(KAIR)--Over two dozen people gathered in Atchison's Santa Fe Depot Saturday morning for a chance to meet one on one with United States Senator Jerry Moran.
Senator Moran addressed a good deal of concerns for those in attendance, ranging from a perceived lack of housing in rural communities and community economic development, to the job growth in Kansas. He said that the state can do a lot of things if the economy is growing, and that we need to create an environment that promotes job growth.

Hospitals and health care was another topic discussed, with Moran saying that some changes need to be made in order to improve the various health care programs, especially in rural communities. He says we don't need more hospitals, but we need to make sure we don't lose the hospitals we currently have. He explains that “the regulations coming down from Washington drive up the costs (of healthcare), and reduce the chance that a hospital here, and elsewhere in Kansas is going to have a positive bottom line”.

Moran also had strong opinions on the federal government's role in education, saying that he did not vote for the No Child Left behind program, and has always been against it.  He says he does not want those in Washington determining what should be taught in Atchison and other parts of the state. He agrees there is a lot of importance in teaching music and arts in schools, but yet, they are not emphasized, because they are not covered by No Child Left Behind.

He adds that “Kansans need to decided what their curriculum is, what their students are taught, and a one size solution from Washington D.C. Is not beneficial to us, it's detrimental”.

Moran concluded with his thoughts on the national debt, saying that it will cripple the nation unless something is done about it soon.

The stop in Atchison was part of Moran's statewide listening tour.