House Speaker Paul Ryan had a hopeful tone when speaking Monday about achieving policy goals under the next administration. The congressman, who represents Wisconsin’s 1st District, has no shortage of high-priority initiatives he plans to pursue in the next congressional session.
"We have a full plate of issues revolving around economic growth, national security and replacing Obamacare with something much better," he said.
In an interview with WPR’s Central Time, Ryan emphasized plans for healthcare reform, particularly replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. He said there would be a transition period in place so people have the opportunity to leave their current healthcare and change to whatever system that would replace Obamacare.
"So that we can actually get people more choices, lower prices, so that everyone can get comprehensive, quality healthcare regardless of whether you have a pre-existing condition or not," he said.
Additionally, Ryan is calling for changes to laws that govern veteran's facilities, like the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where Ryan said employees need to be held accountable for problems.
"What's so frustrating about this is Tomah has been under such a microscope and yet they still had these terrible problems," Ryan said. "We see persistent management problems here."
Last week, Tomah officials revealed almost 600 veterans at the facility may be at risk for HIV and Hepatitis after a dentist failed to follow infection control procedures.
Ryan said President-elect Donald Trump's administration is looking for a new VA secretary that will, "clean out" the organization. Ryan is also looking to change laws to make it easier to discipline and fire VA workers.
Simultaneously, Ryan said growing the economy is a top priority, noting that he believes current tax codes have stifled business and job growth.
"(In) America, we tax our businesses at much, much higher tax rates than any of our foreign competitors are taxing their businesses," he said. "And as a result, we’re losing American jobs, we’re losing American corporate headquarters, (and) we’re losing economic growth."
As Trump – who touted his own business expertise and how it would spur economic and job growth on the campaign trail – prepares to take office, his business background has also created some weariness about potential conflicts of interest.
Ryan said he is confident Trump would take necessary steps to distance himself from his business enterprises.
"We have an incoming president who is an extremely successful business man, that’s kind of new for us. Typically we elect a senator or a governor or someone like that," Ryan said. "I have every bit of confidence that he’s going to properly divest himself and remove himself from his business affairs as he enters the oval office, and transfer his businesses onto I assume his children, or whatever he’s going to do."
Editor's Note: WPR's Laurel White contributed to this report.
