releases: http://rokita.house.gov/editorial/10-03-15-rokita-report-protecting-lives
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://rokita.house.gov/editorial/10-03-15-rokita-report-protecting-lives | 10-03-15 Rokita Report: Protecting Lives | 2015-10-03 | 2015 | 2015-10 | Republican | House | IN | Todd Rokita | R000592 | rokita.house.gov | legacy | 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, 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. In this week's Rokita Report U.S. Senate: Protecting the President from Acting on his Threat Standing Up For Hoosier Schools Negotiated Defense Bill - Second Appointment to Negotiating Team FAA Reauthorization U.S. Senate: Protecting the President from Acting on his Threat This week, H.R. 719 passed the House and contained legislation that funds the government until December 11, 2015. This bill was previously stripped and replaced in the Senate to become the legislative vehicle to pass a funding bill. This Continuing Resolution (CR)is a Senate product that according to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell exists becausePresident Obama made it very clear he is not going to sign any bill that includes defunding Planned Parenthood. Under that logic, why have a Congress at all? The American people expect Congress to exercise its power of the purse and otherwise work its will in representing them pursuant to the Constitution. Hoosiers told me that they do not want their representatives to support funding Planned Parenthood, especially in light of the recent videos revealing their gruesome practices. My intention is to fund the government without spending our tax dollars on an organization that cuts up babies and sells their body parts for money. At the same time, my intention is to apply these funds to support organizations that provide womens health services without resorting to such gruesome practices. The Senate should not shield the President from being accountable to the American people on this issue. The President should have been made to back up his rhetoric by taking action to either protect life by signing our bill into lawor protecting Planned Parenthood by vetoing the bill and shutting down thegovernment. Standing Up for Hoosier Schools In light of questions on the funding methods used for charter schools, Rep. Luke Messer and Isent a letter to Superintendent Glenda Ritz asking the Indiana Department of Education (INDOE)to address the funding discrepancy and explain the formula used to determine funding levels for public schools. A few days after our letter, INDOE released a statement that it was seeking more federal guidance on how to distribute the fundsand this week,announced it will comply with rules governing distribution of Title I funds. We have an obligation to ensure that every student has an effective teacher, an engaging classroom, and a quality education, no matter where a child is attending school. Public school students should not be penalized because they chose to attend a public charter school that best fits their educational needs. This is why I urged the Indiana Department of Education to re-evaluate the way it distributed Title I dollars to public schools and I am pleased to see fairness and equity restored to our Hoosier schools. Negotiated Defense Bill - Second Appointment to Negotiating Team In July, I was appointed to serve as a conferee for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This was the second negotiating team that I served onin 2015. Earlier this year, as a member of the Budget Conference Committee, Iworkedon thenegotiating team with other members of Congress to resolve the differences between the Senate and House individual 2016 budget resolutions. Our joint-concurrent budget resolution passed the House in April and was the first balanced resolution to pass both chambers in eleven years. The NDAA Conference Committee is a select panel of members from both chambers that negotiate and reconcile the House and Senate versions of the NDAA. Yesterday, the House passed the conference committee bill with bipartisan support. I worked hard as a member of this bills negotiating team and will continue to fight for programs that benefit the critical role that the state of Indiana plays in ensuring our national security. One of the most important functions of government is to provide for the common defense. In an era of unparalleled threats and uncertainty, we need to ensure our forces are agile, efficient, ready, and lethal. This annual defense authorization fulfills Congress Constitutional responsibility to the American people and gives us the necessary tools our service men and women need to defend our nation. The NDAA is the comprehensive legislation to authorize the budget authority of the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. Funding levels for the Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA preserve the budget caps that were enacted in 2011. By adhering to these caps we have achieved a real victory against runaway government spending, by cutting the growth of discretionary spending. Work remains to be done on mandatory spending. There were numerous important victories in the NDAA. Funding levels are consistent with the House Budget - which I helped craft as Vice Chair of the House Budget Committee. Reformsthe acquisition system to improve accountability, simplifies the chain of command, and streamlines the bureaucracy. Provides a retirement plan to 83% of service men and women currently not eligible through a Thrift Savings Plan. Supports a 20% strategic reduction to headquarters budgets and personnel. Directs resources to key priorities: Additional 12 F/A 18-F Super Hornets, A-10, Javelin, rotorcraft modernization for the Army National Guard, Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense, and additional requirements. Ensures that post commanders can permit members of the Armed Forces to carry firearms at DOD installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. Improves the Special Victims program andexpands sexual assault prevention. Requires DOD to submit a strategy to counterthreatsposed by Iran. Authorizes funds to train and equip forces combating ISIL and permits assistance to arm Kurds and Sunnis. Providesdefensive assistance to Ukraine. Prohibits the transfer of terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to the United States and limits transfers to foreign countries. FAA Reauthorization This week, theHouse passed H.R. 3614, the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2015, a short-term re-authorization to fund the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by voice vote. I recognize that we need a long-term funding bill that ensures reliability for passengers, encourages innovation, and modernizes our antiquated Air Traffic Control system. I will not give up working to eliminate the requirement for Third Class Medical Certificates and pass much needed aviation reform. This re-authorization gives us more time to accomplish these goals, without imposing user fees, which are unfair in light of the fuel taxes which are already paid. As the only Hoosier Republican serving on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I look forward to leading the effort to develop a fiscally responsible program to modernize and ensure the future of our aviation system. Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 1086, the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act (GAPPA). GAPPA extends the already-successful light sport pilot medical standard and removes the ineffective requirement for a Third Class Medical Certificate. H.R. 1086 has sixty-three bipartisan cosponsors. 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 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |