Larry Bucshon

Bucshon faced Democratic nominee State Representative Trent Van Haaften in the race to fill the seat vacated by Congressman Brad Ellsworth, who was running for Senate.[3]

Bucshon received support from the National Republican Congressional Committee and was named a GOP Young Gun.[4] During the campaign, Bucshon was endorsed by several conservative interest groups and elected officials, including the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Congressional Action Committee, United States Chamber of Commerce, National Right to Life Committee, Indiana Right to Life, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Campaign for Working Families, House Minority Leader John Boehner, U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels.[5] Bucshon received significant campaign contributions from medical groups.[6]

Bucshon defeated van Haaften by a margin of 21 points, winning all 18 counties in the district.[7]

Bucshon again faced Kristi Risk in the 2012 Republican primary.[8] Bucshon edged out Risk in the 2010 GOP primary, with 16,262 votes to Risk's 14,273.[9]

In the general election, Bucshon defeated former state Rep. Dave Crooks.[10]

The conservative Club for Growth announced that it would target Bucshon for defeat in the 2014 Republican primary,[11] but he was re-elected nonetheless.

Bucshon is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership.[12]

Bucshon voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[13] After voting, he stated that there would be "dramatic" economic growth that will "fully cover the amount of revenue decreases" regarding tax cuts. Buschon claimed that people would complete their tax filing on a postcard, however the same tax filing structure remains in place.[14]

Bucshon supports lower corporate and individual taxes. He has called for freezing spending at 2008 levels, extending the Bush tax cuts for all income brackets, and reviewing all government programs for places to reduce spending.[2] He has stated that Republicans need to "first admit we were partially to blame for the increased government spending over the past decade."[2][15] Bucshon supports simplifying the personal and corporate tax codes.[16]

Bucshon voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011, which created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Bucshon also supported a balanced budget amendment that would require the federal government to spend no more than it collects in revenue each year. During his 2010 campaign, Bucshon said one of his campaign goals was to lower taxes for all Americans.[16]

In 2010 Bucshon signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.[17]

Bucshon supports the repeal of the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Bucshon supports reforms that expand and reform high-risk pools and federal reinsurance programs and lower costs.[2] Bucshon wants to increase transparency in medical care costs.[15] Bucshon has called for cuts in health care programs.[18][19]

Bucshon, who describes himself as "an ardent supporter of protecting the Second Amendment", has supported several bills that loosen restrictions on gun ownership. Bucshon co-sponsored the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, which requires all states to honor concealed carry permits from other states within their borders, irrespective of their own gun laws. The National Rifle Association and the Gun Owners of America have both given Bucshon an "A" rating.[19]

Bucshon is pro-life. During his time in Congress, he has supported bills that seek to establish a legal framework for challenging the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. He has said he believes that abortion should be legal in cases where the mother's life may be in danger. Bucshon co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, which declares that life begins at the moment of conception and is entitled to legal protection from that point forward.[19]

In October 2015, Bucshon was named to serve on the Select Investigative Panel on Planned Parenthood.[20]

Bucshon supports a comprehensive strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security for current and future beneficiaries.[2]

Bucshon describes himself as a "long term friend of coal." His biggest contributors include Koch brothers, Murray energy.[21] He supports the Keystone XL pipeline project.[22]

On November 2, 2011, the Evansville Courier & Press reported that Bucshon planned to introduce an amendment to the transportation funding bill that would allow governors to re-allocate federal transportation funding from designated programs to projects they designate as emergencies.[23]

On July 10, 2014, Bucshon introduced the Research and Development Efficiency Act (H.R. 5056), a bill that would instruct the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a working group under the authority of the National Science and Technology Council to review federal regulations affecting research and research universities and make recommendations on how to streamline them and reduce the regulatory burden on such researchers.[24][25] Bucshon said that his goal is "to alleviate some of the burden placed on our research universities so they can get back to their main goal of conducting basic science research."[26]

During a September 17, 2014 hearing of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Bucshon was questioning John Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. When Holdren encouraged Bucshon to read the scientific literature on global warming, Bucshon replied "Of all the climatologists whose careers depend on the climate changing to keep themselves publishing articles -- yes, I could read that, but I don't believe it."[27]

Bucshon has a "D" rating from NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes. Bucshon opposes veterans having access to medical marijuana if recommended by their Veterans Health Administration doctor and if it is legal for medicinal purposes in their state of residence.[28]

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

• Congressional Constitution Caucus[29]
• Republican Study Committee[30]
• Tuesday Group [31]