Congressman Brady Speaks

 
Congressman Brady joined us and shared a legislative update straight from Washington D.C. 
 
Fellow Rotarian and Congressman Kevin Brady, representing the 8th district of Texas, spoke last week and shared a legislative update. A champion of small business and free enterprise he is an anomaly in Washington, choosing to travel weekly to his home in The Woodlands to stay in touch with his constituency and spend time with his wife and two young boys. 
 
In his position, he sees our economy in a troubled state. 
  • Families are short $1,200 a month in earnings over where they should be at this stage of a recovery.  He hopes that by making basic changes to the way things operate that government can help ease these strains, but realizes that there is too much infighting in the Republican Party to believe that will happen soon. 
  • Many college grads cant find jobs and are saddled with large debts.
  • We have too many regulations.
  • The business tax rate is too high. the highest of industrialized nations. 
 
With regards to the Presidential candidates, Congressman Brady believes that we need a big picture candidate at this time who can get us back on the right track. He sees the current front-runners as a clear sign that voters are fed up Washington and the status quo.  At the same time, he applies two other filters on most of the candidates - would he trust them with their finger on the button or with his kids. 
 
In the near term the House is looking at a Infrastructure Funding Bill as the current Highway Trust Fund is broken. Current funding commitments are only funding projects for a year and states are unwilling to take on the risk if funding is to dry up.  A longer term plan with longer term commitments is needed to allow states to make the progress they need to fix the problems that are piling up.