Fifth District Republican Congressman Robert Hurt doesn’t know where he will sit for President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address next Tuesday.
"I haven’t decided yet," he told C-VILLE during an interview at his new Charlottesville office, located on the second floor of a Berkmar Circle building. Hurt added that he would likely pick the spot that was "most convenient."
As for health care reform, Hurt still knows where he stands. Two days after he voted in favor of the long-shot, longer-named "Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act," Hurt reiterated his stance that the health care reform act signed into law last year by President Obama was "unsustainable because of spending." He also voiced support for the chairmen of four House of Representatives committees tasked with proposing alternatives to the health care plan.
Asked what proposals Hurt felt most important to include in an alternative health care plan, he mentioned both tort reform and interstate competition among private insurance companies. "I think you’re going to see things like that come out of Energy and Commerce, Education, Ways and Means and Judiciary," said Hurt, naming the four Republican-led committees charged with studying alternatives.
Carole Thorpe, chair of the Jefferson Area Tea Party (JATP), was also at Hurt’s new office. Thorpe said that the JATP has focused on federal issues during Hurt’s race against ousted Democrat Tom Perriello, but will turn to local issues and send representatives to City Council and Albemarle Board of Supervisors meetings. "We’ll be watching Hurt as well," said Thorpe.
Fifth District Republican Rep. Robert Hurt (center), at his new office with supporters including Jefferson Area Tea Party Chairman Carole Thorpe (far right).
