John Boozman
During a town-hall style meeting via telephone Monday evening, U.S. Sen. John Boozman fielded questions on health care, immigration and veterans issues.
The state's senior senator spoke with constituents about Trump's immigration agenda, Republicans' plans to replace the Affordable Care Act and concerns about America's infrastructure.
Boozman said there needs to be major changes to the health care system, but also said he would keep in place certain parts of the existing law, such as a ban on lifetime caps.
Boozman said that his questions were not screened, and he spoke with constituents who criticized President Donald Trump's immigration agenda and his relationship with the press.
The senator defended his stance on immigration, saying that the U.S. needs a secure wall along it's southern border to control illegal immigration and protect the American worker.
The tone of the questions was in contrast to other town-hall style meetings held by GOP lawmakers.
Some meetings have spurred passionate confrontations between Republican lawmakers and constituents frustrated by Trump's platform. Other members of Congress have opted out of in-person events altogether.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton held a meeting last week at a packed 2,200-seat high school theater in Springdale. The state's junior senator faced a crowd of hundreds who opposed Trump's early agenda.
The crowd booed when Cotton tried to explains his position on health care, and drowned him out when they were not satisfied with his answers.
The event made national headlines after contentious moments between Cotton and members of the crowd. Ozark Indivisible, part of a national protest movement, helped organize Cotton's meeting.
Cotton plans to field questions by telephone today at 5:40 p.m.
U.S. Rep. French Hill, along with Boozman and Cotton, was absent from a town-hall style meeting at a Little Rock church Sunday.
In west Little Rock, members of Indivisible Central Arkansas packed St. Michael's Episcopal Church and pasted photos of the three Arkansas lawmakers to music stands. An organizer reportedly asked the photos questions before playing the sound effect of crickets on her phone.
A spokesman for Cotton said he did not receive an invitation to the event while the two other lawmakers did, according to previous reports.
Information for this article was provided by Hunter Field and Frank Lockwood of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Metro on 02/28/2017
Print Headline: Boozman talks to constituents on phone call
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