Dear Fellow Hoosiers,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well, as we work together to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.

For daily updates, please take a moment to "Like" my Facebook page by clicking here  or follow me on Twitter if you prefer  @ToddRokita.

Special Edition: Hearing from Hoosiers

• Rotary Club Visits
• Touring Lafayette's CityBus
• Visiting Hoosiers in Indiana's 4th
• Meeting Activists and Leaders at CPAC

Rotary Club Visits

Service organizations are an important part of Hoosier life.  Rotary International is a worldwide service organization that brings members together to develop friendships as an opportunity for service.  Many Hoosiers attend meetings of Rotary Clubs and last week I appreciated the chance to address Rotary Clubs in Lafayette and Logansport.

Lafayette Rotary Club

Because service-minded groups are interested in leaving future generations a better nation and world, I discussed one of the most pressing issues of our time with the two Rotary Clubs, our national debt.  Our national debt exceeds $19 trillion and continues to grow as long as the federal government continues to overspend.  Last year, the federal government drew in more revenues than ever before and still ran a deficit.  I highlighted to the clubs why and how government spends.  Two-thirds of our spending is auto-pilot spending on entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security.  Only one-third of spending is controlled by annual spending legislation, with half of that being defense spending.  By reaching out to groups like rotary clubs and engaging them on the budget, we can make a difference.

Logansport Rotary Club

Touring Lafayette's CityBus

Last month, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce flew into DC to give an update on the area's concerns.  One of those attending was CityBus and earlier this month, I was able to follow-up on one of the meetings by touring their facilities in Lafayette.  I saw first hand how they operate and maintain the fleet of buses that serve Hoosiers in Lafayette and surrounding areas.

Visiting CityBus in Lafayette

A special point of discussion was the recently enacted FAST Act.  As the only Hoosier Republican on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I fought for conservative solutions to ensure that our nation's highway funding was fully paid for.  As a result, the FAST Act is the first longterm highway funding bill in 11 years that was signed into law.  Instead of patchwork solutions that only last several months, the FAST Act provides five years of funding. This means five years of certainty with our national road infrastructure plan and allows states like Indiana and corporations like CityBus to plan accordingly.  I strongly believe that we must be vigilant with the infrastructure we leave future generations.  As I explained to the Rotary Clubs, leaving a debt to future generations is immoral, but so is leaving future generations an infrastructure in need of repairs.

Visiting Hoosiers in Indiana's 4th 

Visiting Arni's Restaurant in Rensselaer

As I travel the district, one of the best ways to get my marching orders is by meeting directly with Hoosiers.  Recently, I visited Almost Home in Greencastle and Arni's Restaurant in Rensselaer.  At both locations, I met with Hoosiers and heard about their concerns.  At Arni's, I heard about the national political mood, school lunches, farm businesses, Indiana's Do Not Call list and other concerns.  At Almost Home, I was able to pop-in on a meeting of the Red Hat Society.

The Red Hat Society Meets at Almost Home in Greencastle

I was able to visit with young Hoosiers by touring South Putnam High School and having a conversation with the senior class.  The Greencastle school is running an innovative aquaculture program.  The program allows students to learn hands-on and take responsibility for maintaining an aquatic culture.  I spoke with the senior class about the importance of our Constitution, the challenges that our nation is facing, and what they can do in response to those challenges.

Aquaculture Program at South Putnam High School

Meeting Activists and Leaders at CPAC

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is an annual gathering of conservative leaders and activists.  This year, CPAC was from March 2 to 5 and met at the Gaylord Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.  I was able to attend some of the early events before I returned home to Indiana.  The energy from those attending the event is amazing and it was inspiring to see conservatives gathering to discuss and plan what our movement should do next.

At CPAC, I was able to meet with a few familiar faces.  Tony Katz from WIBC was in attendance to report back on the event to Hoosiers and I was able to chat with him.  I also spoke with JD Miniear who was on-hand from the Conservative Commandos Radio Show.  Another guest that I met with was Jazz Shaw from the conservative blog Hot Air.  We discussed the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington. Take care.  

Sincerely,
 
Todd Rokita