Walden talks veterans health care, Trump victory in Bend

The country is adjusting to the pending major change in leadership, but in Oregon, there is some consistency. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., has just won another term in office and, having endorsed Donald Trump earlier this year, will be working with the new administration on a host of issues.

The congressman, in Bend to speak to the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, made a stop at NewsChannel 21 on Friday, having also taken part in Veterans Day activities in the sprawling Second District.

Walden has been very vocal in his support of both active-duty military and veterans. He said progress has been made, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

“We have a lot of reform to do, so that veterans can maybe schedule medical appointments at a time that actually works for them,” he said. “I met with veteran students in Klamath Falls who say, ‘We don’t even use VA benefits we have for medical because we can’t schedule the times for our appointments.'”

Walden said students told him the system the VA uses to make appointments is very difficult, and sometimes they have to make them months in advance.

He said he shared his concerns with now-President-elect Donald Trump in May, and that Trump was receptive to his ideas for reform.

During a live interview with Lee Anderson, Walden explained why he believes Trump pulled off his victory that surprised many.

“People who felt they hadn’t had a voice and were tired of the way Washington was working or not working for them rose up and voted, in unprecedented numbers, I think we will see,” he said, including toss-up states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida.

“Clearly, Americans said, ‘I’ve had enough of the way things have been going,” not feeling secure, with health insurance costs rising, among other things, Walden said.

Their message, he said: “I want real change. I’m tired of the old answers.”

With Republicans also retaining control of the House and Senate, Walden said, “Now we have to govern,” and make progress on some “really important issues.”

Asked about the Portland protests that turned into violent riots, Walden said, “That’s really disturbing.” He called it “kind of ironic,” when there was concern over what Trump and his supporters might do if he lost. Instead, he said, “the shoe’s on the other foot.”

“I understand some people are shocked and really upset” by the election’s outcome, he said, but added, “This is not how you protest the peaceful transfer of power.” And he said “you didn’t see this” type of destruction of property or angry protests when Barack Obama, George W. Bush or Bill Clinton won election.

“The violence isn’t something we should tolerate, from either side,” Walden said.

Asked about the future of Obamacare, which Trump vowed to repeal (but now is quoted as being open to compromise), Walden said. “I think regardless of the outcome of the election, you would have seen see major changes,” in the Affordable Care Act, which he said has turned out to be “not that affordable,” with fewer plans and higher premiums and deductibles.

“I think you’ll see a very thoughtful approach to getting back to a patient-centered health care delivery system, not where the bureaucracy determines everything,” Walden said, moving to more “competition in the marketplace, where they are competing for your business, not the other way around.”

He said Trump has supported many of the elements Republicans laid out online at http://www.better.gop.

“We realize we have to have a transition phase,” he said, also vowing that some elements of the ACA will remain: “We will continue to cover pre-existing conditions. The, caps aren’t coming off.”

“I think people will be pleasantly surprised where we go,” Walden said.