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About Congressman André Carsoncarson headshot - 2009 - small
 
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in early 2008 as part of a special election, Congressman André Carson was voted in to his first full term in Congress last November. After his victories in multiple elections, Congressman Carson is “going strong” according to the Indianapolis Star, which writes that he has “[proven] himself to be relentlessly positive and seriously hardworking.” 
 
Congressman Carson is focused on improving the quality of life for hardworking families and individuals across Indianapolis and the 7th Congressional District. From standing strong to protect and create well-paying jobs for Hoosiers to securing millions of dollars in federal resources to fight the scourge of abandoned houses in our neighborhoods, Congressman Carson is working to provide the people of Indianapolis with the tools and resources they need to lift up their communities and expand economic opportunity. His ambitious agenda for the remainder of the 111th Congress includes growing the nation’s economy, pushing for true comprehensive health care reform, and cutting our nation’s dependence on foreign oil by building a clean energy economy.
 
Congressman Carson’s prime accomplishments include passing legislation to grow our local economy and create thousands of new jobs for Hoosiers; co-authoring a bill to protect homeowners by cracking down on abusive lending practices; and extending quality, affordable health insurance to an estimated 11-million needy children—including ten-of-thousands of young Hoosiers. To aid Indianapolis neighborhoods in their battle against a growing number crime-ridden, abandoned houses, Congressman Carson successfully secured $29 million in federal funding to revitalize troubled properties into affordable housing opportunities.
 
There’s been no greater priority for Congressman Carson than expanding economic opportunities for the people of Indianapolis. Since helping pass into law the largest economic investment in this nation’s history, Carson has worked with local, state and community leaders to leverage federal recovery funds to get unemployed Hoosiers working again. Thanks to these efforts, thousands of people in Indiana are finding jobs improving and modernizing challenged public housing developments and rebuilding roads and critical infrastructure. And when Indianapolis Public Schools was forced to let go hundreds of teachers due to the challenged economy, federal funding supported by Carson enabled the schools to rehire nearly all of the laid off teachers, helping to keep class-sizes low and improving the learning environment for young people.
 
Congressman Carson serves on the prestigious Financial Services Committee, which oversees all components of the nation's housing and financial services sectors including banking, insurance, real estate, public and assisted housing, and securities. In this role, Carson has worked to tighten federal regulations over financial institutions, whose risky lending practices have hurt our economy. And he’s pushed for policies to address the foreclosure crisis and protect homeowners in the future from unscrupulous, predatory lenders.   
 
Congressman Carson has also put his past law enforcement experience to work to make our neighborhoods safer. Carson helped pass a reinstatement of the COPS program that would mean an additional 50,000 police officers patrolling neighborhoods across the nation; and he’s authored a bill to attack crime by supporting the successful transition of ex-offenders back into society to reduce recidivism.
 
Congressman Carson got his political start serving on the Indianapolis City-County Council, where he worked to improve schools, support local businesses, and promote prosperous neighborhoods for families across Indianapolis.  He also served as a board member of the Citizens Neighborhood Coalition and the Indianapolis Parks Kennedy-King Park Advisory Board, where he turned his attention to the development of safe parks and thriving community organizations.
 
Before his career as an elected official, Carson devoted himself to law enforcement and protecting Hoosiers across the state. He first served as a Local Board Investigative Officer for the Indiana State Excise Police for nine years covering 22 counties before being detailed to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security's Intelligence Fusion Center in 2006 where he worked in an anti-terrorism unit to protect Indiana and the United States from terrorist threats at home and abroad.
 
Congressman Carson’s love of public service was shaped, in part, by his grandmother, the late Congresswoman Julia Carson, who taught a young André the values of compassion, integrity and determination. Growing up in a rough area of Indianapolis, Carson passed by drug dealers and gang members on his way to school.  These experiences are responsible for his unyielding commitment to improve our schools, make our neighborhoods safer, expand educational opportunities and give all of our children the help they need to become successful adults.
 
Congressman Carson is a graduate of Arsenal Technical High School, where his passions for law enforcement and public service first took hold. He’s earned a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice Management from Concordia University-Wisconsin and a Masters in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
 
Congressman Carson is married to Mariama Carson, an award winning professional educator in the Pike Township School District.  They are the proud parents of a two year-old daughter, Salimah, and have lived in the Fall Creek Place neighborhood for five years.
 
Click here for a high resolution version of Congressman Carson's official portrait.
 
 
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Post-9/11 GI Bill
The Post-9/11 GI Bill, passed by Congress last year, is the most extensive educational assistance program authorized since the original GI Bill was signed into law in 1944. These benefits provide every eligible Veteran, Service member, Reservist, and National Guard member an opportunity to receive an in-state, undergraduate education at a public institution at no cost. Provisions of the program include payments for tuition and fees, housing, and a books and supplies stipend.
 
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