Pressing Issues in IN-09

Economic Growth & Job Creation

• Rep. Houchin endorsed by U.S. Chamber for her “pro-growth” small-biz focus.
• Local leaders back tax incentives for manufacturers and community-college training.

• “Grow-in-place” tax credits for multi-year rural hires.
• District-wide “Innovation Voucher” for startup lab access.
• Leverage NSWC Crane (the district’s largest employer) to seed defense-tech spin-offs and small-biz grants.

Infrastructure Repair & Broadband Access

• Next Level Connections Grant—$350 M+ for 100/100 Mbps in unserved areas.
• BEAD program (~$868 M) to close gaps and fund adoption training.

• Public–private last-mile bond pool leveraging muni borrowing.
• Workforce hubs in shuttered post offices alongside broadband pilots.

Healthcare Access & the Opioid Crisis

• Next Level Recovery—data integration, naloxone funding, PDMP upgrade.
• IU School of Medicine addiction-psychiatry fellowships & CME programs.

• Mobile telehealth vans staffed by LPNs and community health workers, offering basic primary care, mental health services, and addiction recovery support.
• Two-year loan repayment for rural family-practice residencies.

Education & Workforce Development

• Region 9 Workforce Board uses WIOA for training & apprenticeships.
• SB 249 lets districts add supplemental pay for STEM & special-ed retention.

• “9th District Tech Corps”—paid internships at manufacturers & broadband co-ops.
• Modular, employer-branded credentials via community colleges.
• Partner NSWC Crane with local CTE programs for defense-tech apprenticeships.

Public Safety & School Security

• $187 M+ in Secured School Safety Grants for cameras, SROs, threat assessments.
• Proposed Office of School Safety under DHS to centralize training & grants.

• Peer-mediator programs in middle schools (Byrne-JAG backed).
• Tele-forensic units enabling rural evidence analysis locally.

Agriculture & Rural Economy

• Sen. Braun’s plan: portal, tax caps, Farm Savings Accounts, Rural Business Growth.
• USDA CSP performance payments for soil-health & water-quality practices.

• Ag-tech microgrants for precision-ag & regenerative grazing pilots.
• Farm-to-School hub aggregating local produce for schools.

Veterans’ Services & Defense-Industry Ties

• Hoosier Warrior pilot—PTSD subsidies via Military Family Relief Fund.
• VSOs oppose SB 433’s shift of benefit control to the state.

• Quarterly “VetTech” expos linking veteran startups & contractors.
• Mobile Vet Centers at rural health fairs for on-site counseling.

Fiscal Responsibility & Transparency

• SB 4—reviews unspent funds & returns them to the General Fund.
• SB 5—bans no-bid contracts, mandates RFPs, strengthens reporting.

• Annual District Audit Day—joint transparency tour & report.
• Open-data portal mapping every federal dollar in IN-09.

Environmental Stewardship & Economic Growth

• Indiana’s voluntary Stewardship Program rewards entities exceeding pollution standards.

• 9th District Clean Streams Initiative—riparian buffers via multi-partner grants.
• Green Bond incentives for municipal solar & efficiency retrofits.

Quality-of-Life & Community Support

• Rural Health Clinics: Expand access to mental health, primary care, and addiction recovery services in underserved areas.
• Affordable Housing & Transit: Collaborate with local governments to develop affordable housing and improve transit options connecting rural communities to job centers.