U.S. Representative John Fleming (Dist. 4) met with the Beauregard Daily News Monday to discuss his first six months in Congress and the issues facing Beauregard Parish as well as the state of Louisiana.

Fleming was elected in December 2008 and has been launched into what he called “a government that is more bipolar than ever.”

He said that there seems to be an “ideological divide” among both the House and the Senate on nearly every issue.

The federal budget is one such issue.7

Fleming’s feels that government spending has reached its most frivolous numbers in history.

According to Fleming, all of the money that came into the treasury for his fiscal year was spent by April 16, the day after taxes were due. He said the country is “basically living off of borrowed money for the rest of the year.”

He is concerned with the direction that kind of spending will send the country, and cited the extreme inflation of the 1970s. That inflation, he said, followed a period of excessive spending that barely compared to what the country is doing presently.

He was also bothered by the Obama administration’s choice to cut defense spending, especially with escalating tensions in Iran and North Korea.

When asked if he thought the reduction of defense spending would affect Fort Polk, Fleming was optimistic that it would not.

Many of the cuts were made to weaponry expansion, an area that Fort Polk is not usually directly involved in.

In fact, Fort Polk was recently allocated expansion funds.

Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport was recently assigned to be the headquarters for Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). AFGSC is charged with controlling all of the Air Force’s nuclear-capable bombers, missiles, and personnel.

Because of that hefty responsibility, Fleming does not anticipate Barksdale being affected by budget cuts either.

The cuts will not affect soldier’s pay, benefits, or bonuses.

The Obama administration presented a 2.9 percent pay raise for military personnel; the House Armed Services Committee, of which Fleming is a member, pushed that 2.9 to 3.4, and it was approved. The raise will go into effect at the beginning of the next fiscal year.
Benefits and bonuses will remain the same.

Energy is another national issue heavily linked to Louisiana. Many Congress members are pushing for the immediate use of alternative energy. Fleming stated that he “is in favor of common sense” rather than one rash action.

The immediate switch to alternative energies is too much of a risk for Fleming at this time because of the lack of research and factual support.

He said that if alternative methods prove themselves cost competitive against current energy sources, he would be in full support of a change.

Presently there simply is not enough proof for him that such drastic measures are economically viable.

Fleming pointed out that ethanol gas turned out to cost nearly as much to produce as it could reasonably be sold for, that wind power is too unreliable right now because there is no way to store the energy it creates for times when wind is not present, and that solar panels simply are not cost competitive–the amount of money required to build solar facilities is so high that, at best, the money saved in the future would make the costs equal to the ones Americans face now.

Fleming is a proponent of the use of natural gas, nuclear power, and traditional sources until hard evidence is shown that suggests another method would be more efficient, cost effective and environmentally sound. He stated that in the case of alternative energy, he would like to see “politics follow science, not the other way around.”

Regarding local projects Fleming encouraged community members to continue presenting their needs and desires to local and state authorities.

Fleming noted that hundreds of small cities nationwide apply for federal grants to support local projects, which he urges cities in his district to avoid.

He pointed out that Parish residents do not expect to have their taxes paying for a bridge in Minnesota, and that likewise small communities in Minnesota should not have to pay for projects in Beauregard.

He also stressed the concept of “local accountability” in several areas, including employment rates.

He pointed out that the state’s education system and the the state’s need to bring in more business go hand in hand, remarking, “We need to create a very favorable economic environment”, one that includes an educated workforce, lower business taxes, competitive pay rates and recreation.

Employers and employees do not come alone, they bring families; in order for a city to draw new business, it cannot rely simply on the fact that space is available for that business.

The City of DeRidder has worked fervently to expand recreational attractions and cultural opportunities around town.

The Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance is pursuing awareness of what the Parish can offer to Louisiana in terms of state safety, transport, economic development and historical archiving.

The Beauregard Educational Link, and specifically Louisiana Technical College Lamar-Salter Campus (LTC-LSC), is quickly developing programs that will offer secondary education and technical training to Vernon and Beauregard Parish residents.

LTC-LSC Dean Mike Kay recently unveiled his plans to both parishes to implement a fast-track nursing program that would graduate LPNs in 13 months. Kay also plans to bring technical training opportunities to students in high school who may not have the means to attend a traditional four year university.

The purpose of these programs is simply to produce qualified, skilled workers in small towns.

Those trained will have better job opportunities, and on the flip side the presence of skilled workers will hopefully bring in new business.

Introducing technical training opportunities to high schools would also be incentive for students to finish the high school curriculum while arming themselves with tools for survival in “the real world.”

Fleming seemed impressed with Beauregard’s efforts and offered to look into what kind of aid Capitol Hill may be able to offer the parish’s secondary education efforts.

Fleming is on a week-long excursion, visiting several areas in Congressional District 4.