumption-based tax systems, meaning they do not tax their exports but do tax imports. Our system, however, taxes domestic manufacturers, meaning they have to pay taxes both here and in the country in which they sell their goods. Lowering the corporate tax rate and adopting a tax code that doesn’t discourage companies from making goods domestically would incentivize businesses to bring and keep more jobs in the United States and out of foreign countries.

Under the final prong, we reform the IRS. If we create a simpler, fairer tax code, we can also create an IRS focused on putting taxpayers first. After years of politically-motivated scandals out of the IRS, it’s clear Americans deserve a fair arbiter of any disputes that arise.

With the leadership of President Trump and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, who has clearly expressed his sense of urgency for pursuing comprehensive tax reform, I am confident that we can accomplish a simplified and streamlined tax code. I look forward to fixing our broken and outdated tax system to put taxpayers first.

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President Trump’s First Joint Address

By U. S. Representative Phil Roe, M.D., 1St District of Tennessee 

“Each American generation passes the torch of truth, liberty and justice in an unbroken chain all the way down to the present.  That torch is now in our hands.  And we will use it to light up the world.  I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength, and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart.  A new chapter of American Greatness is now beginning.  A new national pride is sweeping across our nation.  And a new surge of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.” –President Donald Trump

Phil Roe

This week, President Trump gave his first joint address to Congress and to the American people. During this speech, President Trump laid out a bold, positive and encouraging agenda, and I personally thought it was one of the most powerful speeches we’ve heard from President Trump to date. For the last eight years, I’ve repeatedly said that our country needed strong leadership to put forward a clear vision and direction for the future, and the president’s address did just that. Our nation is still the best country in the world, but we’ve lost our way. We’ve got some work to do to leave a better, stronger America for our children and grandchildren, but President Trump was right to say we can’t do this alone. Republicans and Democrats must come together and finally put party politics aside to deliver the results the American people deserve.

I was glad to hear the president speak at length about so many of our shared priorities. So many Tennesseans are struggling under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and those families deserve real health coverage options that will allow them to access the first class care they deserve. President Trump was spot on when he said that action to repeal and replace Obamacare is not a choice, it is a necessity.

The president laid out five principles to guide health care reform, and I’m glad to report each of these are things the House and Senate are already using to guide our policy proposals. First, President Trump called for continued protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. As I mentioned in my February 15 column, this is one of the main principles driving the discussions around what will replace Obamacare. Second, the president expressed support for expanding Health Savings Accounts and using tax credits to help hardworking families purchase health coverage. President Trump also called for funding flexibility for states, medical malpractice reform and requested Congress give Americans the freedom to purchase health insurance across state lines. These are all principles included in House Republicans’ Better Way agenda, and further underscores that Republicans throughout the federal government are united in our principles that guide the shared goal of repealing and replacing Obamacare.

The president also laid out his vision on a number of other important issues. I’ve repeatedly called for border security, and I strongly believe that we cannot move forward with comprehensive reform of our immigration system without a secure border. This is a top priority for me, and I’m glad our president shares this sense of urgency. President Trump also talked about expanding school choice; cutting needless regulations that prevent us from curing rare and often fatal diseases; providing for our veterans and military; and building our country back up to become the leader on the world stage again.

The work ahead of us will not be easy, but as President Trump so eloquently said, “The time for small thinking is over.” It’s time to come together, to think outside the box about ways we can work together to address the issues facing our country, to make America the best country it can be. President Trump is ready to get to work and so am I. I hope our friends across the aisle will join us. 

Feel free to contact my office if I can be of assistance to you or your family.

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Keeping the Promise to Repeal Obamacare

by Congressman Phil Roe, M. D., 1st District of Tennessee - Almost seven years ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, was signed into law. President Obama promised this law would expand access to and lower the cost of health insurance coverage, but almost every promise the president made about Obamacare has since been broken. Americans were promised they could keep their doctors and the health coverage they had if they liked them, but many could not. In the meantime, the individuals and families who have tried to get coverage under Obamacare have seen their costs skyrocket while their options for coverage have dwindled. Nationwide, the cost of an average insurance plan on the exchange was predicted to increase an average of 22 percent in 2017. In Tennessee, roughly 131,000 people faced losing their coverage last fall when BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the state’s largest insurer, pulled out of the exchanges in three markets on the heels of an average 56 percent premium increase across the state. Thanks to Obamacare, roughly 1 in 5 patients only have one health insurance provider to choose from. Obamacare has failed, and the only way to provide relief to the patients struggling under this law is to fully repeal it.

President Obama and Democrats in Congress try to say Republicans have no plans for health care reform, but that’s just not true. In fact, just last week I reintroduced the American Health Care Reform Act (AHCRA), legislation I authored with the Republican Study Committee to repeal Obamacare and replace it with patient-centered reforms. I first introduced the AHCRA in 2013, and I’ve been working hard to get support for my legislation in Congress. This bill gets the federal government out of the health care business and includes provisions that will give patients the tools and assistance they need to shop for a plan that fits their needs while also lowering the cost of health care. My bill would allow patients to purchase health insurance across state lines, create a standard deduction to help patients with the cost of their coverage and protect patients with pre-existing conditions, to name a few of the provisions in the legislation. Most importantly, this bill reaffirms our commitment to protecting life and doesn’t include one single tax increase or mandate. Many of our ideas were also included in House Speaker Paul Ryan’s Better Way agenda, and I’m confident my bill can serve as a strong starting point for House Republicans’ alternative to Obamacare. We aren’t wasting any time getting started.

The first step the House took in our path to immediately repeal Obamacare was to pass the Fiscal Year 2017 budget resolution. Now that the House and Senate have agreed to a budget resolution, Congress will have the opportunity to use a powerful tool known as reconciliation. Reconciliation gives Senate Republicans the ability avoid the filibuster on budget-related provisions and pass them on a simple majority vote. Reconciliation is the tool Democrats used in 2010 to get Obamacare through Congress, and now, with a new president, Republicans in Congress will use that same tool to repeal it. By taking steps to pass a budget resolution now, Republicans in Congress are ensuring President-elect Trump will quickly have a bill on his desk to begin the process of righting Obamacare’s wrongs.

For almost seven years I’ve warned about the fallout of the president’s broken health care law. The work ahead of us will not be easy, but the patients who have struggled under the ACA deserve better. You can rest assured I will continue to push for Congress to immediately repeal Obamacare while working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to draft a replacement that will give patients and providers the certainty they’ve long deserved.

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Rep. Phil Roe wrote blueprint for Obamacare repeal

by Michael Collins , USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee - WASHINGTON — As President-elect Donald Trump looks for a way to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, he should consider calling U.S. Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee. Roe, a Johnson City Republican and one of 17 physicians in Congress, wrote a blueprint more than three years ago for repealing Obamacare and replacing it with a system that is more patient centered and market driven.

The bill, which Roe called the American Health Care Reform Act, ...(link)

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Obamacare: An Abysmal Failure

by Congressman Phil Roe, 1st District TN - Just days after President Obama gave another speech

touting the success of his health care law while blaming Republicans for its failures, the Obama administration confirmed premiums for the average insurance plan on the exchange will increase an average of 22 percent.

Additionally, roughly 1 in 5 consumers will have only one health insurance provider to choose from. In Tennessee, things are looking even worse. Exchange beneficiaries will see their premiums increase an average of 56 percent if they stay on their health plan, and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the state’s largest insurer, pulled out of the exchanges in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, leaving roughly 131,000 Tennesseans without coverage. It is clearer than ever that Obamacare is failing.

During the health care debate, I predicted many of the things we’re seeing now would happen. As an OBGYN who practiced medicine for more than 30 years, I was keenly aware of the challenges in the American health care system. In fact, it’s what encouraged me to come to Congress. I knew the health care debate would be moving forward and hoped to bring my real-life experience to the discussion. Unfortunately, Democrats cut Republicans out of the legislative process and moved forward with partisan health care reform. I’ve never once treated a Republican or Democrat cancer in my life, and health care reform should have never been a partisan mission. Unfortunately, now the American people are paying the price because Democrats in Congress prioritized politics over sound policy.

Rather than acknowledge the problems his law is causing, President Obama instead chooses to pretend there aren’t any other options to reform health care. This couldn’t be further from the truth; the president is deliberately misleading the American people. For the last four years, I worked to create a commonsense, patient-centered alternative to ObamaCare, the American Health Care Reform Act, which was cosponsored by more than half of the Republican conference. My bill would repeal and replace the president’s law with free market reforms that return health care decisions to patients and their doctors, lower costs for all Americans and improve the quality of health care.

I was pleased when House Republicans prioritized six issue areas to develop bold solutions to address some of the most pressing issues facing our country, including health care. I attended nearly every health care task force meeting to discuss my ideas and experiences, and several were included in the final proposal released last June. This proposal fully repeals Obamacare; provides all Americans with more choices, lower costs and greater flexibility; provides protections for patients with pre-existing conditions; encourages innovation in health care; and protects Medicare for future generations. These are the kinds of reforms we need to fix health care. 

The agenda released by the task forces isn’t just called a Better Way – these policies are truly a better way to move our country forward. Like you, I am frustrated by the direction our country is headed. I see too many Tennesseans who are struggling to make ends meet, whether it’s because of their skyrocketing health insurance premiums or their inability to find a job and provide for their family. We cannot afford more of the same failed policies, but Republicans also cannot just be the party of no. You know what we’re against, and it’s time to tell you what we are for. We have a responsibility to introduce real, bold policy proposals to show how we want to shrink the size of government while making it more efficient. You deserve to know what we’d like to do to reform health care and get our economy back on track. That’s what a Better Way is, and I hope you’ll take a moment to read these proposals at Better.gop and share your thoughts on the agenda with me.

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First Tuesday guest for Oct. 10th is Congressman Phil Roe

Congressman Phil Roe

From Tim Skow:

1ST TUESDAY Members and friends

The 1st of the three Presidential Debates is a week away. Election Day on November 8th is a mere 7 weeks away! Between those 2 dates will be 2 insightful and powerful 1ST TUESDAY gatherings that are MUST SEE EVENTS !

Congressman Phil Roe, MD [TN-1] visits 1ST TUESDAY on Monday, October 10th. His TN-1 District boarders the battleground states of NC and VA. His Congressional committee duties provide Dr. Roe behind the scenes insights into the unraveling of Obamacare. As a TN doctor, he grasps the dire financial situation of the TN Healthcare Exchange.... If you missed it, 2017 premiums are going up 40% to 62% in TN !!!

Battleground states news and political insights! The latest ''Obamacare unraveling'' news! Impacts of Obamacare premiums soaring as Nov 8th arrives!

What if Trump wins? ...... What if Hillary wins? … AND MORE!

Monday, October 10th is a MUST SEE event ! Doors at Waller Law open at 11am. Lunch is $20 for 2016 Members / $25 for Guests. Program at NOON sharp! Expect this event to be a sellout ! Secure seating for you and guests at www.1sttuesdaynashville.com and click on ‘’Join Us’’.

SAVE THE DATES for these additional events ... details follow:

* SEPT 28th event featuring Alberto Gonzales book signing event at Waller Law
* OCT 12th event featuring Marsha Blackburn on behalf on Nashville candidates
* NOV 1st event featuring John Ryder return to 1ST TUESDAY with polling data

Invite those you know and secure your seats while they last for Monday, October 10th. Hope to see you SEPT 28th .... OCT 10th.... OCT 12th .... and NOV 1st !

Tim Skow
Host of 1ST TUESDAY

PS -- MARSHA BLACKBURN is doing an event for Nashville's Legislative candidates on WEDNESDAY, OCT 12th at the Sugartree Clubhouse on Woodmont Blvd. Look for your invite this week. Those bringing at least a $100 for their favorite candidate will have their 2017 dues for 1ST TUESDAY waived !!

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Protecting Our Homeland

Phil Roe

by Congressman Phil Roe, M.D., 1st District of Tennessee - I want to begin this week’s column by sending my thoughts and prayers to those across the country, particularly Minnesotans, New Yorkers and New Jerseyans, who were targeted by senseless acts of terrorism over the weekend. Unfortunately, these attacks are seemingly becoming the new normal in our country, and it’s clearer than ever that these radical Islamic terrorists present a serious threat to our security. The cowards who carry out these acts are weak, and desperately want to change the way we live our lives. As Americans, we must unite in our resolve to eliminate this evil from our country and world.

Now, more than ever, we need to take strategic and concrete steps to protect and secure our homeland. That’s why House Republicans put forward a plan including 67 recommendations to keep Americans safe and free, both at home and abroad. This plan is a better way.

First and foremost, this proposal would help keep terrorists and other criminals out of the United States by securing our border and closing loopholes in our immigration system. I’ve repeatedly said that border security must be one of our top priorities, and fixing our broken immigration system will go a long way toward keeping Americans safe at home. Further, recent disclosures that at least 858 individuals were improperly granted citizenship by the Department of Homeland Security undermines the confidence Americans have in our country’s ability to keep us safe. These serious shortcomings must be addressed. Not all who wish to enter this country are violent criminals or terrorists, but it is well known our borders are not secure. We must be realistic about the fact there are individuals who will prey on and take advantage of this weakness.

Our proposal streamlines security programs and improves the way information about potential threats is shared. It takes steps to prevent domestic recruitment and radicalization and ensures there are plans in place to both respond to and recover from terrorist attacks. Additionally, law enforcement and first responders must have the tools and resources they need to respond to threats and attacks, and this plan includes proposals to provide those necessary resources. Still, Islamic terrorism isn’t just a threat to the United States; it’s a threat to the world, which is why we can’t fight this battle alone.

That’s why the Better Way plan includes measures to hold our allies accountable. We need buy-in from all peaceful nations to eliminate this threat and keep terrorists from bringing the battle to our shores. I strongly believe President Obama’s passive approach to foreign policy and his lack of strategy to defeat ISIS is partially why this and other terrorist organizations continue to have the ability to recruit and train new fighters. ISIS is not the “JV team” as President Obama has called them, and we need an aggressive plan to defeat this enemy in their stronghold. We also need our foreign allies to join us in winning the war of ideas. This war isn’t just a physical one; it’s a war we must fight from a physical and ideological perspective if we expect to win.

America is still the greatest country in the world, but there’s no question we’ve lost power on the world stage. Many of our allies question our leadership, and our enemies question our strength. This is a direct result of the Obama administration’s failure to keep their word and stand toe-to-toe with aggressors like Russia and Iran. In fact, just this week, the House is voting on a series of bills to bring transparency to our dealings with Iran by demanding a report on the finances of Iranian leaders and stopping future ransom payments by acknowledging the administration violated longstanding U.S. policy when they paid ransom in exchange for the release of Americans being held in Iran.

For almost eight years, the Obama presidency has led our country in the wrong direction, especially when it comes to national security. There is a better way, and you can read the full Better Way plan to make our nation strong and secure at better.gop.

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Skyrocketing Premiums Further Proof Affordable Care Act is Unaffordable

Phil Roe

by Rep. Phil Roe - Last week, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance approved double-digit premium increases for Tennesseans who purchase their insurance through the exchanges created by Obamacare. These premium increases ranged from 44 percent to 62 percent, and Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak told The Tennessean these premium increases were necessary, in part, because the exchange market in Tennessee is “very near collapsing.”

While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must still approve these specific rates, hefty increases are all but guaranteed. The numbers don’t lie: Obamacare is an abysmal failure and Tennesseans are suffering because of the president’s flawed health care law.

Unfortunately, skyrocketing premiums are one of the many predictions I made about the president’s health care law when it was passed. Ironically, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made health care even less affordable, leaving people across the country with higher insurance bills and fewer choices. According to Charles Gaba’s estimate, up to 2.1 million people will be forced to change their insurance provider because of insurers pulling out of the state exchanges. In Tennessee, 57 of the 95 counties in our state will have only one insurer offering policies in the individual market. How can you shop for a plan that works for you and your family when you have only one choice of insurer?

In Tennessee, Blue Cross Blue Shield - which provides coverage to roughly 83 percent of Tennesseans in the individual market – requested an increase of more than 36 percent on average in 2016. This year’s rate increase request was 62 percent on average. Cigna originally requested a 23 percent average increase for this year, but revised their request to 46 percent. Humana also raised their average increase request from 29 to more than 44 percent while UnitedHealthcare has dropped out of the exchange altogether. This is extremely concerning.

Some have said Tennessee’s troubles are because the state refused to expand Medicaid, but we’ve seen firsthand what can happen when you drop millions of patients into Medicaid. TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, is one of the oldest Medicaid managed care programs in the country. TennCare insures more than one million Tennesseans. As you may know, over 20 years ago, Tennessee dramatically expanded enrollment in TennCare, and it nearly crippled our state budget. Nearly 300,000 people had to be cut from the program ten years ago to keep it financially viable. Now, TennCare is one of the most restrictive health care plans in the United States. It limits what doctors patients can see, what medications they can be prescribed and what brands they can purchase.

Dropping more patients into a failing system is not health care reform, and I wholeheartedly believe the only way to truly reform health care in this country is to get rid of Obamacare and start over. This is why I wrote the American Health Care Reform Act, the Republican Study Committee’s endorsed conservative alternative to Obamacare. My bill has no mandates, no tax increases and will truly make health care affordable for all Americans. But that’s not the only plan Republicans have put forth to repeal and replace the ACA.

My Republican colleagues and I, particularly my fellow physicians in Congress, knew there were problems with the American health care system before Obamacare. House Republicans have introduced more than 400 individual bills to improve health care, including more than one comprehensive health care plan that would repeal and replace the president’s health care law. In fact - earlier this year as part of House Republicans’ ongoing effort to present bold solutions for some of the most pressing issues our country is facing to the American people – the Health Care Task Force rolled out a better way to reform health care. This plan has at least 48 ideas for comprehensive health care reform and repeals more than $1 trillion in tax increases that were included in the ACA. You can read that plan at better.gop.

Two things are clear: Obamacare continues to crumble and Republicans have real, substantive proposals that will work for patients. There is a better way. We must repeal and replace the president’s health care law, and what happened last week in Tennessee is further proof.

Phil Roe represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is physician and co-chair of the House GOP Doctors Caucus and a member of the Health Caucus. Prior to serving in Congress, he served as the Mayor of Johnson City, Tennessee.

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Keeping Americans Safe at Home and Abroad

by Phil Roe U. S. Representative, 1st District of Tenneseee - Early last Sunday morning, 49 innocent

Phil Roe

people were robbed of their lives when a gunman entered a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman, who I will not name, allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS during and prior to this horrific act. An attack on one American is an attack on all Americans - no matter their political party affiliation, religion, socio-economic status or sexual orientation – and I continue to keep the victims and their families, first responders, law enforcement and the entire city of Orlando in my thoughts and prayers.

I am sickened and heartbroken that, once again, we have experienced a cowardly act of terror in our homeland, and I believe we must unite to defeat this evil While the facts surrounding this senseless attack are still being discovered and investigated, I want you to know that fighting terrorism at home and abroad will always be a priority for me as long as I serve in Congress.

 Just last week, the House Republicans’ Task Force on National Security released our proposal for keeping Americans safe and eliminating the threat of terrorism. Our plan includes keeping terrorists out of America with strengthened intelligence and immigration laws, taking the fight to our enemies abroad, and winning the war of ideas against this hateful ideology. I believe the American people, particularly in light of a tragedy like this, need a plan we can rally around. And – while I believe this proposal is a better way to secure our homeland – I’m glad our work to protect the homeland has already begun. In the House of Representatives, we’ve passed several bipartisan bills to provide tools and resources specifically for counterterrorism and intelligence efforts, and that work will continue. Make no mistake, we are at war, but Americans will prevail. We will stand together, and we will fight the ideology that thinks it is okay to slaughter innocent people for no reason.

Two important bills passed by the House to address radicalization in America are H.R. 4820, the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act, and H.R. 4407, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act. Both of these bills would help fight against the radicalization and recruitment of terrorists in America. Additionally, the House passed H.R. 4401, the Amplifying Local Efforts to Root Out Terror (ALERT) Act. The ALERT Act allows for better coordination across the federal, state, and local levels to stop radicalization and terrorist recruitment in the U.S. We’ve also passed bills to close security gaps that allow foreign fighters to travel throughout the world. H.R. 4402, the Foreign Fighter Review Act, requires a full and comprehensive review of Americans who have become foreign fighters in hopes of identifying domestic security gaps. Further, H.R. 4314, the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act, equips U.S. allies and high-risk countries with counterterrorism tools to stop terrorist travel while allowing the administration to suspend foreign aid to countries who do not close security gaps.

These are just a few of the steps the House has taken to protect Americans at home and abroad. You can find a complete list of counterterrorism bills passed by the House here. I hope to continue to have open, honest conversations with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle about ways we can keep Americans safe. I agree with House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul’s remarks this week: to defeat this enemy we must define them. The enemy is radical Islamic terrorism, and we have to work together to discredit and defeat this ideology of hate. This is a war of ideas – a war America will win – but we need buy-in from all Americans who value peace and freedom, no matter their political party affiliation, religion, socio-economic status or sexual orientation. We’re all in this together, and together we will stand.

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