Klobuchar meets with Hutchinson leaders

Health care and the Iraq War are likely to be two of the major issues in the 2008 presidential election, according to Minnesota's new U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Klobuchar met with officials from Hutchinson, McLeod County and Hutchinson School District 423 for about 30 minutes over the noon hour Monday before flying back to Washington, D.C. They asked her about issues that affect their constituents.

Her visit to Hutchinson was arranged when Mayor Steve Cook and City Engineer Kent Exner visited Washington in February. They went to ask Minnesota’s representatives in Congress for help securing federal money for a planned expansion of the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

“I think that will be the major issue, next to the war, in the next presidential election,” Klobuchar said about health care. “You hear about health care costs all over the country. big businesses, like GM, are saying they can’t compete.”

As for global warming, Klobuchar said businesses are pushing Congress to develop national cap-and-trade program for carbon dioxide emissions rather than letting states start competing, noncompatible programs.

Since Klobuchar also serves on the Senate’s commerce committee, as well as the ag, environment and transportation committees, Supt. Daron VanderHeiden asked if she sees a correlation between education and commerce.

“Well of course there is,” the freshman senator said. Top Minnesota companies, such as Medtronics and 3M, cite the state’s history of strong education as a main reason they are located here, she added. To compete in the global economy requires a commitment to education.

When asked about the new farm bill now being written, Klobuchar said the 2002 bill set to expire later this year was a good one that probably only needs some tweaking, instead of a major overhaul.

For more about Klobuchar’s visit, read the April 24 print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.

(Terry Davis is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)