Congressman Charlie Norwood died yesterday in his home in Augusta Georgia. I met him last year in Washington. Even though I am a lifelong registered Democrat and Norwood was a Conservative Republican we still had some common ground on issues like illegal immigration.
Congressman Norwood also worked for all the American people in trying to push through a patients bill of rights:
"Rep. Norwood worked throughout much of his career to pass a patients' bill of rights, aimed at giving people better access to health care and greater ability to sue insurers. Over a decade, the bill passed through the House twice, but it failed after compromises needed to avoid a presidential veto caused Rep. Norwood to lose support in Congress. He reintroduced the bill before leaving Washington last week."
But, it was on dealing with the illegal immigration issue that Norwood won my respect.
"Rep. Norwood did not hesitate to stand up for his conservative principles, even if it meant criticizing his party. Last year, the plainspoken legislator called fellow Republicans who backed compromise immigration legislation "turncoats."
He also understood the costs to American taxpayers in money and services imposed by the illegal immigrant invasion:
"Warning that the nation faces a "true invasion" of illegal immigrants, he called for putting nearly 40,000 troops on the U.S.-Mexico border. He co-wrote a provision to the recent Deficit Reduction Act that bars illegal aliens from getting Medicaid."
He also understood that as a United States Congressman his concerns should be with representing the citizens of the United States and not just the business interests of his party:
"After years of listening to 'advocates' whine about compassion for those who intentionally break our laws for financial gain, I'm glad to see us finally showing some compassion for our own poor and sick who abide by the law,"
Charlie Norwood was not just a Conservative Republican he was a true American and his voice in Congress will be missed.
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