Bergman says freshmen in Congress making progress

By RALPH ANSAMI

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Ironwood - The future of health care and climate change were on the minds of many of the 35 people who attended a Friday listening session at Gogebic Community College with U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet.

Bergman noted he voted to repeal Obamacare and the legislation now sits before the Senate.

He explained his repeal vote by saying he didn't believe 100 percent of Obamacare was broken, but the majority of it was. Now the the future of what he called "sick care" hasn't been determined.

"We have to drive the cost of health care down," he said.

Elder attorney Paul Sturgul, of Hurley, urged Bergman to consider expanding both Medicare and Medicaid. Sturgul said Medicare, which covers 58 million Americans, has been a "tremendous success" and suggested the age for receiving coverage should be lowered.

Sturgul asked Bergman if Medicaid, which was called the "original sin" because it is federally and state financed, should be entirely federalized. Bergman didn't answer, but said he'd like more information on the subject matter.

Bergman said more emphasis must be placed on preventative health care, as that would decrease health care costs over time.

A freshman member of Congress, Bergman sits on budget, veterans affairs and natural resources committees.

He said he is committed into looking into veterans' issues.

People attending the session in the highly Democratic county might have been surprised when Bergman said the freshmen members of Congress pledged a commitment to civility when they first took office, agreeing not to attack each other.

"This will go down (in history) as a reform Congress," he said, pointing out he has voted on around 300 bills.

There were complaints Friday of veterans living in the area not being able to use Wisconsin doctors because they live in Michigan, where they must make the long trip to Iron Mountain to receive care that's available an hour away in Wisconsin.

Bergman said he has studied bureaucracies and the Veterans Administration is very complex in that regard.

He said the climate has been changing ever since the earth formed. "It's up to man to figure out the causes and change and litigate the effects," he said.

Bergman was praised by Grayson Morrow, of Wakefield, for joining the Climate Solutions Caucus. Bergman said he was required to join with another freshman lawmaker, a Democrat, and looks forward to participating in the caucus.

"That took a lot of courage," Morrow said.

In his first eight months in office, Bergman said his office has been able to close out about 75 percent of the constituent cases his offices in Marquette and Traverse City have received.

"Money is the number one issue we hear about," he said.

Bergman said the federal government dishes out $150 billion to $200 billion a year in improper payments and if even half of that overspending could be curbed, it would mean a great deal in reducing the national debt.

Gogebic Community College president Jim Lorenson, who moderated the session, thanked Bergman for supporting two pieces of legislation that benefited college students and presented him with a picture of the college.