Blog: Representing Hoosier Values

Statement

Dear friend,

Hoosiers take pride in protecting their families, supporting their neighbors and communities, and working hard on a job well done. As a proud lifetime Hoosier, I head to Washington each week with these values in mind.

Sadly, Congress has not demonstrated these same values for much of 2013. In fact, this has been one of the least productive sessions in modern history. Our inability to work together even led to a government shutdown that stopped small business loans, delayed mortgages, and kept thousands of Americans from reporting for work.

This week, in our last voting week before the New Year, Congress found rare moments of bipartisanship. With the deadline for a new budget deal looming, Congress found a rare compromise that will reduce our deficit without further slashing Head Start, Pell Grants, affordable housing and other critical programs we rely on. We addressed an issue called the "doc fix" which is necessary so that seniors on Medicare can keep their doctors. We passed an extension of the Farm Bill, to keep food prices from rising drastically in January. And we finally passed a defense bill to support our service members as they fight to protect our great country.

These were compromises, not perfect solutions. And unfortunately, we left other critical issues unresolved, like extending unemployment insurance for millions of Americans who are still struggling to find work. This oversight was completely unacceptable and I will be pushing for it to be resolved immediately in January. But while we still have a lot of work to do, I was glad to support the deals we were able to pass because they were the right thing for Hoosiers and for our country.

Coming from a state where we take pride in getting the job done right and on time, I recognize that Congress' last minute approach to handling business is not one that sits well with you. Instead, we should be having these conversations throughout the year so that Congress runs smoothly and the American people are not left with the uncertainty about whether critical deals will be reached. I know this is what you expect and it is what I aspire to everyday.

I take pride in knowing that my Hoosier values are strong as I work for you in Washington, DC. While on the House floor or in Committee meetings, I am doing my best to keep things moving, to have meaningful discussions, and make real progress on the issues that really matter to you. I just hope the rest of my colleagues will follow suit.

If there is anything I can do to assist you please let me know.

Best,

André

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