By Chris Yow
Editor
TRUSSVILLE — U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R – Hoover) spoke at the monthly Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday. Palmer recently returned from Israel, where he and other American leaders met with region leaders to get a better understanding on the Iran nuclear weapons deal.
Rep. Gary Palmer
Palmer was quick to err on the side of caution concerning anything allowing Iran to produce nuclear weapons. In fact, Palmer stated he would like to “ramp up the sanctions” against the country. Palmer said he believed this issue was more than a United States issue, but it was a world issue.
“I think if we go through with this deal, it will be war,” he said. “I’ve read the entire agreement, section by section. I think it’s opening the door for the world’s leading sponsor in terrorism to ramp up their activity.”
Allowing Iran to produce nuclear weapons would only allow other countries to have them in the area.
“If Iran gets a bomb, Egypt will get a bomb. Saudi Arabia will get a bomb. I could also add that Turkey, United Arab Immigrants. What we would have in the Middle East is a nuclear arms race,” Palmer said.
Planned Parenthood was another topic of discussion for Palmer, who voted Yea on a bill sponsored by Diane Black (R-Tenn.) to defund the program. Palmer said he didn’t believe Attorney General Loretta Lynch could put together an unbiased investigation due to a grievance she filed on behalf of Planned Parenthood in a case involving partial birth abortions.
“I put together a letter, and 55 other Congressmen have signed on, to investigate Planned Parenthood. It does not need to be political, it needs to be confidential. It needs to go beyond Planned Parenthood,” he said. “If Planned Parenthood has violated federal law, then the organizations that have purchased these fetal organs and body parts have also violated federal law.”
Immigration and energy were also topics of discussion at the luncheon.
Palmer spoke about the energy issues facing our nation and the state of Alabama. He said he supports lifting a ban on the exporting of crude oil from the United States, and feels like it would help the economy and create thousands of jobs.
As for immigration, Palmer said building a fence at the border wasn’t enough, and more active patrolling needed to be added to the border in order to keep illegal immigrants and cartel groups from crossing. Palmer cited the job well done by the city of San Diego in their efforts to curb the number of illegal immigrants coming into the country, and said he would like to see more border patrol presence closer than they currently are able to patrol.
