Hill returns to office, focuses on health care, oil dependence

NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- For Rep. Baron Hill, the second time around is a little sweeter than the first. \nThe fourth-term Democrat took the oath of office as 9th District Congressman on Saturday in the Lee H. Hamilton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse after defeating Republican Mike Sodrel Nov. 7 during one of the closest and most-watched congressional races in the country. Hill previously represented the 9th District for three terms from 1998 until 2004, when Sodrel beat him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nNow, back in Washington after riding a national frustration with the Republican majority in Congress, Hill said this oath of office was more special than his previous three because voters gave him another chance to represent them after a two-year hiatus. \n"I'm honored that you would give me this -- I should say another -- opportunity," he told a near-capacity crowd of supporters in a second-floor courtroom of the New Albany, Ind., Federal Building. \nHill said he expected a handful of supporters to come to his swearing in, but he was overwhelmed by the number of people who attended. After his speech, many of these supporters lined up to hug, congratulate and have their photographs taken with the congressman.\nIn his speech Hill said he wanted to cut prescription drug prices for senior citizens, work to reduce American dependence on foreign oil by promoting biofuels and research in clean-energy technology and improve health-care coverage for Americans. \nThe congressman also touched on new initiatives his Democratic colleagues have already begun to work on, including reducing the budget deficit and national debt and limiting the influence lobbyists have on members of Congress by banning travel on corporate jets.\nHill also said the new Democratic majority is working to reduce the cost of higher education by cutting the interest rates on federal student loans.\nIncreased pressure to reduce the number of earmarks on bills should not affect his ability to bring federal dollars to IU, he said.\nSodrel helped bring millions of dollars to IU, including more than $2 million from a Defense Department bill passed in September.\nWhen asked about President Bush's reported plan to send more troops to Iraq in an effort to stabilize the country, Hill said he disagreed with the proposal and that the president was not listening to his military advisers in making the decision. \nSenior Ozair Shariff, a member of the lobbying group Indiana Muslim Political Action Committee Taskforce, lives in nearby Clarksville, Ind., and said he attended the ceremony because he has been a Hill supporter for many years.\nBecause the congressman visited Bloomington and IU several times during his campaign, Shariff said Hill understands IU's importance in his constituency, even though Monroe County is in the far northern area of the 9th District.