Shelby speaks to county residents

By Staff
Jonathan Willis FCT Staff Writer
Alabama's senior senator paid a visit to Franklin County Friday morning to thank several county residents and to hear concerns expressed by others.
United States Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Tuscaloosa) held a town hall style meeting at the Phil Campbell community center to thank the soldiers of the 115th Signal Battalion who recently returned from a one year deployment to Iraq.
Shelby said that it would be a crucial mistake to place a deadline on pulling American forces out of Iraq because it would undermine the job done so far in the country.
The four-term U.S. senator also spoke of several important topics facing citizens of the this area, including social security and immigration.
Social security reform was one of the key issues during last fall's presidential race and will remain a top priority for upcoming legislative sessions.
Another key issue on Shelby's agenda for the upcoming year is to find a solution for the ever-increasing number of illegal immigrants coming into the United States. According to statistics provided by Shelby's aides, there are currently 8.7 million illegal immigrants currently in the country.
President George W. Bush supports a plan that will give amnesty to certain aliens who are working in the United States, but that is one of Bush's plans that Shelby strongly opposes.
Shelby also spoke of the future of the Franklin County economy and how the recent renovations of the Russellville airport and the water treatment plant will help recruit industry to the county.
The current Corridor V project which will make Highway 24 four-lane from Russellville to Red Bay as well as the completion of Highway 157 from the Shoals to Interstate 65 are key to the addition of industry to Franklin County, Shelby said.