Last week, I released a video in recognition of the history and heritage of Indiana’s Black Communities in honor of Black History Month. Click here or on the video below to hear my full remarks. 

The East Chicago Lead Issue Must Never Happen Again

Following a Washington Post report regarding the West Calumet Housing Complex, I issued a statement condemning the decades of failure in East Chicago and reissued a charge for the federal government to step up in fighting lead contamination.

The Washington Post cites an inspector general report that says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and other agencies did not follow their own regulations and failed to notify residents of contaminant risks.

I’ve sat across the table from families who lived in the West Calumet Housing Complex and saw their grief. Their government let them down, and we must never let this happen again. Not in East Chicago. Not anywhere.

I have cosponsored multiple bipartisan bills that will help combat lead in public housing, including the Get the Lead Out of Assisted Housing Act, the Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act and filed a similar amendment to the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Resolution in support of the removal of lead from public housing.

Supporting Burma

On Friday, I joined the Indianapolis Burmese Community to discuss the recent military coup and reiterate my support for their people. I will continue to fight to ensure that they receive a free and fair election that they have fought so hard for. With Indiana being home to one of the largest Burmese populations in the United States, I will continue to ensure that their voice is heard in the federal government.

I also visited the Indianapolis Clif Bar factory, which employs a large number of our Burmese American population, later that day to further discuss my efforts to support democracy within Burma.  

Constituent Spotlight 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, returning to the United States has become increasingly difficult for many Americans like Hoosier William McClure from Valparaiso. He was stuck in Nepal with limited access to mobile services and my office was able to help coordinate with the embassy to get him back to Indiana. In 2020, we helped 194 Hoosiers from 20 countries return to the United States. For more on how my office can help with issues like these, check out: https://www.young.senate.gov/help.

Social Media Recap 

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for regular updates. 

Thank you for the continued privilege to serve you in the U.S. Senate. My mission is to fight on behalf of Hoosiers and the interests that are unique to our state. I look forward to working with you, and sharing our progress, in the days ahead. 

In Service,