MASON CITY - Questions about the new health-care law dominated the discussion at a town hall meeting hosted Thursday morning by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City.
Grassley is in the middle of his annual visits to all of the state's 99 counties.
Jotting down comments on a yellow legal pad, Grassley took questions for more than an hour from the crowd of some 60 people.
"Now, it's funny, up at Northwood yesterday health care was not discussed as much as it was here. And it was almost exclusively health care issues here. I welcome an open forum," Grassley said.
Several residents were worried about what would happen to their health care premiums now that the president has signed the health care law. The mandate requiring everyone to purchase health insurance was also a worry.
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"It's questionable whether the federal government can require you to buy anything," Grassley said.
One woman asked Grassley if federal funds connected to the health care law could be used to pay for abortions.
Grassley said he believes that the subsidies the poor will receive to purchase insurance could be used to pay for abortion. Democrats believe an executive order signed by President Obama at the insistence of Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak stops any federal funds from being used for to pay for abortions.
"I think he was sold a bill of goods that an executive order would take care of it," Grassley said. "I am pro-life and that's how I feel about it."
Several residents expressed concerns about government taking ownership stakes in General Motors and several financial institutions.
Borrowing a line from Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, Grassley said, "If you're listed in the Yellow Pages, I guess the president thinks that the government ought to nationalize you."
The line brought applause from the crowd.
Grassley was asked for his opinion on Obama's announcement of limited offshore oil drilling, a departure from his campaign stance against all offshore drilling.
"Drill here and drill now because we should use our own resources rather than giving them to the Arabs to train terrorists to kill Americans," the senator said.
Grassley has 24 town hall meetings scheduled for his Easter recess.