U.S. Congressman Tim Huelskamp addressed a large crowd Friday afternoon at the Manhattan Public Library during his first Town Hall meeting in Riley County since taking office 2 years ago.
The Congressman addressed a number of questions and concerns, including those about small businesses and how they’re faring in today’s economy.
“In general, small business are takin’ it on the chin. They had a big tax increase on them in January. We have the fullness of ObamaCare regulations starting to roll in and regulation after regulation from other agencies. The number one complaint I hear from small businesses is that uncertainty and that regulatory overload coming from Washington,” said Huelskamp.
The Congressman also addressed the ongoing debate about gay marriage. He does not consider gay marriage to be a civil rights issue, and believes that’s reflected by the African-American community.
“For folks in the African-American Community, many of them are incensed, especially that you would suggest an issue that if I can marry whom ever I want that somehow that’s an infringement on my liberties like it was to have the wrong color skin, or be of the wrong ethnicity; which courts have decided is a direct violation of civil liberties, and rightly so,” said Huelskamp.
He did say that the debate is not about who someone can or cannot love, but rather the definition of marriage according to the state.
Finally, Huelskamp promised to continue to push for job creation and a smaller federal budget.