U.S. Representative elect Andy Biggs

Dec. 12, 2016

Transcript:

TED SIMONS: WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON," I'M TED SIMON. STATE SENATE PRESIDENT ANDY BIGGS GOT A PROMOTION LAST MONTH. HE WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT ARIZONA'S FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, VACATED BY MATT SALMON. JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT HIS NEW JOB: CONGRESSMAN-ELECT ANDY BIGGS. WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WIN.

ANDY BIGGS: THANKS, TED.

TED SIMONS: HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN BACK SINCE ELECTED?

ANDY BIGGS: FOUR TIMES.

TED SIMONS: FROM WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN, THE DIFFERENCE, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENCES, BUT THE CLEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONGRESS AND STATE LEGISLATURE?

ANDY BIGGS: IT'S BIGGER. THEY HAVE COMMITTEES WITH MORE MEMBERS THAN THE ENTIRE STATE SENATE. BIGGER ISSUES IN SOME RESPECTS, NOT MORE IMPORTANT, BUT BIGGER. I THINK IT'S EASY TO SEE HOW SOME OF THOSE FOLKS GET CAUGHT UP IN THE BUBBLE OF WASHINGTON D.C.

TED SIMONS: WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST WHEN YOU WENT BACK THERE? WHAT DID YOU SEE AND HEAR THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE AND HEAR?

ANDY BIGGS: THERE ARE TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYWHERE WE WENT THERE WAS MEDIA WATCHING, WHICH IS UNUSUAL. WE DO A LOT OF WORK IN ANONYMITY HERE. THERE'S MORE MEDIA. THE SECOND THING, YOU GET A DIFFERENT VIBE. THE VIBE BEFORE THE ELECTION AMONGST REPUBLICANS, NOT REMORSE, BUT THERE WAS NOT THIS ENTHUSIASM OR EXUBERANCE. BUT SINCE NOVEMBER 8TH, THERE IS A SENSE OF EXCITEMENT ON THE PART OF REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE, AND IN THE SENATE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO.

TED SIMONS: AS FAR AS WORKING WITH A PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

ANDY BIGGS: WELL, IT'S BETTER THAN WORKING WITH A PRESIDENT ELECT CLINTON IN MY MIND. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET SOME OF THE POLICIES DONE THAT I RAN ON AND THAT I THINK COINCIDE WITH WHAT HE SAID HE WANTS TO DO.

TED SIMONS: I WANT TO GET TO THOSE POLICIES IN A SECOND. TRUMP IS ALWAYS THE 900-POUND GORILLA IN EVERY ROOM. THERE IS TALK OF CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS, POSSIBLE RUSSIAN CYBER ATTACKS INTO THE ELECTION. WOULD YOU SUPPORT SUCH AN INVESTIGATION?

TED SIMONS: RIGHT NOW, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY EVIDENCE. THERE IS GREAT RUMOR BUT NO EVIDENCE. I WOULD WANT TO SEE SOMETHING SOLID BEFORE I WOULD SAY LET'S JUMP INTO THIS.

TED SIMONS: CIA SAYING RUSSIA WAS INVOLVED. IS THAT ENOUGH EVIDENCE?

ANDY BIGGS: MAYBE NOT.

TED SIMONS: HOW COME?

ANDY BIGGS: THEY DON'T WANT TO DISCLOSE WHAT EVIDENCE THERE IS. THEY JUST WANT TO SAY, HERE IT IS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT'S DRIVING IT.

TED SIMONS: IF YOU HAVE REPUBLICAN LEADERS SAY THEY WANT TO LOOK INTO THIS, SEE IT BI-PARTISAN, WOULD YOU GO ALONG WITH THE LEADERSHIP IDEAS OR DO YOU NEED TO SEE MORE FOR YOURSELF.

ANDY BIGGS: I WANT TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT IF WE OPEN THIS UP, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE. I THINK PART OF THE THING THAT BOTHERS AMERICANS, AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT WHEN I WAS TALKING, SOMETIMES WASHINGTON DOES THINGS REGARDLESS OF COST, REGARDLESS OF THOUGHTFUL LOOK AT THINGS. SOMETIMES THERE IS KNEE JERK REACTION. I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ON TOP OF THIS THING BY SEEING EVIDENCE. IF THERE IS EVIDENCE, MAYBE WE NEED TO DO THAT.

TED SIMONS: I WANT TO BE CLEAR, YOU WOULD BE CONCERNED IF THERE WAS EVIDENCE FOR RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE ELECTION, WHETHER IT'S FOR OR AGAINST EITHER CANDIDATE?

ANDY BIGGS: I WOULD BE CONCERNED IF ANYONE WAS INTERFERING WITH THE ELECTIONS, WHETHER IT BE A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OR HACKER IN HIS HOUSE. YES, I WOULD BE CONCERNED.

TED SIMONS: FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR YOU BACK IN WASHINGTON?

ANDY BIGGS: I PROMISED SIX BILLS. WE ARE WORKING ON THE OUTLINES OF THE SIX BILLS. I THINK WE'LL BE REVVED UP TO DROP THE BILLS WITHIN TWO OR THREE WEEKS OF BEING ELECTED.

TED SIMONS: ANY IDEA TO TELL US WHAT THEY ARE?

ANDY BIGGS: I TOLD THE PUBLIC. I'LL TELL YOU, TED. THE FIRST ONE IS, CONGRESS HASN'T PRODUCED A BALANCED BUDGET IN THE DECADES. CONGRESS SHOULDN'T GET PAID, SHOULDN'T GET THEIR RECESS UNTIL THEY DO THEIR JOB. THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE BILLS. NUMBER TWO, THE REGULATORY BURDEN WE HAVE ON THE COUNTRY COSTS $2.5 TRILLION A YEAR. THE REIN'S ACT. I'LL SUPPORT REINTRODUCTION OF THE REIN'S ACT.

TED SIMONS: STOP RIGHT THERE. AS FAR AS REGULATIONS ARE CONCERNED, WE HEAR A LOT OF REGULATIONS NEED TO BE DECREASED. CAN THEY BE DECREASED TOO MUCH?

ANDY BIGGS: WELL, HERE'S WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT. YOU ARE ASKING ME A SIMPLE QUESTION. YOU WOULD THINK I CAN SAY YES OR NO, BUT IN REALITY, THERE ARE CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS ON WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DO, AND WHAT IT CAN'T DO. THAT'S AN ARTICLE IN SECTION 8 THAT TELLS US WHAT CONGRESS CAN DO. CONGRESS HAS DELEGATED ITS LAW-MAKING AUTHORITY TO AGENCIES THAT GO OUT AND REGULATE. MY POINT WOULD BE THIS, WE NEED TO BRING THAT BACK TO CONGRESS, CONGRESS HAS AN OBLIGATION CONSTITUTIONALLY TO OVERSEE IT. THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO REST THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT ON CONGRESS ITSELF. WE ARE BEHOLDEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECT US NOT LIKE A BUREAUCRACY WHO'S NOT.

TED SIMONS: FOURTH BILL, WE ARE UP TO NUMBER FOUR?

ANDY BIGGS: WE COULD BE THREE OR FOUR. WE'LL WORK ON THAT. COMMON CORE AND FEDERAL EDUCATION MANDATES, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THOSE. NUMBER FOUR, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRANTS LAW IN MARICOPA COUNTY ALONE OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO WE HAVE RELEASED FROM THE FEDS, ALMOST 4,000 VIOLENT CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS RELEASED. THEY SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED INTO OUR CITY STREETS ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY. THAT'S WHAT GRANT'S LAW IS ABOUT, DEALING WITH GRANT RONNEBACK. I THINK YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT CASE. NUMBER FIVE IS CONGRESS EXEMPTED ITSELF FROM THINGS, LIKE OBAMA CARE, WE NEED TO CLOSE THE LOOP-HOLE. AND SIX, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, IS TO CREATE A NEW 12TH DISTRICT COURT. WE NEED TO REMOVE ARIZONA FROM THE NINTH CIRCUIT AND PUT US IN THE 12TH CIRCUIT WITH ARIZONA, IDAHO, NEVADA, MONTANA, UTAH --

TED SIMONS: THE MOUNTAIN STATES.

TED SIMONS: THE MOUNTAIN STATES AND ALASKA, YEAH.

TED SIMONS: YOU MENTIONED THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. WILL YOU VOTE TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT?

ANDY BIGGS: YES, I WILL. THAT'S ONE THING MY VOTERS WANTED. I BELIEVE THAT'S NECESSARY. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS LIKE THE INSIDE OF A BASEBALL FILLED WITH STRINGS AND RUBBER BANDS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED APART. IT CAN BE TRICKY TO PULL THEM APART. I'LL VOTE TO REPEAL IT.

TED SIMONS: IF YOU COULD PULL IT APART WOULD YOU DO IT WITHOUT A REPLACEMENT?

ANDY BIGGS: I DON'T LIKE TO THINK ABOUT REPLACEMENT. I THINK OBAMA CARE WAS SO BAD OF AN IDEA THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO REPLACE IT. I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE MARKET DRIVEN PLAN. EVERYTHING FROM HSA'S AND FSA'S, FLEXIBLE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, TO LOOKING AT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH INSURANCE, COMPANIES DRIVING COST. PORTABILITY OF INSURANCE. THESE ARE THINGS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AS WELL.

TED SIMONS: PREEXISTING CONDITIONS, PROVISIONS THERE?

ANDY BIGGS: THERE NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF A HIGH-RISK POOL. EVERY STATE HAS A HIGH-RISK POOL EVEN IN THEIR OWN MEDICAID SYSTEMS. ARIZONA IS NO EXCEPTION. WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

TED SIMONS: PROVISION FOR FOLKS 26 AND UNDER TO REMAIN ON THEIR PARENT'S PLAN, SHOULD THAT REMAIN?

ANDY BIGGS: AS A GUY WITH KIDS IN THAT BRACKET, I FIND THAT A DUBIOUS NECESSITY.

TED SIMONS: REALLY? EXPLAIN.

ANDY BIGGS: I HAVE -- THEY DON'T -- THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LIVE IN YOUR HOME IF THEY ARE UNDER AGE 26. I HAPPEN TO HAVE A BEVY OF KIDS IN THAT AGE GROUP OR HAVE HAD A BEVY OF KIDS. YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY DON'T NEED TO BE ON MY HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN.

TED SIMONS: WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE ARIZONA HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD HERE IN ARIZONA, 425,000 WOULD LOSE COVERAGE IF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS GOTTEN RID OF WITHOUT A REPLACEMENT OF ANY KIND. HOSPITALS WOULD SUFFER $3 BILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR. SINCE 2010, IT SOUNDS LIKE ARIZONANS, THE UNINSURED DROPPED FROM 17% TO 11%. ALL OF THAT, THEY SAY, IS REASON YOU CAN'T WITH A STROKE OF A PEN OR A YAY VOTE OR NAY VOTE GET RID OF OBAMA CARE WITHOUT AN ALTERNATIVE OR SOMETHING IN PLACE. DO THEY HAVE A POINT?

ANDY BIGGS: I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THEIR NUMBERS AND DATA, BUT I THINK THE POINT IS CLEAR. SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN AS MASSIVE AS OBAMA CARE HAS BEEN -- NEEDS TO GO AWAY. IT'S LOADED WITH PROBLEMS. THE REALITY IS, IF YOU JUST REPEAL IT AND LEAVE THIS BALL BOUNCING SOMEWHERE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO - LET'S JUST FACE IT, THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET THE BLAME. IT WILL BE SHIFTED FROM DEMOCRATS TO REPUBLICANS, SO REPUBLICANS BETTER HAVE IDEAS FOR ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS, WHETHER THEY BE MARKET BASED OR MARKET DRIVEN WHICH IS MY APPROACH OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. THEY NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING, AN ALTERNATIVE.

TED SIMONS: SPEAKER RYAN WAS SAYING HE WANTS THE HOUSE TO EASE UP ON WAGING SYMBOLIC BUT EMPTY FIGHTS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?

ANDY BIGGS: I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG BELIEVER THAT YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. YOU FIGHT THOSE BATTLES, AND SOMETIMES A SYMBOLIC BATTLE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS A MORE SUBSTANTIVE BATTLE. BY AND LARGE, I HAVE TRIED TO BUILD MY IDEA OF POLICY ADVANCEMENT THROUGH THE IDEA THAT YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES AND GO AFTER THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED SOONER, AND YOU FIGHT THEM VIGOROUSLY AND TRY TO WIN THOSE.

TED SIMONS: HAS THE GRAVITY OF THIS POSITION SUNK IN?

ANDY BIGGS: I THINK -- YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEGUN TO SINK IN. I THINK IT WOULD BE NAIVE FOR ME TO SAY, YEAH, I GET IT. YOU BEGIN TO FEEL THE WEIGHT. IT'S PRETTY WEIGHTY.

TED SIMONS: CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON YOUR VICTORY. GOOD LUCK. WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN SOON. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

ANDY BIGGS: THANKS, TED. APPRECIATE IT. HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY.

TED SIMONS: THANKS. YOU TOO.