PHOTO BY LISA CARNLEY Dr. Max Coats, left, shares his opinion with Congressman Mike Conaway who was in Lampasas last week to meet with his constituents. From health care to Fort Hood, Congressman Mike Conaway (RMidland) addressed a variety of issues and answered numerous questions at a recent meeting at the Lampasas County Courthouse.

The Republican congressman said he voted against the recent health care bill.

“It was a disappointing bill but not surprising,” he said of the House of Representatives’ passage of HR 3962. “Now it goes forward to the Senate, and I think we have a legitimate chance to kill it there.”

Conaway acknowledged that the health-care issue has generated a lot of heat. “I am hoping a grassroots effort will defeat it,” he said. “Ask people you know to make contact with their senators and let them know we want to do everything we can to stop this bill. It’s important it gets killed in the Senate. We can’t let it get any closer to passage than that.”

Said Conaway: “It’s not enough for me to simply say ‘no’ on an issue of this importance.”

The congressman said there are too many issues that need to be taken care of before dealing with health care. “This is 17 percent of our economy. Let’s not get it wrong. We have $62 trillion in unfunded debt and promises that we are going to hand off to our future generations. When you find yourself in those circumstances, it makes no sense to talk about a trillion dollar bill that we can’t afford. It just digs the hole deeper.”

Conaway then briefly touched upon the recent Fort Hood shootings. In restating President Barack Obama’s remarks at a memorial service at the Killeen Army post, Conaway said: “There’s not a religion anywhere in the world that would support these craven acts in shooting our kids while they are in uniform.

“Here’s a guy [the gunman, Army Maj. Nidal Hasan] who’s born in America, lived the American dream, the taxpayers paid for his schooling, the taxpayers paid for his psychiatry degree. He started out as a peaceful Muslim. How did he get to the point where he is a jihadist?”

The congressman said Hasan’s actions were those of a lone wolf, and the crime he perpetrated was not a conspiracy. “He legally purchased a pistol, and he acted at his own pace. He shot those people. He perpetrated this act. He was willing to do that and to die. What kind of people are willing to do that?”

Conaway said he attended a ceremony to honor the 13 who died in the Fort Hood shootings. Each casket was carried by an honor guard to a waiting C-17 aircraft. “That was done 13 times. Every one got the same care. Then the officials went into the plane, and we stood there with those 13 flag-draped coffins at our feet.

“I was thinking that just the day before, they got up in the morning to have breakfast. They had dreams and aspirations. They were loved by their families, and they put on their uniforms, and they got shot.

“One of their own colleagues shot them because they wore a uniform that showed they loved their country. That image will be forever burned into my memory.”

Conaway encouraged everyone to say a prayer for those who lost their lives at Fort Hood. “Say a prayer for them and their families and for the Fort Hood community.”

He then responded to a query about how to increase the number of health-care professionals.

“The job has to be made as attractive as possible, and new funds need to go toward medical education. I see a shortage of doctors in the future because they can’t keep up with the aging population.”

Asked if he remains against term limits, Conaway said he does. “I am on a quest to force the Department of Defense and the intelligence community to audit their financial systems, and I have to be there every step of the way to see that gets done. Then they know I’m coming back. As long as the voters give me a good rating and continue to vote for me, I will run.”

Conaway said he faces two primary opponents: one from Marble Falls and one from San Angelo. He vowed to participate in upcoming forums as long as his schedule allows.

The congressman thanked those in attendance for their interest. “Decisions are made by those who show up, and your coming here lets me know what’s important to you.”