Newsletter: Rokita Report

Statement

Dear Friend,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 113th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well.

Rokita Readings

A clickable offering of books and articles that I've read recently and highly recommend, as we strive together to "Keep the Republic."

This week, the House passed an important jobs bill, which I cosponsored, to reform our workforce training system. While this legislation should have an impact, it will not solve the ills that our economy faces as a result of more than six years of anti-free market policies and crippling regulation.

The main reason our economy is not seeing a full recovery is due to the ideologically-driven policies of the President, which are holding back any chance of economic growth.

Recently, I read a column by George Will, titled "Ignoring the Path to Recovery," that made some connections between the stalled Jimmy Carter economy and the Obama economy. Will also highlighted differences with the Reagan recovery of the 1980's. Whereas Reagan "lightened the weight of government," Carter and Obama continued to ignore economic lessons of history. Will notes that Presidents Carter and Obama were not the only ones who have been ignoring history. The millennial generation, that voted overwhelmingly for President Obama, have also ignored history.

Will's overall point is that millennials are suffering most under Obama's policies, yet overwhelmingly supported him. Saddled with incredible amounts of personal debt, and in some cases, college degrees that cost more than they may ever earn, the millennial generation faces higher unemployment and a higher risk of poverty than previous generations. At least they got the "president they wanted."

Congress on Your Corner in Lafayette

Last Thursday, I held a Congress on Your Corner event in Lafayette at the Tippecanoe County Building. I would like to extend a big thank you to the officers and offices of the Tippecanoe County Government for making the space available, as well as Purdue Professor David Bridges for serving as moderator for the event.

As with all events, we began with a reading of one of our founding documents. In honor of Independence Day, volunteers read the Declaration of Independence. Hearing those words always inspires and humbles me. These were the ideas and words that gave birth to our great nation. Thank you to all of our volunteers who read the Declaration.

I fielded several questions on a wide range of issues. Many of the questions were focused on immigration, the Common Core State Standards, our Second Amendment rights, recent events in Iraq, our debt, and the continual overreach by the President and his Administration.

For questions that we were unable to address during the event, I will be posting answers on my website and social media in the days ahead.

Putting Hoosiers Back to Work - Reforming our Workforce System

A skilled workforce is essential for our country to remain economically competitive. That is why on Wednesday, the House considered and passed legislation that I championed, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA makes important reforms to our federal, state, and local workforce training systems, which are tasked with job training for the unemployed and those workers who are in transition to new careers.

WIOA eliminates several duplicative programs, reduces red tape, ends the fragmented nature of workforce services provided at the federal, state, and local levels, and empowers our state and local workforce offices to better serve those that are counting on these services. I will keep fighting to reform these programs so struggling Hoosiers are able to build better lives for themselves and their families.

An Update on the War on Poverty

This week, the House Budget Committee continued its hearing series focused on the progress we have made in the "War on Poverty." The hearing on Wednesday was titled "Working with Families in Need."

In advance of this hearing, I penned an op-ed for Real Clear Politics titled "Why the War on Poverty Failed& How We Can Win It" to express some of my thoughts on the hearings we have held so far. As we have heard from witness after witness, there is one recurring theme that I've observed - relationships, like those forged by the Kokomo Rescue Mission, are the best way to help our neighbors rise out of poverty and beat the helplessness of learned dependency.

Relationships built in our communities succeed where the federal government continues to fail. Federal programs fail, ultimately, because a government program can't create or sustain these relationships, nor can they provide the love that is necessary for success.

Lowering the Costs of College

On Thursday, the Education and the Workforce Committee, where I serve as a Subcommittee Chairman, held a legislative markup of legislation to begin the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA). HEA is the legislation that guides federal higher education policy. The reauthorization of HEA is of critical importance to Hoosier college students, and those who will be considering college in the coming years, as well as their families.

Along with my committee colleagues, I have been hard at work on legislation to make important reforms to HEA. The first three bills, all of which I cosponsored, that are summarized below:

The Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act will help students and families make informed decisions about their higher education options. To learn more about the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, click here.

The Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act will promote financial literacy through enhanced counseling for recipients of federal financial aid. To learn more about the Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act, click here.

The Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Project Act, will foster competency-based education demonstration projects to provide students new opportunities to receive a high-quality education that fits their personal and financial needs. Students should have access to information about the options available to them, whether it is a state run school like Purdue University, a private school like Wabash College, or an online school like Western Governors University.

All three bills passed the committee unanimously and now await action on the House floor.

Sincerely,

Todd Rokita

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