Breckenridge Texan

U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington visits Breckenridge

U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington visits Breckenridge
May 31
07:10 2019

U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington was in Breckenridge on Tuesday morning, May 28, for a town hall-style meeting, giving an update on congressional activity and answering questions from the local citizens who attended. A small group of  15-20 area residents attended the meeting at Texas State Technical College.

U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington talks with Lisa Echols of Breckenridge. Echols’ daughter, Lauren Echols Decker, is a former district representative and regional director for Arrington. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

Arrington represents District 19, a 29-county district, which includes the northern half of Stephens County. Rep. Mike Conaway represents District 11, which covers the city of Breckenridge and the southern portion of the county.

Arrington started out discussing two issues, which he said are of great importance to his district – the Farm Bill and the future of Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene. Although Dyess will not be a training base for the new bomber, the B-21 Raider, like it has been for the B-1 bombers, it will continue to train B-1 pilots, as long as they are needed, and then it will become a base for operational testing and weapons school.

“That’s going to be more infrastructure, more people,” Arrington said. “It’s a bigger, better Air Force base for West Texas and for our country. So, a big point of pride for us. Most of that credit for securing that is going to go to the Key City (Abilene) for their support.”

On a national level, he discussed topics such as taxes, employment, and the U.S. military.

Looking to the future, Arrington said some of the biggest issues that need to be dealt with to move the country forward are infrastructure, drug pricing, a trade deal and reducing the debt.

He said that he believes in free market policies and a limited government. “I think America’s prosperity, America’s greatness, the fact that we’re the most powerful, most prosperous country in the world and most generous, isn’t because of our government; it’s because of our people,” Arrington said. “It’s because of job creation; it’s because of great education and job training. But, it’s because we have risk-takers and we have people that are willing to go out and create value and customers and compete in a free enterprise system. I don’t think anyone should give politicians credit for the economy growing, other than we just reduce the burden, regulatory and tax burden, on those who are trying to make a living for themselves and their employees and trying to grow their businesses. It’s just real simple.”

The congressman also talked about rebuilding the U.S. military and defending the country against China. “I think the biggest existential threat to the United States isn’t Iran, it isn’t North Korea … China wants to and will be effective in accomplishing making America marginal as they rise to being the supreme power and super-power of the world – if they can – without firing a single shot,” he said. “They cheat; they steal. I can give you example after example, whether it’s intellectual property or it’s dumping product to manipulate the market, or it’s just plain old-fashioned state-sponsored farming, state-sponsored steel-making. The government owns their enterprise that competes globally with ours. How in the world are we going to be able to stay in business, when you’re competing against a government?”

Later, in response to a question from an audience member about China owning some of America’s debt, Arrington continued his talk about China. “(The Chinese government is) not America’s friend,” he said. “The Chinese people, just like the Iranians, I think they want freedom, I think they want out of that place. … I don’t hate the Chinese people, but their government is an enemy of the state, number one.”

Arrington has offices in Washington, D.C., as well as in Abilene and Lubbock. He serves on the Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information about his views and work on a variety of issues, such as border security, national defense, healthcare, energy, agriculture, economy, education, veterans and more, click the following link to his official House of Representatives website: https://arrington.house.gov/ .

 

Story by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

Cutline, top photo: U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington, who represents the northern half of Stephens County, addresses a small group of local citizens who attended his town hall-style meeting on Tuesday, May 28. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

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