Congressman holds town hall meeting

The Democratic-led Congress getting things done in Washington was the message of a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., at Bloomington City Hall on Saturday afternoon.\n“As I travel, I hear a repeated sense of frustration that Congress is not getting things done,” Hill said. “We are getting things done. It’s not happening as fast as people wanted, or as I have wanted, but we are getting things done.”\nHill outlined what he believes to be the Congress’ major accomplishments of the past year. Bills passed by the present Congress have enacted all the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, increased funding for veterans’ health care and raised the minimum wage for the first time in a decade. \nThis last achievement was particularly important, Hill said.\nWhile Congress has increased its own salary by $30,000 during the last 10 years, Hill said, it has not raised the minimum wage once. “It’s time we take care of average people,” he said.\nHill also highlighted bills he had written or co-sponsored. Particularly important, he said, were fuel-efficiency standards included in the energy bill passed by both the House and the Senate that were originally part of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Bill, House Resolution 2927, which he authored. The energy bill mandates an increase in average fuel-efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks, Hill said. \n“It’s not great, and it’s not good enough, but you do what you can with the votes you can get,” Hill said. Any further future increases will depend on public demand and possibly a change in the White House next year, he said.\nHill ended his talk by discussing some of the measures Congress has passed, but were vetoed by President Bush. Hill was particularly frustrated by the fight over the State Children’s Health Insurance Program Bill. The House eventually lacked about 10 votes necessary to override a presidential veto, he said. \nHe also said how proud he was the House had stood up to the president over the renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The House of Representatives is in a fight with the White House, which wants to offer retroactive immunity to telecom companies who assisted the administration with domestic surveillance operations, Hill said. \n“I am adamantly opposed to giving telecom companies retroactive immunity and will vote against it,” Hill said.\nAfter his speech, the floor was opened for members of the public and the press to ask questions or raise concerns. Anna Strand, president of the IU College Democrats, voiced her support for Hill and the things he has been able to accomplish in the Congress. \n“I believe in him, and I believe in his re-electability,” Strand said when asked why she decided to attend the meeting. “Any time you have the chance to hear your representative speak, I encourage students to take the opportunity.” \nAsked about the recent economic stimulus package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush this past week, Hill said $150 billion had been designated for rebates and the rebate checks should be in the mail in May. \nKatie Moreau, Hill’s press secretary, later clarified Hill’s statement, saying that in order to receive the rebate, it was necessary to file taxes this year. \n“Even if you have not filed taxes the last five years, and you file taxes this year, you’ll receive a rebate,” Moreau said. Information would be available on Hill’s Web site this week to allow people to find out if they are eligible to receive a rebate and how much they should expect to receive, she said.