Five Questions with U.S. Senator Mike Braun of Indiana

Apr. 22—United States Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) visited the Waelz Sustainable Products facility in Cass County on Wednesday as part of his tour of all 92 Indiana counties.

The freshman senator, who hails from Jasper, Indiana and has heralded numerous bills through Congress since his term began in 2019, said he is unsure where his political aspirations will lead him next. He did not, however, rule out another term or a future run for Indiana governor.

Braun took time to answer five questions about his goals and plans for the remainder of his term.

What are some of your goals going forward for the next few years?

Braun said that although he has taken interest in a host of various issues, healthcare and fiscal responsibility are two of his greatest concerns.

"I'm going to weigh in on those, whether I'm out in D.C. or back home in Indiana. Like I said, I'm a believer in term limits. We avoid the hard issues in D.C. and want future generations to figure it out when we've been the source of it, I was never taught that way, and to me it's irresponsible.

How do you gauge your constituents' concerns?

Braun said that when he travels the state, the three main issues he hears most concern the workforce, rural broadband, and affordable housing.

"Thank goodness, most of that is going to be done by our state," Braun said. "We can't afford it (in D.C.), even though we try to get involved in a lot of stuff. It comes with a lot of red tape, and we borrow a lot of money."

He said those particular issues are best dealt with by the state legislature because they are mainly state issues. When it comes to more widespread issues like healthcare, education, and the climate, Braun believes that is where the federal government should step in.

However, he does not believe the federal government always goes about making changes in the right ways, and he wants to advocate for states' rights to make decisions for the people who live there.

"The federal government tries to get involved and promise things that it maybe can't even afford, number one, and maybe doesn't have the right idea to go about it, number two," he said. "I'm going to divide my time between what I can impact as a senator with some of those issues and try to keep the states in a place where they can solve a lot of these issues better themselves and weigh in accordingly."

What is the most important piece of legislation you are working on that will impact on Cass County?

Braun pointed out that he had the most bills get through the Senate of any Republican lawmaker in 2021. He said his bills greatly affected veterans, teachers, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. He said one of his focuses has been to help ALS patients receive more benefits and broaden their options for clinical trials.

He also said bills in education and healthcare affect all families, and he mentioned a Virginia gubernatorial election that hinged on education. Braun said he will continue to focus on those issues when they are beyond what states can handle themselves.

"I'm going to keep doing the things that are reachable that can get accomplished, and then weigh in on the bigger issues which are mostly what we're going to be talking about (in Congress). That'll take a long time to get a bipartisan agreement on what to do," Braun said. "Even some of those, we may have to solve at the state level, because we have so much trouble agreeing on most things."

Braun said the difficulty stems from one side wanting a larger federal government while the other side wants to leave issues to the states.

"We, a lot of times, avoid the issue on the Republican side," Braun said.

In a country that is so divided by political issues, do you have any plans to bridge that gap?

Braun said bipartisan support is very important to advance legislation.

"You don't get a bill passed in Congress unless you get Democratic support," he said.

He said one tough subject is the climate because there are many countervailing opinions. He also had a bill that was authored by his team pass in the Senate 92-8, but now it is sitting in the House of Representatives awaiting another vote.

Braun said there is a 50 percent chance the bill passes the House of Representatives and becomes a law. If the bill is not passed by the end of the year, however, it will have to be re-introduced again next year.

"There are ways to do it. You've got to make sure you listen," he said. "Don't demonize the opposition. Try to find common ground, and get some stuff done."

Is there anything else you think it is important for your constituents to know?

Braun encouraged people to reach out to him with questions or concerns.

He also credited his team for the logistics of his Indiana tour and said that while it is difficult to visit every county in the state, it is a fun opportunity to enjoy beautiful scenery and unique spots.

"Come visit me in Jasper if you don't catch me on my 92-county tour. On Fridays I'm generally there. I'll be waiting for somebody from Cass County to show up," Braun joked.