Courier Press - Indiana's Rookie Congressmen Say They've Changed National Focus, Debate

News Article

By Lauren Casey

Indiana's newest lawmakers -- all Republicans -- are part of a powerful freshman class in the U.S. House of Representatives that claim to have changed the national focus and debate.

But their experiences have been as personal as political while they've worked to balance the pressure of new jobs with the responsibilities that come with creating national policy in a turbulent economic time.

"Within the first few hours, we changed the focus of Congress," said Rep. Todd Young, the Republican representing the state's 9th District. "We have exercised significant influence and it has been a historic experience."

Young is one of 87 first-term Republicans in the 435-member U.S. House. It's a class that also includes Reps. Larry Bucshon, R-8th District, and Todd Rokita, R-6th District.

And Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-3rd District, is all but a freshman, having taken over last November for a lawmaker who resigned after a sex scandal. Stutzman started just weeks before others in the class were sworn in.

Since the new lawmakers arrived, they've proven to be among the most influential in recent history. They've demanded deeper cuts in spending, pushed for a balanced budget amendment and some voted against a debt-ceiling deal because it didn't include the latter.

Stutzman and Rokita voted against that debt deal, while Young and Bucshon voted yes.

"The debt limit brinksmanship we saw this summer can be attributed to no small degree to the unwillingness of the House freshmen Republicans to cut a deal," said Kyle Kondik, political editor at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

"That said, Republicans probably got a more favorable deal than they otherwise would've gotten had the freshmen Republicans been more moderate -- even if many of those same House Republican freshmen ultimately didn't support the deal," he said.

The freshmen have a record that has largely pleased the tea party supporters who sent these Republicans to Washington but has led to criticism from Democrats and some moderate members of the GOP who've said the freshmen are on the fringe.

"They're way too far to the right. They're in lock step with the tea party," said Indiana Democratic Party Dan Parker. "They've all supported an agenda that has nothing to do with creating their jobs."

Fighting criticism

The GOP freshmen are sometimes described in the media as a voting block unable to compromise or the party of "no."

But Rokita disagrees with that characterization. He said the freshmen do not simply vote in lock step.

"Many new members have been peeled off in different directions on different votes but we tend to stick together on fiscal and budgetary issues," Rokita said. "To a certain extent we have become a microcosm of the larger caucus."

Young said most of his fellow freshmen would consider themselves fairly pragmatic -- but also principled.

"The notion that all freshmen are unwilling to compromise on particulars is untrue," Young said. "But I am not willing to compromise my principles."

Still, there has been friction within the Republican caucus as somewhat more moderate and experienced GOP leaders clashed early with the more conservative freshman class.

That's in part the difference between the way experienced and fledgling lawmakers approach their jobs, area legislators said.

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, may not bother to introduce controversial legislation if he thinks it will hit a wall in the Senate. But a new lawmaker who has never run into such frustrations might be eager to try, Rokita said.

This divergent thinking has caused some friction in the GOP caucus, he said. But Rokita insisted the freshmen still admire and respect Boehner and other longer-serving members.

"Speaker Boehner is a great leader and a great man," Rokita said.

And Kondik -- of the University of Virginia -- said the freshmen Republicans give Boehner cover when he goes to negotiate with Democrats and President Barack Obama.

Making their wayDespite their freshmen status, Young, Rokita and Stutzman serve on the House Budget Committee, where they've been able to weigh in on some of the most important fiscal problems facing the nation.

"These are serious issues that aren't going to affect just current taxpayers and citizens," said Rokita. "What we are doing now in Washington will determine what opportunities our grandchildren have in the future."

But Rokita, who served as the Indiana Secretary of State for eight years, said the transition from working in an executive position to a legislative one has been trying. It's the difference between having the authority to make a change and being forced to work with others to create change.

In the executive branch, "you have levers, and you can move them up and down and turn them on and off at your discretion. Up here [in Washington] there are no such levers," Rokita said.

"The legislative branch is what I often call crazy land," he said. "It is frustrating at times but I don't know any other place in the world where you can get this kind of leadership experience."

Legislative decision-making relies on trust and friendships with other members of Congress from both parties. For Rokita, that's meant playing basketball this summer in another member's gym, which led to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

"I was not only exercising, but building trust and building bonds for future voting blocks," Rokita said.

Striking a balance

But while the new lawmakers have found satisfaction in their work at the Capitol, new Rep. Larry Bucshon of Newburgh said the experiences he's had while traveling to visit constituents are the most rewarding.

"The most enjoyable (part) of this job is getting to meet people from all around my district, tour our businesses, and see activities taking place in the area I live," Bucshon said. "It is surprising to see everything that goes on here."

The most difficult part of the new job, though, is being away from his family, who remain in Newburg, Bucshon said.

"I come home to Indiana every weekend and each district work week," he said. "I take every opportunity to see my family back home."

Bucshon already knows he's facing a challenge in the GOP primary from Kristi Risk, who nearly beat him last year and is critical of his recent vote for the debt ceiling deal.

Kondik said it's a lesson for Bucshon in becoming an officeholder.

"As a non-incumbent candidate, it's easy to be an ideological purist," Kondik said. "But it gets harder when you actually have to cast votes."

Young also said the work and family balance is a tough part of his new position, although he said his wife and kids have been supportive and the adjustment has gone better than expected.

"Life as a member of Congress is about as unglamorous as you can imagine," Young said. "I spend a lot of time on the road -- in Washington, and back in Indiana."

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