WASHINGTON — Baron Hill's biggest surprise his first term in Congress?

        “There is so much rhetoric here that it's very hard to cut through it all and figure out what is the truth,” he said. “You've got one person saying one
thing, and another person saying another thing, and they are complete opposite from one another.”

        The Seymour Democrat, who represents rural southeast Indiana and some Tristate suburbs, is finding his niche in a House controlled by Republicans. He has aligned himself with the Blue Dogs, a cluster of conservative, mostly Southern, Democrats who push for debt reduction, spending restraint and lower taxes.

BARON HILL FILE

Age: 47.   Born: Jan. 23, 1953, in Seymour, Ind.   Education: Bachelor's degree from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., 1975.   Religion: Christian.   Family: Married to Betty Schepman, three children.   Home: Seymour.   Career experience: The Hill Agency, 1975-90; executive director, Indiana Student Assistance Commission, 1990-94; financial analyst, Merrill Lynch, 1994-98. Indiana House of Representatives, 1982-90; U.S. House, 1998-present.   Committees: Agriculture, Armed Services, Veterans Affairs.   Interest group ratings: Not available, first term.   Source: Project Vote Smart.   Campaign finance   (Totals through June 30)   Hill: $813,532   Bailey: $110,358   Source: Federal Election Commission

        After the Columbine school shootings, he proposed federal grants to help prevent students' social alienation, an idea that eventually led to a $45 million effort from the U.S. Department of Education.

        Mr. Hill has recommended a postage stamp recognizing the Veterans of Foreign Wars and has tried to expose obscure charges on telephone bills. His toughest vote was granting permanent normal trade relations with China.

        Michael Bailey, the Republican challenger in the November election, claims Mr. Hill has abandoned the conservative values of people back home.

        Mr. Bailey criticized Mr. Hill for voting against lifting inheritance taxes and the marriage penalty. He also claims Mr. Hill snubbed organized labor by backing the trade pact with China.

        Mr. Hill, as the incumbent, explained his ideas in an interview with The Enquirer.

        Enquirer: The nation's economy has surged to record levels in the past decade, but portions of southeast Indiana have not shared in the prosperity. What ideas do you have to improve economic growth in areas that seem to have been left behind?

        Hill: The most important thing we can do now that we're living under the age of surpluses is to work to keep interest rates low. The way to do that is pay down the debt.

        The second thing we need to do is provide the educational tools for our work (force), so that they can have the necessary skills to get these new technological jobs that are being created. Technology is the future, and in Indiana we need to do a better job of enticing technological companies into our area.

        Enquirer: You mentioned debt reduction, but the federal government has a budget surplus. Is there room for tax cuts or investments in government programs?

        Hill: Yes, there is, but we need to do that in a responsible way. If you give too big of a tax cut then you affect our ability to pay down the debt and shore up Social Security and Medicare. We always have to remember that surpluses are projections.

        Enquirer: Republicans want people to be able to invest a portion of their Social Security money into the stock market. Do you favor this approach?

        Hill: Before I came to Congress I worked for Merrill Lynch, so I can speak with a little bit of authority about this. It's a bad idea.

        Social Security is a defined benefit, basically. ... If you work hard all your life and you pay into the Social Security trust fund, the federal government guarantees you a monthly paycheck.

        We should not change that strategy with Social Security. We ought to maintain that feature. Now, if you want to create private accounts up and above Social Security, then that's a different matter, and I can be supportive of that.

        Enquirer: You supported granting permanent normal trade relations with China. Do you think organized labor makes a good point when it complains that China has disrespect for workers and the environment, and that the trade pact could lead to greater Chinese imports and the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs?

        Hill: I agree with the first part, I disagree with the second part.

        I think it's fair for labor to say that China needs to improve its environmental standards and its labor standards. Having said that, I believe that trade with China is in our interest, both economically and for security reasons.

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