A Call for Bipartisanship, Opposing SOPA, Fulbright Scholars and Military Academy Nominees -- January 19, 2012
Dear Friend:
Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. For additional information, please visit our website at https://www.carson.house.gov.
In this week's Carson Courier:
· A Call for Bipartisanship in 2012
· Opposition to the Stop Online Privacy Act
· Celebrating the 7th Congressional District's Fulbright Scholars
· Congratulating Military Academy Nominees
A Call for Bipartisanship in 2012
This week, House members returned to Washington to begin the second session of the 112th Congress. Last year, partisan gridlock and a failure to compromise put American families at great risk. Leadership in the House failed to introduce a single job-creating bill and partisan bickering lead to repeated stalemates and a historic drop in our nation's credit rating.
The American people are understandably frustrated with the status quo here in Washington. 2012, however, is a new year and with it brings an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to set aside their differences and work together to create jobs and better serve middle and working-class Americans. For far too long, Congress has been distracted by peripheral issues that do little to move this great nation forward. The American people deserve better.
As your Representative, I am committed to serving the best interests of my constituents, state, and nation. Even when I disagree with my Republican colleagues, I believe they feel the same call to service. I will continue to reach across the aisle so that we may work together to accomplish the great things that I believe are in store for the future of this nation.
Opposition to the Stop Online Privacy Act
Over the last few days, I have received countless letters, phone calls, and emails from constituents expressing their serious concerns aboutthe Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). I appreciate getting feedback from my constituents, as their input was critical in assessing this bill.
I will not support SOPA in its present form. While online piracy is a serious problem, and I recognize the need for protecting intellectual property, this bill goes too far. SOPA would adversely affect critical service providers like Wikipedia, eBay, and PayPal, among others, and expose them to civil and criminal prosecution. This bill would stifle the on-line creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship which has created thousands of jobs and widened our access to information.
Going forward, I am willing to consider any bill that addresses online piracy without harming an open and free internet.
For more information, please click here.
Celebrating the 7th Congressional District's Fulbright Scholars
The Fulbright Program is a prestigious international educational exchange program sponsored by the United States Government. It is designed to "increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries." The Fulbright Program has provided almost 310,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
It is my honor to congratulate the newest Fulbright Scholars from Indiana's 7th Congressional District:
Dr. Matthew Boutell, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Dr. Vincent Duffy, Purdue University
Dr. Mohamed Elyassini, Indiana State University
Mr. Jeffrey Peterson, Center Grove Middle School North
Ms. Lydia Spotts, Ball State University
For more information on the Fulbright Program, please click here.
Congratulating Military Academy Nominees
Each year, I have the privilege of nominating Indianapolis high school seniors to our prestigious military academies. This year's recipients embody the best the 7th District has to offer. Gaining acceptance to one of our military academies is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am proud to provide young men and women with the chance to serve our country. These determined, intelligent, and bright individuals are the future leaders of our nation and our community. My heartfelt congratulations go to all the nominees and their families, and I wish them the best of luck as they move forward with the application process.
To view the list of academy nominations, please click here.
Thank you for reading theCarson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov, my Congressional Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarsonand follow me on Twitter @RepAndreCarson. I value your views and your input, which help me better represent the people of Indiana's 7thDistrict.Sincerely,