Lawton Constitution: Cole Gets Tough Questions In City

Lawton Constitution - Kim McConnell

Military benefits, health care, immigration top concerns at town hall

Residents asked questions about veteran and other health care benefits and national security during a town hall meeting Thursday sponsored by U.S. Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole.

The Oklahoma Republican has been spending his summer recess meeting constituents in a series of town hall sessions across Oklahoma's Fourth District, including the meeting in Lawton. About 80 residents, including two state legislators, City of Lawton officials and representatives of entities that receive federal housing funds to benefit low-income residents, accepted Cole's invitation to discuss issues, and almost 30 had an opportunity to ask questions during a session that lasted more than three hours.

As befitting a military community, many questions centered on veterans, military personnel and national security.

Annie DeLeon, whose late husband was a Vietnam veteran, asked about tax deductions that are provided to disabled veterans and their surviving spouses, asking why veterans qualify for $25,000 when calculating tax deductions, but their widows only warrant $1,000. Noting widows suffered as much as their husbands did, DeLeon also outlined a federal system that financially penalizes widows who opt to care for their disabled husbands at home, rather than putting them in a veterans' center. She asked why widows can't be paid as much as a VA center would be paid, noting widows receive only $350 a month. Cole said he would look into the issue.

The Veterans Administration continued to draw attention, with one veteran complaining that more than 307,000 veterans were left to die by the VA system's "death panel" while waiting for benefits, while members of Congress have a "a platinum health care system."

Cole disputed that description of Congressional medical care, saying that with implementation of the Health Care Reform Act, legislators were directed into the medical exchange program. Cole said in his case, he went from having the same medical coverage that a civil service member at Fort Sill receives to a system that costs him $500 a month more for his medical coverage.

Noting problems with the VA system, Cole said the real issue is the availability of doctors, saying the U.S. system is not producing "nearly enough doctors. Medical school "is expensive, and hard" and he said it's not just the VA that is suffering; rural towns also have trouble recruiting and keeping doctors.

Pat Miller, a military widow whose husband died of Agent Orange-related issues, as did her father (also a military veteran), asked Cole for his support on several veteran-related bills, including House Bill 1769, the toxic exposure bill. She noted the importance of the issue to southwest Oklahoma, explaining that Oklahoma has one of the largest populations of military widows in the nation. Cole said he would look at the bill, adding that he expected to support it or return to constituents and explain why because military and veteran issues are important to the Fourth District.

Agent Orange is especially sensitive for many veterans and their dependants, said several residents, including those who are members of the Comanche County Veterans Council. One member said a recent session in Lawton was "eye-opening" because of the interest it drew, and several asked Cole to become a co-sponsor of HB 1769, explaining that could get a wider audience to look at it. Another veteran complained that he already had brought the proposed bill to Cole's attention and was told "you'd vote for it."

A former administrator with the U.S. Public Health Service Indian Hospital thanked Cole for his support over the years, explaining a new clinic wouldn’t have been possible without Cole, but also questioned Cole about legislative discussions about Social Security and Medicare, saying he was concerned about cuts because “that’s my primary insurance.”

Social Security

Cole said if the government made commitments “to you, we need to keep them,” but he also noted the federal government must make changes in Social Security, which he agreed has changed since it was created. Cole said when Social Security was created, the average person lived to age 63 (and couldn’t draw benefits until age 65) and typically pensioners who lived past age 63 died by age 70. Today, people routinely live to be much older, he said, noting the country is witnessing an average of 10,000 people a day who turn age 65.

Acknowledging that change in demographics, Cole said the federal government implemented changes in 1983, when a coalition created a tiered system for when people would qualify for benefits. For people Cole’s age, that meant waiting beyond age 65, he said, noting he received “30 years notice” of the impending change. He said changes anticipated in Social Security today would not apply to those already drawing benefits or those close to that age; they would apply to younger workers who also are paying more into the system.

Low-income housing

Mark Ashton, a member of the Lawton Housing Authority board, had questions about a government program that he said is crucial to low-income and the homeless. He said the agency received a letter from the Department of Housing and Urban Development saying HOME Program funding was in danger. A Senate proposal would cut those funds — dedicated to housing-related needs of low-income residents — by 93 percent, in addition to the 50 percent cut the funds have had in the last five years. Ashton said the funds are important because they are used for tenant-based needs and by the entities that help low-income residents, something that also concerns entities such as the City of Lawton’s housing and community development divisions.

Cole cautioned the proposal was just that — a proposal — and budget decisions have not yet been made.

“We’re a long way from anything becoming law,” Cole said, noting his staff will look at this program.

Immigration reform

Immigration reform also drew concerns, with one man calling it the nation’s biggest security issue. The man said he saw the problem 25 years ago, while working in Mexico, and President Clinton’s actions to build a wall along the U.S.Mexico border stopped a lot of the problem. He asked if Cole would agree to extend the wall, and also condemned “sanctuary cities,” U.S. cities which do not enforce federal law on immigration, saying there are three in Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

While agreeing that he questions the wisdom of giving federal money to cities that do not comply with federal law, Cole also said walls are not enough. He said the majority of illegal immigrants came into the U.S. on visas that have since expired.

When asked about sanctions against Mexico, who, the man alleged, provides pamphlets to its residents on how to apply for government aid, Cole countered that the U.S. and Mexican governments are cooperating on Mexican drug cartels. He said while the U.S. has successfully pushed drug manufacturing across the border, countries south of the U.S. are not making drugs for their residents; they are making drugs for Americans. The U.S. uses 50 percent of the illegal drugs in the world, but accounts for only 3 percent of the world’s population, Cole said, noting the U.S. must get tough on its drug problem.

“They all sell that stuff here,” he said.

A military veteran who made a special trip from her home in Canada to talk to Cole said she was appalled about what she sees happening to the country and asked what was being done with National Guard members to ensure America protects its citizens.

Cole said National Guard members are well-trained because they deploy to war zones just as active duty military do. But, the woman said she was more interested in knowing how those people will protect against terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Cole said the cooperative relationship that exists among federal entities already is making that protection a reality, noting the number of potential attacks that have been foiled. He said there hasn’t been a single incident similar to the 9-11 attacks since they occurred.

Online: Lawton Constitution