(KAIR)--Nearly two dozen people gathered in the Santa Fe Depot Saturday for a chance to meet in an informal setting with both a state and national legislator.

The Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce held it's second Legislative Forum, bringing Democratic State Representative Jerry Henry and Republican United States Representative Lynn Jenkins to Atchison.
 
Henry started by addressing the controversial Religious Freedom Bill. He says the bill did pass from the house, but Senator Jeff King, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee has announced that he will not have a hearing on the bill, which effectively kills it for the year. He adds that he did have some reservations on the impact the bill would have on the community as it was being debated, but did vote in favor of the bill to continue, and let the Senate have it's shot. This came after he received 37 communications from his constituents asking him support it, and only one short email asking him not to support it.

Jenkins addressed the issue of the debt ceiling and the effects of the partial government shutdown that took place late last year. She says she was part of a group that proposed a solution to stop the shutdown, but was effectively shut down when the plan was brought to the president, who refuses to negotiate on the debt ceiling. He does not see that there is a problem and does not want to do anything that would turn things around.

She adds that she did not vote for the debt ceiling increase, and at this point, she is confident that voters will send new faces to Washington who want to turn things around and balance the budget.

Jenkins also talked about a bill she will be proposing this week regarding the Affordable Care Act, that seeks to extend the same benefits to every American. It would give the American people the same luxury of not having to pay the tax penalty for not moving to “ObamaCare”, the President has given to big businesses. Though it is only a temporary fix until the next election cycle.  

The third and final Legislative Forum presented by the Atchison Chamber of Commerce will be held on Saturday April 5th.