As the Representative from Indiana’s Fourth Congressional District, Todd Rokita is serving and fighting for all Hoosiers so they can build better lives for themselves and their families.

Prior to his service in Congress, Representative Rokita was Indiana’s Secretary of State. In that position he reformed and modernized the office to provide Hoosier investors, businesses, and voters with immensely better service while promoting Indiana’s economic vitality and prosperity. Rokita directed his office from 2003 to 2011 using the same budget that was used in 1987, unadjusted for inflation. He proved to be a leader in nationwide election reforms by implementing Indiana’s landmark voter identification law, which he successfully defended to the United States Supreme Court in 2008. 

In Congress, Representative Rokita remains committed to maintaining the core values of limited government, constitutionalism, and free enterprise. That is why he works tirelessly to bring that same reform-minded approach to Washington, D.C., focusing on reducing spending and the national debt while reforming entitlements through common-sense changes to all areas of the federal government. If left untouched, these entitlements threaten to saddle our children and grandchildren with more than $100 trillion in unpaid bills.

As Vice Chairman of the influential House Budget Committee, Rokita continues to work diligently to craft a budget that balances and lays out bold reforms to reduce our debt load for the next generation. During his first year as Vice Chairman, Representative Rokita was instrumental in writing and passing the first bicameral budget in over a decade. This budget would have balanced in our debt in 10 years, and put a repeal of Obamacare on the President’s desk. Moving forward, Rokita will continue to promote a balanced budget amendment and other budget  measures that will increase the likelihood of on-time budgets and permit better Congressional review of agency budgets in order to eliminate billions of dollars in wasted allocations to unnecessary and duplicative programs.

As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Congressman Rokita strives to ensure regulatory reform for Hoosier job creators and a strong educational system that guarantees local control, while preparing our children to compete in a global economy. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Rokita introduced the Student Success Act, and co-authored the Every Student Succeeds Act which replaced No Child Left Behind. According to the Wall Street Journal, this act represents “the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century,”, and is a major step forward. Additionally, in an ongoing battle to reform bureaucracy, Congressman Rokita’s Red Tape Rollback initiative has succeeded in changing or delaying implementation of more than 20 regulations that would have been harmful to Indiana’s job creators and employees.

In the 114th Congress, Representative Rokita was selected to join the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as its only Republican member from “The Crossroads of America.” Rokita brings a depth of knowledge to his role, helping to lead the first long-term highway infrastructure bill in over a decade to enactment. As an active member of the Committee, Representative Rokita will continue to fight to bring our transportation technologies into the 21st Century by encouraging innovation and private investment.

Throughout his career Rokita has established himself as a leader. Elected as the nation’s youngest Secretary of State at the time, Rokita was selected by his peers to serve as President of the National Association of Secretaries of State from 2007 to 2008.  As Secretary of State, Rokita was awarded the Friend of Foreign Services Medal in recognition of his leadership and diplomatic efforts in building a strong Indiana-Taiwan partnership. He was also selected for the Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, and served on the Board of Advisors of the Election Assistance Commission.

As a Member of Congress, Rokita has earned the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Spirit of Enterprise award, the Friend of Farm Bureau award, Guardian of Seniors’ Rights award, and the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association’s “Industry Champion” award, along with awards from the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the American Conservative Union in recognition of his leadership in Congress on key issues.

Rokita and his staff are active in supporting charitable causes and have participated in events for the St. Vincent Cancer Center, the Find a Book Home Foundation, and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.  Rokita is also active with his fraternity, Sigma Chi.  Rokita has received the Grand Consul Citation, an award given to members who perform outstanding service to the Fraternity, and was presented with the prestigious Significant Sig award for his professional achievements.  Rokita also routinely volunteers his time as a commercial-rated pilot for charity, most notably for Angel Flight and Veterans Airlift Command.” 

He holds a bachelor-of-arts degree from Wabash College, where he earned Wabash’s highest award by being selected as an Eli Lilly Fellow. He also holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Indiana University School of Law.

Congressman Rokita and his wife Kathy reside in Brownsburg and have two young children, Teddy and Ryan. The family worships at St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg. Rokita is also a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Munster and is a member in the first degree of the Knights of Columbus.

For public spoken or printed introductions of Representative Rokita, a short biography is provided here.