Lance Addresses Westfield Rotary Club

U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon County) addressed the Westfield Rotary Club on such issues as health care, financial service, the war in Afghanistan and energy independence during the club's weekly meeting Tuesday afternoon.

In a 30 minute speech just before driving back to Washington, Lance gave an overview of the current issues facing Congress, outlining his beliefs on where the legislation is going. In terms of the health care debate, Lance does not believe the U.S. Senate will be adopting the public option health care bill the House of Representatives has already passed. Lance, who voted against the House version of the bill, said he is looking for a bill that include tort reform and protects the pharmaceutical industry, which is the largest employer—and a politically powerful lobby—in his district.

"This district has more pharmaceutical and medical device employees than any other district in the United States," Lance said. "As we reform health care, I do not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater and ruin a pharmaceutical industry and a medical device industry."

Lance touched on President Obama's statement from last night regarding the war in Afghanistan. He said he is inclined to support the president's plans for the war at this time.

"I believe that politics should stop at the water's edge and we should try to support the President and the administration in international affairs," Lance said. "I will try to support the President based on what he says. However, I do not support an open ended policy in Afghanistan."

Lance noted that he intends on only making three international trips in his first term, putting at odds with congressional colleagues who hopscotch the globe during breaks. He said these would include the trip he took to Israel this summer to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and trips he would like to take to inspect the conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lance said he declined to participate in a congressional trip to Afghanistan last week citing public appearances he had planned in his district.

Lance touched on economic issues, including those ending before the financial services committee, where he serves. He said the committee, which oversees banking, securities, monetary policy, housing and urban issues, is currently wrestling with legislation to create a new consumer protection agency in the financial services sector. He said he has concerns about the proposal, which came from President Obama, noting that he would prefer to keep those duties with existing agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lance, who held top budget posts when he served in the state legislature, noted he wold like to address federal budget issues including closing the budget deficit.

"This is a momentous Congress," Lance said of his tenure. "Perhaps the most momentous Congress in the last half century."