By Jennifer A. Bowen Republican congressional candidate Jason Plummer was at the Scott Air Force Base Heritage Air Park Thursday morning to announce his Veterans Coalition and talk to veterans about their concerns. Plummer is running for Illinois' 12th Congressional District seat against Democratic congressional candidate retired Illinois National Guard Major Gen. Bill Enyart. The election is Nov. 6. The Veterans Coalition is a group of veterans who support Plummer. Former Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady joined Plummer during the round table session with veterans at the Scott VFW Post 4183. O'Grady is the pilot shot down over Bosnia in 1995. He survived in enemy territory for six days before being rescued by the U.S. Marines. The 2001 movie "Behind Enemy Lines" was based on O'Grady's experiences. "I'm really encouraged to see a veteran like Jason running for Congress," O'Grady said. "He understands the primary goal of our government is to protect us. We live in a dangerous world and the last thing we need to do right now is reduce that and that's what the politicians are trying to do. I'm really disturbed with the direction we are taking by weakening our military structure." Plummer, who is an intelligence officer with the U.S. Navy Reserves and vice president of R.P. Lumber, noted the importance of the military, especially Scott Air Force Base, to the region and the nation. "Our military force keeps peace," Plummer said. "They protect our economic well-being and our national security. The No. 1 function of our government is to protect our national security. My job and role in congress is to assure Scott Air Force Base continues to grow and continues to play an important role in our national security and our local economy. "Because politicians from both parties can't sit down and work together there will be nearly a half trillion dollars cut from the Pentagon. This is not the time nor the era to be cutting our military and there is no reason why their inability to get together should impact our military and impact our United States." Plummer sat down with veterans to find out what was on their minds. The No. 1 concern was the health and medical care of veterans and how military budget cuts will affect veterans and active duty. Second was the health care reform package passed early in President Barack Obama's term; Plummer said if elected he plans to work to repeal the law's provisions, then work to replace it with "true health care reform." "This election is too important to sit on the sidelines," Plummer said. "By being on this coalition, veterans are showing they are not willing to sit on the sidelines."

By Cynthia M. Ellis Congressional candidate Jason Plummer said Tuesday he believes one government agency stands in the way of progress in bringing and keeping jobs in Southern Illinois. Plummer, of Fairview Heights, who is seeking the Republican nomination from the 12th Congressional District, said Illinois is "blessed with abundant resources" that should be used to decrease dependence on foreign oil. "Instead of embracing the wealth of energy resources Illinois has, bureaucrats from the Environmental Protection Agency and Washington, D.C., have attacked our energy supply with regulations and decimated the workforce in the 12th Congressional District and kept the U.S. economy's addiction to foreign oil," Plummer said. Plummer held a news conference Wednesday outside the north gate of the ConocoPhillips Wood River Refinery. He said using U.S. resources of oil and coal would lessen the dependence on foreign resources. He said it's shameful to see such high unemployment throughout Southern Illinois with all its natural resources. "With gas at $4 per gallon, elected officials need to take advantage of this country's energy resources," he said. "This, in turn, would create jobs." Plummer said the state has more BTUs of proven coal reserves than Saudi Arabia has oil. He blamed the EPA for resistance to projects such as the Keystone Pipeline, which would bring oil 1,661 miles down from Canada. President Barack Obama denied the permit in January but left the door open for future approval. Obama also suggested the possibility of an alternative pipeline that could get Canadian oil sands to refineries and ports in Texas. Plummer said he believes Obama's decision to deny a permit for the pipeline would affect the district adversely. "The president's recent decision on Keystone just shows how out of touch he is with the folks in the 12th District," the Republican candidate said. "Passing Keystone and drilling in Southern Illinois would not only help create jobs, but help Americans with the skyrocketing gasoline prices." He said there has not been a pipeline project researched as thoroughly as Keystone. "Nobody wants to harm the environment," he said. "But these resources will be used. Do we want them used in China, or in Southern Illinois?" Plummer said he would help Southern Illinois get access to its own natural resources, and he supports an all-of-the-above approach when it comes to energy policy. "I want to go to Washington to bring sensible ideas on energy, which includes oil, natural gas, renewable and even electric where feasible, but this includes rural trucks used on farms and construction sites," he said. "Using renewable resources along with gas, oil and coal, we would greatly diminish the rising energy costs." While Plummer said he approves of wind and solar energy, as well as nuclear, he believes a comprehensive energy strategy that includes coal and domestic oil will accomplish energy independence. Plummer is running against GOP candidates Rodger Cook and Theresa Kormos in the primary on Tuesday. The three are vying for Republican nomination to run for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Belleville.