GRAND HAVEN, Mich. -- Republican Congressman Bill Huizenga spoke to more than 1,000 people during a town hall event at Lakeshore Middle School Monday evening.
Several members of the community came forward to ask the lawmaker a number of questions and address concerns on a variety of topics including the Affordable Care Act, funding for Planned Parenthood, defense spending and immigration.
The night was filled with several standing ovations, as well as a number of boos, particularly when the topics spanned over healthcare reform and balancing the budget.
When asked if he believed healthcare is a right, Huizenga said he doesn't believe it's a constitutional right, but said that society has agreed that a minimal level care necessary, and cited how anybody can go the emergency room and be treated.
House Republicans released their plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act - commonly referred to as Obamacare. In its current form, it repeals the individual mandate that fined people who don't carry health insurance. It would also replace income-based subsidies with age-based tax credits, which may be less generous to people with lower incomes.
On balancing the budget, Huizenga said Huizenga also defended defense spending and said that to balance the budget, lawmakers will need to look at entitlement spending such as Social Security.
"You can't tax people enough to get rid of where our deficit is," Huizenga said. "The board that oversees Social Security and medicare says that in 2028 social security will not be able to reimburse 100% of what they're borrowing now."
Monday's town hall comes less than two weeks after Mr. Huizenga spoke to more than 200 people during a town hall meeting in Baldwin. That event lasted for more than four hours.
View of packed auditorium in Grand Haven for town hall. @FOX17 https://t.co/bv4NopUldY—
Michael Dupre (@CajunNewsGuy) March 06, 2017
