Shore Congressman Tom MacArthur (NJ- District 3 - R) is counting on input from Ocean County Mayors, to maximize his role on several key committees for voters and taxpayers in New Jersey's 3rd District.

"I'm always concerned about how life is going for people here in South Jersey," said MacArthur.

The Congressman recently joined the Financial Services Committee where he's already tackling an issue affecting the shore.

"The National Flood Program is about to have the rug pulled out from under it," said MacArthur. "That will devastate home-ownership in coastal New Jersey."

He adds that he has already spoke to the opposition on this issue, "and explained to them that there are communities that depend on a federal backstop for floods."

As Ocean County Prosecutor Joe Coronato blazes new trails to combat heroin use, MacArthur seeks to bring similar thinking to the Bi-Partisan Task Force that he co-chairs in Washington.

In Toms River this week MacArthur said their first meeting will focus on synthetic opiates, "which is part of the problem...that people don't have to go back alleys and cities to find drugs anymore because they can be bought over the internet."

Then it's about working with pharmaceutical companies.

"Part of the problem has been a generation of over-prescribing painkillers," said MacArthur. "It came out of a whole mindset that part of good medicine was making pain go away."

He adds that the roots of the issue spread even further.

"It's getting dispensers involved to make sure somebody can't go to 10 different pharmacies and fill 10 different prescriptions," said MacArthur.

New Jersey U.S. Congressman Tom MacArthur addressing Ocean County officials in Toms River. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media)
New Jersey U.S. Congressman Tom MacArthur addressing Ocean County officials in Toms River. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media)
loading...

After the Republican Party took the first steps towards repealing and replacing 'Obamacare' last week, MacArthur says that while it has to be replaced, his party needs to approach it like the tortoise and not the hair.

"The law has to be revised because it can't be sustained, but nobody said we had to do it overnight," said MacArthur. "We're moving, in my opinion, at break-neck speed and people are going to get hurt."

He adds that he voted no last week even with the party voting yes because of this reason, but will continue to work with fellow GOP members in Washington.

History is set to be made on Friday as Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America, and MacArthur will be among the attendees.

"It's a privilege and an honor," said MacArthur. "It's my first president being sworn in since I've been in Congress and I'll be up on the platform and am looking forward to it."

MacArthur spoke on Monday at the Ocean County Mayors Association monthly meeting as well as a Martin Luther King Day observance at the Second Baptist Church of Toms River.

 

More From Beach Radio