Spate of questions on national policies for Frelinghuysen

By Meghan Byers
MORRISTOWN — Many of the anxieties and uncertainties faced by Americans across the country were echoed in Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen's telephone town hall on Monday evening. One caller, after pointing out that the Republican legislator voted against demanding that President Trump release his tax returns, got Frelinghuysen to say that Trump should indeed make his returns public.
This was Rep. Frelinghuysen's (R-NJ11) third "teletown hall" in an ongoing series meant to allow constituents of New Jersey's 11th Congressional District to air their concerns to their congressman.
The 11th District includes five Sussex County municipalities — Sparta, Byram, Stanhope, Ogdensburg, and Hopatcong.
Held at 5 PM, the conference call covered a range of topics, including President Trump's budget "blueprint," and the healthcare reform proposal, both of which have faced widespread criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
"I'm not sold on the current version of the bill being debated," Frelinghuysen said of the healthcare reform bill, going on to say that changes were being made "as we speak," and that he was "anxious to see and study the provisions of the final legislation."
Frelinghuysen also cautioned constituents not to jump to conclusions about the budget plan, which proposes eliminating funding for programs such as Meals on Wheels, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and the National Endowment for the Arts, among others.
"The power of the purse continues to lie with Congress, and our constitutional responsibilities as an equal branch of government," he said. "On our House Appropriations Committee, we will do due diligence to conduct hearings and oversight, and go line by line to ensure that taxpayers' dollars are invested wisely and effectively." Frelinghuysen himself is the chair of the appropriations committee.
The congressman once again noted the rise in demonstrations and protests across the country following last November's election.
"I endorse this engagement on the big issues of the day," said Frelinghuysen, who has avoided holding an in-person town hall, while some of his Republican colleagues have found themselves facing angry crowds. "What I regret is the apparent breakdown at times in civil discourse across the country."
Callers' concerns included Environmental Protection Agency regulations, healthcare, and the president's possible ties to Russia. A constituent from Rockaway asked Frelinghuysen why he had voted against a bill that would require the president to release his tax returns, which might reveal any potential conflicts of interest. The bill had been proposed by fellow New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ9).
"I think he ought to release his taxes," Frelinghuysen said.
"There's what you think and there's how you vote and those are two separate things," the caller replied.
Frelinghuysen then explained that on the floor of the House he would support the ruling of the chair "regardless of the issue," stating that the ruling of the chair is "a political device" and that it is important for him to support the majority.
Frelinghuysen also said that he agreed with President Trump's plans to increase military spending, pointing to possible threats from Russia and China. He was, however, more critical of the Trump administration than in his previous teletown hall, particularly when it came to the president's wiretapping claims. Agreeing with one caller that the president's tweets were "totally out of control," Frelinghuysen went on to say that "I think to some extent he's damaged himself."
A topic of much discussion was the funding for the proposed border wall. Frelinghuysen did not condemn the proposal, but offered that he had "some feelings about the wall" and that he was "not sure the wall is the answer."
He was more forthcoming with criticism when a constituent expressed fears about possible cuts to the National Institutes of Health. The caller cited comments made by Mick Mulvaney, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
"He's not one of my favorite people," Frelinghuysen said of Mulvaney. He later added, "I think quite honestly some of their stuff is based...on anecdote and misinformation."
The proposed cuts would reduce the NIH's 2018 budget by an estimated 20%, or approximately $6 billion.
"The president can propose whatever he wants, but I can assure you we will work to defend and support the National Institutes of Health," Frelinghuysen told the caller.
When it came to the EPA, Frelinghuysen said that he has been "very much involved" in protecting clean water and open spaces, and called the EPA "an absolutely necessary federal agency" – but also conceded that there were some regulations that he felt made it too difficult for businesses to succeed.
"I do think in some areas there's been overregulation," he said. "I think we need to have a balance."
Frelinghuysen offered his support for many of the programs threatened by the president's budget plan, including Meals on Wheels and the National Endowment for the Arts, stating that he felt there was "strong bipartisan support" for keeping these programs funded. He spoke passionately about reforming the technology used by the Veterans Affairs office, a cause which he has long championed.
The teletown halls have faced criticism for lack of accessibility and limited communication. Several callers were again prevented from asking follow-up questions during the hour-long call, and technical difficulties caused minor interruptions.
NJ 11th for Change, a nonpartisan grassroots organization, maintains that an in-person town hall event would eliminate these issues and provide for more transparent communication between the congressman and his constituents. The organization has been holding demonstrations advocating for such an event since January.
"To me it's a huge problem, that we have a representative that still won't meet with us in person," said Debra Caplan, member of the organization's steering committee. "I don't feel my voice is being heard, and I know a lot of people share that frustration."
Fellow NJ 11th for Change member Elizabeth Juviler said that while teletown halls could be "handy in some ways," she did not feel that they should replace "actually getting together with the community."
"He should try it and see," she said. "We have no intention of shouting him down."
"He's a powerful voice in Congress, and I don't know what his priorities are," said Caplan. "If he's going to always vote with the chair...Where do you draw the line? To not know where he stands is frankly terrifying. Where are our voices?"
At the end of the call, Rep. Frelinghuysen invited constituents to go to his website to sign up for his e-newsletter updates. Constituents can also go to the congressman's website at frelinghuysen.house.gov/ to request to be included on the next teletown hall, which has yet to be scheduled.