Candidates Discuss Healthcare and Energy | Video

Jessica Roose | 10/11/2012

The candidates for U.S House and Senate were on stage last night discussing the issues facing the country. The forum was hosted by the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce and it was one of the few opportunities that North Dakotans had to hear Heidi Heitkamp and Rick Berg together before the election.

The Senate candidates started the evening discussing energy policy in the country.

Heitkamp stressed the importance for a long term policy that uses all resources and addressed the need for energy transmission.

She said she believes President Obama has not done the right thing for the country by denying a permit for the keystone pipeline and argued that she would stand up to him if elected.

Her opponent Rick Berg claims the problem lies in the senate and says he would work with both chambers of congress if elected to bring checks and balances to the EPA.

The candidates also discussed healthcare. Berg once again stressed the need to repeal the President`s healthcare law, which he says is an expensive government takeover that cuts medicare.

Heitkamp said changes are needed with the law when it comes to the mandate and the tax on health insurance.

But that it should not be repealed. She says doing so would get rid of the frontier states amendment, which she says would be impossible to get back.

Just before Heitkamp and Berg went on stage, U.S House candidates Pam Gulleson and Kevin Cramer debated for the second time this week.

They also focused on healthcare and energy.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY