COLDSPRING, Texas – In his first town hall meeting since a mass shooting at a baseball practice involving federal lawmakers, Texas congressman Kevin Brady opened up about his experience that day.
Addressing a room full of constituents at the Paradise Grille in Coldspring in San Jacinco County on Monday, Brady spoke about the frightening experience.
Brady recalled finishing up batting practice early Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, when GOP coach and Texas congressman Roger Williams asked him if he'd like a chance to field some grounders at second base.
"I looked out and saw Steve (Scalise) taking some grounders. I said 'naw, I'm fine,' grabbed my gear and left," Brady remembered. "That was a few minutes after 7 a.m. The first calls on the shooting came in at 7:09 a.m."
A woman in the town hall crowd gasped, "Oh my god," realizing Brady could have also been shot.
"It was truly a day of miracles," Brady said, referring not only to Scalise's security detail, which took down the suspect, but Brady's wife and son had their flight to Virginia that day delayed. Brady said his son usually joins him at the practice.
Brady said he visited Scalise, his good friend and roommate in D.C., in the hospital along with the two Capitol Police officers who were wounded.
"It pains me to say this, coming from Texas, but he's an LSU Tiger, he's tough as nails. If there's anyone that can fight their way though, it'll be Steve Scalise," Brady said.
Brady also got down to business, touching on how he's working to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. He said a bill to do just that has passed the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate.
"My view is Obamacare has helped some people, by the way, but it's hurt an awful lot more and a lot of people are going to get hurt as it collapses," Brady said.
As the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Brady answered questions on tax code reform.
"What we are proposing is a tax code so fair and simple, nine out of 10 Americans will be able to file using a simple postcard-style system."
The congressman said he wants to make whatever changes to the tax code permanent.
