Fifth district Indiana Congresswoman Susan Brooks (R) visited Ball State April 5 to talk to students about their growing voice in political issues, especially those in Indiana.
Brooks said Indiana is actually a big contender for results in the polls for the 2016 primaries.
“Indiana actually matters during this election,” Brooks said. “It’s less usual that our state is able to have such an important say, mainly because the nominee is pretty solid by this time.”
Recently, Brooks has been visiting colleges around the state to discuss her strong stance on the importance of higher education, as well as to encourage political conversations with students who are now of voting age.
“I really wanted to come to Ball State to give students the chance to meet and discuss important issues going on within the state and the country with a sitting member of Congress,” she said.
After the press conference, Brooks met with a small group of political science students to answer questions and ask students what policies they cared about. She also spoke to a larger group of students about women in politics.
In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, Brooks said the Republican Party is in need of strong leadership and ethics.
“We need strong leadership in the country and in the world, but I am disappointed in the tone of the Republican Party so far in this election,” Brooks said. “I hope that we can unite as a party once all of this is over.”
Though she previously endorsed her “good friend and colleague” Chris Christie before his drop from the race, Brooks said she will not be endorsing any other candidates until the party’s nominee is selected.
“I may not agree with the nominee that’s chosen, but I will stand by my party and our values as the presidential election takes place,” she said.
When asked about her position on Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, Brooks restated the need for the Republican Party to unite.
“We need someone who will have more conversations and more focus in the White House,” she said. “I think we see the same problem in the Democratic Party — there needs to be better leadership.”
Brooks also briefly discussed her recent House bill about improving access to emergency psychiatric care. This bill helps adults experiencing a mental health crisis access the care and treatment they need, without delay, in specialized psychiatric hospitals.
“Before, mentally ill individuals could deny access to mental healthcare if they didn’t think they were ill,” she said. “This bill ensures that people struggling with mental illness will get appropriate care and treatment before a crisis occurs, and that their families and loved ones can be partners in helping to combat the very serious and sometimes dangerous results of mental illness."
Brooks serves eight counties, including Grant County, that make up the 5th District of Indiana. Prior to serving in Congress, Brooks spent 30 years as a lawyer. She also served as deputy mayor of the City of Indianapolis and served six years as U.S. Attorney. She is standing for reelection May 3, hoping to serve her third term in Congress.
In Congress, she now serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is a member of subcommittees on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, Health, and Oversight and Investigations. She also serves on the House Ethics Committee and the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi.
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