AILSA CHANG, HOST:
While the House is in recess for summer break, we are following the work of lawmakers back in their home districts, and that includes town halls. In North Texas, Republican Congressman Keith Self held an in-person meeting. It was limited to 60 people, his constituents only. Bill Zeeble with member station KERA in Dallas was there to get a sense of what they wanted to know.
BILL ZEEBLE, BYLINE: The third congressional district has been reliably red for years, but the crowd of constituents included more than only Republicans.
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KEITH SELF: Well, why don't we start the way we always do? Let's pray.
ZEEBLE: After opening with a prayer, Keith Self, now in his second term, told the crowd about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, now law. He praised the $9 billion rescission package that clawed back some funds allocated for public media, while most would have gone to foreign aid.
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SELF: If a nongovernment organization cannot survive without government money, is it truly a nongovernmental organization? What this is showing everybody is there is just too much federal government out there.
ZEEBLE: Several constituents said they were worried about an underfunded Social Security system. Without changes, payouts are predicted to drop about 23% by the year 2033. Constituent Mitchell Benkufsky (ph) offered a solution. He suggested raising the cap on taxable income to bring more money into Social Security.
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MITCHELL BENKUFSKY: I would say most people in this room pay into Social Security every paycheck. So if I can pay into it and everyone else in this room can pay into it every day...
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BENKUFSKY: ...So can Mr. Bezos, who paid into Social Security for three minutes this year.
ZEEBLE: Representative Self answered that taking on Social Security was like touching the risky third rail.
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SELF: And I am happy to be your voice, but right now, I am a voice in the wilderness on this. I will tell you, this has no juice in Congress.
ZEEBLE: Some constituents also asked about the Epstein files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Self said, release the files.
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SELF: And I don't mind pushing back against the leadership because, as I said, all of y'all have been promised this for so long. We've got to make it happen.
ZEEBLE: Some also questioned the character of President Trump. The congressman rebuffed them. After about an hour, Self called an end to the meeting, one of the only in-person town halls planned so far this recess by a House Republican. For NPR News, I'm Bill Zeeble in Dallas.
(SOUNDBITE OF BADBADNOTGOOD SONG, "FOOD") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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