Congressman Gene Green met with his constituents in the North Shore area last Wednesday night, updated them on legislative action in Congress, and answered questions from the audience.
Green said that he meets with the public on the twice yearly Congressional breaks, in January and August, but is always available to take phone calls, or have his offices work on problems that a resident of his district might have.
This Town Hall meeting is only one of about five public events that Green has conducted in January. He also held a Senior Issues Forum Wednesday morning, at the Baldree Center on Corpus Christi in Channelview. At that Forum, representatives from federal and county agencies were on hand to answer questions from senior citizens, and help them with needed service. These included Social Security Administration, County Area on Aging, and the Better Business Bureau.
Green reminded the audience that on Monday, February 10th, he is sponsoring a workshop on “Paying for College” at Chavez High School, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Issues that Green spoke about at this Town Hall included the omnibus Budget Bill that was recently passed, federal debt reduction, healthcare benefits and limitations due to Texas not participating, a Job Fair that will be held soon, increased domestic energy production in the U.S., because of the hydraulic fracturing technique and horizontal drilling, and what it means to more jobs in the Houston area, and how it affects the local economy.
Green plans another Healthcare or ACA workshop on March 15th, at M.O. Campbell Center in Aldine, just before the deadline to sign up for ACA this year. He said that the ACA is more important in Texas, because this state has the highest percentage of uninsured, and the largest number of people uninsured, in the United States.
Green also serves on Energy and Commerce committees, as well as the healthcare subcommittee.
Questions from the audience included whether he would participate in the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the Houston Ship Channel, which he said he was working on, and how his “ADAPT” legislation would help the pharmaceutical industry search for a substitute for the common antibiotic drugs in use today that are no longer as effective.
Green also said he was actively attempting to get more FQHC, or Federal Quality Health Clinics set up in the Houston area, and more specifically his 29th District, due to the lack of insured healthcare services.
He is also working on Job Fairs for San Jacinto College North in May, and one sooner in Jacinto City.