Sen. Blackburn answers questions from Carter County officials
Published 4:22 pm Wednesday, July 1, 2020
- Brittnee Nave/Star Photo Senator Marsha Blackburn answered questions from Carter County officials Tuesday evening.
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Senator Marsha Blackburn sat down for a virtual conference call with Carter County officials on Tuesday evening.
Blackburn began the meeting by providing updates from Washington. In the place of Mayor Rusty Barnett was his assistant Abby Frye due to illness.
Following the announcements, Blackburn took to answering questions that officials had sent in to the mayor’s office for her to answer.
The first set of questions came from the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce. The first inquired about details surrounding the Rural Health Agenda.
Blackburn broke down the agenda into three parts: telehealth, innovation funds and a legistaure for staff. She elaborated on each part.
“We know that rural areas need access to telehealth. Unfortunately, telehealth had been considered a luxury,” she explained. “What people realized with COVID is that it is really a necessity. It can be a health and safety issue for individuals who have complex medical issues or the elderly.”
She proceeded to discuss the innovation fund.
“This came about because of what we’re hearing from some in the state legislature and the governor’s office to have free-standing emergency rooms,” she said.
“What I’ve done is an innovation fund that would be there to partner with states and localities on new ways to deliver health care. If you lose your hospital, how about a free-standing emergency room.”
She finished her answer to the question by speaking on the final component of this agenda.
“The third component, if you’ve got technology, if you have a center, you need people to staff it,” she said.
Part of this legislature would forgive the student loans, tax free, to physicians practicing medicine in a rural area for five years.
The next question from the chamber hindered on the subject of peaceful protests and staying safe should riots break out. Blackburn responded to this in describing a desire for more police funding to enhance training and skills for better performance as well as a database for nationwide dismissed officers.
Lastly, the chamber asked about new industries and partnerships with colleges in the area to which Blackburn answered with work being done to return jobs to the United States and jobs that could be beneficial to this area.
The next questions sent in were by Dr. William Greer regarding VISAs for his international students to which Blackburn said she would provide answers and aid in his concerns.
The floor was opened for the remainder of the meeting to which concerns over PPE guidelines were addressed and Blackburn gave her stance for officers with qualified immunity.
As the meeting closed, Blackburn stated the name of her website where people can go for the latest news and further information. This can be found at www.blackburn.senate.gov.
