Sen. Deb Fischer speaks during a listening session at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Trent Loos of Loup City asks a question of Sen. Deb Fischer as Roger Lempke holds the microphone during a listening session at the American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
An audience member records comments by Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium on Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Audience members react during a listening session with Sen. Deb Fischer at the Holdrege City Auditorium on Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a message for Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer takes a question as Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a protest sign during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
A constituent questions Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium in March.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star file photo
Brian Osborn, a Navy veteran from Holdrege, questions Sen. Deb Fischer as her aide, Roger Lempke, holds the microphone during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer takes a question during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
HOLDREGE — Sen. Deb Fischer took a swing through central Nebraska on Thursday, drawing pointed questions and some polite applause in a pair of town hall meetings.
About 400 people in total attended the two events, one a cordial morning gathering at an American Legion post in Kearney, the other a lively afternoon stop 30 miles away at the Holdrege City Auditorium.
Neither crowd was anything like the rowdy bunch of 1,000-plus that greeted Rep. Jeff Fortenberry on Monday at Lincoln Southwest High School.
But concerned Nebraskans, including many who drove from Lincoln and Omaha, challenged Fischer on several fronts, particularly during the Holdrege meeting.
“You’re not listening!†one woman shouted at the start of the question-and-answer period, accusing the Republican senator of turning a deaf ear to the many people who had urged her to vote against the confirmation of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
Fischer drew groans and boos from the crowd for her support of DeVos, her opposition to continued federal funding for Planned Parenthood and her response to a question about the surge in hate crimes since President Donald Trump’s election in November.
Hate comes from “both sides,†Fischer said while condemning racism and other forms of discrimination as “offensive to all of us.â€
DeVos’ experience in business demonstrates she is a proven manager capable of running the Department of Education, which acts primarily as a pass-through entity for federal education funding, Fischer said. “Betsy DeVos does not introduce legislation.â€
In their conversations, Fischer said, “She assured me that she is not going to be mandating vouchers, charter schools, anything school-choice through the Department of Education.â€
Both audiences took great umbrage at Fischer’s insistence that any federal funding given to Planned Parenthood could potentially help offset the cost of abortions. While acknowledging none of that money is used directly for terminating pregnancies, she said budgets are like sponges, and help in one place allows other resources to be shifted.
On health care, Fischer says she supports parts of the Affordable Care Act replacement plan being considered by the House of Representatives that protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, allow children to remain on their parents’ health plans until they reach 26 and prohibit lifetime or annual caps on coverage.
Other issues still need working out, she said, such as how to ensure enough young people enlist in health insurance to reduce the overall cost.
“I’m not committing on this bill one way or another right now,†Fischer said.
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At times, the Kearney meeting was downright sleepy.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star file photo
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium in March.
Sen. Deb Fischer takes a question as Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a protest sign during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Brian Osborn, a Navy veteran from Holdrege, questions Sen. Deb Fischer as her aide, Roger Lempke, holds the microphone during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Trent Loos of Loup City asks a question of Sen. Deb Fischer as Roger Lempke holds the microphone during a listening session at the American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
KEARNEY, NE - 3/16/2017 - U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) greets constituents at the start of a listening session at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney Thursday, March 15, 2017. ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
KEARNEY, NE - 3/16/2017 - Law enforcement personnel are stationed outside American Legion Post 52 in Kearney for an appearance by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) Thursday, March 15, 2017. ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
See photos of Sen. Deb Fischer's listening sessions Thursday in Kearney and Holdrege.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star file photo
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium in March.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
An audience member records comments by Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium on Thursday.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Audience members react during a listening session with Sen. Deb Fischer at the Holdrege City Auditorium on Thursday.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a message for Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer takes a question as Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a protest sign during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
A constituent questions Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Fischer in Holdrege
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Brian Osborn, a Navy veteran from Holdrege, questions Sen. Deb Fischer as her aide, Roger Lempke, holds the microphone during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Fischer in Kearney
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Larry Jess of Kearney asks a question of Sen. Deb Fischer during a listening session at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney Thursday.
Deb Fischer in Kearney
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star file photo
Sen. Deb Fischer listens to a constituent's questions during a listening session in Kearney in March.
Deb Fischer in Kearney
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Trent Loos of Loup City asks a question of Sen. Deb Fischer as Roger Lempke holds the microphone during a listening session at the American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
Deb Fischer in Kearney
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
Deb Fischer in Kearney
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
Sen. Deb Fischer speaks during a listening session at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
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ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
KEARNEY, NE - 3/16/2017 - U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) greets constituents at the start of a listening session at American Legion Post 52 in Kearney Thursday, March 15, 2017. ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
EG17031602
ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
KEARNEY, NE - 3/16/2017 - Law enforcement personnel are stationed outside American Legion Post 52 in Kearney for an appearance by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) Thursday, March 15, 2017. ERIC GREGORY, Journal Star
“You have one of the nicest, most-polite audiences that I have ever seen,†one woman noted before challenging Fischer for giving moderate answers to questions while being “notorious for voting the party line.â€
Democrats didn’t part with Obama on his cabinet nominees, Fischer replied, adding that with Trump, “I agree with his nominees.â€
While mostly defending Trump, telling the Kearney crowd his White House staff has been “good to work with in our experience,†she said during the afternoon session that Trump should release his tax returns for public inspection.
Fischer said there are “some areas of concern†with the federal budget proposal Trump submitted to Congress on Thursday. That includes putting additional money into school-choice programs that “can be spent better elsewhere,†she said, such as on school lunch programs or early childhood education.
She also took issue with the overall methodology for cuts: “A better policy would be to look at programs rather than have a number out there that you’re going to cut certain departments.â€
The two events drew a mixed crowd of locals and people from out of town, such as John and Nancy Votta of Lincoln.
“She won’t go there, so we had to come here,†Nancy Votta said.
Fischer said she plans to host more sessions in eastern Nebraska in August. Thursday, fellow Sen. Ben Sasse announced he will host a pair of town hall meetings in Elkhorn and Aurora.
Jerry Horstman of Tecumseh made the 200-mile drive to Fischer’s meeting in Holdrege with a sign reading, “All U.S. Citizens need health care, not just Congressâ€Â — and “LIAR†painted on the other side.
“Hopefully we won’t have to turn that side around too much,†he joked.
Fischer’s supporters didn’t stand out as much, but they were there.
“We wanted to get the room as full as possible with supporters rather than detractors,†said Wayne Karschner, a retired salesman and video producer in Kearney. “Rather than have her shouted down.â€
Trent Loos of Loup City asks a question of Sen. Deb Fischer as Roger Lempke holds the microphone during a listening session at the American Legion Post 52 in Kearney on Thursday.
Sen. Deb Fischer takes a question as Tecumseh farmer Jerry Horstman holds a protest sign during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.
Brian Osborn, a Navy veteran from Holdrege, questions Sen. Deb Fischer as her aide, Roger Lempke, holds the microphone during a listening session at the Holdrege City Auditorium Thursday.