Rokita Report - Arsenals of Democracy Flyover, Standing for Life, & More

Statement

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.

Arsenals of Democracy Flyover

Internationally, May 8th is known as Victory in Europe (VE) Day. On that day in 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Powers, ending World War II (WW II) in Europe. This year was the seventieth anniversary of VE Day and a special flyover served as the finale of a commemoration ceremony held at the National WWII Memorial in Washington, DC.

I was honored to be asked to participate as a co-pilot in the flyover. My friend and colleague Representative Sam Graves was the lead pilot. I can think of no better way to mark such a historic day, and the countless sacrifices that were made by our men and women in uniform, than roaring down the National Mall in the very aircraft that helped secure victory over Nazi Germany. I was honored to recognize the hundreds of WWII vets attending the ceremony, along with the thousands of others that could not make it to the event. It truly was a special occasion.

We flew aboard a TBM Avenger. From 1941 to the 1960's, nearly 10,000 Avengers were built. The Avenger was a torpedo bomber first used at the Battle of Midway, and flown in combat by former President George H.W. Bush. President Bush even signed the propeller on this plane with a message of support to all our WWII veterans. Our warbird led the last of the historically sequenced formations known as the "Missing Man" formation. The formation pays tribute to those lost in the war. Over 400,000 Americans lost their lives in World War II fighting for freedom.

Standing For Life

As a pro-life Hoosier, I strongly believe in defending the most vulnerable of us. This week, the House passed H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. H.R. 36 is one of the strongest pro-life bills to ever pass the House. It is now pending before the Senate.

Our Declaration of Independence states that we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with certain "unalienable rights" -- the first of these rights is life. H.R. 36 provides for this right, by protecting unborn children from abortion after five months.

The overwhelming scientific consensus is that after twenty weeks an unborn baby can feel pain. Thanks to modern medical developments, children born at this point are also surviving in ever-increasing numbers. Many of these children are living normal, healthy lives and are living testaments to the life that unborn children can live.

Preventing A Nuclear Iran

I strongly support Congressional oversight over the President's dangerous negotiations with Iran. On Thursday, I supported the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.

This bill passed the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote of 400 to 25. This bill gives Congress the right to review any international nuclear agreement with Iran. If necessary, thanks to this bill, Congress can reject the agreement.

As I cast my vote, I remembered that just two months ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a joint session of Congress regarding the threats posed by Iran and radical Islam. His warnings were all the more relevant because President Obama's disastrous policies in the Middle East have led to the rise of terrorist organizations like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act allows Congress to stand up to the President's disastrous policies and stop a bad deal with Iran.

The bill also passed the Senate 98 - 1 and now heads to the President's desk. Both the House and Senate passed the bill with such overwhelming support that President Obama is expected to sign the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act into law, in the days ahead.

Indianapolis Angelman Syndrome Walk

Tomorrow, May 16th, will be the Second Annual Angelman Syndrome (AS) Foundation Walk in Indianapolis. My wife, Kathy, is the organizer of the walk and has spent countless hours to ensure that the event is a success. She was recently profiled by the foundation. You can read her profile here.

When our oldest son, Teddy, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, Kathy and I spent many hours researching AS. It is a rare nuero-genetic disorder that impacts about one in 15,000 births. Those with AS are known as Angels. There are hundreds of Angels like Teddy. Tomorrow, the Angelman community will be walking for all of these Angels.

Rokita Readings

A clickable offering of books and articles that I've read recently and highly recommend, as we strive together to "Keep the Republic."

In Indiana, the state legislature recently adjourned following a successful session. Governor Mike Pence had called for a focus on education and the results are in -- it was a success. This week's Rokita Reading is a piece that the Governor penned reflecting on the success of the 2015 legislative session.

During this year's legislative session, the state boosted funding for education and expanded bonuses available to great teachers. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, I have led on legislation that gives states flexibility in their education programs. Hearing of the successes at home reinforces my belief that Washington bureaucrats don't know best and taking back powers from the federal government is a prudent course of action.

As Secretary of State, I saw first-hand the success of Hoosier outside-the-box thinking that led to the largest infrastructure program in this state's history -- Major Moves -- which funded critical projects to advance the Hoosier economy. As a Member of the House Transportation& Infrastructure Committee, I was excited to read Governor Pence's support for Major Moves 2020, Indiana's next plan to invest in expanding interstates and building on Major Moves. I look forward to helping lead on renewing our nation's federal infrastructure.

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

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