Written By: Flora Wade
In March, Salem Lions News Network had the opportunity to speak with U.S. Representative Congresswoman Erin Houchin. She explained her position as well as the departments and programs she works with.
Houchin was elected House Republican Conference Secretary in January and serves her role as ‘House leadership.’ She is the seventh highest ranked member of congress on the Republican side, which also makes her the second highest ranked female on the Republican side. This allows her to be at The Table and discuss ways to benefit the ninth district of Indiana, including her hometowns of Scottsburg and Salem.
“One of the most fascinating things to me, walking into the house chamber, is that there are 435 members from around the country that represent every corner of America and they are very representative of their districts back home,” Houchin said.
As she sits at The Table and works with large public figures like President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, she holds on to her values and the way she represents her district.
“Those values are what I take with me to Washington to be a representative of my state and my district,” she said.
Houchin explained that having a voice in congress is important because the difficulties faced in larger cities are very different from the issues faced in rural America. Each of these voices and values are significant in law making processes.
These laws come down to students and educators as well. Houchin is on the Education Workforce Committee and works on federal funding, grants, and a specific piece of legislation that will help impact every 1 in 5 students struggling with dyslexia.
Dyslexia affects 20% of the population, and appears to be linked to certain genes that affect how the brain processes reading and language, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Though there's no cure for dyslexia, early assessment and intervention result in the best outcome. Sometimes dyslexia goes undiagnosed for years and isn't recognized until adulthood,” said Houchin, adding that she will work with educators to identify these students and give them the education resources they need that they can’t get at home.
Furthermore, Houchin is involved in larger departments such as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new government department established on January 20, by President Trump and Musk.
DOGE has a caucus of 100 members from the House including Congresswoman Houchin. She explained that Musk is tasked with finding waste, fraud and abuse in certain federal agencies.
“The federal agencies have vast amounts of money appropriated to them, and it’s not always spent in the best manner,” Houchin said. “DOGE’s effort is to basically audit, internally, the federal government, and where we’re spending money.”
There has never been a federal government audit before, but if there was an attempt to audit all of the government based agencies, Houchin said “it would take hundreds of years.”
Their goal is to audit the federal government in 18 months. Once the money is audited, they will make decisions based on how and where the money is best spent, and then return it in appropriate amounts to the agencies.
Working students and adults alike send tax dollars to the federal government.
“You want that to be spent for the best benefit of American citizens,” she said. “You don’t want it to be spent wastefully, fraudulently or abusively.”
According to caucus members, Musk is not cutting anything but he is identifying cuts. Money still sits in the agencies, but it is not being spent. If money is taken or exchanged within the treasury, it must first be passed through Congress.
Recently the government passed the CR (Continuing Resolution) Bill.
“A CR is needed any time that Congress and the President do not reach agreement on the spending levels and enact regular appropriations by the start of the federal fiscal year in October,” according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
This not only affects the country itself, but it is something that students and educators should focus on as well. Houchin said this year the government cut spending slightly and added defense spending. She said they are working on handling this defense specifically based on the issues with the border, as well as overseas, providing resources to American troops assisting with security.
Houchin said if the continuing resolution had not been passed by the Senate, a government shutdown would have taken place.
“During a government shutdown, only essential employees of the federal government are reporting to work,” Houchin said.
“A government shutdown is not something that we want to have…You pass a budget, you pass 12 different appropriations, you fund the different agencies, and you fund the government for the next fiscal year.”
During Houchin’s years in congress they have roughly continued the same spending levels in order to keep the government funded. They are currently working on the fiscal year 2026.
Houchin was also a part of the inauguration on January 20th, as she sat in a room with President Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as many other former U.S. presidents and prominent public figures.
“It was incredible to see them all in the same room,” she said.
Houchin’s official office is located in Salem. It is symbolic to her that she is housed in the “heart of the district.” It is accessible to people if they want to stop in.
“I am so honored and blessed to have the opportunity to serve the district in this way,” Houchin said. “To be in these important conversations, to be at the leadership table…it’s the honor of a lifetime.”
To see portions of the interview, visit SLNN here: