Moran addresses issues, concerns of county residents
Staff reporter
Marion County residents, the majority from Hillsboro, greeted Congressman Jerry Moran Thursday with questions and concerns about prescription drug programs, illegal immigration, and possible changes to taxing personal income.
Moran was in Hillsboro during an annual listening tour of the First Congressional District, which includes Marion County.
The main issue that most residents are concerned about is water quality at Marion Reservoir.
When Moran was asked about blue-green algae and sediment issues, he said Congress was "working on the issue."
He agreed that farming practices influence water quality and a scientific study of the algae would be beneficial.
Farm policies that support family farms also are supported by Moran.
Farm supplemental "payments shouldn't be tied to production," Moran said, because it encourages over-production.
"Farmers would rather receive a fair price than government subsidy," he said.
A program could reward farmers for practicing conservation.
Rx programs
Hillsboro pharmacist Lou Greenhaw said the issues related to prescription drug programs are not the fault of the pharmacists.
"Don't put it (the blame) on the backs of the pharmacists," Greenhaw said.
Moran said he voted against the bill.
"I took a lot of criticism for not being a 'team player'," Moran said.
He particularly opposed the bill because it has the potential of putting pharmacists out of business by encouraging Internet sales of drugs.
Moran added that drug companies are advertising and encouraging senior citizens to purchase medications instead of doctors determining the need.
"We need to reduce the costs of medications," said Moran.
Rural Marion resident Harry Bennett said he, too, was concerned about the cost of medications, and said "$140 million was spent by pharmaceutical companies for lobbying."
After further comments and discussion, Moran summed up problems associated with the drug program.
"The Republicans created pharmaceutical benefits to brag about what's been done," Moran said, but with the program came problems.
"The government is off saying 'The drug plan is working good' and pharmacists and patients are saying 'The drug plan is working bad'," he said.
Some rural Kansas counties don't have pharmacists and have a difficult time attracting them.
"The question is asked, 'Can I afford to be a pharmacist in a rural community?'" Moran said.
Illegal immigration
The topic of illegal immigrants has been discussed on the Senate floor, Moran said.
Moran suggested that funds currently earmarked for homeland security efforts be used for Immigrant and Naturalization Services (INS) by shoring up the country's borders.
"There are 11 million illegal aliens in the U.S.," Moran said.
Efforts need to continue in strengthening the borders.
"Most people say 'send them home' but how do you afford that and keep them from coming back?" asked Moran.
He clarified that he is not against immigration but there needs to be a way to control those coming into the country.
"I spend more time working with people with INS issues than IRS problems," Moran said.
When former President Ronald Reagan was in office, he allowed illegal immigrants to become legal citizens, Moran said, which was controversial but an effective way to add to the country's work force.
"There are jobs that Americans don't want to work," Moran said, "and there are people coming to America to work those jobs."
Bob Maxwell, county resident, said he disagreed with that philosophy.
"It's up to Mexico to find jobs for them, not the responsibility of the U.S. to create jobs," Maxwell said.
"Businesses will go where they can find lower labor costs," Moran said. "If we don't have employees willing to work, those businesses will go to Mexico."
Moran said there was a company in Ellis County that pays $16-$17 per hour but can't find employees because it's hard work.
Some who receive welfare benefits and others who engage in illegal activities have come to the conclusion that they don't need to work, he said.
Fair Tax
A group from Johnson County attended meetings with Moran to promote a progressive sales tax.
The group contended that proposed bills in the House of Representatives and Senate, HR 25 and S 25, would do the following:
— Repeal federal income tax in its entirety, including all corporate and individual income taxes, payroll, self-employment, AMT, capital gains, and estate and gift taxes. There would be no federal withholdings from paychecks; gross income would be net income.
— The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) would be eliminated. No federal income tax returns would be filed.
— Reduce prices of U.S. products 12 to 30 percent by removing costs of the income tax system.
— Reduce outflow of jobs.
— Replace income tax revenue with a 23-cent sales tax for each dollar spent on all new goods and services for personal consumption. The group contends that all federal benefits and expenditures, including Social Security and Medicare, could be fully funded from a consumption tax.
— Every person with a valid Social Security number would receive monthly prebates of an amount equal to the sales tax on purchases up to the poverty level — $182 per month for a single adult, $496 per month for a family of four. Americans would not pay taxes on the purchases of necessities.
— Americans would receive 100 percent of their earnings and control the amount of tax they pay by purchase decisions.
Other topics
A Hillsboro minister said the federal government needed the power to monitor incoming international calls from known terrorists but there needed to be checks and balances.
Moran said he's worried about a powerful federal government and individual rights but the government needs to know about possible terrorist activities.
"If somebody in Pakistan who is a known terrorist is making calls to the U.S., we need to know," he said, however a judge should oversee the operation and be the one to issue search warrants.
Tony Epp of Goessel said that authorities need to know what's going on and the ones who are the most concerned about this are the ones who have something to hide.
Regardless of the reasons, the president should not do anything illegal.
Moran said this issue like other issues have "drawn a line."
"People are either for or against President Bush," he said.
Moran continued that there is no separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution. He said God should be mentioned in schools and the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) was responsible for pushing religion out of schools.
In response to a letter that he read while at the Hillsboro meeting, Moran said he had just returned from Iraq and he believes Bin Laden is hiding in the mountains.
He also thinks the military is being stretched too thin because of downsizing of active military personnel.
"Too small of a force has prolonged the war," Moran said.
He clarified that prescription drug programs are provided by insurance companies, not the government.
"I recommend that people start with their pharmacists to find out which programs pharmacists are participating," Moran said.
Renae Kirkenbrock of Legacy Park, Peabody, said she was concerned about a cap of $1,500 for physical and occupational therapy patients within nursing homes. Hospitals do not have the cap and it was unfair for patients to be making progress and then no longer have funding to continue.
A representative of Hillsboro Community Medical Center said she would like changes to current Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for lab service (blood drawn) outside of the hospital.
"We walk from the hospital and into the long term care unit and reimbursement changes," she said.
Moran said he is sponsoring a bill to change the process and is the chairman of Rural Health Care Coalition which has made that issue its highest priority.
Concerns also were voiced about maintenance of in-home oxygen equipment where costs are not covered after 36 months.
Current farm programs are a concern of Marion County farmers.
"Funding follows order of importance," Moran said. He suggested that members of watershed organizations within the county make contact with agencies for possible funding opportunities.
