HICKORY, N.C. – Congressional District 10 candidates Rep. Patrick McHenry and Democratic challenger Andy Millard participated in a forum at the Lake Hickory Country Club Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 25, sponsored by the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Lake Hickory.

McHenry and Millard talked about issues ranging from immigration and the Affordable Care Act, to expanding businesses and jobs in Western North Carolina in the forum moderated by Louis Wetmore, N.C. Department of Transportation Board of Directors Representative for District 12.

Former owner of an insurance agency in Tryon, Millard has also been a teacher and principal for 22 years. He added the last time he ran for an office was when he ran for student body president at Presbyterian College. Millard stated he is running for office because he “no longer recognizes the Congress he learned about in ninth grade civics class where Congress comes together to solve the burning questions of the day and then go back home.”

Republican incumbent McHenry said he has “consistently voted for the values of western North Carolina” and added he has seen more jobs come to the U.S. in the last two years. McHenry stated that he voted on a long-term bill to repair highways and Congress has been working on education and tax reform for the last two years.

On helping businesses grow and succeed

Millard answered Wetmore’s question about how he would help businesses grow and succeed by saying he wants to improve infrastructure for businesses, such as connections to the internet and transportation.

McHenry said he wants to first look at tax reform and federal regulations on businesses, citing a $2 trillion loss in economic activity due to regulations last year. He said he wants to consider the cost of government action on small businesses and families, and added these regulations need to be put before Congress.

The Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, according to McHenry, puts business regulations and their costs in check. He added that community college and workforce training programs are important for the community, citing the Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries (SKILLS) Act that streamlined workforce development programs.

On immigration

Millard said this issue “cries out for a bipartisan solution,” adding that McHenry refused to consider a comprehensive immigration reform package put forth by the Senate. He said there are “people living in the shadows,” and said he is in favor of a comprehensive legalization package.

McHenry said such a comprehensive package is a “disaster,” comparing it to Obamacare, and added it would allow “criminal and illegal aliens a pathway to citizenship.” He said he is in favor of border security and fixing the visa program, and also wants to look at the issue “step by step with every piece of the puzzle.”

On national security

Millard said national security is a complex issue that “cries for a bipartisan approach.” He added the United States has to engage with the rest of the world and with the country’s allies, saying the country needs “diplomacy first and military last.” On the local level, Millard said local police and national apparatuses need all of the resources necessary to keep the country safe.

McHenry responded that the issue lies within national policies that have failed and added President Obama allowed the rise of ISIS by not honoring the “red line agreement” and through the Iran nuclear deal. He said he led the Republican delegation in the House of Representatives to halt immigrants from coming into North Carolina after Gov. Pat McCrory called for this action to vet immigrants before allowing them into the country.

On Social Security and Medicare

Millard said many of his clients rely on Social Security and Medicare for part of their retirement. He added that he is against privatizing Social Security and Medicare, and added there are financial challenges that need to be addressed comprehensively by looking at the “big picture” and modest adjustments can be made to strengthen the systems in place through collaboration in Congress.

McHenry said he is in agreement with Millard on the issue having a bipartisan solution, and added Congress strengthened Medicare for the next decade two years ago. He said he opposes the Affordable Care Act because the system has created the largest cuts in Medicare in the system’s existence.

Social Security, according to McHenry, was created in the 1930s when life expectancy was 65 years old. At that time, McHenry said, 30 people would pay for every one beneficiary; that number has dropped to three today. He said the system is “structurally unsound” and people at retirement age need to make a pledge to make no changes to the system.

On healthcare and rising healthcare premiums

Millard said he has an “inside track” to this issue as he was the co-owner of an insurance agency. He said McHenry has voted many times to repeal the system, but never on how to replace it. Millard said he opposes selling insurance across state lines, stating it would lead to a “federal takeover” of the insurance industry. Millard added the “holes” in the Affordable Care Act have to be addressed in a bipartisan setting.

McHenry said he is proud to have voted against Obamacare and that he has voted to repeal the system every chance he has been given. He said he is in favor of some aspects of the bill like individuals being able to stay on their parents’ plan until age 26 and not being discriminated against for a pre-existing condition, calling these two things the “most laudable” things in a “costly disaster of a healthcare plan.”

McHenry said there are 95 out of 100 counties in the state that only offer one insurer for an individual under Obamacare, saying there is “no choice and competition.” He said he supports buying insurance across state lines as a tenet of reform for Obamacare, adding that it is not as simple as repealing Obamacare to replace it with another system. McHenry said he is also in support of government-sponsored research for the cures to cancer and Alzheimer’s through the 21st Century Cures Act that supports government resources and research for these cures.

On term limits

Millard said during his 350-mile bicycle tour of the 10th Congressional District last year, the most talk he heard was about term limits. He said he supports term limits for congressmen and senators, adding that people can go to the polls during elections to impose term limits.

McHenry said he agreed with Millard that people have the opportunity to elect or throw out the people who represent each district. He added that representation is divided and said he exercises accountability by holding town hall meetings and being actively engaged in the community.

On global warming

Millard said he believes in global warming and that is partly affected by human activity, and added he is in support of using clean energy like solar energy as an alternative. He said he believes people should “double down on clean energy” and said the future is in solar and wind energy. He added that the issue should not be a partisan issue and that he would work on continuing the investment in clean and renewable energy for upcoming generations.

McHenry said he would let scientists debate about the causes of global warming and added he looks at what is good for the environment in the long term and economy in the short and long terms when making policies.

McHenry opposes the cap and trade system implemented by President Obama because it would drive up energy costs. He said North Carolina is the number two solar state in the country, and the district is one of the top districts in the state. He said he supports nuclear energy because solar energy does not help on rainy and cold days, adding the process of recycling of nuclear energy needs to be improved.

On national debt

Millard said he, as a business owner, was heavily regulated and said regulations and taxes are a burden. He added he did not mind being regulated to a certain degree and happily paid his taxes, and said there needs to be a balance between regulations and businesses.

McHenry said part of the solution is being more competitive with greater economic growth and more people working. He added an active plan to save Medicare and social security needs to be put in place while expenses need to go down over the next generation. Rising interest rates will result, according to McHenry, along with less activity and he said he voted for budgets and balance during the next 10 years without raising taxes and giving more income to the government.

Closing statements

Millard said he has spent the last 19 months traveling around the district listening to voters and attended 10 multi-candidate forums in different communities in the district. According to Millard, McHenry has spent more than $1 million of his campaign fund this year and been to more than 135 fundraising events for his party across the country. He suspects most of them were not in North Carolina.

Millard said there are issues in the district that need to be resolved and McHenry is “waiting for the stars to align with the right president and Senate” before acting on these issues, adding people who are tired of what is going on in Congress can change their congressman.

McHenry said he is proud that western North Carolina has an engaged and knowledgeable electorate, adding he thinks it is great that voters have a choice in their candidates. He said he is proud to debate every opponent he has had since being elected and stated his work has been involved in helping small businesses and families.

McHenry said although he does not always see eye to eye with the president on key issues, there are times where he and the president could agree, saying the president has signed three of the 13 bills he has filed in the last two years, calling it “bipartisan success.” He added he wrote part of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act to get financial technology in communities through investment crowd funding. McHenry added that accountability is important to him through town meetings and having his district office in Catawba County.