Republican Congressman Dr. Brian Babin is excited about the changes going on in Washington, D.C. His 36th Congressional District in Texas serves Orange County. Dr. Babin from Woodville started his second term in the U. S. House of Representatives this month. Babin was a guest on KOGT’s “People in the Know” this week.
Friday, January 20, was Inauguration Day in Washington as Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America. Congressman Babin described the atmosphere in the nation’s capital as electric with the change in presidential administrations. “There’s just a feeling in the air that America is getting ready to make a reversal, that we’re going to be turning the ship of state around going in a little bit different direction,” Babin observed.
His first term Babin emphasized was spent trying to stop, block, or just slow down the actions of Democratic President Barack Obama. Babin believes that was successful, and Republicans are anticipating a lot of successful endeavors now, but it won’t be without its hurdles. Babin reminded, “This is the way the founding fathers designed us to go a little bit slow.”
Republicans are working to repeal “Obamacare”. Babin was asked whether citizens currently covered by the Affordable Health Care Act could keep their insurance coverage if they like it. Babin stated citizens will be able to keep their insurance policies if they are happy with them even after the Affordable Health Care Act is gone. He predicts that most people will vote with their feet and leave “Obamacare” to find lower cost insurance. The congressman said the Republicans are wanting to eliminate the mandates required of citizens to purchase an insurance or face penalties and the mandates placed on small businesses to provide all their employees insurance with substandard policies.
A bit of a road block has been hit in his efforts to persuade the Veterans Administration to use the former Baptist Hospital in Orange as a VA facility. Babin agrees there is also a danger for a county of over 80,000 people not to have a local hospital, and the citizens in Orange that must travel to neighboring Jefferson County or Louisiana to find medical care. The congressman and his staff are working with local officials to get a new medical facility for Orange County. Babin said, “I’ve personally spoken with a couple of private firms to see if we can get something over there in an emergency care, stat care facility. I’m not going to say we’ve been successful yet, but we are talking with some of them.”
In his second term in Washington representing southeast Texans Congressman Babin will keep his same committee assignments of transportation and infrastructure for the next two years. Because of the ports, the interstates, the railways, and the pipelines in his district the congressman thinks it is important he continue to concentrate on those items in Congress. Babin is proud that his 36th District represents the epicenter of energy for the country with over 150 petro-chemical plants in it.
In his first term there were some good accomplishments including dredging and maintenance of ports. He thinks there is a great highway bill awaiting approval which includes a new east-west freeway that will go through the middle of his district. Babin informed, “Highway 190 will be the foot print of it.” A new Interstate 14 will be created with the bill.
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