Looking forward, rolling back
Story by Connor Jaschen, Editor-in-Chief
President Donald Trump addressed Congress Tuesday night in a speech about unity and the Trump Administration’s progress thus far.
Trump stayed true to form on many issues, including immigration and military spending, though reached across the aisle, urging Democrats and Republicans to unite for the common good.
“Solving these, and so many other pressing problems, will require us to work past the differences of party,” Trump said. “It will require us to tap into the American spirit that has overcome every challenge throughout our long and storied history.”
During the speech, Trump introduced four guests, each of whom had family members killed by illegal immigrant felons. This prompted the roll out of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) program, under the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE will publish weekly listings of crimes committed by immigrants – though the distinction between immigrants and illegal immigrants was not made clear.
Trump closed his speech by encouraging Congress to look towards the future.
“Hopefully, the 250th year for America will see a world that is more peaceful, more just and more free,” Trump said.
Trump referenced Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s remarks on Kentucky’s Affordable Care Act program, saying the program was unsustainable and collapsing, a sharp contrast to former Gov. Steve Beshear’s comments made during his rebuttal speech in a Lexington restaurant.
Since Trump’s speech, the Dow Jones industrial average has shot up at least 300 points. Closing above 21,000 for the first time ever, stocks rode off Trump’s promises to cut corporate taxes and re-pledging his policy to roll back two old regulations for every one new regulation.
Trump released his budget plan earlier this week, which would increase military spending by more than $54 billion. These increases would help be alleviated by a 37 percent cut to the Department of State, which is responsible for the negotiation of treaties and representation in the United Nations.
BBC reported Tuesday Republican leaders, including Sen. Lindsey Graham are beginning to stand up against this proposal, going as far as calling the budget “dead on arrival.”
Last week, Politico obtained the draft of a Republican-sponsored House bill to replace the Affordable Care Act. According to Politico, the bill relies on tax credits based on age to replace “Obamacare” subsidies and would roll back Medicaid expansion, leaving expansion and funding to the individual states. Much of the bill would go into effect in 2020.
The bill would eliminate funding to Planned Parenthood, a stipulation that may cause considerable bipartisan roadblocks if the legislation ever hits the Senate floor.
Trump signed another executive order Tuesday to begin limiting jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps. Of Engineers surrounding the Clean Water rule. The rule designates small bodies of water as under the control of these governmental organizations.
According to an article by The Hill, Trump plans to sign an executive order to end the Obama-era hold on new coal mining projects on federal land and rolling back the Clean Power Plan, which provided limits for power plant emission levels.