Susan’s Plan for Restoring Confidence in Congress:
The only way we can restore the public’s trust and confidence in Congress is to continue to reform Washington and replace the current culture with the highest standard of ethics and accountability – something that Hoosiers and all Americans want and most certainly deserve. Therefore, I am propose five measures that I will either introduce or support if elected to Congress that are important steps in raising the standards of conduct and restoring the public trust.
Restoring Public Confidence in Congress Website Handout
Job Creation and the Economy: When government grows, private sector job growth slows.
Private businesses, not government, provide the jobs that grow our economy. Small businesses, in particular, have been the engine of our economy that has historically led the way out of a recession and economic down-turn. In order to do that, businesses need an environment of certainty and a globally competitive framework in which to succeed.
Our businesses are not failing us. Our government is failing us. And it is getting worse every day.
The proper role of government in job creation is to create an environment of certainty in which businesses in the private sector can and will invest, innovate, prosper, and profit. Jobs will follow. It is urgent that we cut wasteful and out-of-control spending; reduce taxes to create a globally competitive tax environment; remove unnecessary, burdensome and costly regulations and paperwork; speed the services required by our businesses; and foster the innovation that has and will continue to make this country great.
Federal Spending and the Budget: The federal government cannot continue to spend money we don’t have.
Members of Congress must be better stewards of our tax dollars. The federal government cannot continue to spend money we don’t have. We have a $14 trillion debt and are borrowing an average of 42 cents on the dollar. If we do not rein in the out-of-control spending, the historic debt will lead to job-killing tax increases. In August, in part due to Congress’ inability to pass a budget that would stabilize our current debt levels, our credit rating was downgraded from AAA to AA+. This is the first time in history that the United States has lost its top-ranked credit rating from a major agency.
The American people are striving to balance their budgets and to live within their means. It is time the federal government does the same thing.
Obamacare: Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with common-sense, free-market policies.
Passage of the federal health care law as written was a mistake. This new, ill-conceived legislation with additional regulations and costs is killing jobs and accelerating our country towards bankruptcy. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Obamacare is costing us $1.5 trillion and will cause a loss of 800,000 jobs.
With an increased cost to businesses, some businesses have to choose whether to pay for health care or make employee payroll. Oftentimes, it is cheaper to pay the fine and keep their current amount of employees rather than pay for health insurance. This phenomenon may cause many Americans to lose their current insurance.
Research from McKinsey and Company shows that up to 78 million Americans will lose their current employer-based insurance. In addition, health care costs are expected to increase by $90 billion during 2010 to 2021.
We should repeal the law and replace it with common-sense, free-market policies that allow individuals to decide where their health care dollars are spent. We need a solution that actually solves America’s health care challenges rather than one that creates more.
Education: Our children and young adults must be prepared to compete in a global economy.
If our country is to be successful, our children and young adults must be prepared to compete in a global economy and to become tomorrow’s leaders. Sadly, after years without accountability, it is clear that our education system is not doing enough.
We must create an educational system that emphasizes high standards, accountability for results, local control, transparency, and parental choice. I strongly believe that parents should have the tools available to them to provide the best possible education for their children. I support policies that empower parents, teachers and local schools rather than government bureaucrats. Federal funding should be distributed to the states with discretion to spend those funds on new, creative and accountable programs that will not only better educate our children and young adults, but also help control the skyrocketing cost of education.
Even as we focus on basic education for our children and young adults, it is critical that our educational system provide training and education for displaced workers and others seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce. Simply put, a trained workforce with skills to match the needs of our businesses will mean higher employment and successful businesses.
In my role as Senior Vice President in charge of Workforce Development at Ivy Tech (the state’s largest community college system with 23 campuses throughout Indiana), I have had the privilege to work closely with businesses and local communities to improve the curriculum at local campuses to match the needs of local businesses. In Congress, I will build on my knowledge of our local communities and businesses to continue my commitment to a vastly-improved education system.
National Security: There is no clearer role for the federal government than to provide for the common defense.
There is no clearer role for the federal government than to provide for the common defense and protect America from those who wish to do us harm. In Congress, I will take this role very seriously and work to provide individuals and agencies that protect our country with all the tools necessary to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. It is imperative that we put national security above partisan politics.
In October of 2001, less than one month after 9/11, I was confirmed in my appointment by President George W. Bush to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, including most of the 5th Congressional district. I immediately started my new role as the chief federal law enforcement officer, where my top priority was protecting Hoosiers. Every day for six years, I was proud to be part of a remarkable team of federal, state and local law enforcement colleagues and emergency responders working to strengthen homeland security and counter-terrorism measures.
After being appointed U.S. Attorney, I quickly formed an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council to bring together local, state, and federal officials for monthly strategy sessions. I then helped the Governor form Indiana’s Counter-Terrorism and Security Council (CTASC), as well as an Anti-Terrorism Unit within the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Our efforts brought FBI training to local law enforcement officials, first responders, and public health officials across Indiana to demonstrate how to more effectively detect, prevent, and respond to terrorism.
Protecting our country from future attacks and keeping Hoosiers safe are of the utmost importance to me and will be a top priority in Congress.
Tax Reform: Our complex and costly tax code is hurting businesses and stifling much needed job creation.
A major hindrance to getting Americans back to work is our complex and costly tax code. We need a simplified tax code with fewer loopholes, lower marginal tax rates and a substantial decrease in our corporate tax rate, which is the highest in the world at 35 percent.
By lowering the corporate tax rate, the cost of doing business in our country will decrease significantly. Not only will this bring businesses and jobs back to America, it will keep future jobs from being sent overseas. Businesses will then be able to compete better from within our borders.
Agriculture: Agribusiness and family farmers are the lifeblood of our communities.
Agribusiness and family farmers are the lifeblood of our communities, providing food, long-term employment, new energy sources, and research and development opportunities. Yet, like other businesses, farmers face burdensome federal regulations, an overly complex tax code, export restrictions and even animal rights activists.
Like the rest of us, family farmers of the 5th District favor a strong private enterprise system, the preservation of property rights, a balanced federal budget, a constitutional approach to government, taking individual and personal responsibility, and resource conservation. I strongly share these views and values.
I will work to streamline the tax and regulatory obstacles stifling our farmers, encourage development of export markets, and advocate for the stable and wholesome business environment farmers deserve and the rest of us rely upon.
Life Sciences: A more streamlined and efficient process will result in more jobs.
The life sciences industry is critical to job growth in Indiana. We need federal policies that encourage innovation and investment in this important sector rather than prohibitive regulations. The FDA’s regulatory review and approval process takes too long, has too much red tape, and has far too uncertain for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The FDA should be transparent and should work within a framework that fosters innovation. There needs to be a streamlined approval process for drugs and devices like the one approved by European regulators, who tend to move products to market much faster than the U.S. A more streamlined and efficient process will result in improved health care, lowered health care costs and will create successful businesses and high wage jobs.
Abortion: I am pro-life.
I am pro-life. I support the Hyde Amendment, and in Congress, I will vote for its extension. I support a uniform, federal informed consent law that would require health care providers to provide factual information in a neutral setting about the medical procedure and alternatives, such as adoption.
2nd Amendment Rights: I am a proud supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
I believe in the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms. I support federal legislation that would create a national Castle Doctrine, which would give all Americans the right to defend themselves against intruders in their own homes. I will oppose any federal legislation that seeks to undo or preempt Indiana’s concealed carry laws and lifetime handgun permits.