Senator Young’s Week in Review

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – This week U.S. Senator Young (R-Ind.) launched his Fair Shot Agenda with roundtables in Indianapolis, Hammond, and Fort Wayne. He also visited several farms around the state to discuss agriculture issues ahead of the 2018 Farm Bill. Here are the highlights from Senator Young’s events in Indiana this week. 

Fair Shot Agenda kick-off in Indianapolis

WRTV covered Senator Young’s kick-off event on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

WISH TV also attended Senator Young’s event at the Shepherd Community Center in Indianapolis. “Representatives from local non-profits, police, schools and affordable housing organizations gathered to listen to Hoosier concerns. Senator Young said the idea is to identify what’s keeping Indiana natives from reaching their goals.”

As reported by WFYI’s Drew Daudelin, “the senator met with community and business leaders in Indianapolis to talk about the government’s role in tackling big issues… Young says his solutions to the agenda involve increasing chances for upward mobility, empowering law enforcement, and improving healthcare access. He says he also wants to expand public-private partnerships and reduce government waste.”

CTE Roundtable in Hammond

Coinciding with Career and Technical Education Month, Senator Young, co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, spoke about apprenticeships and career and technical training as part of his Fair Shot Agenda roundtable on Tuesday in Hammond. Watch him explain why workforce training is a key component of his Fair Shot Agenda during an interview with WJOB at the Purdue University Northwest Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center (CMEC) in Hammond. 

As the Post Tribune reports, “participants discussed barriers preventing Northwest Indiana residents achieving success such as access to transportation, affordable housing and childcare. The group also noted the need for career training to more align with the employment opportunities that are available. Angie Williams, vice president of community impact and resource development for Lake Area United Way, said one of the biggest barriers for the clients her agency deals with, who make too much to qualify for federal assistance but not enough to afford the cost of living in Northwest Indiana is the access to resources such a reliable vehicle. She said some people are forced to choose to stay in a low-income job because it is within walking distance of their homes.”

Following the roundtable, Senator Young got a first-hand look at training equipment at CMEC.

Senator Young also met with students in ArcelorMittal’s Steelworker for the Future Program.

Fair Shot Agenda Discussion in Fort Wayne

News Channel 15 in Fort Wayne covered Senator Young’s Fair Shot Agenda roundtable at the Fort Wayne Urban League.

Watch WFFT’s interview with Senator Young here.

Watch coverage from Fort Wayne’s NBC affiliate here.

The Journal Gazette reports: “To kick off what he calls his ‘Fair Shot Agenda,’ Sen. Todd Young met Thursday with leaders of several social-service agencies to discuss challenges facing residents of northeast Indiana. The Indiana Republican said Thursday’s meeting was one of a series of discussions that will take place ‘over a period of years.’ Representatives from NeighborhoodLink, United Way of Allen County, Youth for Christ of Northern Indiana, Fort Wayne Community Schools, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, Friends of the Shepherd’s House, the Fort Wayne Urban League and Lutheran Social Services were on hand for Thursday’s discussion. Topics included access to health care for lower-income mothers, the elimination of unnecessary government bureaucracy and improvements to Fort Wayne-area public infrastructure.”

As WANE reports, “Included in Thursday’s roundtable discussion were leaders like Andrew Hoffman, executive director of NeighborLink Fort Wayne, and Lutheran Social Services of Indiana President and CEO Angie Moellering. Both said Young’s plan would help to empower families in Fort Wayne and throughout Indiana. ‘Even our most vulnerable neighborhoods in Fort Wayne are full of great people that are invested and want the best for their neighborhoods’ said Hoffman. ‘When neighbors are equipped with opportunity, resources, a safe environment, and people that will advocate for them, their neighborhoods will begin to thrive and transform. Our community needs plans like the Fair Shot Agenda by Senator Young to allow us all to succeed in the goals we aspire for our lives. NeighborLink has a deep desire to see neighbors-helping-neighbors overcome their life’s circumstances to create healthy community, and we think this agenda has promise.’”

Farm Visits

Over the last week, Senator Young visited Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Clay Hill Ranch in LaPorte, Maple Leaf Farms in Leesburg, McKinney Farm in Kempton, Farbest Farms in Jasper, and Randy Kron Farm in Evansville. He also met with the Purdue Extension and Manufacturing Partnership. These visits focused on issues impacting Indiana farmers and ag students, and the 2018 Farm Bill.

According to Tristate news, “Senator Young’s hour and a half visit, he and several farmers packed in as many topics as they could, with many relating to the 2018 Farm Bill… ‘They just want to make sure they have a fair shot when it comes to trade. They want the ability to sell into foreign markets. They understand that occasionally we’re gonna buy stuff from overseas, but they don’t want countries ripping us off, taking our intellectual property, and so forth,” Young said.’”