U.S. Congressman Dr. Phil Roe kept his promise to Hobe Williams of the Daily Bread Wednesday.
"He visited us when he was running for office," said Williams. "He told me he liked what we do here. He promised to come back and visit us. Of course, he was politicking at the time. Today, he kept his promise and came back to visit with us. That says a lot for a politician."
Roe visited the free cafeteria for the monthly prayer breakfast. Following an invocation by Pastor Dean Hadn of the First Baptist Church, Roe addressed the audience about several issues the nation is facing.
Primarily, he discussed the federal debt, nationalized medicine and a carbon tax that he says could cost East Tennessee more than 9,000 jobs and double energy costs.
"The Carbon Tax Bill is 900 pages long and very complicated." said Roe. "It places heavy taxes on companies that produce energy using coal such as Eastman Chemical. I have spoken with officials from Eastman who are concerned about this tax.
"If it passes, it could drive them out of business. They employ 7,000 people and 2,400 contractors."
Roe concedes he has an uphill battle on his hands as the House of Representatives and the Senate are both Democrat controlled.
"I have spoken with a number of business people and chambers of commerce around the state," said Roe. "This bill needs to be defeated. If it passes, the average energy cost per household will double within a year."
On the issue of health care, Roe explained that the Obama administration's plan to socialize health care should be a step back.
"I feel every American should have health coverage, but everyone should have to pay something for it because when it's free, people tend to abuse it." said Roe. "The government has failed miserably at handling Medicaid and Medicare. They will fail at handling nationalized health care as well.
"In countries such as England where they have socialized medicine, the survival rate in diseases such as cancer is lower.
"This is due to government regulation. In the United States we don't have all that regulation and there are no waiting periods.
"If you are sick you go to the doctor. In other countries there are waiting periods."
Roe addressed environmental issues in which he stated he supported more traditional dependable sources of energy and explained the impracticality of others such as wind mills.
"The answer ain't blowing in the wind," he said paraphrasing Bob Dylan. "Wind mills aren't reliable. In countries such as Spain they have closed down nuclear power plants to rely on wind mills.
"They have lost industry because companies have left due to the undependable source of energy."
Roe encouraged attendees to get involved in their community and the government and make their voices heard on these and other issues.
He reiterated his concern over frivolous spending in the government. Roe said this money could be used for most practical purposes.
"The stimulus package provides $50 million to protect trumpeter swans in other countries and yet there are people in East Tennessee with no health coverage."