By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton has been a busy man in Niles as of late. After visiting with a pair of classes at Ring Lardner Middle School and speaking to the Rotary Club on Monday, he was the featured speaker at the Four Flags Chamber of Commerce dinner on Thursday evening.

The Republican’s main topic of discussion was again the health care reform legislation, arguing it will add to the trillions of dollars of national debt.

Upton also expressed frustration with not being able to make amendments to the Senate version of the health care bill before it hit the president’s desk to be signed.

He said he wanted to introduce an amendment to the bill that would ensure Medicare would be solvent for 20 years but he wasn’t allowed to present it to the house.

“That’s not why I learned in my high school civics class,” he said. “If that bill become law, we will have a tougher road ahead.”

Upton was passionate in his dissatisfaction in how things are being run in Washington.

“I’ve never seen things worse than they are now,” the veteran congressman said. “It is broken – this place called Washington, and I’m fed up.”

Upton believes the missteps the current lawmakers are making may open the gates for a big year for the Republicans.

In November, he expects the GOP to pick up between 30 and 50 seats in the House. The Democrats currently have a 76-seat advantage, allowing them to easily pass any bill the party sees fit.

He believes the Republicans will gain enough seats to at least “force Congress to work together without an overwhelming majority.”

Utpon also called for pursuing alternative energy that would create thousands of jobs, including many in southwest Michigan.