Take 2 Podcast: Utah Congressman Blake Moore on abortion, borders, inflation

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Host: Heidi Hatch
Guest: Utah Congressman Blake Moore

Congressman Blake Moore is in his first term representing Utah’s 1st District. In his win column, the MAPLand Act signed a week ago by President Joe Biden.

“The MAPLand Act will direct federal land management agencies to digitize and standardize mapping records. This will allow hunters, hikers, bikers, anglers, and millions of other federal land users to access essential information about public lands as well as help federal land management agencies identify public lands with limited or nonexistent public access points and take proactive steps to open them to the public.”

The biggest item on his “to do list?” The burgeoning Federal budget and the inflation Utah families are learning to live with.

Blake recognizes spending has been out of control for the past 20 years until the leadership of both Democrats and Republicans. He blames President Biden for the current state of inflation.

“The reason we have inflation, the reason we have high gas prices is because of President Biden's policies and they've been, have been atrocious and they didn't need to be that way. These are self-inflicted wounds.”

The American Rescue Plan, the straw that broke the camel’s back. “We shouldn't be in a situation where we're raising interest rates just to slow the economy down when this economy would've bounced back on its own without any extra help.”

Two weeks ago, Blakes office released the findings of a task force created with Utah Business leaders.

The “Debt and Deficit Task Force’s 2022 Recommendations” include ways to grow the economy, strengthen healthcare and social security programs, focus spending and fix the federal budget process.

“Rather than creating an arbitrary deficit ceiling, we should tie our ability to spend to our nation’s economic health. This would incentivize us to prioritize our economic health as we develop budgets and help curb our spending addiction.”

Moore recently visited the US/Mexico border in Texas where he saw a need for change.

That change he says can’t happen until there is a shift in Congress. He believes movement on DACA and protecting the border will take a shift in power in Congress where there is balance between Republicans and Democrats willing to hash out the issue together.

“If we were to win back, the majority Republicans were to win back the majority. I think there's, there's clear opportunity to be able to put forward real legislation that would be more comprehensive.”

On the issue of the SCOTUS leak: “Let me not mince words here. I am. I am very supportive of chief justice, justice Roberts in his strong statement that they, he will investigate this. We cannot have these types of shenanigans being played out in our Supreme court.”

Moore supports an overturning of Roe that would allow states to decide abortion law.

“I think that's a great use of federalism in this case.”

Moore supports a bill in Congress “Care For Her ACT” that would provide support for women who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant.

The bill allows an eligible taxpayer to claim the Child Tax Credit for the tax year preceding the year the child is born. It also sets out other activities to support parents and pregnant women.

Moore faces a primary election in June.

Andrew Badger and Tina Cannon are running in the Republican Primary for US House District 1.

Ballots arrive in local mailboxes June 7th.