Rep Reichert: Affordable Care Act Repeal And Replace 'Going To Happen'

ISSAQUAH, WA - U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Issaquah, held a town hall meeting Thursday on Facebook and addressed a number of topics ranging from Planned Parenthood funding to Steve Bannon. Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside of his Issaquah office, upset that Reichert would not hold an in-person town hall meeting.

The format of the event allowed Reichert to sidestep some questions, but on the topic of Affordable Care Act (ACA) - also called Obamacre - he was direct. Reichert vowed that the law would be repealed and replaced, and that the process would begin next week.

"When we talk about healthcare in our office, we're talking about repeal and replace," he told KCTS 9 host Enrique Cerna, who hosted the event. "It's going to happen."

Reichert said that the thrust of the repeal would come during budget reconciliation, which will occur over the first two weeks in March. During that process, Congress can repeal parts of Obamacare dealing with taxes and government spending, but it would not be able to remove more popular parts - like provisions allowing people with preexisting conditions to get health care.

Reichert also talked about moving certain people off Medicaid coverage, specifically "single able-bodied" people. He said a replacement would "off-ramp" those people from Medicaid within two to five years and provide them with tax subsidies to afford their own healthcare.

The town hall covered a number of other topics. Here are some of Reichert's responses to questions from constituents and Cerna.

On why he's not holding in-person town hall meetings

"My view of town halls today, it's degenerated into a shouting, yelling, screaming match," he said. "If you look at the town halls that have been attempted across the country, all of them, at least the ones I've seen, the members of Congress will immediately be shouted down."

Reichert went on to say that he's afraid for the safety of his staff, and said that calls to his office have recently become nasty and even violent. He agreed when Cerna asked if he thinks Trump has emboldened people to be nasty toward politicians.

"I'll meet with anyone, but we're going to do it in small groups so we can have a civil discussion or discourse," he said.

Does he agree with Trump's saying that the media is the enemy of the people?

"I strongly disagree with the president in this regard," Reichert said. "He might be unhappy about some of the news reports on his comments and executive orders and directives ... one of the things that makes this country free is freedom of speech."

Why he voted to inhibit the Office of Congressional Ethics

"My reason for voting yes - this agency has no oversight whatsoever," he said. "Every citizen has the right to due process, whether you're a member of Congress or not. All I did was vote for additional oversight and protect due process for members of Congress."

Reichert said that some members of Congress have spent "tens of thousands" to defend ethics probes.

His position on Trump using local police to help find undocumented immigrants

Reichert said the immigration system needs to be reformed with legislation. He said that when he was in law enforcement - Reichert was King Count Sheriff between 1997 and 2004 - undocumented immigrants who were arrested were usually interviewed by immigration officials. He said he agreed with that process. But he also believes using police in this way can damage relationships in the community.

"The immigration system - it's broken," he said.

Does he agree with Trump's travel ban?

"I would be very inconsistent if I didn't say to President Trump, 'Executive orders are not the way to get immigration reform,'" Reichert said. "I think it was rolled out in a very destructive way. It wrapped up innocent people who were up in the air and who had the legal right to be here."

Why isn't Reichert pursuing Trump's tax returns?

Reichert said that the House Ways and Means Committee, which he is a member of, could ask for Trump's tax returns, but he doesn't feel it's an appropriate use of the committee's power.

"This, again, boils down to me to a constitutional issue and the law," he said. "[The pursuit of Trump's tax returns] was politically motivated, by the way.

"To me it would be like, 'I think Enrique [Cerna] may not be paying his taxes, the Ways and Means Committee needs to ask for tax records'" he said, referring to the KCTS 9 host seated across from him. "We can't do that."

Does he approve of Steve Bannon's elevation to the National Security Council?

"I've never met Steve Bannon, and I never heard of him before he was appointed. Because I'm involved with doing the work of a Congressman, I have the duty to make sure the president and who he appoints is doing their job."

"I don't think you can ignore [Bannon's ties to the alt-right]. I'm aware of that past history, but you know, people change. I don't know Mr. Bannon, I don't know what he's like today. We need to see whether or not he's going to perform in a way that's fair to the American people," he said.

What will he do about Republican plans to de-fund Planned Parenthood?

Reichert said that any efforts would not affect Washington state because the state can still decide what to do with federal Title X funds.

Where does he stand on Trump rescinding federal guidance on transgender students?

"The thing this really does is it gives power back to states, just like the Planned Parenthood decision," he said. "I believe every citizen in this country should be treated equally."

In a divided political climate, how are you going to bring us together?

"I think what we see on the street is sad," Reichert said. "I'm saddened by it. I wish I had the answer. I think really the bottom line is for people to take a deep breath; let's all calm down, let's have a conversation, let's find a way forward - let's find a solution.

"I just want to make America better."

Image via KCTS 9