U.S. Representative for the 4th Congressional District of Mississippi Steven Palazzo spoke to the Poplarville Rotary Club Wednesday about the current state of affairs at the nation’s capital.

Palazzo sits on the house committees on armed services; science, space and technology; and homeland security. He focused on the importance of those committees for not only the future of the nation, but also south Mississippi.

Palazzo said the presence of Stennis Space Center and the many military units and companies in south Mississippi is what guided him to be on the three committees.

“Mississippi, south Mississippi, especially the 4th congressional district, is a military community,” Palazzo said.

Palazzo talked about the Navy Cargo Battalion, Keesler Air Force Base, Camp Shelby, and the state’s billion-dollar defense industry.

“It’s not just important to our economy, but it’s also extremely important to our national security,” Palazzo said.

Palazzo discussed his disagreement with cutting funding from the defense budget in order to reduce spending.

He referenced the current security issues in Syria, Russia and the Middle East in his argument to support defense spending.

Palazzo said sequestration was not a smart way to cut funding or solve the $17.4 trillion debt and that the administration needs to be smart about how it’s spending taxpayers’ money.

Palazzo said one way the Republican Party members in the House of Representatives have been trying to create a balanced budget is through the “Path to Prosperity” budget plan, which would repeal the Affordable Care Act and would gradually balance the budget over the next 10 years.

“We realize we didn’t get into this mess overnight and we’re not going to get out of it overnight,” Palazzo said.

This year was his fourth consecutive year voting for the “Plan to Prosperity,” which is sponsored by Representative Paul Ryan, Palazzo said.

He also focused on repealing the Affordable Care Act, which is how the “Plan to Prosperity” would allow for a balanced budget.

“It’s disastrous for America, it’s disastrous for families and it’s disastrous for businesses,” Palazzo said.

He referenced businesses cutting employee’s hours and their inability to hire full time because of the expense of the Affordable Care Act. Palazzo said 80 percent of America is being penalized for 15 percent of the nation without insurance.

“So basically we said we’re going to mess with your insurance for the 15 percent of the people who don’t have insurance. Many of those people don’t want insurance,” Palazzo said.

He then went on to discuss the penalties for those who don’t buy insurance.

“That’s the most un-American thing I’ve ever heard,” Palazzo said.

Palazzo’s solution to the problems in the health care industry is “doctor-patient health care based on free market values,” which he said they have suggested as an option in Congress, but has continuously been voted down.

He commended Mississippi’s senators and representatives on working together this past legislative session in creating a balanced budget and said it inspired him to fight for a balanced budget in Washington D.C.