At a Westerville Area Chamber business luncheon on Thursday, Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson said President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders is “getting out of control,” and that only Congress can do certain things.
Balderson, whose district includes central and southeastern Ohio counties such as Licking, Fairfield, and parts of Delaware County, expressed concern about Trump and billionaire advisor Elon Musk having sole decision-making power.
“Congress has to decide whether or not the Department of Education goes away,” he said. “Not the president. Not Elon Musk. “Congress makes the decision.”
While the Zanesville native respects Trump and the need for executive orders, and believes the executive branch has every right to investigate government agencies such as those dealing with education and Medicaid, “Congress must do their work.”
Electric vehicles aren’t bad, but have their place
Speaking before central Ohio business leaders, the former businessman touched on economic topics like inflation, solar energy and the importance of supporting small businesses.
He focused specifically on tax credits for electric vehicles, speculating that the federal $7,500 tax credit could be reduced. He was careful to clarify that he does not believe electric vehicles are bad, but their impact varies depending on the community, particularly in the rural-urban divide.
“If someone wants to put them in, let them do so in urban areas. But when they put a charging station in Morgan County, Ohio, which does not even have a four-lane road, the constituents I represent are very upset because they do not have water, sewer, broadband, or a single educational system,” Balderson explained. “So what’s going to be impactful for them?”
Getting creative and possible cuts
As more federal agencies face cuts, questions about Social Security, affordable health care, and Medicaid loom large.
When asked about ensuring affordable health care for Ohioans in a system where many struggle to afford care, Balderson cited more “out of the box” solutions that are becoming more widely used, such as mobile health units, federally qualified health centres, and remote care, as ways to increase access, particularly for rural populations.
Balderson, who serves on a congressional health subcommittee, also assured the audience that the elimination of Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid is not on the horizon, but changes to Medicare and Medicaid are possible, and Republicans in Washington have not ruled out cuts.
In Ohio, state representatives are considering a budget amendment that would eliminate Medicaid expansion funding if federal medical assistance falls below 90%. If federal cuts are made, approximately 770,000 Ohioans, including children, may lose coverage.
“I don’t want the whole fear thing to start,” Balderson said. “We need to look at what we can do to ensure that we are providing adequate care. Nobody wants to take an underprivileged child off of health care. Nobody. We want to make sure they stay… but how do they stay while remaining fiscally responsible?”
