Hudson addresses Obamacare, immigration at 'town hall'

Citizens from both sides of the political sphere quizzed U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8th, Tuesday on issues ranging from immigration to the Affordable Care Act and federal spending.

Hudson, who was elected last fall to serve the southern portion of Davidson County, reaffirmed that he represented all citizens on all sides, after taking a question from area resident Galen Hahn.

“I have a political position and a set of values that you might agree or disagree with, but you will always know where I stand,” Hudson said to a crowd of about 50 people that included Rep. Stan Bingham, R-Davidson, Thomasville Mayor Joe Bennett and Thomasville City Councilman Joel Pierce, among others.

Hudson spoke to citizens for about an hour in a “town hall” format at Piedmont Crossing Retirement Center in Thomasville. The event was one of several Hudson has hosted in recent months.

Government spending and the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, dominated much of the dialogue on Tuesday.

Last week, a large number of Republicans, including Hudson, asked Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to defund the implementation or enforcement of Obamacare in any bills brought to the House floor, including continuing appropriations bills.

Because it's almost certain that President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate would reject such demands, leaders of both parties say the standoff likely would result in a partial shutdown of the federal government. With the federal 2013 fiscal year ending Sept. 30, new money must be appropriated by then to avoid a shutdown of countless government offices and agencies.

Hudson, who has openly criticized the impending health care legislation supported by Democrats and Obama, said Tuesday he would support a continuing resolution that provides no funding for Obamacare, but funds other government agencies.

“I hope we don't end with a shut down, but we've got to stop the law,” Hudson said after responding to a question on the possibility of a government shut-down from Loretta Martin, a former Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House and a longtime Davidson County Democratic Party member.

After the town hall was over, Martin said the issue has concerned her.

“I don't think we need to shut down the government to get rid of something some people don't like,” Martin said.

Hudson offered the crowd several alternative health care reforms to Obamacare, most of which are included in Republican-sponsored legislation introduced this year. He said the Empowering Patients First Act of 2013 will “unleash” markets to provide affordable insurance and give patients power to own and control their own coverage.

The congressman also addressed several questions on immigration reform, which he said needs to take place in pieces, not one large bill. Hudson, who serves as the chairman of the subcommittee on transportation security in the committee on homeland security, said reform must start with securing the border.

“We don't need to deal with the citizenship issue until we can secure the border,” Hudson said, adding that a large, comprehensive bill could hide subtle provisions that could be overlooked. “I don't think we ought to rush one big bill at the same time.”

Davidson County Sheriff David Grice served as moderator at the event, which was held in a question and answer style format.

The Dispatch, By Nash Dunn