U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, reported on Congress’ ongoing efforts to the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County this week, highlighting several pieces of legislation and conversations he’s had with the White House since President Donald Trump took office.
Thompson said Congress would soon be tackling tax reform, and described the current system as “archaic, large and cumbersome.” He also said uncertainty was preventing manufacturers and stakeholders from competing in the global economy.
“I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the new administration to modernize the tax code in way that encourages success instead of penalizes it,” he said in remarks to CBICC on Sept. 19.
Thompson said a new tax code could lower rates for both businesses and families and stimulate GDP growth another percent.
On infrastructure, Thompson said it wasn’t only roads and bridges that required funding and projects, but broadband Internet, utilities, aviation and rail.
He stressed that digital pipelines were essential. According to Thompson, at one time people built their towns on rivers and, later, businesses along highways, and now businesses will be building digital highways. He said this focus on technological infrastructure was essential for developing businesses and innovation.
“If an industry does not innovate, it gets exported,” he said.
Thompson also stressed the need for federal investment in domestic pipelines, so those in gas country could benefit from the natural resource, as well as exporting it to other parts of the U.S.
“The reason we don’t have natural gas today is because we have so few homes in a rural area,” he said. “Well, if that was the rule and stayed true, we would all still be in the dark in the Nittany Lion Inn today because the commercial electrical companies did not electrify rural America first. They went to the big cities where they had sheer numbers of homes to be able to electrify. It took an act of Congress, the Rural Electric Pact, to order to electrify all of rural America.”
Related to large-scale projects, Thompson said streamlining the federal permitting process was essential. He said projects can take as long as 10 years to clear the federal permitting process and it is hindering development. He said Trump wishes for a two-year process, which would stimulate the economy and get much-needed projects underway.
Early deliberations are starting on the Farm Bill, Thompson reported. The current one expires in 2018.
As vice chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Thompson said they want to aid farmers, whose income is currently off by 50 percent.
“Rural America is truly struggling,” he said.
Thompson said his philosophy in relation to his position on the committee is that “if we’re effective at doing our job, the rural economy of this nation is robust.”
Thompson has been giving his support to the RECLAIM Act, which would provide funding to revitalize the state’s 190,000 impacted acres and 5,500 mine drains, which can be harmful to the environment.
“We have more abandoned mine sites in the Pennsylvania 5th District than any Congressional district in the country,” Thompson said.
He said Pennsylvanians should be proud of their heritage in helping to fuel the Industrial Revolution, but ‘we have some scars we need to clean up.’
The act has passed out of the Natural Resources Committee and calls for $1 billion of funds to be released, with $300 million marked for Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvania is a big winner with this. It’s a billion dollars above and beyond what we do every day to reclaim lands and reclaim waters here in Pennsylvania.”
