Lee Terry in the News :: September 4, 2009

Terry talks health care

John Keenan/Omaha World-Herald

Published Thursday September 3, 2009

U.S. Rep. Lee Terry spoke Thursday at the Suburban Rotary Club, offering his insights into the health care debate.

“Welcome to one of my town hall meetings,” he said to laughter. “There is no biting off fingers or yelling and screaming at each other.”

Terry apparently was referring to an incident in California where, the Associated Press reported, a clash between health care reform opponents and supporters ended with one man biting off another man's finger.

He listed the work Congress has done this year, including the nearly $800 billion stimulus bill and a spending bill which, he said, “grew government at about just shy of 10 percent. At a time when most families are having to tighten their belts and figure out where they can control their spending within their own household, Congress voted to expand their spending on top of the stimulus.”

Terry, R-Neb., anticipated the interest in health care from the audience, devoting most of his remarks to the topic.

“Once I say ‘Hi,' people want to get right into health care,” he said.

He offered an overview of the current legislation, including the cost, which he estimated at $1.28 trillion.

There were no moments of drama at the meeting. Terry told the crowd his real town-hall meetings on health care have been fairly civil, with few disruptions.

“Nebraskans tend to rise above those type of things,” he said of some of the raucous incidents that have occurred in other states. “I've talked to probably thousands since I've been back in August, and probably less than 10 have been disruptive or over the top.”

When asked what message he hoped the audience would take away from the speech, Terry laughed.

“I think that we're doing major pieces of legislation, with high cost, very fast,” he said. “And even though I didn't really lead them to the conclusion that we need to think through these and do these things, I want them to be aware of the implications, as well as where I stand on them.”