LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (Thursday, June 29, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) will host the 6th Congressional District Job Fair on Thursday, August 3, 2017, at Ivy Tech Community College in Lawrenceburg.  The job fair is open to the public from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and will open 30 minutes early for veterans.

WHO:
Open to the public

WHAT:
6th Congressional District Job Fair

WHEN:
Thursday, August 3, 2017, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. (1-1:30 is for veterans only)

WHERE:
Ivy Tech Community College
500 Industrial Dr.
Lawrenceburg, Ind.

WASHINGTON (Thursday, June 22, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) joined House Speaker Paul Ryan and a bipartisan group of 12 members of Congress today for the inaugural hearing of the Task Force on Intergovernmental Affairs. This group is tasked with reducing the size of the federal government and helping return power to the states.

Messer was appointed by Speaker Ryan to serve on the Task Force, alongside 12 other Congressional appointees.

“This is an exciting opportunity and an important mission,” Messer said after the hearing. “We can better empower the American people by bringing government down to the local level, and Indiana’s successes in this area will serve as a model for other states. The best government is closest to the people it serves.”

The Task Force will partner with state and local governments to help uncover federal abuses of power, and return control to state and local entities. The Task Force will also provide a forum for states, cities, and counties to showcase innovation and creativity in solving public policy problems.

“Federalism is a foundational principle of our Constitution, and Washington has so much to learn about how state and local leaders are driving innovation and responsive government,” Speaker Ryan said before today’s hearing. “There’s no question we can all work as better partners, and I want to thank Chairman Bishop and the bipartisan group of lawmakers who have stepped forward to join this effort.

Witnesses during today’s hearing included National Governors Association CEO & Executive Director Scott Pattison, National Association of Counties President & Leon County, FL Commissioner Bryan Desloge, Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris and College Park, Maryland Mayor Patrick L. Wojahn.

Membership of the Task Force includes, Chairman Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN), Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL), Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC), Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), Rep. Jenniffer Gonzáles-Colón (R-PR), Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) and Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL).

A full video of today’s hearing can be found here. Messer’s remarks begin at the 18:30 mark.

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 21, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) issued the following statement today following announcements from Anthem and MDwise that the companies will no longer sell Obamacare insurance plans in Indiana.

“Today’s announcements confirm what most Hoosiers already knew: Obamacare is broken beyond repair. Now, tens of thousands of Hoosiers will be left with few options on the exchange, and some counties may be left with no options at all," Messer said. “Despite the rhetoric of Obamacare's supporters, we must act now to repeal this failed law and rescue Indiana's consumers. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly send legislation back to the House so that we can finally provide relief.”

Messer has been a leader in urging Congress to quickly pass legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare, after seven years of promises.

He voted in support of the American Health Care Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month. To read Messer’s Op Ed on the AHCA, click here.

WASHINGTON (Thursday, June 15, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today introduced the You’re HIRED Act to encourage more apprenticeships and on-the-job-training programs.

The You’re HIRED (Helpful Incentives to Restore the Economic Dream) Act would allow employers to qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) if they hire workers through an apprenticeship program. Apprenticeships are specialized training programs sponsored by employers in a given trade or sector. 

“Apprenticeships are a win-win for American job creators and the modern American worker,” Messer said. “These specialized training programs can help match workers with in-demand jobs, bridge the skills gap plaguing many Hoosier communities, and provide an alternative to a traditional degree. This bill will help re-energize our workforce and increase our competitiveness in a 21st-century economy.”

According to the U.S. Labor Department as noted in the Wall Street Journal, nine out of ten Americans who complete apprenticeship programs get a job with an average starting annual salary of $60,000. Yet only five percent of young American workers participate in apprenticeships.

Messer’s legislation coincides with President Donald Trump’s effort announced today to expand apprenticeships in nontraditional industries – the Apprenticeship and Workforce of Tomorrow Initiatives. President Trump’s effort focuses on programs that allow American workers to “earn while they learn.” Messer thanked President Trump for his leadership on this issue.

Messer – who chairs the House Republican Policy Committee – launched the Task Force for the American Worker this year to help solve modern-day workforce issues and restore the American Dream.

BATESVILLE, Ind. (Thursday, June 15, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) honored 8th-grade students from the 6th District for outstanding academic achievement during the 2016-17 school year.

During the 6th District Scholars Ceremony, Messer presented top students from each middle school in the 6th District with the 8th Grade Scholar Award. Students were nominated by teachers at each school to receive the recognition.

“These students are some of the best and brightest young minds in Indiana, and they should be very proud of their accomplishments,” Messer said. “I hope this recognition encourages them to keep working hard, dream big and strive for excellence.”

The 8th Grade Scholars Dinner was sponsored by Hillenbrand and Ivy Tech Community College and took place at Batesville High School. 

Batesville Community Schools Superintendent Paul Ketcham, Sr. VP of Strategy & Corporate Development at Hillenbrand Diane Bohman, and Sr. VP of Workforce Alignment at Ivy Tech Chris Lowery also spoke to students during the ceremony.

The following students received the 8th Grade Scholar Award. PHOTOS of each student who attended the ceremony are hyperlinked. All PHOTOS of the event are available here.

Bartholomew County

Central Middle School: 

Hannah Hemmerlein

Pranav Kumarasubramanian

Hauser Jr/Sr High School: 

Addison Jones

Lance Bruer

St. Bartholomew School: 

Katherin Kolhouse

Arturo Lopez-Caullieres

Northside Middle School: 
*Samantha Crossman

*Colvin Iorio

Dearborn County

Greendale Middle School: 

Justin Wheeler

*Emma Cornett 

South Dearborn Middle School:

Rileigh Powell

Tobie Teke 
 

St. Mary’s Aurora: 

Alex Linkmeyer

*Melinda Oliver

Sunman-Dearborn Middle School:

Natalie Klei

Nathan Griffin

Decatur County

Greensburg Junior High School: 

Kae-Lynn Lowe

Benjamin Bausback

North Decatur Middle School: 

Jenna Geis

Logan Koehne

Group photo

South Decatur Jr/Sr High School:

 Savannah Bushhorn 

*Lily Rigby

*Benjamin Stier

Delaware County

Northside Middle School – Muncie:

Teddi Bishop

Lucas Seale

Group photo

Southside Middle School: 

Lean Jackson

Jameson Beaty

Daleville Jr/Sr High School: 

Jacob Ray

*Heather Pautler

Wes-Del Middle/High School: 

Allison Bond

*Joseph Grant

Heritage Hall Christian School:

Luke Peterson

Paige Flick 

Burris Laboratory School: 

*Helen Beach

*Ian Kowalski

Fayette County

Connersville Middle School:

Rylee Fuller

*Deecon Precht

Franklin, Ripley Counties

Batesville Middle School:

Ava Ralston

Kavin Saravanan

Jac-Cen-Del Middle School: 

Dillan Hughes

Brent Ricke

Group photo

Milan Middle School: 

Mia Keller

Evan Miller

*Matri Patel

Group photo

Mt. Carmel School: 

Kalene Dean

Garrett Darwish

Group photo

South Ripley Junior High School: 

Faith Martin

Brady Linkel

Group photo

St. Louis School: 

Kayla Stone

*Lleyton Ratcliffe

Hancock, Rush Counties

St. Michael Catholic School: 

Addison Hill

Anthony Hentz

Eastern Hancock Middle School: 

Nikolas Uhler

*Lainie Lawrence

Greenfield Central Junior High School: 

Elizabeth Davenport, photo 2

*Parker Stanley

Mt. Vernon Middle School: 

*Shiloh McFarland

*Jackson Tabb

Henry County

Shenandoah Middle School:

Elena Fries

*Tanner Goff

Jefferson County

Madison Junior High School:

Clara McCulley

Sebastian Biallis

Shawe Memorial Jr/Sr High School: 

Trey Suggett

*Johanna Leatherman

Christian Academy of Madison: 

*Isabella Ross

*Zachary Gosman

Ohio County

Ohio County Middle School:

Landon Cole

*Maddie Wilson

Shelby County

Shelbyville Middle School: 

Adeline Haacker

Christian DeRolf

Group photo

Triton Central Middle School: 

Margaret Schweitzer

Kiefer Earl

Morristown Jr/Sr High School:

Rylee Kleine

Kyle Crim

Switzerland County

Switzerland County Middle School:

John “JW” Goldsberrry

*Sarah Griffin

Union County

Union County Middle School:

Morgan Krum, second photo

*Gwendolyn Harvey

Wayne County

Northeastern Middle School: 

Ali Scott

Garrett Tudor

Group photo

Hibberd Program Building: 

John Weber

*Deserae Rivas

*students did not attend ceremony. 

WASHINGTON (Tuesday, June 13, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) voted today on landmark, bipartisan legislation to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs and improve care for veterans, after years of poor performance and scandal.

S. 1094, the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, streamlines the process to remove, demote or suspend any VA employee for poor performance or misconduct, while protecting employees’ due process rights and expanding protections for whistleblowers.

Messer spoke on the House Floor in support of the bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives today.

“The Veterans Accountability Act will hold bureaucrats accountable, make it easier to dismiss bad employees, and strengthen protections for whistleblowers. These are common sense reforms and long overdue,” Messer said in his remarks. “Our military men and women – our Hoosier heroes – fought to protect us, the least we can do is fight for them … to ensure they get quality care.” 

This bipartisan legislation is Congress’ latest response to VA scandals over the past few years, including waitlists so long they’ve been attributed to veterans’ deaths, theft and wrongful prescription of opioids nationally and locally in Cincinnati, and calls to the VA suicide hotline going unanswered. 

S. 1094 has already passed the U.S. Senate and now heads to the President’s desk.

VIDEO of Messer’s full remarks is available here. 

WASHINGTON (Thursday, June 8, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) voted today to repeal the Obama-era Dodd-Frank Act, providing desperately needed regulatory relief for community banks, small businesses and everyday Hoosiers.

H.R. 10, the Financial CHOICE Act, repeals Dodd-Frank’s growth-strangling regulations that have crushed Hoosier financial institutions and community banks, and made it more difficult for Hoosiers to buy homes, save and borrow.

“The Dodd Frank Act has been great for federal regulators and big banks, but it has been very bad for Hoosier consumers,” Messer said. “The Financial Choice Act changes that by ending ‘too-big-to-fail’ and enabling Hoosier financial institutions to escape the one-size-fits-all regulatory regime of Dodd-Frank.”

Messer spoke on the House Floor today in support of the CHOICE Act, citing a decline in homeownership and a lack of affordable credit options as consequences of the Dodd-Frank regulatory regime.

“Since the Great Recession, home ownership is down to the lowest levels seen in over 20 years. A generation of Americans are being denied the dream of owning their own home and building equity over their working career,” Messer said. “The CHOICE Act aims to reverse this trend and help hardworking Hoosiers get more affordable loans.”

The Financial CHOICE Act also includes Rep. Messer’s bill, the RIGHTS at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Act, which adds oversight to the agency and ensures that anyone pursued by the CFPB will have their rights protected and get their day in court.

The Choice Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives today and must now pass the Senate. It was first considered by the House Financial Services Committee, of which Messer is a member. 

VIDEO of Messer’s remarks on the Financial CHOICE Act can be found here. 

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 7, 2017) — Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) voted today on legislation to streamline the hiring of U.S. border patrol agents in order to improve border security. 

H.R. 2213, the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017, would allow Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to expedite the hiring of additional border agents if the candidates are former law enforcement officers, military members or recent veterans who have already been thoroughly vetted.

Currently, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is well below its congressionally mandated staffing levels by nearly 3,000 officers and agents.

“Our border patrol is critically understaffed, putting our national security at risk and contributing to illegal immigration,” Messer said. “This bill is a common-sense fix to streamline the hiring process for more agents, particularly for folks who have already served our country.”

H.R. 2213 passed the U.S. House of Representatives today and must now pass the Senate.

Messer is also working on other initiatives to crack down on illegal immigration and secure the border.

An early advocate of building a southern border wall, Messer has called on Congress to fund existing legislation, the Secure Fence Act of 2006, that already authorizes such construction.

Messer has also authored a proposal that President Trump included in his budget to close a loophole that allows billions of dollars in Child Tax Credits to be claimed by illegal immigrants.

“Hoosiers are tired of our broken tax and immigration systems that continue to reward people who come here illegally,” Messer said. “These common-sense efforts help steer us back to rule of law, secure our border and finally address illegal immigration in this country.”

More information about this effort can be found here.

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, June 7, 2017) —  On the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to reaffirm his commitment to Israel and send prayers to the Jewish State on behalf of Hoosiers in the 6th Congressional District.

This anniversary marks the date that Israel reclaimed Jerusalem, after nearly two decades of divided rule which restricted access to the Holy City.

Messer also submitted a prayer letter that will be placed between the sacred stones of the Western Wall to mark the anniversary. He was invited to do so by Speaker Yuli Yoel Edelstein – the leader of Israel’s legislature, the Knesset. Messer’s letter is available to view here.

A video of Messer's remarks on the House Floor is available here, and text of his remarks is below:

On the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem and on behalf of Hoosiers from Indiana’s 6th District, I send my prayers and best wishes to the Jewish state. It is our hope that the special relationship between America and Israel continues to be strengthened and grow. Israel is our most important friend in the region and among our strongest allies in the world.

On this anniversary, let it be reaffirmed that Indiana, and America, stand with Israel.

The Holy City is a place of prayer for all people and this day provides us with the opportunity to pray for the Jewish state. May it remain a beacon of light, representing democracy and freedom. And may peace and prosperity reign for its people. The eternal capital of the State of Israel, Jerusalem, is also the seat of parliament. From one representative body to another, we say Shalom and God Bless.

Our prayers are with Israel today, tomorrow and always.

The following Op Ed ran in the Indianapolis Star on May 12, 2017.

Some facts are hard to dispute, and despite the recent outcry from some, the facts surrounding Obamacare are clear. Most Hoosiers do not like Obamacare, and they’ve been voting for six years to stop it. For three election cycles, Hoosiers have sent Republicans to the House, Senate and the White House – all on the promise to repeal this failed law.

And for good reason. Though Obamacare helped some, it left a vast majority of folks in our state worse off. Premiums soared 70 percent in Indiana. Despite promises to the contrary, tens of thousands of Hoosiers lost their plans and their doctors. Many people have less coverage and less choice today than ever before.

I’ve heard from countless Hoosiers who tell me the same story of their monthly premiums rising from $500 to $1,500, and their deductibles jumping to $10,000 or $12,000 a year. As a result, these families are spending $30,000 out-of-pocket before even reaching their insurance. For a middle-class family, that’s not insurance at all.

In Indiana, half of our original insurance providers have fled the Obamacare market, leaving portions of our state with only one or two options on the exchange. Nationwide, one in three counties has access to only one Obamacare insurance provider. With options like these, it’s no surprise more people opted to go without insurance than purchase an Obamacare plan, even in the face of a government fine.

In response to Obamacare’s many failures, the House has passed legislation to finally repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better. The American Health Care Act uses market-based principles to increase competition, drive down health costs and put people back in charge of their care.

Though it is not a finished product, the American Health Care Act represents a transformational change from Obamacare. It cuts taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars, and reduces government by hundreds of billions too. Most importantly, it unshackles American families from the mandates and penalties that are costing them thousands of dollars each year.

The biggest point of contention during this debate has been over pre-existing condition protections. Ensuring our most vulnerable can get the best care at a cost they can afford is vital, and it has been a priority every step of the way. Despite the rhetoric, the American Healthcare Act keeps these protections, but does so in a way that prevents colossal price hikes for everyone else.

Under our bill, no one can be denied coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition, and insurers cannot raise patients’ premiums on the basis of a pre-existing condition, as long as the patient has maintained continuous health care coverage. For those who don’t maintain continuous coverage, the bill sets aside billions of dollars to help offset higher premiums. And, after one year, any new entrant in the market must receive the same rates as those who have paid through their lifetime.

Under Obamacare, many individuals waited until they got sick to sign up for insurance coverage because paying the government penalty was more palatable than settling for a costly Obamacare plan. This led to premium increases which further drove up the cost of insurance for everyone. Our bill incentivizes individuals to maintain continuous coverage to protect against this, while freeing up the market so that people can get plans they actually want.

In addition to these protections, our bill gives states flexibility to innovate with new models to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes, like we do in Indiana with our Healthy Indiana Plan. The best solutions to care for our citizens come from the ground-up, not from a one-size-fits-all federal mandate.

There is more work to be done on the American Health Care Act, and it will continue to improve as it moves through the Senate. As I told my colleagues on the House Floor last week, it's race month in Indiana. To speak in Indianapolis 500 terms, the recent vote in the House was a green flag, not a checkered one. It’s just the beginning of the race, not the end.

But I remain confident we will get this bill across the finish line, improve health care in our state and country, and make good on our promise to Hoosiers.

Messer is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana.