What do you think of the idea of Medicare for All?

Well, let me just say that, uh, the reason I ran for Congress to begin with, or elected office, was that the very people that I was trying to help heal were being hurt by the federal government and by big insurance companies.

They were harming the people that I was working hard to try to heal.

Uh, and to be an independent thinker, do right by the patient.

So you're going up against the federal government.

You're going up against Medicaid.

You're going up against Medicare.

... for Americans to vote for it.

Absolutely.

And so, you know, it, it really just changed your mindset from working together as a team for the betterment of the country.

Um, and for me specifically, I, I mentioned that I was one of eight kids.

No one in my family had ever gone to college.

And when you serve this country and you have the opportunity to go to other countries and see how people live, see what opportunities are available for them, you just know that the freedoms we have here, our constitutional liberties, our rule of law, um, the opportunities that avail themselves to us, not just to succeed, but to fail and then get back up and try again, that that doesn't exist in other places.

And it is so important, and it is, you know, so critical to who we are as a nation, uh, and one of the few remaining nations, that shining city on a hill, that beacon of light, uh, that I think it's so important for us to maintain them and to work for them and preserve them.

And so to me, I feel that my life's of ser- service helps to make me even more passionate about making sure that your children, or our grandchildren, and the next generation have those same opportunities and liberties that we had.

Right.

Are you hearing about gas prices? What are on people's minds in Iowa?

Well, certainly people do talk about gas prices, but I'll tell you the other thing I hear.

I'm coming out of a gas station that has a famous breakfast menu as well, coming out and a person looks at me and asks me, are you Miller Meeks? And I go, yes, I am.

And I go, I just want to thank you.

I got the largest tax refund I have ever received in my life.

And so I really want to thank you for that.

And I go, you're welcome.

What is your answer to that? Are you hearing questions about that?

What other steps, aside from the steel mill, what are the steps you would take to, to make cost of living more affordable for Iowans?

Yeah, I think it's a challenge, and, um, you know, if you look at economic in- indexes, they can show the economy going in the right, uh, direction.

But that's not what people feel on the ground.

It's not what they...

When they go fill their, uh, gas tank, and I fill my gas tank, and I know what the price of, uh, gasoline is, and I look for the least expensive gasoline as I'm traveling this district.

Um, and diesel prices are up, which is a challenge for farmers during harvest season and, uh, in grocery stores.

Uh, look- looking at the price of milk, uh, although the price of eggs are down, other prices are still higher than we would like them to be.

What do you say to an Iowa family in your district now paying more?

How did it get done?

Well, first and foremost, and I think you heard this yesterday in the press conference, and that was the work of the XM Bank and the director there.

So, you know, reopening the mine in Minnesota, investing in the mine in Minnesota, so we're mining in America.

That's up in the Iron Range, another place that has been economically hard hit.

And I can tell you, union or non-union, those people want the mines open in Minnesota and Representative Pete Stauber is up in that area, and we've talked a lot about the copper mine in Duluth.

It's the U.S.'s largest copper stores.

And so this was a very important part, getting that mine opened.

Wondering if you have a comment on those two matters, because I think they work together in some ways, and the American people are waiting for action here.

How did it get done?

Well, first and foremost, and I think you heard this yesterday in the press conference, and that was the work of the XM Bank and the director there.

So, you know, reopening the mine in Minnesota, investing in the mine in Minnesota, so we're mining in America.

That's up in the Iron Range, another place that has been economically hard hit.

And I can tell you, union or non-union, those people want the mines open in Minnesota and Representative Pete Stauber is up in that area, and we've talked a lot about the copper mine in Duluth.

It's the U.S.'s largest copper stores.

And so this was a very important part, getting that mine opened.

Wondering if you have a comment on those two matters, because I think they work together in some ways, and the American people are waiting for action here.

Tell us a little bit about it and the larger messaging that Republicans now go into the fall election with on healthcare.

healthcare.Well, first and foremost, as you know, we have worked, and as you said, v- very hard on PBM reform to bring prescription drug prices down.

That took off, uh, after the Unaffordable Care Act was signed into law.

We've also introduced, uh, bills, uh, lowering healthcare premiums for all America's Act, again, to, uh, to lower healthcare premiums for everyone, not just a select few.

We have 130 million Americans or more that are employer-based insurance, and their premiums have gone up double digits, and this is as a result of all the consolidation and the policies with- in the Unaffordable Care Act.

And so, um, we ne- as a physician, I can tell you that, uh, individuals that have, uh, diabetes, whether it is type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, which is typically older individuals, and by making some behavioral changes, you may be able to, uh, reduce, uh, or, uh, eliminate, uh, type 2 diabetes in some individuals.

But most individuals, especially type 1, are on insulin.

This has got to be something that is ultimately going to change the culture in this country regarding marriage.

Tell us a little bit about it and the larger messaging that Republicans now go into the fall election with on health care.

Well, first and foremost, as you know, we have worked, and as you said, very hard on PBM reform to bring prescription drug prices down.

That took off after the Unaffordable Care Act was signed into law.

We've also introduced bills lowering healthcare premiums for All America's Act, again, to lower healthcare premiums for everyone, not just a select few.

You have 130 million Americans or more that are employer-based insurance, and they're premiums have gone up double digits, and this is as a result of all the consolidation and the policies within the Unaffordable Care Act.

And so, as a physician, I can tell you that individuals that have diabetes, whether it is type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, which is typically older individuals, and by making some behavioral changes, you may be able to reduce or eliminate type 2 diabetes in some individuals.

But most individuals, especially type 1, are on insulin.

This has got to be something that is ultimately going to change the culture in this country regarding marriage.

Where do we move next in this effort to protect women's sports and to protect the sanctity of a woman's locker room and woman's bathroom?

I hope that this gives more courage to those young ladies who have had the tremendous amount of courage, despite their institutions of higher education and their peers, including peer athletes, chastising and denigrating them for speaking out on this issue.

I hope this gives more support to women to speak out against this travesty.

So men are not the same as women.

Biological men are not the same as women.

I'm just going to say follow the science, as we heard repeatedly drain the covid error when we know the left was not following the science.

Men have greater striated muscles so they can run faster, jump higher.

What do you want to highlight so that they know to thank a Republican for it?

Where do we move next in, uh, this effort to protect women's sports and to protect the sanctity of a woman's locker room and woman's bathroom?

I, I hope that, uh, this gives more courage, uh, to those young ladies who have had the tremendous amount of courage despite their institutions of higher education and their peers, including peer athletes, chastising and g- denigrating them for speaking out on this issue.

I hope this gives more support, uh, to women to speak out against this travesty.

So men are not the same as women.

Uh, biological men are not the same as women.

I'm just gonna say follow the science as we heard repeatedly during, uh, the, uh, COVID era when, uh, we know the left was not fo- following the science.

Men have greater striated muscles, so they can run faster, jump higher.

And if you had the chance to sit in front of every voter in this country and say, "This is what's cheaper, this is what's cheaper, this is what's cheaper," what do you wanna highlight so that they know to thank a Republican for it?

Uh, is President Trump gonna keep his record?

Uh, I think President Trump is gonna keep his record in Iowa.

So as we know, uh, Iowa is the center of politics, uh, especially right now.

Uh, we're a purple state.

Uh, I am in the most purple district in Iowa.

So it's a very challenging, uh, district, very challenging, uh, race, uh, in the general election.

So we've already started, uh, the general election segment of it.

That's right

Is President Trump going to keep his record?

I think President Trump is going to keep his record in Iowa.

So as we know, Iowa is the center of politics, especially right now.

We're a purple state.

I am in the most purple district in Iowa.

So it's a very challenging district, very challenging race in the general election.

So we've already started the general election segment of it.

It is truly a battleground heading into this midterm election, correct?

How are things in the House? Is this a pathway that can eventually be executed, and we'll get a fully restored Homeland Security Department?

Yes.

I think that this is certainly a pathway.

But let's be honest about Senator Schumer.

He is just, uh, caving to his base, caving to the far-left radicals who want to defund ICE, defund the police, who don't believe in, uh, safety and security of the American citizens.

So they have no respect.

We saw that through four years of the Biden administration when they would not enforce US immigration laws.

[clears throat]

But you have built something, the Walls Act, that could have prevented it and could prevent in the future this happening.

Absolutely.

The wall sacked as welfare abuse laundering zillions, as we saw in Minnesota.

I asked Secretary Kennedy about that yesterday in a hearing, and he said that he's very interested in it because that could have prevented the fraud that occurred in Minnesota.

And again, that is a Democrat state run by a Democrat legislature and Senate and a Democrat governor.

It was overlooked and allowed to go on.

We saw the same thing in California and we've seen the same thing in Washington.

Do you think there's a possibility to create penalties for those who take negligence to a new level, which is willful blindness?

Sometimes you read the mainstream media, and you think it's going badly, then you listen to the actual data, seems like we're winning pretty big.

big.Well, it reminds me of the Vietnam War when, uh, militarily, people felt we won the Tet Offensive and we had turned the tides in the war, but politically, uh, we had not.

And so that unfairness in coverage led to a change in public opinion.

In this case, people are certainly concerned about, um, is this another Iraq? But when you look at everything that has happened, the degradation of launchers, the degradation of missiles, the expenditure of missiles, uh, the degradation of, uh, naval vessels and ships, uh, you know, military infrastructure, um, we have vastly destroyed that infrastructure and capacity to, uh, for Iran to strike back, uh, including strike back in allies in the Middle East.

Um, and their, you know, last efforts are to prohibit ships going through the Strait of Hormuz, which we know i- is, uh, problematic for a variety of reasons.

Uh, the United States and President Trump has guaranteed passage of ships, uh, provided insurance, uh, which put Lloyd's of London in a challenging position.

Uh, but militarily-

But as you talk to your constituents, particularly heading into the summer of a midterm, do you get the sense that disunity abounds, or is it just a, um, a minority?

Mm.

But politically, uh, we had not.

And so that unfairness in coverage led to a change in public opinion.

Uh, in this case, people are certainly concerned about, um, is this another Iraq? But when you look at everything that has happened, the degradation of launchers, the degradation of missiles, the expenditure of missiles, uh, the degradation of, uh, naval vessels and ships, uh, you know, military infrastructure, um, we have vastly destroyed that infrastructure and capacity to, uh, for Iran to strike back, uh, including strike back in allies in the Middle East.

Um, and their, you know, last efforts are to prohibit ships going through the Strait of Hormuz, which we know i- is, uh, problematic for a variety of reasons.

Uh, the United States and President Trump has guaranteed passage of ships, uh, provided insurance, uh, which put Lloyd's of London in a challenging position.

Uh, but militarily-

Mm

What do you think are some of the most important that he should hit on to hit that dinner table conversation after the speech?

Well, first and foremost, I'm going to say unleashing American energy dominance.

So American energy dominance, homegrown American energy, bringing fuel costs down.

So if you recall, gasoline prices went in Iowa almost as high as five dollars a gallon in 2022.

Now I can find gasoline for two dollars and nine cents.

Actually, it was.

even less expensive than that.

What do you think the best opportunity or where do you think Iran will ultimately end up? Will they deal with the president or risk getting attacked?

I know it sounds like a lame sort of bureaucratic term, regular order budgeting, but it's so important for the American people to know what's in their budgets, that each of them get reviewed the right way, and that we get to priorities that match what they voted for this time Congress got it done.

Absolutely.

It's the first time in decades that we have passed 12 single committee appropriations bills.

They have Republican priorities and Republican policies.

Of course, there's compromise because we don't have super majorities.

But I think it's most important to know this is not passing the Biden budget from before and putting in new spending levels.

And what's important about that is that your budget reflects the priorities that you have going forward.

Your thoughts on just how much the Biden administration tried to cover up that concept.

I know it sounds like a lame sort of bureaucratic term, regular order budgeting, but it's so important for the American people to know what's in their budgets, that each of them get reviewed the right way, and that we get to priorities that match what they voted for this time Congress got it done.

Absolutely.

It's the first time in decades that we have passed 12 single committee appropriations bills.

They have Republican priorities and Republican policies.

Of course, there's compromise because we don't have super majorities.

But I think it's most important to know this is not passing the Biden budget from before and putting in new spending levels.

And what's important about that is that your budget reflects the priorities that you have going forward.

Does this effectively make it shutdown proof so we don't have to worry about that?

Tell me about your take as a veteran, as an Army veteran, Your feelings as you saw this story unfold?

You know, I think most of us knew that President Trump was going to take some action.

He had been telegraphing it.

He had been working through diplomatic channels and negotiations to have Maduro come in.

As you know, almost every nation considered Maduro to be an illegitimate president and to have an illegitimate government, as did President Biden and President Trump.

And there was indictment and charges leveled against him from 2020 on.

And even President Biden had a bounty on his head.

Your thoughts?

That plus what the president's going to do in meeting with insurers, a one-two punch that could have a profound effect in 2026.

I think so.

So from our conversations way back in September talking about the enhanced premium tax credits, which only affect about one point six, seven million people, that that those subsidies went directly to the insurance company.

There was no incentive for the insurance company to lower premiums.

And we had to put forth policies that lower premiums for everyone.

So the Republicans and President Trump agreed.

want to lower premiums for all americans not just a select few on the exchanges but all americans whether they're employer-based insurance self-insured small business uh employers or whether they're on the exchanges and it's going to take policy changes to do that and then we can do more uh in 2026 looking at individual health accounts where the money does go to the patient with guardrails so they can spend that on their health care costs.

So for those people, you even have something built in for them where they can build their own group, right?

What progress do you think we've made in the last couple of years, at least getting a handle on what these foreign powers are doing to our children?

You know, I do think and that is such a great point.

I'm glad that you pointed out that there are adversarial nations and adversaries that are doing the same things as, you know, more benevolent social media companies or Internet companies.

But I do think it is a concern.

I think that we're making headway.

you know, we have and one, we want to allow the enjoyment and the utilization of platforms.

But number two, we want to protect children.

What are some of the greatest fixes? As a physician yourself, what are some of the greatest fixes that you've heard bantered about up on Capitol Hill? What do you want to see to fix this?

Congresswoman, great to have you on the show.

It's great to be with you, John.

And I guess since I'm from Iowa, instead of saying it crooked as a dog's leg, we would say you can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear, out of a sow's ear.

So, I mean, we're trying to make something seem that it's not.

And whether or not we have special information, we do hear things, we have hearings, we do appropriations, and it leads to perception that Congress has special information So I am co-sponsoring fully supportive from the day I came into Congress.

I have not had individual stocks.

My husband doesn't have individual stocks.

How does this story turn and when do the American people begin to understand the parts of it that the Democrats have hid from us?

Congresswoman, great to have you on the show.

It's great to be with you, John.

And I guess since I'm from Iowa, instead of saying it crooked as a dog's leg, we would say you can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear, out of a sow's ear.

So, I mean, we're trying to make something seem that it's not.

Whether or not we have special information, we do hear things, we have hearings, we do appropriations, and it leads to perception that Congress has special information.

So I am co-sponsoring, fully supportive from the day I came into Congress.

I have not had individual stocks.

How does this story turn, and when do the American people begin to understand the parts of it that the Democrats have hid from us?

Is this a form of corporate welfare ultimately the way the Obamacare subsidies are currently structured?

One hundred percent.

As you know, I've been on your show in October.

I have said this repeatedly.

I said this when we were in Washington, D.C. in September before the shutdown occurred.

And that is that these enhanced premium tax credits were put in place in 2021 by President Biden to mask the fact that premiums were going up for individuals who weren't already on premiums.

on the Unaffordable Care Act or the NACA premium tax credit.

From where we are now, what is the pathway? If the Senate gets a vote, what sort of things in the deal do Republicans have to deliver on? And is Obamacare reform, Republican style, likely to be taken up before the end of the year?