Health care reform is sparking passionate response at town hall meetings and prompting North Carolina's lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to speak out.

So far North Carolina's republicans in Washington have not hosted any town hall meetings in the Triangle but health care reform did come up during an event at the International Society of Automation in Research Triangle Park with Senator Richard Burr, a republican, on Friday.

"The opportunity we've got is to try and use automation to move forward," Burr said before being presented with a plaque in honor of his efforts to help the society work with the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Division.

The event was about workforce development so we were asked to not talk to workers about health care but Burr did answer questions afterwards on his position.

"Health care reform has to happen, the worst product that could come out of this debate is if we got nothing," Burr said.

Instead of government run health care Burr has supported re-directing money in the current system.

CLICK HERE FOR HIS OFFICIAL WEB STATEMENT

"We're leaving to an elected official the ability at any point now, five years from now ten years from now, to write the rules on mandates in a way the private sector couldn't compete with the government option, that's just not a smart thing for the congress to do," Burr said. "It's ok if you want to have a government option but you've got to leave the private sector private."

Burr said he does not think expanding Medicaid in any way is a good idea.

"What I would suggest is that we roll Medicaid into this new health care reformed market where we can provide 100 percent of the health care professionals to the population," Burr said.

Burr's democratic challenger for 2010, Kenneth Lewis, has challenged him to a debate on health care reform. Burr said he's open to it but would like to wait for everyone who's running.

"I think it's premature to have a debate with any one individual before they've even filed to run for office or they've won a primary," Burr said.