Congress is an “incredibly difficult environment” in which to work, said Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, “but most of the drama is behind us with the recent passage of the appropriations bill to fund the government.”
Jenkins met with a small group of constituents Wednesday morning at the courthouse.
Jenkins assured U.S. veterans their benefits would remain uninterrupted in the budget that passed in mid-December. While Jenkins and Kevin Yoder voted in favor of the spending bill, their Republican counterparts, Mike Pompeo and Tim Huelskamp, voted against it.
Now in her sixth year representing the Second District in Washington, D.C., Jenkins said she is eager to get the government “back on schedule” with addressing things like the budget in a timely manner, “instead of in bite-size pieces.”
The federal government’s deadline for a budget is Oct. 1.
“I’m ready to do things the right way,” she said.
She’s also ready to do away with the acrimony that has tainted D.C. politics.
“We’re tired of brinkmanship, on both sides of the aisle,” she said of Democrats and Republicans. “It hasn’t worked, and the American people don’t appreciate it.”
As a Republican, Jenkins said she would like to “repeal and replace,” the Affordable Care Act and laid the blame for much of the country’s ills at its feet.
As regards to raising the federal minimum wage up from $7.25 an hour, Jenkins regarded the measure as a “job killer,” and not having a chance in the Republican-dominated House of Representatives.
Instead of higher pay, Jenkins said most Americans would appreciate more hours and blamed the health care act for forcing employers to keep employees at part-time status for fear they would be forced to provide them health insurance benefits.
She viewed immigration reform in the same manner, saying border security remains a serious problem.
“No one is watching our borders,” she said.
Even if Congress addressed immigration reform, Jenkins said she has no confidence such legislation “would be enforced,” under the Obama administration.
“The rule of law is out the window,” she said.
Iolan Stan Grigsby said, “Immigration is what made this country great, but it’s the illegal immigrants that are the problem. Congress and the president are all guilty of not fixing this,” he said.
Virginia Macha said she worried about the high cost of college and how young people she knew were struggling because of debts they owed on student loans.
“They’re not even able to pay the interest, let alone the principal on these loans,” Macha said. Sometimes this affects their ability to secure loans, Macha said.
In such cases, Jenkins told Macha they should contact her office and she would try to help.
“We can help trouble-shoot,” Jenkins said.
In regards to the Affordable Care Act, Iolan Derf Apt said he and his wife, Janet, were facing higher premiums under the new plan.
The pair contract out their services, she as a dental hygienist and he as an engineer.
“We were fine under Blue Cross, but then were told we couldn’t keep our plan,” he said.
Jenkins sympathized with their plight.
Bill Walden, Iola pharmacist, complained about new rules under Medicare that designate “preferred” pharmacy networks for enrollees. Typically, the pharmacies are national chains, he said.
Walden said Iola Pharmacy gave up the prescription plans for about 15 families last month. The plans give seniors discounts at designated pharmacies.
“CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has taken their freedom away,” to choose which pharmacy to do business with, Walden said.
While it is not mandatory to change pharmacies, the financial incentive to go with the designated pharmacy can make the switch more palatable.
“We’ll be able to survive because we are a diversified business,” Walden said. “But I have concerns for small, stand-alone pharmacies in isolated communities.”
Rep. Jenkins remains optimistic amid struggles
