The congressman's office said he wanted to focus on other parts of his district this time

Rep. Peter DeFazio does not expect to hold a town hall meeting in the mid-valley during this congressional recess.

His office said this week that since he had been in the mid-valley in April, this time he planned to spend most of his time in other parts of the 4th District.

DeFazio, a Democrat, has scheduled 14 meetings this month in towns including Springfield, Eugene, Cave Junction, North Bend and Gold Beach.

The closest to the mid-valley will be Tuesday, Aug. 18, when DeFazio plans to be in Junction City, at the city hall there, from 9 to 10 a.m.

Some readers had called the Democrat-Herald asking when the congressman would have a public meeting in the mid-valley. They said they wanted to talk with him about health insurance changes pending in Congress.

The full DeFazio town hall schedule is available on page four of his latest online newsletter, at http://www.defazio.house.gov.

On health care, DeFazio says he generally supports the draft of a plan released by three House committees in June, including a public option to compete with private insurers. He is against taxing private insurance benefits to help pay for reforms.

Other members of Congress representing the mid-valley - Oregon's two senators and Congressman Kurt Schrader, D-5th District - have announced no plans for mid-valley town halls during the August recess.

Congress is scheduled to go back into session after Labor Day.

Democrat-Herald