Lance Addresses Economy, Education and Health Care During Summit Town Hall

U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County) focused on economic issues and answered questions about his dissenting vote on a federal teacher funding bill, during a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon in Summit.

Lance, who represents most of western Union County, addressed a group of about 50 residents during the meeting, which is one of several he is holding during the August congressional recess. He discussed economic and foreign policy issues, before taking questions about the education bill, unemployment and health care reform.

Lance, situating himself at a podium between the American and state flags, spent 20 minutes discussing his views on economic policy, including the federal deficit and the unemployment rate of 9.5 percent. He expressed concern that the federal debt is between $13 and $14 trillion and the federal deficit for the fiscal year that ended in September 2009 was over $1 trillion. "This is the fundamental issue of our time," he said.

Lance said the purchasers of the national debt are China, Saudi Arabia, and the Federal Reserve. He said he has written to Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, in opposition to the purchasing of national debt by the Fed. Lance, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, said he is concerned that it is not a "long term" strategy.

Lance then shifted to foreign policy. He said that he supports President Obama's plan in Afghanistan as outlined in his policy speech at West Point.

"I am no great believer of nation building. I think that is the responsibility of other nations," Lance said.

During the questions session, audience members quickly shifted the discussion to domestic policy. They quizzed the congressman on his vote Tuesday against a bill that will provide $26.1 billion in aid for states to hire new teachers, along with Medicaid funding. The state Department of Education said the bill will provide $268 million to New Jersey for teacher hiring. President Obama signed the bill into law Tuesday evening after the House vote.

Lance noted that his vote was in line with the Republican caucus, which saw all but two members dissent on the legislation. He said that the funding for the bill would have been taken from food stamps and that a family of three relying on food stamps would lose an estimated $50 a month.

He also said that according to National Education Association estimates, the seventh congressional district would see 56 teachers hired. Lance said that with 54 municipalities in the district, many of which have more than one school, that would result in only one new teacher per municipality.

Another of Lance's concerns was that the bill will be partially funded by the by the abolishment of a tax break given to companies that outsource jobs to foreign countries. Lance argued that the measure could lead to a reduction in jobs.

Lance's remarks came as his Democratic opponent, Ed Potosnak, was hosting a press conference in Hillsborough to blast Lance's decision to vote against the teacher funding bill.

Later, Lance called upon a woman who asked about unemployment and bipartisanship. She said there is "too much mean spirited vitriolic partisan tact" in Congress that is not serving the American public. The woman argued that Republicans continue to vote against all the attempts made by the Obama Administration to create jobs, and she asked what Republicans propose to put the estimated 30 million people in need of jobs back to work.

Lance deflected the question. "The principal reason we are still in an unemployment crisis of 9.5 percent is because of uncertainty," he said.

Most of the new jobs, he argued, will be created through small business, and small business owners are uncertain because of the ailing economy. This uncertainty, according to Lance, keeps businesses from hiring and investing in capital to help them expand. Lance will be addressing small business policy during a press conference Thursday morning at Robert Treat Deli in Westfield.

Lance advocated extending the Bush tax cuts, which will come up for renewal in December. Democrats oppose extending the tax cuts because they will add to the national deficit. Lance, however, argued that the Pay It Back Act, a bill that would redirect unspent TARP and federal stimulus dollars toward the nation's deficit, would offset the debt created by the tax cuts. 

Lance also faced questions on immigration policy. He said he favors legislation that would increase an employer's ability to check the immigration status of a prospective employee. 

On health care, Lance said that he favors some of the reforms included in the health care bill that passed in March, including the "preexisting conditions" clause, which set stricter limits on health insurers' denial of coverage, and a clause that allows young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance for longer. Lance, however, said he opposes universal health care. 

"I think we are in agreement that we should insure as many Americans as possible," Lance said, to which many members of the audience called out in reply, "Why not all?"

Lance, a former state senate minority leader who developed a reputation for bipartisanship, concluded by stating that he wants to work closely with President Obama and his administration. "I do not want gridlock," he said.

For coverage of Democrat Ed Potosnak's press conference, which also took place Wednesday, click here.