INDIANAPOLIS -- After winning Indiana's sixth district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in early November, Congressman-elect Jefferson Shreve said he is grateful, stressing he has a "heartfelt eagerness" to get to work in the next congressional session.
Shreve, a Republican candidate and former Indianapolis mayoral candidate, won the seat in November with more than 63% of the vote. Cinde Wirth, Shreve's Democratic opponent, received almost 32% of the vote while Libertarian James Sceniak received 4% of the vote.
Indiana's sixth district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives became open after current U.S. Rep. Greg Pence, R-Ind. District 6, announced in January he would not run for reelection. At the time, Pence said he was frustrated with GOP infighting as well as a "lack of congressional progress."
When asked about his top priorities in the upcoming session, Shreve said it will be the interests of the 11 counties of the sixth district.
“The interests of the people come first, then the state, then the country," he said.
Shreve said he believes that the U.S. Congress needs to "focus on the fiscal" and overcome the country's current deficit.
“The stage is set. We’ve got the House, the Senate and the Administration," Shreve said. "It’s on us to grow our way out of this hole we are in. That’s the first priority.”
Members of the new U.S. Congress will have the chance to hit the ground running regarding several other bills, including discussions surrounding the Highway Reauthorization Act, the Farm Bill as well as other pieces of legislation, Shreve said.
“The message from leadership (at a recent orientation) was buckle in, because this first 100 days of the next Congress is going to come fast and furious," Shreve said.
When asked about immigration, Shreve said that legal pathways to citizenship are necessary. Shreve also said that mass deportations "wrought willy-nilly" will not help the country as a whole.
According to reports from The Hill from November, one of President-elect Donald Trump's immigration plans is to create the largest deportation force in U.S. history. Trump said that he would declare immigration a national emergency and use military assets to support the mass deportation efforts.
Shreve said that he would have to see what Trump's mass deportation plan actually is and "read the fine print."
Shreve was also asked about current President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden. According to previous reports, the president's pardon covers his son's gun and tax convictions, as well as any federal offenses Hunter Biden committed over the past decade.
Shreve said he was disappointed by Biden's decision to pardon his son, especially when President Biden said he would not in June. However, he said it is time to move on and look forward to the future.
“There’s so much that’s crucial for the next Congress, for this congressman-elect to focus on in the next year," Shreve said. "That’s where my head is.”
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Shreve said he would like to be a part of a committee that has an impact on his district, from infrastructure and transportation to energy/commerce and health. Ultimately, Shreve said he has a lot to learn, but stressed he is "determined" to make his constituents proud.
The next session of the U.S. Congress begins in early January.