The Brown & White

Pennsylvania State Representative Charlie Dent returned to his Alma mater Monday to speak about the upcoming election and current issues facing the U.S. government.

He said he wanted students to be aware of the discussions in Congress, so they could make an educated decision during elections.

Dent, who received his master's degree at Lehigh, represents Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District as a Republican.

Dent said Congress must decide whether U.S. troops should engage in an immediate or phase withdrawal, in order to have the number of troops in Iraq down to 30,000 by the end of July.

Congress members differ on how to leave Iraq safely, but Dent said they agree the situation won't be resolved militarily.

Dent also discussed Congress' debate on the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act, which will dictate how to manage electronic communications.

Currently, the government needs court approval to listen to foreigners operating overseas. The Protect America Act gave the government permission to tap communications without court approval, but it expired in February, Dent said.

During a question-and-answer section, Dent discussed the recent riots surrounding the upcoming summer Olympics. He said various human rights groups are protesting the games due to Chinese human rights violations in Tibet.

"I'm not with a group that thinks we ought to boycott the Olympics," Dent said.

Instead, he suggests the U.S. wait and watch how the Chinese government reacts to the problems.

In regards to the environment, Dent said reducing the use of fossil fuels would make the U.S. more economically stable, while reducing electricity use.

"Energy conservation is part of the solution," he said, "but you can't conserve your way out of the problem."

Dent said there is no quick fix to high gas prices.

With the upcoming elections, a major issue is whether the candidates will execute the public agenda or their political party's agendas, Dent said.

Dent spoke as part of a series sponsored by the Association of Student Alumni.

Walter Joseph, '10, the series organizer, said ASA hoped the speakers would educate students about the upcoming election.

"He addressed issues we're all thinking about," Joseph said.

Whitney Clark, '08, said Dent's talk provided a different avenue for students to learn about candidates.

"It gave students an opportunity to step back from current politics and focus on what is going on in the government," she said.