Monday on Lubbock's First News, Congressman Randy Neugebauer discussed the shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act, as well as efforts to make progress on the Farm Bill.

Neugebauer reiterated that while there is hope that the glitches will be worked out, there is a fear among citizens regarding the many stories of insurance loss or increased rates. He observed that this "cookie cutter approach" to healthcare will not work because individuals have specific needs. Neugebauer proposed going back to the beginning to start with a fresh attempt at a health care program.

Regarding the Farm Bill, Neugebauer noted that staff have been working to come up with tentative agreements. The House and Senate met last week to prepare staff for full conference. He remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached before the Christmas holiday, so that the debate does not enter the next crop year to help avoid uncertainty. He listed topics to be worked on, including food stamps, considering whether the bill will be permanent law or an amendment to the 1949 act, and well as the differing maturity rates of food stamps and the farm portion of the bill.

Finally, Neugebauer discussed the Fracking Bill that will come to the floor. The bill would allow the fracking process to be more regulated by the state. He hopes the bill will make the U.S. less dependent on other countries for oil, as well as to create jobs for citizens. He said the bill will offer incentives to companies to produce more through this industry. In response to a question about fracking water use, Neugebauer said, "to this date there has not been one case where hydraulic fracking can be traced back to water contamination." He noted that the industry is working to use less water and has made efforts to recycle water. He said fracking companies are "working hard to improve on how they're using water."

Listen to the full interview:

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