Backing Vaccine Funding and Stimulus Checks, Rejecting Non-COVID Spending in ‘Relief’ Plan
I support providing additional assistance for needs directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I support money for vaccines and personal protective equipment. I support re-opening schools. But I could not support a bloated and wasteful $1.9 trillion partisan bill, only 10 percent of which would go to COVID-related needs. We should not take advantage of a crisis to pass pet projects and unrelated policy wish lists.
In the last year, Congress has passed five relief measures with broad bipartisan support, totaling almost $3.5 trillion. Nearly $1.3 trillion of that money has not been spent. I spoke about my concerns in an interview with Neil Cavuto and a speech on the Senate floor earlier last week.
During consideration of the bill, I proposed a $650 billion alternative COVID relief proposal along with a number of my Republican colleagues. We also met with President Biden last month to attempt to reach a compromise on a similar targeted COVID relief proposal, but instead Democratic congressional leadership charged forward with a partisan plan. The amendment failed by a vote of 48-51. The Democrats’ bill ultimately passed by a party-line vote of 50-49.
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Committee Assignments Continue to Align with Hoosier Priorities
Last week, I announced my committee assignments for the 117th Congress. I will continue to serve on the Senate Committee on Finance; the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Additionally, I will be serving as Ranking Member on two subcommittees. The Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy, will focus on issues such as retirement, child welfare, adoption, and unemployment compensation. The Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism includes jurisdiction over critical regions in the Middle East, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and our continued campaign against terrorism around the world.
I’m honored to continue my work on these committees to tackle the issues most important to Hoosiers, including national security, public health, broadband access, and global competitiveness. The pandemic has left many Hoosier businesses and communities worried about the future, and my work on these committees will help strengthen our economy as we work to rebuild.
Amid COVID-19, We Must Protect Health Care Workers’ Mental Health
Over the past year, our frontline workers bore the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic – putting their lives on the line every day so that our communities can stay safe and secure. As we continue to navigate this global health crisis, it is critical that we look out for Hoosier health care professionals and other frontline workers. The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act will help these workers get the support they need to prevent suicide and promote mental and behavioral health.
Health care professionals have long experienced high levels of stress and burnout, and throughout the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has only further exacerbated the problem. While helping their patients fight for their lives, many health care professionals have been coping with their own trauma of losing patients and colleagues and fear for their own health and safety. This bill will help promote mental and behavioral health among those working on the frontlines of the pandemic. It would also support training for health professionals to prevent suicide and burnout and increases awareness about suicide and mental health concerns among health care professionals.
Bipartisan FINISH Act Supports Innovation in Higher Education
Even before the pandemic, our higher education system was already falling short in serving our vulnerable students. In fact, every year, 1.2 million low-income or first-generation students enroll in college, but only a quarter of them will leave with a job related to their studies or enter graduate school. As our economy continues to struggle, we must be cognizant of student debt. It’s more important than ever to incentivize innovation through evidence-based solutions and set students up for success.
My FINISH Act works to ensure our students have the tools to finish a credential or degree pathway – not just start – by using incentives to adopt innovative solutions.
Learn more about my bipartisan legislation to support the use of evidence-based innovation grants and the pay for outcomes model to benefit students.
February Recognized as Career and Technical Education Month
In communities throughout Indiana, career and technical education (CTE) provides Hoosier students with hands-on experience and real-world skills to better prepare them for jobs of the 21st century. The pandemic has put a strain on the Hoosier workforce, so it is important that we raise awareness for the pivotal role CTE plays to addressing the skills gap and providing upward mobility for all Americans.
Learn more about my resolution honoring February as CTE Month.
How Icebreaking Drives Indiana’s Economy
Icebreaking is critical for commerce in the Great Lakes, where cold winters can limit shipping. Increasing icebreaking capacity will help the many businesses and workers that rely on the maritime industry to transport their goods to market and grow our regional economy.
Last week, I reintroduced the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act, bipartisan legislation that will codify the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission on the Great Lakes and increase the icebreaking capacity of the Great Lakes fleet.
Hoosier businesses and workers rely on the Great Lakes to transport goods and services, but commerce can be impeded without icebreaking to clear the pathway during cold weather months. Roughly 28 percent of our nation’s annual economic output comes from the Great Lakes region, and the pandemic has only emphasized the area’s importance to our nation’s economy. Our legislation will support icebreaking missions to expand capacity to ship goods, create jobs, and strengthen the economy in Indiana and other Great Lake states.
Bill to Repeal 1991 and 2002 AUMFs
It has been thirty years since the first Gulf War began and nineteen years since the United States went back into Iraq. In the years since, Congress has been operating on autopilot when it comes to our essential duties to authorize the use of military force. The fact that authorities for both of these wars are still law today is illustrative of the bipartisan failure of Congress to perform its constitutionally-mandated oversight role.
On Wednesday, Senator Kaine and I re-introduced our bipartisan legislation to continue our fight to repeal these outdated war authorities. Congress must not shy away from this debate and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to advance this important legislation.
Resolution Honoring 100th Anniversary of Hoosier Gym and 35th Anniversary of “Hoosiers"
Senator Mike Braun and I introduced a resolution on the floor of the United State Senate honoring the Hoosier Gym. This basketball gymnasium and museum is located in Knightstown, Indiana and was the filming location for the 1986 basketball movie “Hoosiers”, starring Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper.
Hoosiers is a classic sports movie, but only because it accurately captured our state’s obsession with basketball from the smallest towns to the largest cities. As we begin the IHSAA tournament and prepare for March Madness, it’s fitting that we honor these milestone anniversaries.
Constituent Spotlight
Since 2017, my office has helped more than 5,000 Hoosiers recover $11.5 million from Indiana, but I still hear from constituents who wonder how they can get help. That’s why we’re introducing Virtual Mobile Offices. This year, my staff has begun holding Zoom meetings with community groups and other organizations that want to learn more about the services our office can provide. If you have are part of a group who would like this information, you can now request a Virtual Mobile Office on our website by visiting young.senate.gov/help and clicking “Request a Virtual Mobile Office”.
Social Media Recap
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