Congressman Cites 'Uncertainty' for Slow Job Growth

U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance burnished his reputation as a fiscal conservative in Congress during a town hall meeting in Warren Wednesday, with about 50 residents on hand.

In response to questions from residents, Lance said he still opposes the Federal Reserve Bank's quantitative easing program, and said he believes the biggest impediment to economic growth is the malaise of uncertainty hanging over the nation.

"Seven of 10 jobs that will be created in this country will be created by small business—and small business is waiting on the sidelines in so many ways because it does not know what is going to happen with regard to tax policy, and it does not know what's going to happen with the president's health care legislation," Lance said, in response to a question about what Congress can do to spur job creation.

Lance also faced several questions about restoring the Glass-Steagall Act, the Depression-era legislation that separated investment banking functions from commercial banks, and did not endorse one resident's request to cross the aisle and support a Democratic-sponsored bill to reinstate the provisions of the Glass-Steagall Act.

He did say he is concerned about several bills which seek to regulate banks, including the Dodd-Frank legislation passed in 2010, because of regulations that he said would lead protections for banks that are "too big to fail," which he opposes.

And when one resident challenged him on his undecided position on the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013, which would require online taxes be included for all online sales where state sales taxes apply, Lance pushed back with an analogy of a person shopping at a bridal boutique, trying on and deciding what they wanted—then ordering it online.

But when he asked the audience how many thought it was unfair to the small business, only a small number of hands went up. 

"This is why I think there are good arguments to each side," Lance said.

Immigration reform currently being debated in the Senate also drew several questions and comments from residents. Lance said he believes any reform will be addressed piece by piece by the House of Representatives, instead of in one large bill as the Senate has undertaken. He said he supports securing the borders first and believes an electronic verification system for employers to check citizenship and immigration status would be helpful.

"An e-verification system where employers had to verify that their employees were here legally would do more to secure the border than any other fact," he said emphatically.

The audience laughed at Lance's jokes about his age, and when he spoke about a recent visit by actress Sharon Stone, who was "very popular" with his staff (see the video for more name dropping by Lance, including a shout-out to Rep. Ron Paul and a welcome to the family of former Rep. Bob Franks).