To keep in touch with his constituents, Congressman Ben Cline (R 6th Dist) in a Town Hall meeting on Tuesday 26th, met with Roanoke City Citizens. Congressman Cline covered many subjects related to people’s lives and answered questions regarding issues concerning his constituents.
Congressman Cline affirmed that he is working for the constituents and always “trying to find solutions.”
In the meeting that lasted an hour and a half, Congressman Cline clarified many subjects and pointed out relative important matters brought up by the attendees questions. These subjects ubcluded the National Institute of Health (NIH), Affordable Housing, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and education, as well as foreign policy on China.
Congressman Cline expressed his support for the NIH, saying it helps important research but he added that we need to make sure the funding goes to the right places. It was clear throughout the evening that wise spending is Congressman Cline’s priority to ensure that funding serves the right purpose.
Affordable Housing was another subject that was discussed in the meeting as multiple constituents asked questions regarding affordability and eligibility. Cline pointed out that sometimes it is more efficient for the government to provide people with money instead of getting in the business of building houses.
The United States’ debt, which is $36 trillion, has become a major concern. Congressman Cline said we need to prioritize spending on the most important services. As he expressed in the past, Cline reiterated that Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security are very important programs that should not be threatened. Congressman Cline made it clear that both Medicare and Social Security will be available to future generations.
Education and funding teachers was also among the most important subjects to those in attendance. Congressman Cline said the teachers of Roanoke City know how to teach students better than the bureaucrats in Washington, DC. Therefore, the funding should be given to the school systems and not to the Department of Education.
Cline also focused on the costs of higher education which concerned many constituents. He pointed out that the cost of a university / college education has many students subsequently graduating with a large amount of debt, often without a good opportunity to find a job with an earned degree. He went on to say that institutions need to be required to better prepare students to find jobs.
Congressman Cline summed things up by saying that we must get the budget under control by having each agency rigorously justify their spending and that hopefully such a process will be implemented with the new administration.
– Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator before coming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke.