Friday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly released his annual report for 2016. The report details Donnelly’s bipartisan legislative work, his travels around Indiana, and his efforts to help Hoosiers. The report also highlights the Senator’s accomplishments, including a number of bipartisan bills and amendments that were signed into law, and the continued recognition he has received as one of the most bipartisan members of the U.S. Senate.
Donnelly said, “This report highlights my efforts to represent Hoosiers in all 92 counties across Indiana. I have worked with Republicans and Democrats to find bipartisan solutions that will improve mental health care services for our servicemembers and address the opioid abuse and heroin use epidemics harming Hoosier families and communities, in addition to working on many other issues important to our state. There is more wisdom in Indiana than Washington D.C., and I will continue working hard to deliver for Hoosiers every day.”
2016 highlights include:
- Visited all 92 counties, and hosted or participated in 557 events in 122 cities and towns over 223 days in Indiana.
- Heard from constituents from 92 counties and logged a total of 169,227 contacts including emails, calls, mail, and faxes.
- Resolved 2,065 cases for Hoosiers in need of assistance with federal agencies, resulting in more than $2.5 million in federal benefits being returned to Hoosiers.
- Partnered with Republican colleagues on several successful legislative efforts. Four of these efforts were signed into law:
- Addressing the opioid abuse and heroin use crises: Several of Donnelly’s provisions aimed at fighting the opioid abuse epidemic became law in 2016 as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, and he helped secure funding that will provide important resources to fight this public health crisis.
- Improving military mental health care: The final provision of his bipartisan “Servicemember and Veteran Mental Health Care Package” was signed into law, allowing the Department of Defense to improve access to mental health care for servicemembers through the training of physicians’ assistants.
- Finding a biotechnology labeling solution: Donnelly worked with his Republican and Democratic colleagues to pass into law a federal biotechnology labeling solution that will provide consumers across the country with access to information about the food they eat and feed to their families, while also providing certainty to hard-working Hoosier farmers and food manufacturers.
- Spurring medical innovation: He helped pass the 21st Century Cures Act which is now law, including several provisions similar to his “Medical Innovation Agenda” that will bring safe drugs and devices to the public more quickly.
- In addition, Donnelly played a leadership role in significant accomplishments across Indiana, including:
- Final Army land transfer to River Ridge: He helped the River Ridge Development Authority take ownership of the last remaining land from the Army, clearing the way for the next phase of economic growth at the River Ridge Commerce Center.
- HIDTA designations in Marion County and LaPorte County: Donnelly supported Marion County and LaPorte County’s successful applications for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) designations from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which will help address drug trafficking.
- First-ever visit by Defense Secretary to Crane: He invited and hosted then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter for a historic visit to Crane. During the visit, Carter called Crane “a national treasure.”
- Major federal grant for Anderson: Donnelly supported and helped secure a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant that will help Anderson and Madison County rebuild the crumbling Eisenhower Bridge.
- Federal grants for Indianapolis: He supported and announced several significant federal grants that will benefit Indianapolis, including funding to help IndyEast businesses grow and hire local workers and to hire a Recovery Coordinator to assist Hoosiers finding new employment opportunities. The funding will assist those harmed by Carrier’s decision to ship Hoosier jobs to Mexico.
- Federal grants to hire police officers: Donnelly supported successful applications from the Jeffersonville Police Department and Hobart Police Department for federal grants to hire additional police officers.
Download the annual report here.
