Archives > Frisco Enterprise > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Congressman Burgess discusses national political issues
Lynn Bergman/ Submitted Photo: U.S Rep. Michael Burgess speaks during the Frisco Area Republican Women luncheon.
By Elizabeth Knighten, eknighten@starlocalnews.com
On Tuesday, U.S Rep. Michael Burgess spoke before the Frisco Area Republican Women during the organization's luncheon at the NTEC Conference Center.
Burgess spoke on several different issues facing Americans today including the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act that will go to the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26.
He said if the Supreme Court does not rule in favor of the item, something else will have to be "put in place right away."
Burgess discussed the background of the bill, which he said began in November 2009 with a bill titled HR3200, which died, but in December 2009 HR3590 was passed by the House of representatives. The bill, which is currently in place, is set to go before the Supreme Court. Burgess said the court will look at four areas of the bill: the individual mandate; the severability position; Medicaid expansion or coercion; and the anti-injunction act.
"They will answer the four questions for us," Burgess said. "They've devoted an unprecedented amount of time to hearing this case [because in recognition it is complicated."]
He also added that if the Supreme Court deems that the bill is fine there will still be problems within the system.
"The people of the United States always were cross that they weren't consulted about this, and they weren't allowed to be heard from as this thing passed two years ago and was signed into law," he said. "So will there be an opportunity for people to speak out? Well yes, turns out we have an election in November."
Burgess said regardless of the Republican front runner by election season, the healthcare issue will be paramount during the election.
"I rather believe if this thing is upheld by the Supreme Court, regardless of who the Republican nominee is, this law is going to be front and center for the fall debates going into the November election," he said. "I just don't see anyway around it."
He said that all of the candidates who are still in the race for the nomination have "professed a desire to get rid of this."
Burgess said the discussions of how the bill will be eliminated have not been revealed, but said "the commitment is there to get rid of and get out from underneath this thing."
He also discussed foreseeable energy issues.
Burgess said he recently paid $3.79 per gallon filling up his car. He estimates that after the Memorial Day holiday, prices will increase to over $4 per gallon.
"Do you remember the summer of 2008?" Burgess said. "Do you remember what happened in the fall of 2008? The economy collapsed. Part of the stress that was put on the economy, yeah it was Lehman [Brothers Holding Inc.], yeah it was housing ... but it was energy prices that really began to tip that balance and became in intolerable force that the country simply could not overcome."
He said even though the country recovered from the initial downfall of 2008, he did not know if the United States could go through yet another economic collapse.
"I don't know how the next recovery occurs because we have literally used all of the reserve we have to get to this point," Burgess said.
Every time the president is given a tough decision, Burgess said, like the energy crisis, he "turns a hard left." He added that because of the unwavering stance from the "environmental left," Obama could not agree to the construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline project.
"We need the energy. We need to have an energy policy that is forward looking and puts the interest of the United States first," he said. "I think the president would embrace that then I would believe that he wants to do something to lower gas prices. In the mean time, it's all just rhetoric."
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
