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Corker addresses health care, other issues at Meigs meeting
Tuesday, October 09, 2007 -

By Ron Clayton
Correspondent

DECATUR, Tenn. -- By this Thursday, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will have visited all 95 Tennessee counties during his first nine months in office, he said.

On Monday, the Republican from Chattanooga visited Morgan, Meigs and Polk counties to meet constituents and answer questions.

About 50 Meigs residents of all political stripes were present Monday to talk about support for U.S. troops in Iraq, energy issues, the local drought and health care.

Sen. Corker said has visited troops in Iraq and spoken several times with Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces there. He said he believes Gen. Petraeus is making headway.

"The best way to get our troops home quickly is to depend on General Petraeus. I do think he has got it right," Sen. Corker said.

Several local residents asked how to make health care more available and affordable. Sen. Corker cited recent moves by big business to get out from under increasing health-care costs.

"CEOs of companies are in Washington trying to get the government to take over health care," Sen. Corker told the crowd.

"People need access to health care but we need to preserve the private system."

He has co-sponsored the Every American is Insured Act, which he said will give everyone access to health care without adding one penny to the budget.

Sen. Corker recently voted for health insurance program known as SCHIP, which helps children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance, according to supporters. Opponents say its income limits are high enough that people who could afford private insurance can instead receive SCHIP.

President Bush has indicated he will veto the bill. Sen. Corker said there are enough votes in the Senate to override the veto, but not in the House.

"I hope cooler heads will prevail there," he said. "At the end of the day I'm confident a bill will pass and (will) cover lower-income children."

Among the local residents were Robert Gryder, who said the United States doesn't seem able to protect its borders and asked what the government is doing to send illegal immigrants back.

Also present was dairy farmer Jimmy Hornsby, who said he supports border security but believes departing illegals will hurt farms.

"If we send the immigrants back, we'll all be out of business," Mr. Hornsby told Sen. Corker. He said the ones who want to work will be gone, and the gang members and criminals will be left.

The senator agreed that work needs to be done at the nation's borders, but he said the government is nor prepared to address the issue.

"We lack the ability to enforce whatever our policy is," Sen. Corker said. "In our visa program, we have no mechanics to know when people actually leave, and there is no administration desire to change that."


One local resident asked if the nomination of a moderate candidate in the presidential primary could split the Republican Party.

But Sen. Corker said that, other than people "asking me about Fred (Thompson)," he's heard few questions about the nomination.

E-mail Ron Clayton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com

Chattanooga Times Free Press
http://www.timesfreepress.com/

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