Brad Ellsworth | CONGRESSMAN FOR THE 8TH DISTRICT OF INDIANA

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CONGRESSMAN BRAD ELLSWORTH

As the 8th District's Congressman, Brad Ellsworth is continuing his career-long commitment to put Hoosiers first. In Congress, he is a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and is working to reduce waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. He also sits on the Armed Services, Agriculture, and Small Business Committees.

Before coming to Congress, Brad spent 24-years in the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's office protecting the people of southwest Indiana. He was twice decorated for heroism in the line of duty and graduated from the FBI National Academy. In 1998, Brad was elected Vanderburgh County Sheriff, where he completed two terms. Brad was born and raised in southern Indiana. He grew up in Evansville; attending University of Southern Indiana and Indiana State University. Brad and his wife, Beth, reside in Evansville. Together they have a daughter, Andrea.

07 21

Ellsworth on Wall Street Reform Signing: Middle Class Hoosiers Investors Score Victory over Wall Street Lobbyists

Today, following the signing of the Wall Street Reform bill which will help protect Hoosier investors from having their life savings, 401Ks, and college funds gambled away by a few unscrupulous Wall S... MORE

07 21

Ellsworth Votes to Help U.S Manufacturers Compete in the Global Economy

Today, as Hoosier businesses continue to climb out of this recession, Brad Ellsworth voted to provide tax relief for U.S Manufacturers to help them compete in the global economy: “For too long Ho... MORE

Featured Issue: Healthcare

Skyrocketing costs have forced many small businesses to either shift the growing cost of their insurance programs to their employees or eliminate their health plans altogether. The result: the majority of workers haven't seen any increase in their buying power in the last decade, since any additional compensation is quickly absorbed by their increasing health insurance premiums. Read More

Date Roll Bill Vote More Votes >
Dec 01 595 h res 1724 Yea
Dec 01 594 h res 1217 Aye
Dec 01 593 h j res 101 Yea
Dec 01 592 h res 1430 Aye
Dec 01 591 h res 1735 Aye
Dec 01 590 h con res 323 Yea
Dec 01 589 h res 1741 Yea
  • EVANSVILLE DISTRICT OFFICE
    101 NW Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Room 124 Evansville, IN 47708 T 812.465.6484 | F 812.422.4761
  • TERRE HAUTE DISTRICT OFFICE
    901 Wabash Avenue Suite 140 Terre Haute, IN 47807 T 812.232.0523 | F 812.232.0526
  • WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
    513 Cannon House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515 T 202.225.4636 | F 202.225.3284 Toll Free 866.567.0227
WHAT'S NEW

Taxes

Taxes

Hoosiers consistently tell me they are concerned about the tax burdens they face. Right now, parents across Indiana are struggling to balance work and family; to meet the costs of raising a family and spend quality time with their children. I think it ought to be easier, so the first bill I ever introduced in Congress -- The Child Tax Relief Act -- doubles the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 for the first year of a child's life. New parents have enough to worry about already; they shouldn't have to lose sleep over their finances too.
I support keeping the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) from hiking taxes for millions of middle class Americans. The AMT was originally designed to ensure very wealthy individuals do not avoid paying income tax, but because it is not adjusted for inflation, the tax now threatens to raise taxes on middle-class families in Indiana. In fact, until Congress stepped in and passed an AMT patch last year, the AMT would have added an average of $2,000 to the annual tax bills of over 35,000 8th District residents. I was proud to use my vote in Congress to prevent Hoosiers from paying more taxes, and I will continue to work toward a permanent fix for the AMT.

I firmly believe our government has to do a better job of using the resources we have by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse and increasing transparency in government. We also must ensure everyone plays by the rules and pays what they owe. We can do that in two important ways:

1) Simplify the Tax Code - Congress needs to take a fresh look at loopholes in the tax code. The complexities of this massive code overwhelm most Americans and allow some people to take advantage of the system and not pay their share.

2) Hold Tax Evaders Accountable - Each year, we lose billions of dollars of revenue from tax fraud and payment delays. I am particularly angered by government contractors who owe millions in unpaid taxes even as they pad their bottom lines with taxpayer dollars, so I introduced a bill prohibiting contractors who don't pay their taxes from receiving government contracts, HR 572. See what else I'm doing to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington.