U.S. Congressman Mike Conaway hosted a town hall meeting Monday at the Lehnis Railroad Museum in Brownwood to offer residents a legislative update from Washington D. C.
“The results of the election in November mean that the next two years legislatively will look a lot like the last two years,” Conaway said. “Same president, same control of the Senate, same control of the House and so on. We didn’t get much done and I don’t anticipate much moving forward.”
Conaway talked about the federal budget with proposals passed so far in the House and the Senate.
“We now have, for the first time in 4 years, side-by-side comparisons of what the House believes the next 10 years for our country ought to look like, and the Senate, what they think the next 10 years ought to look like,” Conaway said.
He said that once the President releases his budget proposal, lawmakers can begin to compare each plan and the impact it will have on the nation.
“Once we have his (budget), then I hope that the question that you begin asking me and others is ‘which one of these three is in the best interest of our grandchildren,’ which one makes the most sense for the long term viability for our country,” Conaway said.
He said that the House budget would balance in 10 years; the Senate budget does not balance and raises a trillion dollars in new taxes and never breaks even. He said that he believes that the President’s budget will also raise taxes and never breaks even.
Conaway gave an overview of current proposed gun control legislation making the news recently and his take on the issue.
“It really ought to be about gun violence and not gun control, per se,” Conaway said. “Nothing that has been talked about so far in terms of a fix that the other side is willing to put forward would have done anything in respect to the gun violence as a reason for why they move forward with it.”
He said that some lawmakers are looking at the issue from the wrong perspective and could try to even go too far with gun control and reform.
“The good news about this whole exercise is it has helped America look at the 2nd amendment in the right way. By that I mean, it’s not about hunting, it’s not about target practice, it’s not about competitive shooting, it’s not about collecting, it’s about the right of a free man or woman to stand erect and defend their own property or to look their government in the eye and say no.”
Conaway said that mental health issues related to gun violence should be addressed and not just concentration on the guns.
“What they talk about right now, doesn’t really do any of that, it’s just a way for them to advance a different agenda than being against gun violence, per se,” Conaway said. “It’s easier to focus on an inanimate object instead of the tougher mental health aspects.”
On the topic of immigration, Conaway said that he can see some positive changes possible.
“As you look at the issue, we don’t want to do anything that is not in our own best interest,” Conaway said.
He said that the country needs to manage border security better and assess its current state to know where to make improvements. He also wants so to see implementation of a worker program to provide a labor force for some American jobs that citizens don’t want to take. He said that updating of the immigration laws is also vital.
“The worker program ought to have a statement across in big, bold letters – has nothing to do with citizenship,” Conaway said. “If you are here legally, you can work, if you are here illegally, you can’t work.”
He said that details on this program would focus on certain types of jobs, likely in manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Also communication with employers would also be vital to success.
“How you become a naturalized citizen, in my view, there ought to be some requirements – education requirements, you need to speak English and write English,” Conaway said. “It is in our best interest to have folks naturalized who can be value added to our communities.”
Conaway said that he is hopeful some strides in immigration reform can be made in the near future.
Pictured at top is Conaway (left) talking to Brownwood resident Daniel Hutson after the town hall meeting Monday afternoon.
