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Congressman focuses on local issues during visit

By Gregory Bacon 5 min read

 Outside of Wicked Warrens in Jamestown, about a dozen protesters gathered, shortly before Rep. Nick Langworthy was to speak at the CHQ Chamber's "State of NY-23" Congressional luncheon.

While the protesters held signs regarding cuts to SNAP, the Epstein files, President Trump and the war in Iran, Langworthy spent the majority of his time focusing on the local community, avoiding a lot of hot-button issues.

The first half of the luncheon Langworthy spoke directly to the audience focusing on Chautauqua County, specifically manufacturing, tourism, farming and small businesses.

"The growth and strength of Chautauqua County to me is personal. It's where I was born and raised. This is where my father has been a small business person for almost 50 years in this community," he said. "I know what this region has been. I've seen some of the difficult changes that have gone on over the last three decades. But I also know what Chautauqua County can be."

He began with a focus on manufacturing.

Langworthy championed federal tax cuts, saying they are helping businesses invest in equipment, research and development.

"America is going to manufacture more again, and there's absolutely no reason that Western New York shouldn't be one of the leading places for that resurgence," he said.

But at the same time, Langworthy noted how manufacturers are struggling to find employees.

"We have to get workers ready for those jobs," he said, complimenting the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier's Dream It Do It program.

He said strong manufacturing and strong job training will help the region as a whole.

"I don't want our greatest export to continue to be our young people," Langworthy said.

After discussing manufacturing, Langworthy highlighted farms, especially generational ones.

"Our family farms are essential to our economy in Chautauqua County - from our grape growers to our dairy farms and producers throughout the county," he said. "Farming is hard enough without the government making it harder."

Langworthy, who is a federal representative, was critical of state leaders and their impact on farming. "One of the greatest threats to agriculture in New York, they're not coming from Washington. They're coming from Albany. There's a fundamental disconnect between rural New York and the people making many of these policies," he said.

Langworthy was critical of the state's push to switch from fossil fuels to electricity, specifically highlighting how much electric costs have risen in recent years.

Langworthy championed his proposed Energy Choice Act legislation. According to his website, the bill "aims to stop state and local governments from banning or limiting consumer access to specific energy sources, such as natural gas or heating oil, in buildings and homes."

Langworthy said he believes the bill will move forward in September.

"We got it to the Energy and Commerce Committee, with 157 co-sponsors, including three Democrats, that have signed on to this legislation," he said.

In conclusion of his speech, Langworthy focused on tourism.

He highlighted the area's lakes, wineries, Chautauqua Institution, trails, and outdoor recreation.

Specifically, Langworthy pledged to continue to help improve Chautauqua Lake.

"We're going to do everything we can to make that lake a pristine body of water," he said.

While working with County Executive PJ Wendel, Langworthy this year he is advancing another $600,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chautauqua Lake Aquatic Ecosystem Recreation and Water Quality Improvements feasibility study.

The study is currently underway and Langworthy said this money will help bring the study to a conclusion so solutions can be implemented.

"We all want the lake to be as healthy and successful as it can," he said, as applause broke out among audience members.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

Following Langworthy's 30-minute speech, CHQ Chamber President Dan Heitzenrater read questions from the audience.

One issue asked was cuts to Medicaid.

Langworthy called the cuts "common sense," saying the federal government has installed work requirements for able-bodied, working age adults, who don't have dependents.

He called on the state leaders to focus more on "fraud, waste and abuse," arguing that New York spends too much on Medicaid compared to other states, including California and Texas, which have larger populations. American healthcare system," he said.

With inflation in healthcare, Langworthy said too many costs are hidden from the public.

"Everybody is making money and profit is not a dirty word. But we have no transparency," he said.

One person had a follow-up question with energy costs and how it impacts local businesses.

Langworthy admitted the federal government has an adversarial relationship with the state.

He complimented Pennsylvania and how the state has boomed financially due to fracking.

"I look at Allegany County, one of the poorest counties I represent. It would have been the headquarters of thousands and thousands of jobs, by what could have been if the fracking revolution was able to take hold in our part of the Southern Tier," Langworthy said.

To conclude the luncheon, Heitzenrater asked Langworthy about the polarization in our country today.

Langworthy noted how polarization is worldwide, not just in the United States.

He blamed some of that on social media, saying people say things online that they would never say face-to-face.

He also said people need to be able to disagree without being hated.

"We've got to stop vilifying each other based on who you voted for in the last election. ... We're all Americans," he said.

Starting at /week.