Former Arizona congressman says DC should work on health care, taxes

PHOENIX — Former U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon said Congress should focus on tackling to issues when the August recess ends next month: health care and tax reform.

“Everybody understands that our health care situation in the United States is not in good shape right now,” he said.

Salmon said Americans are paying higher premiums, deductibles and co-pays and it was up to Congress to do something about it.

“It’s become a nightmare for most American families,” he said. “I think fixing the health care system has to be still a top agenda for Washington.”

Salmon said the tax code, created years ago, has become outdated and far too complex for the average person.

“Most Americans now have to hire a tax expert to do their filings, is that really the way it should be? Shouldn’t it be a lot more simple? I think so, and I think most Americans do [too],” he said.

Salmon said he believed Congress needed to work together and produce quality legislation that can actually pass.

By tackling those issues, Congress may be able to up its approval rating. A poll released Thursday showed 68 percent of Americans regard the legislative body as a failure.

Salmon said Arizona Sen. John McCain said it best during his recent health care speech from the senate floor.

“Americans expect us as Americans, not politicians, but as American leaders … to lead and to work together for the good of America,” he said.

Salmon said politicians need to stop bickering and get back to making things work.

“It’s how the system was designed to work,” he said. “Getting back to regular order means that you go through the committee process, out in public and very transparent.”

That process will foster an opportunity for dialogue and debate, he said.

“When you bypass that and you try to cook things up with just a couple of people in some closed room, it’s going to be a recipe for disaster,” he said.

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