Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of stories reflecting the answers given by candidates for county, state and federal offices during a political forum Monday ahead of the June 5 primary election. Candidates will appear in The News Courier today, Saturday and Tuesday.

Republican Clayton Hinchman, a decorated veteran and businessman, and incumbent Republican Congressman Mo Brooks voiced their opinions Monday night during a political forum at Athens High School, an event sponsored by the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce, Alabama Veterans Museum & Archives and The News Courier.

Both men are vying for the District 5 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the June 5 primary election. There are no Democrats or Independent candidates in the race.

The candidates answered questions prepared and posed by News Courier Managing Editor Adam Smith. Here are some of their answers:

Question for Hinchman: The U.S. House recently introduced a bill that would establish a permanent community care program for veterans as well as a commission to make recommendations on modernization or realignment of facilities of the Veterans Heath Administration. In your opinion, how will this bill improve long-term heath care for veterans? What more should the government do to help those wounded in action?

Hinchman 1-minute answer: (Hinchman was difficult to understand at times due to the rapidness of his speech and the sound system at the school.) “… I believe in the individual and I believe that the individual should have the right to go see (their own doctor). The problem with the VA (Veterans Affairs) now is Congress. There are too many bureaucrats who have been in Congress too long who are manipulating the system. It takes me four to five months to get a new prosthetic leg, and I have to go to Birmingham and a bunch of other things. I’ve had 40 surgeries on my leg and five surgeries on my ear to be put it back together (due to an IED explosion in 2008 while fighting Al Qaeda). … I’ll make sure the people have individual choice when I am in the House.”

Brooks 1-minute response: “Let me be clear: bureaucrats are on the executive branch of government. On the congressional side, we try to establish overarching policy. Since I have been in Congress, spending on the Veterans Administration has gone up by tens of billions of dollars. If we tried to help the (Veterans) Administration, Barack Obama first and now Donald Trump second, have the funds that are needed to give better care for veterans. By way of example, my father, when we buried him two years ago, he was buried with a bullet in him from World War II. It was a Luger bullet. All veterans who have sacrificed on behalf of our country, they need the kind of care that is necessary. We in Congress do the best we can, but what we need is for the executive branch to be more careful. One idea that I can suggest to him is that we pay for a platinum quality private health care insurance so veterans who want to don’t have to go to the VA if they don’t want to. Instead, they can go to their doctors and community health care providers and get the same kind of care the rest of us get.”

Hinchman 30-second followup: “I would actually agree. I don’t believe in privatizing the VA. I think that is the wrong answer. But I do support President Trump’s plan after the Obama administration had butchered not only the VA but also other military capabilities.”

Question for Brooks: Second Amendment rights are held dear by virtually all Alabamians. In recent years, however, there has been a troubling trend of mass shootings. What can Congress do to increase funding to help mentally ill persons who may want to harm others? Is this a federal issue or a state issue?

Brooks answer: “Well, I am in a sort of unique situation in having been in the middle of one of those shootings. I don’t know if you remember, in June of last year, but a hundred bullets were fired. Fortunately, we had someone shooting back. Due to the heroic efforts of two Capitol police officers, the gunman was able to hit five of us, but none of us died. Five of us being two Capitol police officers, one congressman and one staffer, and one gentleman helping with the baseball fundraiser that generates over half a million dollars for charities in Washington, D.C. What we need to do is make sure the federal government gets out of the way of state and quits mandating to state what it can and cannot do with people who are mentally ill. You saw that happen in Florida where it was the Obama Administration policies that inhibited local law enforcement’s ability to put that guy in jail or, the alternative, to put that guy in a proper mental health institution before he can attack that school. So, I am one of those who believes we need to free up our cities, counties and states to do the kind of job that is necessary to protect our kids and our adults in our everyday walk of life.”

Hinchman response: “I am a lifelong NRA member and have been shot at quite a number of times as well. So, I believe an individual has the right to protect themselves. The only issue I will have there is that we do need to make sure the state and local officials have the ability to not only monitor but — I won’t say detain, obviously — evaluate individuals who are consistently showing hazardous effects toward others. Just like the layman at the Parkland shooting. But I am a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment …”

Brooks followup: “Let’s be clear about what the Second Amendment is about. The Second Amendment is not about hunting. It’s not even about protecting yourself in your own home. The Second Amendment is about protecting the liberties guaranteed us by those who fought for those liberties in the Revolutionary War. In that vain, the National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of America Association have generally endorsed me because they know I stand firmly behind the Second Amendment. They look at our records. And I receive contributions from the NRA.”

Question for Hinchman: Redstone Arsenal and the dozens of related contracting firms in Huntsville employ thousands of Limestone Countians. What specific steps will you take as our congressional representative to ensure our jobs and interests are protected in Washington?

Hinchman answer: “… One of the things I will definitely ensure when I am in the House is making sure that with the next BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure), we’re bringing new science and technology and other jobs to North Alabama. We need to widen Interstate 565 all the way out to Decatur and … make sure the bridges and the infrastructure are there so that industry and DOD (Department of Defense), as well as NASA and other agencies, see the benefit of coming here. It’s the infrastructure especially and making sure for science and technology, research and development we have a salesman not only in Washington in Congress but also working with other state, city and local officials to ask them what they need to make sure those jobs are coming here …”

Brooks response: “This brings me to the role that I play on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology. Defense jobs in the Tennessee Valley — up. Space jobs in the Tennessee Valley — up. But it’s not just those two sectors. It’s also ATF, it’s the FBI. Over on Redstone Arsenal, it’s Toyota-Mazda and that expansion. It’s BOCAR, it’s Remington, it’s Polaris. All of these were done in a large part because of the team we’ve got in place that is making the Tennessee Valley — particularly Morgan County, Madison County and Limestone County — a dynamo that is the envy of the rest of the United States. Let me be clear: it is not just me. It is the county commission, it’s our mayor, it’s our legislative delegation. All of us have been working together to make sure we have the kind of jobs that we want that pay well, not only for ourselves but so our kids and grandkids can also stay in our community. So, that is the job I have been doing as your congressman in Washington, D.C. Sequestration: I was one of only two congressmen from Alabama to vote against it, because I saw the damage it would do to defense spending and national security.”

Hinchman followup: “… When I ran my own business during sequestration … I kept making payroll for the three weeks the government was shutdown.”

Question for Brooks: President Trump has said the key to future economic prosperity and growth is a nationwide overhaul of our infrastructure systems. Please explain what Tennessee Valley projects should be considered as part of that overhaul and how would those projects benefit the region as a whole.

Brooks answer: (Brooks used most of his time for the question very loudly rebutting Hinchman’s previous comments.) “He (Hinchman) talked about the government shutdowns. Folks, there should have been zero adverse affect on the business in our community, because we in the House made the decision to pass the bill on Sept. 30, 2013, that fully funded national defense. But the only reason we had people who were not able to go to work was because Barack Obama refused to obey the law that he signed. It’s a blank check paying for all national defense, uniformed personnel, DOD civilian workers, and contract personnel. So, let’s be clear about what actually happened and not the rumor mill type stuff. Now, the question dealt with infrastructure? Let’s be real clear, too, about that. In Congress, we don’t make infrastructure decisions; the state of Alabama makes those decisions. … I have been an advocate for road improvements but bear in mind, it’s the governor’s office that makes the decision on where those road monies go. Usually, for the Tennessee Valley, we’ve been doing well, and I-565 is next.” Hinchman response: “I think I alluded to it — widening I-565 all the way to Florence … There is a lot of freight going over a 565 bridge that needs repairs. It’s not just people. Remember where we are strategically located. Those infrastructure dollars are needed to move freight … I do agree it is the state’s right in order to spend infrastructure dollars, but in Washington you should be fighting for your people. …”

Brooks followup: “We have had explosive growth in the Tennessee Valley. That’s a good thing. And I am proud of the role I have played in helping to make that happen. Collectively with this kind of explosive growth, with that infrastructure need, I have worked on it in the past, and I will work on it in the future. It’s not just talking the talk, it’s walking the walk, and that’s what I’ll do as your congressman.”

Candidates’ background

Hinchman is a West Point graduate and honor graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School who retired as a captain after losing his right leg and ear in 2008 during a night raid on Al Qaeda in Iraq. He was awarded the Purple Heart and other commendations for his service. He is now chief marketing officer for a technology and engineering solutions company he built and led under the name USi before selling it to Ignite in 2016.

Brooks graduated from Duke University and the Alabama School of Law. He served as a special assistant attorney general, Madison County commissioner, Madison County district attorney, prosecutor and state representative before being elected U.S. Representative for the 5th District in 2010. He is a member of the following committees: House Arms Services; Science, Space and Technology; and Foreign Affairs.