Trump unveils sweeping midterm agenda

Washington: US President Donald Trump has laid out a sweeping Republican agenda for the November midterm elections, promising changes to healthcare payments, permanent tax cuts, tighter border laws and stricter voting requirements if his party retains control of Congress.

Addressing a Republican convention in Dallas, Trump urged his supporters to treat the congressional contest as if his own name were on the ballot.

“You’ve got to pretend I’m on the ticket,” Trump said. “Because this is going to turn out to be one of the most important elections.”

Trump said a Republican victory would allow his administration to end federal payments to major health insurance companies. The money would instead be given directly to individuals.

“We will end all payments to big health insurance companies and give you the money directly so that you can buy your own health care and have money left over for yourself,” he said.

Trump pledged to make his tax cuts permanent. He accused Democrats of seeking to raise taxes and reverse his administration’s economic policies.

“We’re going to take those beautiful tax cuts. We’re going to make them permanent because the Democrats want to end all those tax cuts,” Trump said.

The President again promoted what he called “most favored nation prescription drug discounts”. He said Republicans would seek to place the policy permanently into US law.

Trump claimed his administration had delivered the largest recorded decline in prescription drug prices. He said some reductions had reached between 50 per cent and 90 per cent. The address did not provide supporting figures for those claims.

Trump called for passage of the “No Invasion of Our Country Act”, but offered few details about its provisions during the address.

“We don’t want any more invasions of our country,” he said.

Trump demanded passage of the “Save America Act”, which he said would require voter identification and proof of citizenship.

Promising to end no-cash-bail policies and intensify efforts against fraud, Trump claimed his administration had already identified billions of dollars linked to fraud and said the final amount could exceed $1 trillion.

Trump repeatedly urged supporters to vote on or before Nov 3. He warned that Democrats would undo his policies if they gained control of Congress.

The midterm elections will determine control of the US House of Representatives and Senate for the remaining two years of Trump’s term.

IANS