“Thank you all very, very much for coming out,” said Congressman Taylor, as he opened the informal session at 10am Friday.

Pearl River Community College hosted the town hall meeting. Congressman Taylor fielded questions from the large crowd for 90 minutes.

A question about the insurance industry being exempt from anti trust laws prompted a Katrina observation.

“Since it was legal for the insurance companies to talk to each other, I am personally convinced that State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, did collaborate and basically say, 'Hey, if you don't pay claims, then the pressure won't be on me to pay claims and that guy won't have to pay claims either,'” said Congressman Taylor.

AS PRESIDENT Obama and key Democrats in the U.S. Senate prepare their final push for health care reform, they need to listen to the objections of moderates in their own party, including the five Democratic members of the Alabama and Mississippi House delegations who voted against the health care bill approved by the House.

Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, voted against the bill. He was joined by 38 other Democrats, including a colleague in the Mississippi delegation, Rep. Travis Childers. All three Democrats in the Alabama House delegation — Bobby Bright, Artur Davis and Parker Griffith — voted "no."

On October 28, 2009, Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) wrote FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D. in response to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) announcement last week about the changes in regulations regarding Gulf Coast oyster harvesting. The unilaterally imposed changes would prevent raw oysters from being served in the United States.

ARLINGTON, Va: National Guard equipment will be returned from Iraq to the United States and Guard units can fill shortages with equipment currently in use in Iraq, Defense officials told Congress members Oct. 21.

"Reserve-component equipment will not be used as a source for Iraqi security forces requirements," Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy told a House Armed Services Committee hearing on redeployment. "In fact, reserve units serving inIraq are being offered the opportunity to take theater-provided equipment back to their home station to fill any authorized shortages."

Rep. Gene Taylor, who represents Mississippi, said that one of his state's National Guard units that had returned from Iraq had only 60 percent of its equipment to use when Hurricane Katrina hit. He asked if equipment currently in Iraq will be made available to state and local agencies.

There were six recorded votes on the Health Care Reform bill:

881 - Previous Question (Stop debate and vote on the Rule for considering the Health Care Reform bill.) Taylor voted NO

882 – Adoption of the Rule (Bring up the Health Care Reform bill for consideration) Taylor voted NO

884 – Stupak Amendment (No federal funds for abortion or subsidies for private insurance plans that cover abortion) Taylor voted YES

House of Representatives Health Care Bill (HR 3962)

CBO: Preliminary analysis of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act

Gene's position

I am opposed to the current health care reform bills being debated in Congress.

However, I am a co-sponsor of two bills in Congress that will help bring down health care costs.

• Allowing the government to use its purchasing power to lower the cost of prescription drugs. (HR 684)
  
• Forcing greater competition from insurance companies by eliminating their exemption from the nation's anti-trust laws. (HR 1583)

In addition, I also support a greater use of generic drugs unless a doctor advises otherwise.