Rokita Report - National School Choice Week, March for Life & More

Statement

Dear Friend,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well.

National School Choice Week

This week is National School Choice Week, where we celebrate opportunity in education and highlight education options available for children. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I know that parents and students are empowered when they can pick the school that works for them. These choices can include options like traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, and homeschooling.

Coinciding with National School Choice Week, I reintroduced the Creating Hope and Opportunities for Individuals and Communities through Education (CHOICE) Act. This legislation expands educational opportunities for non-traditional students. Specifically, this bill helps our military families, low-income families in our nation's capital, and children with disabilities. The Senate version of the CHOICE Act is led by Senator Tim Scott.

I believe all students deserve access to a quality education, so they can build better lives for themselves, and eventually for their families. The CHOICE Act makes great strides by putting many parents and students back in the driver's seat of their education.

No Taxpayer Funding For Abortions

January 22nd was the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Because Hoosiers deserve limited government that protects life, I helped lead the House of Representatives in passing H.R. 7, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015.

I believe that life begins at conception. If we are going to encourage a culture of life rather than one of death, we should not spend tax dollars on abortions or fund organizations that encourage it. The passage of H.R. 7 (242 - 179) shows the commitment of the House to stand for the most vulnerable in our society.

Following the vote, I was able to meet with Hoosiers who had come to Washington for the annual March for Life. The March for Life draws hundreds of thousands of Americans every year and many Hoosiers made the trip out.

To greet those Hoosiers, I cohosted a reception with my Congressional colleagues from Indiana. It was truly inspiring to see so many Hoosiers attending, many traveling just to attend the March for Life, including the Purdue Students for Life. Their dedication to fighting for the rights of the unborn bodes well for America's future.

The President's State of the Union

Last week, the President came to the Capitol to give his State of the Union address. I was disappointed that instead of seeking solutions or reaching out to America's new Congress, the President once again cast a vision for more government control, more spending, and more division.

The President discussed how his plan for government subsidized community college would be funded by a tax on 529 college savings plans. These 529 plans are used by many hard-working Hoosiers to give their children greater opportunities in life and maximize how much they can save for college educations. This week, the President dropped this proposal having heard overwhelming opposition from the American people. However, the President continues on with his plan to turn community college into an entitlement program. To paraphrase P. J. O'Rourke, if you think college is expensive now, just wait until it's free.

The President also announced a series of tax changes intended to relieve the burden on the middle class by taxing job creators. I understand too many Americans are struggling to make ends meet. I agree with the President that the tax burden on the middle class is too large and that our tax code is too complex. However, I disagree that the solution is more tax hikes to fuel a federal government that is already too big, too inefficient, and too unaccountable. We have a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

When President Obama took office six years ago, our national debt was $10.6 trillion. It's now $18.1 trillion. Instead of tackling this issue six years ago, the President ran up the tab and is now trying to escape the consequences of his tax-and-spend agenda. As Vice-Chairman of the House Budget Committee, I am committed to making the difficult choices to reform our tax code, cut federal spending, and secure the future for our children and grandchildren.

Federal Approval for HIP 2.0

This week, Governor Pence reached a bipartisan agreement with the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to move forward the state's Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) 2.0 proposal.

Governor Pence and his team deserve high praise for bringing this project across the finish line. Indiana has long been a leader in consumer-driven health care with the original Healthy Indiana Plan. Maintaining the principles of this highly successful program and expanding health care access to low-income Hoosiers, all without increasing costs to taxpayers, is a true victory. HIP 2.0 reminds us that states -- not the federal government -- are best positioned to meet the needs of their populations.

In July, I wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Burwell in support of the waiver needed to make HIP 2.0 possible. The letter highlighted that the expansion of HIP provides the right mix of incentives to encourage able-bodied Medicaid enrollees to take personal responsibility for their health.

The HIP 2.0 program will expand consumer-driven access to health insurance, benefitting more than 350,000 low-income, uninsured Hoosiers. The state is accepting applications immediately for coverage beginning February 1, 2015. Hoosiers can enroll by visiting www.HIP.in.gov.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts in Washington. Take care.

Sincerely,

Todd Rokita

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