>>> Town hall, a conversation about the 2022 house priorities and did I viciveness in congress is made possible by AARP of Indiana and the Indiana citizen.

>>> Good evening.

And welcome to a town hall meeting with congressman Andre Carson.

I'm Jim Shella.

This event is a production of WFYI and Indiana town halls, a nonprofit non-partisan organization created to increase citizen access to members of congress.

This is the fifth in a series of town hall.

For more about our organization and our sponsors you can go to our website at Indiana town halls.org.

Due to COVID restrictions this is a virtual town hall.

Questions will come from a diverse panel of voters selected from the seventh congressional district.

Congressman Carson, thank you for being with us here tonight.

Here's an opportunity for an opening statement.

>> Thank you for having me Mr. Shella.

It's been a minute since I've seen you.

I was on your podcast.

I just want to say they honor is here and having grown up around politics my entire livening being raised by my grandmother, the late Julia Carson, and I've always taken this job very seriously, I take this job very seriously.

I was raised with enough smarts that I know I need to have a great team with me and who are smarter than me and tell me Carson does that.

But more importantly we go to work with a sense of duty and mission to serve the people of the seventh congressional district and the Hoosier state.

So I'm honored to be your representative and now the dean of the delegation, and I serve with honor and I'm in D.C. fighting to bring back resources to the Hoosier state.

So thank you for having us.

>>> Thank you for being here.

We have questions coming on a number of topics.

We're going to start out with questions about voting rights because it turns out we got more questions on that topic than any other and we start with Barbara Burke with St. Luke social action, going to Barbara.

>>> Hello representative Carson.

So good to have you here this evening.

I'm very concerned about the senate's recent failure to allow consideration of federal voting leg E-legislation, though even though 19 states have passed laws that restrict voting procedures which are likely to disproportionately affect minority groups.

So first of all do you believe federal legislation is needed to assure the right to vote is available equally to all voters and then secondly if you do, what kind of legislation do you propose and how do you see yourself being able the to get bipartisan support for it.

>> Thank you for your question.

You know, the American people elected democratic majority in congress, and democratic White House for that mart that would affectly erase years long republican agenda that put put the wealthier and well connected first and instead of fighting for the public's interest.

Not the special interests.

The democratic house has honored that trust firstlyily by passing HR one, which is the for the people act, which I think is is it most important voting rights reform in the past century, also we did HR four, the John Lewis voting rights advancement act to protect the right to vote and last month the house passed the freedom to vote act which is essential to protecting our democracy which will effectively stop the very sinister campaign of voter suppression across the country.

We've seen lawmakers, they've enact 34 draconian laws in 19 states that not only restrict the right to vote but empower election officials to basically nullify the results of a free and fair election after votes are cast.

>>> Congressman, we also posted a number of questions on Facebook and crowd sourced them can we asked people which questions they wanted to be posed to you the northeast and one of those is voting rights question.

It is do you support mail in or drive up voting.

>> I support a collective approach.

I think it's clear that we're not ready to vote fully remotely or online because of security concerns, obviously and now we are working with companies, corporate companies and the intelligence community in developing a system that could back up voter files, but I believe in having many avenues to make it convenient for people to vote.

>>> Would it include drive-up and mail in voting?

>> Yes, sir.

>> .

>> Our next questions comes from pat Andrews of Common Cause.

>> Good evening, representative Carson, I hope you've well.

My question is similar to the one just posed.

I've been following various voting bills that have been going through congress since this congress began, and it was very upsetting to see the frequent it's freedom to vote act go down in the senate.

And given the two parties are so divided on voting rights, how specifically will the house majority step up to protect our fundamental democratic process?

>> Well, I think that's a great question.

You know, I think weariful have to work on empowering the grassroots and basically reward their participation in our democracy.

The bill that I just mentioned empower states to amplify the power of small donor donations with matching funds without putting any taxpayer dollars toward this purpose.

We want to curb big can dark special interest money in our politics.

This oppressive funding is the major reason why many republicans refuse to supports this legislation as their political futures basically depend on protecting this very anti-democratic dark money.

You know, right now anonymous funders are really supplicating the air ways are misrepresentation and suppressing the voices of the American people.

And I support the generalist voting rights act which was named after a friend which was an inspiration to all Americans.

That was very disappointing to see my colleagues on the other side of the house continue with their attempts to really gaslight the American public with false and misleading statements about our bill to restore voting rights and to make it easier and safer to vote instead of making it harder.

They claim there is no voting crisis in this country, completely ignoring republican life-support legislators in 19 states who have passenger seated voter suppression bills that make it harder to vote.

So as President Biden said of Jim Crow 2.0 is very real.

>>> Kim Irwin of the League of Women Voters that has our next question.

Go ahead, Kim.

>> Good evening congressman Carson.

So -- hi.

What can we as the members of the League of Women Voters and or partner organizations be doing to best and advance the federal efforts to protect access to voting and to prevent disenfranchisement?

>> Well, thank you for the question.

Your organization has historically been very critical at leveraging the voting block to influence hearts and minds of citizens and constituents and I think that we have to have an anti-campaign against various sub verse E-and destructive campaign and misinformation.

And our U.S. attorney general, they accused our attorney general of trying to become an election tsar and basically trying to federalize or take over the elections.

These false allegations and others that are being hurled by the same people shamefully supported the blocking of this nomination to the Supreme Court by confusing senate procedures.

When we look at the senate abuse to block judge garland's nomination by saying a year ahead of a presidential election was too close in time to neighboring a nomination and we had justice beginnings Ginsberg who unfortunately passed away and rammed in a nomination and confirmation, confirmed Amy Barrett.

And I think the more that the League of Women Voters can educate voters in a clear and succinct way, I think sometimes as democrats we get lost in jargon and talk past the voters but the League of Women Voters has been able to take the best mind and distill that information in a way that is available to the average American.

>>> We have one more question on voting issues from Lynn Slivka from an organization called Indiana vote by mail.

Go ahead, Lynn.

>> Good evening, congressman.

I was an election worker in 2016 and 2018.

Indiana ranks 46th when it comes to voter turnout.

Realistically, what can be done about that?

>> well, that's a great question.

I think it involves working with political parties but also movements on the ground that some of them are non-partisan, many of them are act Vista based and we may not agree on every issue, we may have philosophical differences and differences in terms of our methodology but if we can again our efforts and develop a very pro precise tragedy that entails old school methods like going door-to-door, taking the consideration our pandemic, making sure we're picking folks up and taking them to the polls, making sure we're in vesting in entities that know how to do media buy and know how to do messaging quite well and when we have a coalition of like minded organizations and people I think that we think get those numbers up.

You know, political scholars have said for decades that younger people aren't involved in off year elections but what I've been seeing from millennials I'm around every day, they're concerned about down ballot races as much as they are about midterm elections.

So that tide is turning but we still have to speak to our seniors who are consistently at the polls and I think if we can combine ideas and thoughts and respectfully disagree but know that we have a common interest in make aing sure we preserve or democracy we can see those in your opinions increase over the next couple of yes, sir.

>> We're going to move on now to questions that are related to January 6 and what's happened since.

Our first one comes from Enid Zwirn who is a retired college professor.

>> Good evening, representative Carson.

Your colleague Jamie -- recently quoting Voltaire said anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit across atrocities.

I believe that too many members of congress are complicity by silence in enabling the disinformation and conspiracy theories about the 2000 election and the January 6 attack on congress.

This reinforces our mistrust in democratic institutions and it falls tacit approval to the ten percent of congress -- men and women who seem willing to resort to violence to change our government.

What can you DOW do you to help persuade the other ten Hoosier members of congress to follow Mitch Mcconnell's example in repudiating these conspiracy here theories?

>> That's a great question, I admire Jamie Raskin deeply.

He's a great mind and has demonstrated tremendous leadership in congress.

I see him regularly and he's such a great inspiration.

As relates to my colleagues we've worked together on many pieces of a legislation, and I hope to continue to do so.

We know that there are instances in our country where the very thought of politicians having to deal with Trump, the disastrous Donald Trump 2.0 has caused many people to deviate and pivot away from their inherent value systems and political beliefs.

My hope is that over time as the cost gets clearer they and others will be bolder in their approach in terms of their condemnation of the lies and falsehood that are spewed as relates to the January 6 attack.

I was on the Capitol Hill grounds that day, in fact, a person was abhentedded who had my name on a list as being one of two emergency crews Muslims in congress when in fact there were three and he was found with explosives in his truck.

Ireful mend speaker Pilosi and my colleagues on this bipartisan committee for their ongoing search for answers and accountability.

We cannot move on from this tragic day until we have a clearer picture of how it happened and how we can prevent it from happening again.

Many people with blood on their hands are hoping that people forget what took place so they can evade accountability.

We can't let it happen.

I won't let it happen and I look forwar to seeing more of what the committee uncovers.

They have not public linagessed a timeline for the remainder of their work but I expect they'll provide a comprehensive report in the months ahead and I hope this report will give my colleagues on the other side to have aisle the kind of cover that's needed to not only press their counterparts in terms of their being -- their complicity as it relates to the attack, but also their cowardice when it comes to condemning Donald Trump as well as members of congress who helped heat indices these insurrectionists attack the capitol.

>>> We don't have a final report from the January 6 commission yet but here's a question that we crowd sourced.

Should in your opinion, the January 6 commission recommend criminal charges against former president Donald Trump with what you know now?

>> Without question.

>> You think they should?

>> Yes, sir.

>> Any idea what those charges would be?

>> Well, sedition is a great start.

Treason is another great charge, I think those two alone will give a lot of the great minds on that committee enough to work with.

You know, I sit on the house intelligence committee and we dealt with aspects of the investigation into trump Trump's relationship with the Russian government, who is an opponent to U.S. interests, values and national security and I my hope is that pursuing criminal Charlestons against a president who has betrayed the trust of the American people is certainly paramount in my mind.

>>> Our next question is from Larry Smith who I a columnist for the Indianapolis recorder >>> good evening, congressman, thank you for the opportunity.

>> Thank you, sir.

>> Agreeing percentage of African-Americans are becoming frustrated with the democratic party and I include myself in that number with regard to the seriousness with which we are taken.

We are the the democratic party's most important stitch constituency, I don't begrudge the animal attention any other group receives but I am concerned the party takes us for granted so what are the suspicious ways in which President Biden, leader Schumer, speaker Pilosi, Harrison are going to ensure that the democratic party party takes our interests and needs more seriously?

>> Fantastic question, thank you.

Is a lot of the work that we've been doing as a congressional black caucus has been been -- the conscience of the congress has been pressing the Biden administration with appointments who are African-American and who have interest of African-Americans in mind when they make policy decisions.

I think someone who has done a great job has been my former colleague Marcia fudge who is now the secretary of HUD.

She's made critical decisions as relates to housing and making sure that this even playing field when it comes to lending practices and getting folks access to home ownership, as well as working with our population and making sure that local municipalities are doing what they're supposed to do as relates to fair and equal housing.

Also one of the things that we've done as a congressional black caucus has been to prez the press the DNC's leadership when it comes to not just having black staffers but making sure the contracts that go toward the contracting and vendors, when it comes to media companies, when it comes to outlets, when it comes to just the upkeep of the party participation across the country and dispatching posters out, dispatching media companies out.

We want to make sure that African-Americans are not under represented and we've used black media companies in our efforts.

We certainly use Hoosier companies in our efforts but nationally if the democrat you be party has unfortunately had a very dark history of appealing to black votes, going to churches, mosques, appealing to the black vote, going to churches but when folks get into office in many cases they vote against the interests of the black community and what has to happen is that as I've told other communities, we have to leverage the voting block, they have but certainly black votes have to leverage our voting block in a way that says we will not be taken for granted, we want to be included when it comes to candidate recruitment, we want to be included when it comings comes to contracting whether it be federal, state or local and we want to be included when decisions are being made behind the scenes and not be brought out to rubber stamp these decisions when we haven't even been in the room.

So the disillusionment that you feel is universal, that disillusionment is discussed in our congressional black caucus meetings amongst members of congress.

We've seen it with members of the statehouse as well but I think the space to have these heartfelt conversations behind closed doors and work out our differences and come out as a united front, but being taken for granted whether it's in a relationship or a political apart is never an acceptable option in my mind.

>>> Aubrey Kearney of Hoosier action has our next question.

Go ahead.

>>> Good evening, congressman.

>> Hello, hello.

>> Hi.

I wanted to start by thanking you for the bills you have introduced or supported on relief from student loan debt.

I have almost $60,000 in debt that has prevented me from having children and from pursuing career opportunities.

I want to ask what additional legislation you plan to introduce and support in order to repair the negative impacts of student loans.

>> That's a bad [indiscernible] right now President Biden has put a hold on folks who have student loan debt.

What I would like to see is for us to look at ways in which we can offer loan forgiveness particularly for people who enter servant fields.

President Biden has led countless efforts to essentially forgive billions of dollars across our country.

Now, I'm very encouraged by this relief and we've been urning the administration and congress to continue relieving hard working Americans.

I sent a letter to leadership urging for the inclusion of student loan forgiveness in build back better and this congress I cosponsored the Pell grant preservation and expansion act of 2021, which effectively increases the maximum Pell grant award and allows for greater number of individuals and access to higher education.

You know, I'm continually urging my colleagues to support this measure, and additionally I recently cosponsored the fair college admissions for students act, which would effectively reduce barriers to higher education for students of all backgrounds and increase knowledge on the college admission process.

There's a lot of debate even amongst democrats about student loan forgiveness and wiping out college debt and having free college for folks who are interested and I know President Biden on the campaign trail offered a proposal to have free community college.

There are many even in my own party who are new democrats or moderates or even conservative drabs who very understandably talk about the impact it will have on our budget.

Many organizations including the CBO.

We've seen scores and we've seen projections but there has to be a way in which we can get around seeing that the wealthiest nation in recorded history deal with the issue of providing access to college education that does not impose a lifetime burden on those who want to do better for themselves and their families.

>>> We're going to move on to COVID, one of the most serious issues facing this country.

Donna Burkes is a nursing manager at Eskanazi Health.

>>> Good evening, congressman Carson.

>> Hello, hello.

>> hello.

Hospital and other health care work, are mentally and physically exhausted after battle this horrible pandemic for two years and counting.

What message do you have for these health care workers who go in every day caring for sick and often time critically ill patients?

>> Yeah, let me first mend you for the great work that you're doing.

I want to thank you.

You all are heros in our communities and our country.

Just like you and so many others I'm ready the get back to normal whatever that looks like.

But I think I'm ready like most people to put this deadly virus behind us.

Ireful think we're getting closer and closer.

We can only do this together.

We have the tools to keep ourselves safe while also reopening our country and getting back to making memories with our loved ones.

You know, Omicron is surging in our country right now, but this strain is identified to be milder in most cases.

Right now the unvaccinated are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized and 20 times more likely to die than those who have been vaccinate ask the boosted and these numbers speak for themselves, so to keep ourselves as safe as possible we need to be vaccinated and boost ed when eligible t. Omicron continues to mutate and it's dangerous for earn, there's so much miss misinformation out there from within our country and obviously from state and non-state actors who have the purpose of sewing division amongst the American people and it's making it more difficult to get back to some kind of normalcy.

>>> Congressman, what dune of the job the Biden administration is doing in the COVID response?

There's been a lot of criticism about a need to open up the country.

There's been criticism about raised expectations that were then dashed.

Is the president doing a good job?

>> Yes, I think so.

We had over a year of in action from the previous president.

You know, the Biden administration took a very bold step in purchasing millions of over the counter home tests to be distributes for free to all Americans, insured or noninsured.

I think that's huge.

Anyone can request these tests as COVID test.gov where you be find info on how and when to use them.

The guidance on what to do if you test positive or negative.

And I welcome this effort from the Biden administration.

Additionally starting -- it started about a month ago, just over a month ago, most people can a health plan can go online, go to a pharmacy or store and purchase an at home or over the counter COVID test at no cost, either through reimbursement through our insurance provider so having said that I want everyone to reach out to their insurance provider and see what the protocol is.

But I commend the Biden administration given the debacle and mess and failure to act appropriately and responsibly and without fanning the flames of xenophobia while trying the address a global pandemic and they've done a good job so far.

opportunity to remind everyone that this is a production of WFYI and Indiana town halls, a nonprofit organization that wants to promote civil discussion with members of congress about important issues fcing this country.

Please go to our website Indianatown halls.org and take the survey.

We'll might have on to issues dealing with infrastructure and our first question comes from Marshawn poll Wolley.

>>> Congressman Carson, good to be with you.

>> Thank you, good to hear from you sir, yes, sir.

>> Yes, sir, so as mentioned I'm a business owner and I'm also an economist and I look at what a happening with black businesses, access to capital, social networks, also our challenges.

There's a huge infrastructure bill that's just come through congress and I think it's an opportunity but I'm trying to understand really what is theB doing to ensure that black businesses don't get left out.

>> That's so important.

First off, I'd like to remind folks that Indiana is going to benefit greatly from this infrastructure bill.

I think this bill will have the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system itself, which makes it one of the biggest investments ever in green infrastructure.

It invests in rail and also helps locally, especially the passenger rail maintenance facility for Amtrak.

We're going to expand broadband and have clean water for children.

But the new infrastructure bill's permanent authorization of the minority business development agency, which you're well aware of.

Allows this office office to increase their programs and outreach the millions of minority businesses in Indiana and across our country.

This is the only agency dedicated to solely helping and expanding minority owned businesses so I'm encouraged by this administration's commitment to help on or minority businesses and we have to hold them accountable.

You know very well, Mr. Wolley that a lot of wealth, some would argue generational wealth is built through business opportunities that exist federally statewide and locally, but without good advocates making sure that the local administration and federal administration are doing the right thing North American of minority participation and women owned participation.

So my hope is that the minority business development agency will highlight their programs in a way that is accessible to business owners like yourself and others to make sure that folks get their fair share.

>>> Portia Bailey-Bernard of Develop Indy has our next question.

Go ahead.

>>> Hi congressman Carson.

Good to see you or hear you.

>> Hello, thank you.

>> So you've been a member for a decade in congress and with exciting things happening in our downtown like the revitalization of the mall what do you see as impactful to protecting and enhancing the vitality of the state's economic engine and the heart of downtown both post COVID and headed into the next decade?

>> That's a great point.

You know, when I meet with business owners, seasoned business owners and newer business owners and I listen to their ideas and hear they ideas about not just downtown, which I lot of document, I've always loved downtown because I grew up near downtown but when I hear their ideas about a fountain square, some of these communities, I'm encouraged because the ideas are so nontraditional and it's a market for those ideas.

It's about making sure the businesses have the opportunity and space to grow.

What I'm most excited about is we're still the sports capital of the world and -- one planet earth in our solar system, which is the Indy 500 I brag about that everywhere I go but you know, we still have other opportunities.

There have been talks about bringing things like broccoli fest to Indianapolis, having more concerts at end Indianapolis.

Hopefully a Super Bowl will come back.

But even with that we have a growing community.

I was just with gang gang initiative and at the art gallery there and they're doing a phenomenal job.

There are so many artists in our community who just need an out let.

I just purchased some new gear and some fly bit from a pop-up operation, black owned on mass avenue and on another one on Washington street.

So these kind of things are encourageing but I was sad to see places like country kitchen close, they'll be back soon.

I was sad to see places like saws, they're barbecue cauliflower, I was sad to see place like that downtown impacted by the pandemic but I know the mayor and some of our state legislators and scorns are working hard to inCENT companies to invest in downtown and I would say arguably within the next five years to a decade Indianapolis will be the place to be.

We have the NBA all-star coming up in a few years that's going to present an opportunity.

We're going to have three hotels downtown built by then.

So we're going to be rocking and rolling pretty soon.

Once this construction is gone, thankfully in the next months we're going to see a lot more activity coming to our city and everywhere I go I wave the Indiana flag, the banner, folks in D.C. maybe fun of me and they say you guys even have an airport, and I remind them that our airport has been voted number one for five years in a row and our airport has been voted the most green in the country.

I have to double check and see where we are with my friends at the airport but we have a lot of good things happening in our city and all we need is for good folks like you to keep pressure on us to make sure those opportunities are persistent.

>>> That gets us to Rob Henderson with the Indiana building trades.

>> Good evening, Charleston, throughout the pandemic we've seen many Hoosiers reevaluate their career plans.

What would you suggest our K-12 system do to better promote career path way other than college, specifically registered apprenticeship programs.

>>> That's so important.

Those apprenticeship perhaps are so important.

I've been talking to the being building trade for decades even when I was still a cop about having the apprenticeship program focus more on minority participation, but these programs are so critically Mr. and Mrs. As you know not everyone is going to go to college but that decision to enter into a apprenticeship program can provide you and your family with an income, a career that arguably can out pace a lot of college graduates and a career that provides dignity and a sense of purpose and allows you to credibility in a meaningful way to society.

So I don't think we talk enough about it but my hope is that through this infrastructure bill and build back better, I know people get the two mixed up but through this infrastructure bill we can have more opportunities for the building trades trayful bolster their apprenticeship programs because historically these programs have created generations of folks who have been able to become business openers as a result of these wonderful programs.

>>> Congressman, you mentioned that you've been in congress longer than any other member of the Indiana dealing graduation and we have a yes from Facebook, it is what is your stance on congressional term limits?

>> I said I'm the youngest in the Indiana delegation, I'm a baby in the delegation.

I'm a baby in congress given the average age of congress.

That's a fantastic question so I think that the spirit behind term limits is great.

I believe that the best term limits are elections.

If you're going to have term limits on congress you're going to have to change the way congress works.

Congress is seniority based so you have someone like me who's middle age, I'm 47, but in congress, I'm a baby and I'm reminded of that because the average age of a member of congress -- I think it's like 70, 72 so I'm more than 20 years away from the average age and I still have to wrestle with seniority and what my republican buddyies have attempted to do in is that they're -- they've allowed newer members to come in and become chairs of committees.

Now, that has created some problems because you have folks who are still trying the figure out where restrooms are and how to hire staff and operate correctly and be a good manager highly being a good legislator and you're chairing your committee with dozens of members of congress and you have someone who doesn't have institutional knowledge and when you get to a body like congress, someone like me who's -- if you have Xers and millennials in chargeable we're probably going to kill each other off because we're so competitive.

But if you throw in the mix the very wise babyboomers who have been there for a while and they have relationships with agencies and democrats or republicans, I found the bills that I -- I've had like five bills pass and it wouldn't have gotten done without republican support and it wouldn't have gotten done without seasoned somebodies of congress and folks who have institutional knowledge to help along the way.

There's something to be said about elected officials who are doing a good job for their constituent ask the reason why they're able to bring back so many resources is because they have those year of service can the credibility in the relationships relationships and they leverage the relationships and that institutional knowledge in a way that be bring back millions and even billions ofs to their state communities.

>>> Here's another question we got from Facebook of a political naturally.

Would you consider running for governor?

>> Well, you know, I'm enjoying the work that I'm doing on the interesting committee and serge I chair a subcommittee on the intelligence committee on counter-terrorism, counterintelligence and counter- proliferation.

I love the Hoosier state.

I'm in my land right now.

There are a lot of good folks who are interested in running for governor who I think are fantastic, but I'm in my land right now.

Even though I'm African-American, I'm Muslim and I'm currently single, that's nontraditional and I have a nontraditional up bringing but hey, nontraditional is the way and any nontraditional way and attention is being focus on the seventh congressional district and the great work we're going on the committee.

>>> Now to another seventh district constituent, Paula Brooks, what is your question?

>> Good evening, congressman.

>> Hello, hello.

>> I would lining like to ask you a question about the infrastructure bill.

Several of the neighborhoods that you represent were destroyed by the construction of the interstate and in light of the need for repairtive justice and also reconciliation, how can the infrastructure bill help reconnect these neighborhoods?

>> That's a great -- that's an excellent point.

So we saw the damage that was done to our communities during the development of the interstate system.

But I think there are opportunities now when we talk about to Mr. Wolley's previous point, the economic development opportunities that we hope to capture as a result of the infrastructure bill.

Part of this infrastructure bill as I mentioned, you're going to have a single largest dedicated bridge investment since the beginning of the interstate system itself.

You're going to have investments overall, we're going to expand broadband and make sure everyone has access to reliable high-speed internet.

I think about flint and I look at Indiana and our piping system.

This bill is going to make the largest investment in clean water -- clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

We're going to replace lead pipes and deliver clean water to milligrams importance of families.

We know a lot of times these older pipings exist in black and brown communities.

Our state alone is going to get $9 billion to make these upgrades which we sorely need.

Indiana as more than 450 miles of highways that are in poor condition.

My hope is a and the pressure that we're going to apply is that black owned businesses, women owned businesses, veteran owned business and Latino businesses will get a part of in and these businesses will make investments in communities to bolster these communities as a result.

I don't think it's likely that I-65 will go away from the Clifton area which I used to live in.

But what can happen is that with the installationlation of greener highways and cars becoming smarter businesses will have a part of that and equity in leveling the playing field and the restitution that needs to be done hopefully will come as a result of not just the infrastructure bill but build back better and other piecings of legislation to come.

But it will rain shower that we work collectively to put pressure and apply pressure on elected officials and community leaders as well.

As I learned watching my grandmother and other think think when we put our hopes, dreams and aspirations on whether it's a faith leader or a politician or any human being we're settling ourselves up for disappointment and disillusion.

But when we work together as folks who have a vested interest in our communities we can see better results.

So when I think about what this bill will provide in terms of connect ity for schools and libraries so we can provide access to internet connected device askses folks don't have to pull up to a McDonald's to completely their kids' homework, but until we see this revolution take place beyond brick and mortar I think we can really capture this space as younger people are doing digitally and physically.

>>> Let's go to Deborah perkins from the urban league.

>>> Good evening, congressman Carson.

Thank you for listening and sharing.

I have a question about our veterans that have been serving for years, our men and our women.

I often see that their exclusively designated to just the V.A.

hospital and with -- a lot of times it's a prolonged wait for them to seek service and then sometimes the service is questionable as well as a lot of in differs that goes on for our veterans that have served and suffered quite a bit.

So I was concerned about why is that they can't choose another hospital or another network to seen service to that they can get the service that they need a lot faster.

>> That's a good question.

We get asked that question a lot.

A lot of time veterans, because they are veterans, they get free coverage at the V.A.

so it's easier for our veterans to get the help and and medication they need without having to go through as much paperwork with other hospitals, public and even private entities.

What we've done though with that in mind is we've argued as I did during the Affordable Healthcare Act debate is that we need a single payer system.

So one of the reasons I supported the GI party bill which is going to provide equal footing for the National Guard and reserves and it provides parity for you know, you're going to get active duty service credit and you're going to get educational benefits, and it's also going to help level the playing field when it comes to getting your health care needs met.

Far too often I've seen even relatives go to the V.A.

and they've complained about how slow the V.A.

has been to respond to their needs and concerns even though they're met but they still wouldn't get the attention, they're almost treated as if well, you can go to another hospital but you won't have the same coverage so you're effectively going to have to take nonchalance by some case workers, you're going to have to take delayed service asks maybe physicians to work hard but are stretched thinly because they don't have the manpower there to immediate the needs of so many veterans.

So our hope has been with more funding and the V.A.

had a huge overhaul about a decade ago is to see reformation but the V.A.

is so massive and so is big that we've been trying to work with the community of jurisdiction, which is the V.A.

committee and is seeing to it that the V.A.

administrators are doing what they're supposed to do.

So I strongly support expanding options to vets to get the services they need but the V.A.

in Indianapolis is I think one of the best in the country.

They're not perfect but they're one of the best this the country and we're opening smaller clinics right here to expand the network and it's about having quality of care but wrap around services so we can get on stop shopping when you go to a place so you're not going across town and going outside of Marion county and the stress and if you have any trouble with tradition transportation that stress is exacerbated.

Dr. King has been a great leader in this effort but there's more that can be done.

It's a phenomenal question and we get asked it a lot and it's not in consistent with what what we hear across the country but Indianapolis is one of the bitter.

>>> Anthony has our next question with St. Luke social action.

>> Good evening, congressman, thank you for your time tonight.

>> Thank you Bill Cosby man.

Goods to hear from you >>> like wise.

Gun violence, gun violence, gun violence, especially in the black community with African-American males.

Indianapolis as chosen to use the rescue fund to support efforts around a gun violence strategy here in Indianapolis.

Would you support direct funding for a national program to reduce gun violence through intervention programs for potential victims and victimizers?

>> That's a great question.

Absolutely positively.

You know, Biden has introduced a plan recently the president traveled to New York City where their current mayor is a former police officer to talk about comprehensive gun violence reduction, pardon me and to keep our communities safer.

I saw where he out lined his belief that the solution to gun crime is not to defund the police but to give if police tools.

But I don't know, I think we should discuss how public safety and responsible and accountable missioning -- they're like a 15, 16 policing -- community policing is the most talked about, but I think the most effective policing relies on cooperation between the public and the officers that serve the community and faith communities and churches and mosques and synagogues have been critical and I mend the pastors and many of the demands for the great work that you've all been doing, which makes me frustrated and disappointed that when I see that there are folks in our statehouse who want to reduce the age and requirement for obtaining a firearm.

So you're willing to give a childish 18 years old, the ability to carry a firearm without a background check or any other consideration.

Things not only making the job of law enforcement tougher but it's make aing the job of community leaders tougher who have dedicated New Mexico to this work, sacrificed yourself.

You all have done legendary work and continue to do work and I salute you deeply and I admire you deeply.

But these kind of bills are destructive.

These kind of bills only speak to a voting block that remains wedded to this notion that their country is being taken from them which is why Trump talked about make aing mesh greats again.

I was happy to see last year that President Biden outlined a very comprehensive and sweeping plan to address gun crime.

Our focus has been on implementing that plan and working with cities and states to address the problem but I think we have to stop the flow of guns that are being used in crimes.

I think we have to bolster federal state and local law enforcement with tools and resource they need to address violent crime including more funds for community policing and investing in community based violence programs that work.

Many of my friends who talk about defunding the police, I they're saying but I think getting rid of law enforcement given the origins of law enforcement in our country, it also goes back the African tribe and soldiers policing the community but I think recidivism, the work that you do, the work that churches do by helping formerly incarcerated individuals return to their communities is important.

If you just get rerid of law enforcement you're just going to have vigilantes and full name to go see a loved one across the city they will charge you a tax.

We've seen what has happened in certain community across the globe where you have a rise in vigilantism and criminal organizations so while law enforcement is not perfect, I come from law enforcement, I believe in reallocating funding but still holding law enforcement clientable even more so when you have faith leaders and community leaders and the state involved in making sure that clientablety measures are in place for the betterment of our society >>> thank you Charleston, we apologize to those on the line who didn't get an opportunity to ask their questions.

We're almost out of time.

Congressman we promised to give you a chance to wrap up your remarks.

>> I want to thank you for this opportunity.

I I want to thank the folks who asked the questions.

We're going to continue this.

This is the second town hall we've done, we did one on Facebook and now we're doing one with our beloved WFYI and I want to say I'm honored to serve as your representative in Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis and I do it with great ability and great honor and I wish to continue representing you and being a bolted voice in Washington, D.C. and representing all that is greaten Indiana, around diversity, our minority communities and our business community.

And it's a job I take very seriously and I do it with dings and we have a great team who are willing to surgeon each and every one of you >>> sorry to cut you off congressman but we're out of teem.

Thank you very much for all the tile you've given us.

Questions that weren't posed will be forward to the congressman's office.

This has been a production of WFYI and Indiana town hall and sponsored in part by Indiana AARP and Indiana citizen.

For make sure on our organization and our sponsor and to fill out a survey about this town hall go to Indianatownhalls.org.

We plan to present more programs of this naturally in the future.

Good night, I'm Jim Shella