I was elected by Utahns to take the “get it done” attitude we have in Utah and apply it to representing them in Washington. My approach as a public servant is to reach across the aisle, listen and then forge consensus that moves the country forward.
As a member of Congress, I work closely with many elected officials in Utah who hold different views on the politics in Washington. I’ve learned from my time in public service that you don’t have to agree on every issue in order to come together, find common ground and move forward with solutions on priorities like modernizing infrastructure, improving air quality and supporting Utah businesses as they expand and hire. Utah employers and employees, including many in Draper, Sandy and Lehi, will benefit from the bipartisan agreement we reached with the president to pass the U.S. Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. More than 120,000 Utah jobs are supported by trade with those two countries, including some at Merit Medical, an innovative health care company with a facility in South Jordan.
Rising health care costs, particularly for prescription drugs, are another urgent matter where Republicans, Democrats and the president must work together on a solution. Some progress has already occurred, with the passage of an important measure I supported last year to get more generic drugs — which are often less expensive — to patients. I also voted for bills put forward by Democrats and Republicans in the House which would further lower drug costs. But we have more to do, including finding solutions to so-called “surprise medical billing” where patients are blindsided by huge health care charges that they thought were covered by their insurance.
Utah is one of the country’s fastest-growing states and that presents a challenge for staying ahead of that growth, such as paying for and building modern and safe infrastructure, including airports, roads and bridges and mass transit. Infrastructure bills, which invest in our economy and support well-paying jobs, have long had backing from Republicans, Democrats and the president. Another advantage for Utah is that more transportation choices, such as trains, light rail and electric buses, will help improve air quality by offering alternatives to driving. I have already taken a bipartisan step — with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and others — to put forward a solution for strengthening vital national trust funds, such as the highway trust fund, and restoring fiscal responsibility to Washington.
This year, I will be listening to the president’s speech in the company of members of the Problem-Solvers Caucus. Members of this group of 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats will be seated in the House chamber, not divided — literally — by the aisle separating other Democrats and Republicans. The relationships I have built with colleagues from both parties have already helped bridge the divide in Congress and move important measures forward, such as funding research to better understand how to prevent suicide and save lives.
I was elected not to support one party’s agenda, but to put people over party and do what’s right for Utah. President Trump has an opportunity, in his State of the Union address, to set a productive and positive tone and to highlight where we find agreement, not discord. I’ll be listening for those opportunities that can bring our country together and help restore the public’s trust in the institutions that are the foundation of the world’s greatest democracy and most enduring land of opportunity.
U.S. Rep Ben McAdams represents Utah’s 4th Congressional District.