{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://rokita.house.gov/editorial/10-21-2016-rokita-report", "10-21-2016 Rokita Report", "2016-10-21", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Todd Rokita", "R000592", "rokita.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friend,\nThank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress.\u00a0 I trust this finds you and your family well, as we work together to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.\nFor daily updates, please take a moment to \"Like\" my Facebook page by clicking here \u00a0or follow me on Twitter if you prefer \u00a0@ToddRokita.\n   In this week's Rokita Report \n Future Leaders in Indiana's Logistics Community\n2016 Friends of Farm Bureau Award\nSecuring the Expansion of Indianapolis Airport\nCongress on Your Corner - DeMotte\n   Future Leaders in Indiana's Logistics Community\nLogistics is an important industry for Indiana.\u00a0 The industry encompasses our airspace, our roads, our ports, and more.\u00a0 In total, nearly 375,000 Hoosiers work in the industry.\u00a0 Last week, I was honored to be able to recognize some of the future leaders of this industry.\nOver seventy college\u00a0students on eighteen teams from across Indiana competed in the Conexus Logistics Case Competition.\u00a0 The competition challenged students in simulations of logistics situations and encouraged them to seek solutions.\u00a0 In doing so, the students had direct contact with industry leaders.\u00a0 As the teams competed, it was an honor to be able to present awards to the winners.\u00a0 The competition was a positive and proactive way to showcase the talent at Indiana's colleges and universities.\nPresenting the award to Purdue University for the Conexus Logistics Case Competition.\nThe team from Valparaiso University came in first place and the team from the 4th District's Purdue University placed second.\n  2016 Friends of Farm Bureau Award\nRecently, I was honored to receive the \"2016 Friend of the Farm Bureau Award\" at the Culp Family Farm.\u00a0 It was presented to me by my\u00a0friend, Indiana Farm Bureau Vice President and Jasper County Commissioner, Kendell Culp.\nRecipients for the award are first nominated by their state Farm Bureau organization, and are then approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation's board of directors.\u00a0 Kendell shared with me\u00a0that I had a\u00a0perfect voting\u00a0record of standing up for Hoosier farmers.\nReceiving the \"Friend of the Farm Bureau Award.\"\nFarmers are the lifeblood of the agriculture industry, the critical component of our food supply,\u00a0and an important part of Indiana's 4th Congressional District.\u00a0 According to the U.S. Census, there are over 8,000 farms that spread across over 3,000,000 acres of farm land.\u00a0 Corn and soybean are the largest crops and farmers in Indiana's 4th District grow more of those two crops than any of Indiana's other Congressional districts do.\u00a0 Nationwide, the district is the 16th largest grower of corn and 20th largest grower of soybean.\n \u00a0 \n  Securing the Expansion of Indianapolis Airport\nIndiana's airports continue to improve.\u00a0 The Indianapolis Airport Authority has been awarded nearly $13 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants.\u00a0 These grants will pay for additional buses, taxiway rehabilitation, emergency notification equipment, and stormwater management efforts.\u00a0 These funds will benefit Hoosiers by creating 220 direct and indirect jobs.\u00a0 The receipt of these funds was made possible by strong advocacy to the FAA.\u00a0 As the only Hoosier member from the majority party on the Transportation& Infrastructure Committee, I wrote to the agency letting them know the importance of our aviation community.\nIndiana's airports serve our state's logistics industry.\u00a0 We are the \"Crossroads of America\" and thanks to Indianapolis International Airport, we are a leader in cargo.\u00a0 Indianapolis International Airport is the 25th busiest cargo airport in the world.\u00a0 In 2015, the airport shipped out nearly one million tons of cargo.\nAs a commercially aviator and member of the Subcommittee on Aviation, I know the importance of this industry for our state.\u00a0 In addition to securing this grant for the Indianapolis International Airport, I have helped other Hoosier airports secure grants for needed improvements, including runway expansions in Crawfordsville Municipal Airport and at White County Airport.\u00a0 In addition, I introduced legislation to repeal an onerous medical certificate requirement, the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act, that was incorporated into the FAA reauthorization bill that was signed into law in July.\u00a0 These medical certificates were causing many pilots to give up their wings and were hurting the general aviation industry, which accounts for nearly $6 billion in economic activity statewide.\n \u00a0 \n  Congress on Your Corner - DeMotte\nThe best way for me to hear from you is directly.\u00a0 That is why I enjoy hosting public events throughout the 4th District.\u00a0 At these events no questions are off limits, no reservations are required, and we can engage in a direct dialogue.\u00a0 I take what I hear from you with me as your Representative.\nI wanted to let you know about my next such event.\u00a0 Next week, I will be hosting a Congress on Your Corner in Demotte.\nDate: Wednesday, October 26  \n\t\t\t\t\tTime: 1:30 PM CT to 2:30 PM CT  \n\t\t\t\t\t(2:30 PM ET to 3:30 PM ET)  \n\t\t\t\t\tLocation: ReChic Unique Boutique& Somethin's Brewin Coffee Shop  \n\t\t\t\t\t917 S. Halleck Street  \n\t\t\t\t\tDeMotte, IN 46310\nI hope to see you there.\n \u00a0 \n  Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington. Take care.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\tSincerely,    \n\t\t\t\t\tTodd Rokita", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://rokita.house.gov/editorial/10-21-2016-rokita-report"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8041139226406813, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}