Amodei: Failure to address immigration, healthcare is Congress’ fault

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., said Monday the two biggest national issues right now are immigration and healthcare and he blames both parties for failing to address them.

“I guess the frustration is you continue to deliver political answers that don’t solve the problem,” he told a morning meeting of the Carson chamber. “We made the mistake when we had the majority of the House, not dealing with some of those issues head-on. There was a lot of showboating.”

He said immigration reform hasn’t been dealt with since the Reagan administration.

“We continue to go to our political corners so nothing gets done,” he said.

He said immigration reform shouldn’t be a hard thing to do: “The pieces are on the table.”

He added that it isn’t a Mexican issue, “While everybody was screaming up here, Mexico has built a middle class economy,” he said.

The problem immigrants are coming from Central America trying to come to the U.S. for economic opportunity.

“When the Congress does nothing, then you are inviting executive action to try fill that void,” Amodei said. “The previous administration did that and the present administration is doing that.”

He said the same gridlock has prevented any action to improve healthcare.

“A lot of people are great on the talking points but not great on the solutions,” he said.

Amodei said he wants the Justice Department to fight to overturn district court rulings blocking expansion of Association Health Plans that would allow groups of small businesses to band together for group insurance plans. Those challenges were filed after Trump expanded the definition of Association Health Plans in an executive order.

Amodei said big employers provide health plans for their workers as do local governments and the federal government. He said Association plans are a way for small businesses to provide health insurance coverage.

Despite the criticism of President Trump’s tactics, Amodei said at least Trump is trying to get something done on those issues.

“Who do I blame? I blame Congress. The only thing the issue is missing is leadership,” he said.

Amodei is scheduled to speak Tuesday as well. He will address a joint session of the Nevada Legislature at 5 p.m. in the Assembly chambers.