News Home

The Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce hosted U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-5th, Friday for an informal forum with members of the public.

Foxx spent an hour during lunchtime meeting with small business owners and Thomasville area citizens discussing many of the issues Davidson County faces with the federal government.

“I know what it’s like to have a small business, make payroll, deal with broken contracts and people who don’t do the right things and all those things that small business people have to deal with,” Foxx said. “So, I understand, again, the challenges that the chamber has in dealing with folks to try to help the economy.”

Foxx spent a few minutes discussing the many ways she believes the citizens of Davidson County and the state of North Carolina are doing the right things by working hard each and every day, but she said the government has put too many regulations in place for small businesses and citizens to succeed.

“There are a lot of problems that are created in Washington for individuals and small businesses in the country, and that’s not the way it should be,” she said. “Washington should not be throwing roadblocks up for people. We should be making the way as smooth as possible.”

After her opening remarks, Foxx fielded questions from the public about the issues they believe are most pressing. Questions about empty Thomasville furniture factories and regulations of local banks were discussed, but chief among Foxx’s open forum was the state of health care in the country and the many problems it has caused individuals in the area.

“What I have focused on since I have been in Washington, and again what most of my colleagues on my side of the aisle are focused on, is how can we make the economy better, how can we get the federal government out of your way, how can we make life better for the people of the country, not worse, not more regulations, not increasing burdens, but doing what we can to make things better,” she said.

Taking the issue of health care out of the hands of the federal government and giving it to states and local citizens, Foxx said, would allow the needs of more individuals to be met.

“The federal government’s number one job is to defend the nation,” she said. “Everything else can be done at the state and local level and by the individuals.”

The 5th Congressional District in North Carolina that Foxx serves covers the northern part of Davidson County, including Lexington and the northwestern part of Thomasville.

Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce President Doug Croft said it was important to invite Foxx to the chamber and give Thomasville residents an opportunity to meet her.

“We don’t consider ourselves a city limits chamber, we’re a community area, a broad chamber, so we’ve had others, Congressmen (Richard) Hudson here, Congresswoman (Alma) Adams here, and we wanted to invite Congresswoman Foxx as well. So it was really our first time this chamber’s interacted with her,” Croft said. “That’s part of our goal as an institution is help bring that connection. … If we can help coordinate her and arrange for her to be here, and have some face-to-face time, that’s what our goal was. They can share their issues and concerns and positives as well. Our goal is to facilitate it.”

Members of Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center were in attendance, taking the time to meet Foxx and share their thoughts with her on medical service in the country. For Foxx, it was an opportunity to let them and other people know that she is in-tune with the needs of her district and continues to work for its best interests.

“The part I heard was very informative, about her plans and how she sees the future. I really appreciated her coming and speaking to us today,” TMC President Kathie Johnson said. “I listen to the news, I consider myself well-informed, but still I learned a lot today from listening to her.”

http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20151113/news/151119881