INDIANAPOLIS – Congressman Rokita held onto thousands of dollars in campaign donations from Carrier’s parent company United Technologies Corporation (UTC) after it announced layoffs for thousands of Hoosier workers that sparked a national controversy.

Carrier announced in February 2016 that it would be laying off 2,100 Hoosier workers from two plants in Indiana and sending many of those jobs to Mexico, sparking intense nationwide criticism. Despite that firestorm, Congressman Rokita indicated he had no issue with their decision by clinging to $3,000 in campaign contributions he had previously received from UTC’s PAC in the wake of the outcry.

In addition to keeping donations from known outsourcers like UTC, Congressman Rokita has a record of supporting the interests of outsourcing companies over Hoosier workers during his tenure in Congress.

In 2014, he voted against the Bring Jobs Home Act, which would have ended tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs to foreign countries. He also voted that same year to stop a bill that would have prevented companies from offshoring their headquarters to avoid paying U.S. taxes. Later in 2017, Congressman Rokita again stood against Hoosier workers when he repeatedly voted against bills that would have cracked down on outsourcing and inverting companies.

This release is part of Trade Madness, a three-week long series in which the IDP is highlighting Congressmen Messer’s and Rokita’s and Rep. Braun’s mad record of supporting disastrous trade deals and policies that make it easier to ship Hoosier jobs overseas.

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