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ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Nearly 600 people packed a steamy middle school gymnasium in Rocky Mount Tuesday for a town hall meeting on the proposed federal health care reform bill.

Protesters have interrupted similar town hall meetings across the country with outcries and even violence. But while there were people on both sides of the controversial issue at Tuesday's meeting, it remained orderly.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, who started the meeting, acknowledged that people in eastern North Carolina have strong opinions and aren't afraid to express them. But he also said North Carolinians could disagree while showing respect for others.

Much of the crowd supported President Barack Obama's plans to reform health care. But there was a very outspoken portion of the crowd that does not like the plan.

The congressman was both cheered and booed at times. People expressed concerns about what the reform would mean for their health care and what a lack of reform could mean for the country as a whole.

"If there are any changes made to your health care plan, at any time, then you have to go back into the government pool. Then the government tells you what kind of insurance you can have," opponent Charles Youse said. "You're going to lose out on your choice of doctors and you're going to lose out on your choice of where you go for treatment."

But Butterfield said that wasn't the case.

"President Obama has said it time and time again, and he said it again today: If you have insurance, if you have a doctor, nothing is going to change if you're satisfied. If you don't have insurance or if you want to get new insurance, then there will be an opportunity for the American people to do that," Butterfield said.

Butterfield said Democrats in Washington are determined to pass health care reform. He said they plan to have a bill on the floor of the House of Representatives by September.