Meuser, Wild talk national security, debt, immigration at congressional luncheon in Schuylkill County

Aug. 25—BARNESVILLE — U.S. Reps. Dan Meuser and Susan Wild offered differing takes Wednesday on how to address national issues.

Meuser is a Republican who represents the 9th District, which includes Schuylkill County.

Wild is a Democrat who represents the 7th District, which is centered in the Lehigh Valley.

The two shared their perspectives on topics before more than 50 members of the Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers & Employers Association at its congressional luncheon at the Mountain Valley Golf Course clubhouse.

National security

Meuser emphasized ensuring a strong military to combat threats from Russia, China, Afghanistan and Iran, adding that he supported sending $40 billion to Ukraine to help it fight Russia's invasion.

However, Meuser said, the United States' national security has been weakened by its dependence on foreign energy.

Wild said keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S. helps national security while also providing employment.

Outsourcing those jobs to other countries, she added, presents a security risk.

Borders

Asked about the U.S.-Mexico border, Meuser, who has visited it, said it has been an "unmitigated disaster" under the Biden administration and its policies.

He said Border Patrol agents spend long hours processing people who cross the border, when they should be protecting it.

Meuser also advocated engaging the Mexican government about immigration and working with other countries whose people are crossing the border.

Wild said she supports allowing people who want to come into the country legally and safely, adding that those individuals can fill open jobs.

"We need to talk about legal immigration as a way to help the workforce," she said.

Student loans

On student loans, Meuser said the focus should be on relief for student loans.

Wild said she would introduce a bill restructuring federal student loan debt to allow all such debt to be refinanced at 1%. That would allow people to take out multiple loans and choose how to pay them, she said.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced plans to cancel some student loan debt, extend the pause payments along with introducing measures to help current and future borrowers.

Education

With education, Wild said, the country needs to "take pride" in vocational education, expose children to manufacturing early on and invest in science, technology, engineering and math education.

Meuser said he would support a parents' rights bill that would allow parents to know about the curriculum being taught in schools.

Inflation

Meuser also said that inflation has hurt small businesses and that the federal government needs a plan to help them.

Doing so would keep taxes competitive and revenues would go up, he said.

"There's no reason we can't lower overhead costs," Meuser said. "It can be done with smart planning."

Wild acknowledged that the federal government spends "an extraordinary amount" during the coronavirus pandemic, which she said was helpful.

She said there needs to a solution for the federal debt without taxing the middle class.

Making billionaires like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos pay more income taxes would help, Wild said, as well as treating the federal government like a business by "looking at places where we can strategically lower costs and raise revenue."

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