Sen. Donnelly speaks to local business leaders

Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., discussed issues concerning health care, defense and education with local business leaders Friday.

Donnelly spoke and answered questions at a Federal Focus Breakfast, organized by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.

“When the voices of those businesses come together, the issues that matter most are better heard at local, state and federal levels,” said Mike Gentile, chair of the board of directors for the Chamber.

Donnelly was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 and was previously the U.S. Representative for Indiana’s Second District. Donnelly currently serves on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry , Committee on Armed Services and Special Committee on Aging.

Gentile said those in the community have a vested interest in promoting defense issues throughout Indiana due to the close proximity of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, about 30 miles from Bloomington.

“It’s such a wonderful place, wonderful county, such a wonderful home for students, not only from Indiana, but all over the world,” Donnelly said about Monroe County and Bloomington.

Donnelly, a co-sponsor of a bill to repeal the Medical Device Tax, said he thinks it’s important to avoid roadblocks in the way of Cook Group of Bloomington, which produces medical devices to allow for more research.

“I think Bloomington is a center of growth and opportunity,” he said.

Donnelly said he is working with Rep. Todd Young, R-9th District, to fix a particular portion of the Affordable Care Act, which for health insurance purposes states 30 hours is considered full time.

Donnelly said he thinks in Indiana and the rest of the country, full time is known as 40 hours, so they are trying to fix that particular portion of the Act.

“Then we look at the financial situation — if we had followed basic principles all along, we wouldn’t have gotten into as much trouble,” Donnelly said.

Donnelly also said it’s a special responsibility to serve in the seat of former Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.

“I try to work hard to live up to it every day,” he said.

Donnelly said public education is a tremendous value, but every family needs to have the chance to obtain it.

“We want to lower the cost of student loans, first and foremost,” he said.

Donnelly also said NSWC Crane is involved in some of the most technical work the U.S. Navy is doing.

“They are doing some of the most advanced technical work so that our missiles work better, our drone systems work better,” Donnelly said. “Our soldiers, service members are safer because of what they do.”

Donnelly also discussed differences between serving in the U.S. House and
U.S. Senate.

“In the Senate, it is so much based on relationships,” he said.

Donnelly said his view about the future of the U.S. is very positive.

“It shouldn’t be about Democrat or Republican, it should be about ‘how do we make our country stronger?’” Donnelly said.

Follow reporter Matt Stefanski on Twitter @stefanskimatt.