U.S. Representative Dan Meuser (R-9) discussed a variety of issues, including data centers, healthcare, and affordability/the economy, during a telephone town hall with his constituents on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
He highlighted a number of accomplishments with voters in his district, which includes Lebanon County, for about the first 10 minutes of the hour-long call. The session began about 20 minutes late because of votes happening on the House floor, he said.
House votes on Tuesday
Tuesday, the House passed 370-48 a short-term measure to avoid a government shutdown as mid-term elections get near.
“We did pass a continued resolution,” said Meuser at the top of the call. “Normally, I hate continued resolutions, but it’s our job to pass budgets.”
Meuser said that at least this one was President Donald Trump and the Republican’s budget from last year.
“And fortunately at least, well, I hate to get political right away, but the Democrats didn’t shut us down this time, like they’ve had two times before for, in my view, for really no good reason,” said Meuser.
He also addressed another vote, the Anti-Socialism Resolution.
The House on Tuesday adopted a resolution to denounce socialism “in all its forms.” The House adopted the resolution in a 220 to 192 to 2 vote, with eight Democrats voting with all Republicans in favor. Two Democrats voted present, including U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-6).
“We had that vote in order just to kind of say, ‘Hey, you talk about this at your rallies, you talk about this on MSNBC, you talk about this. Why not let American people know where your party stands on socialism?’” said Meuser. “So that makes it 95% of a vote that way.”
Published reports note GOP leaders scheduled the vote after Democratic primary voters embraced a number of democratic socialist candidates. Republicans connected those wins to their own push to pass President Trump’s signature voting regulations bill, the SAVE America Act.
The resolution also reaffirms GOP backing for the SAVE legislation that has been stalled for months in the Senate, where it lacks even simple majority support, according to published reports.
Constituent services
Meuser noted that constituent services is his top priority as a federal legislator.
“Our No. 1 criteria is constituent services, and along with spending time in every county finding funding by the way, for each of the 12 counties,” Meuser said, noting that funding runs between $20 million to $25 million to the counties in his district.
“And certainly, my incumbency and my work with appropriations and on my committee’s financial service and small business, we were able to continue to do that. That’s one portion of it. The constituent services, however, are mainly about the casework that we do.”
Affordability/the economy
Meuser said Congress is working on the affordability issue, saying it is “front and center” on Capitol Hill.
“It’s so very important to you, particularly the price of gas at the pump and the price of groceries,” said Meuser. “We’re just doing everything we can to create a more supply side economy, so a supply that exceeds demand and prices come down.”
“But also, of course, the Iranian conflict has caused gasoline prices to rise.”
Rising healthcare costs
Diane from Lebanon was one of seven calls fielded during the Q&A session. She aired her concerns about the rising cost of health care as she gets older and retires.
“Look, you were not alone. Everybody’s out there with premiums going up, deductibles going up, the costs on our government as a portion of our overall expenditures increasing,” Meuser said. “So some serious mistakes were made over time. And Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act, recently, of course, you saw our – and many of my friends, my colleagues, Democrats – stating how we wouldn’t fight for lower premiums.”
Meuser added he supports Trump’s plan to place funds into individual healthcare savings accounts.
“Right now in Medicaid, we’re directing the funding directly to the insurance company, whether or not the services are rendered or not. So, the president said, ‘Let’s direct that funding to individuals’ healthcare savings accounts,’” said Meuser. “So, obviously, certainly I’m all for that because that makes a lot of sense. We’ve enriched these insurance companies to no end without performing services and getting away with escalating prices. So that’s something that certainly needs to change.”
Data centers
Victoria from Columbia County said she is concerned about farmland being converted into data centers. Meuser said protecting farmland is important but also said data centers are an important development.
“I know it’s certainly a significant concern throughout the district, throughout our country now, and things need to be handled in a highly proper way. As I always say, look, landowners come first, communities come first. This is a development that is important. Not that agriculture is not. That’s quite much more important,” he said.
Meuser said data centers should only be built with local, not state nor federal, approval.
Data centers have become a political lightning rod in the country, with some previous advocates like Gov. Josh Shapiro reversing their positions.
On Tuesday, Trump strongly advocated for data center expansion, noting on Truth Social that communities opposing them risk becoming “backwards and poor.”
“Look, these things should only get developed in a community if there’s local approval and that it truly adds value and does no harm,” Meuser said. “It’s almost like the Hippocratic oath. First, do no harm. Needs to come into our communities and be nothing but a positive and that requires, and I say this, the township supervisors, county commissioners only under the most ideal criteria.”
Meuser added that ideal criteria includes the centers’ supplying their own water, being built for the long term, and data center owners “doing the right thing.”
He added that China is doing its “very, very darnedest to help be an influencer on stating things about data centers that aren’t true. And trust me, I’m just not saying that. I got that direction from the CIA that was not classified.”
He closed that topic by suggesting the facilities be built on brownfields or possibly at abandoned quarry sites, adding they bring “big bucks” that benefit schools, lower property taxes, help fund fire companies, and provide revenue for road construction projects.
Meuser said he co-sponsored legislation that there must be local control over the projects.
“One, quality of life, that comes first, but secondly for opportunity. So it’s a big issue,” said Meuser. “It’s got to be handled right. And we’re going to do our very best to be on the side of, I think, where you are.”
Meuser, now in his fourth term in Congress, faces Democratic challenger Rachael Wallce in the midterm elections this fall. Wallace appeared in Lebanon last month for the 75th Mondays with Meuser protest calling for a debate with the incumbent. None had been scheduled at this time.
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