U.S. Representative Rudy Yakym Keynote Speaker for 2023 Lincoln Day Dinner

 Indiana 2nd District - United States (U.S.) Representative Rudy Yakym was the keynote speaker for the 2023 Lincoln Day Dinner held in the heart of downtown Plymouth at The REES Theatre Saturday, February 25. 

Yakym was accompanied by his wife Sallyann and their three children Rudy IV, Elle and Eliza. 

Chairman of the Marshall County Republican Committee Deborah VanDemark welcomed guests along with Vice-Chairman of the Marshall County Republican Committee James Masterson, Treasurer Bryan Howard, Secretary Sharon Dotta, and Emcee, the Honorable Judge Dean Colvin.

Pillars of the Republican Party who passed away within the last year were honored with recognition and a moment of silence during the event - Jackie Walorski, Zach Potts, David Holmes and Ken Lukenbill. 

Howard led the Pledge of Allegiance; which was followed by the National Anthem sung by guests and accompanied by music. Masterson gave the Invocation.

Guests sang “Happy Birthday” to Yakym as he had celebrated his 39th birthday on Friday. 

Judge Marshall Superior Court III Matthew Sarber introduced Yakym and highlighted the Lincoln quote, “…that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.” Judge Sarber illustrated that Yakym is “one of the people”. “I can personally attest to that. He believes that developing grass roots, developing talent, developing people, and most importantly good character is vital to who it is to be a human. I can see that in what he does as a Congressman and I’ve seen it personally in my life.” 

Yakym was greeted with a warm welcome and a round of applause. 

Yakym said it has been nearly two months since the Republican Party took majority in the House; when previous to that the Democratic Party had the Presidency and the Majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. “They were able to, unencumbered, move whatever they wanted forward. Now since we’ve taken over as Republicans in the House, we can serve as a Check and a Balance to the Biden Administration and to the United States Senate.” 

Some of those Republican accomplishments included the reopening of the People’s House. Previous to that, the Capitol was closed, not only because of previous pandemic restrictions but also the United States Capitol Riots that occurred on January 6, 2021. People were previously unable to visit their member of Congress - visits have now resumed at the Nation’s Capitol.

Proxy voting has ended. “For the last two years, under Democrat Rule, you’ve been able to literally phone it in. There were members of Congress that didn’t show up to do their jobs and talk with their colleagues about legislation. They would just tell somebody else to vote for them. Those days are over. You have to actually show up for work just like the rest of the American people do.” 

The legislative process has become more transparent. The Indiana 2nd District Office had only 90 minutes to review a 4,000 Omnibus Spending Bill and make a $1.7 trillion dollar vote. “That’s unacceptable.” The Republican Party has now established a rule enforcing a minimum of a 72 hours notice to appropriately review a Bill that has been finalized in all committees. “That’s just Hoosier common sense.” 

The Republicans also passed a bill to fire President Biden’s “87,000 member army of new IRS agents” which would have cost $70 Billion Dollars. 

The Republicans also passed the Born Alive Child Protection Act which protects abortion survivors. 

According to Yakym, President Biden has released more than half of the United States Strategic Petroleum Oil Reserve. The Republicans took measures to protect the Petroleum Reserve by restricting any sale of it to China. 

The Republicans voted successfully to eliminate the required COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers. 

As a part of the National Defense Authorization Act, members of the military can no longer be kicked out of the military for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Members of the Federal Government are no longer permitted to work remotely from Washington D.C. 

Republicans and Democrats united to establish the House China Committee to investigate the Chinese Surveillance Balloon and other matters regarding National Security. A unanimous resolution was passed condemning the Chinese Communist Party for the Chinese Surveillance Balloon. He emphasized that the American people, both Republicans and Democrats, were angry. “We pick on each other as Republicans and Democrats but when somebody from the outside comes against us we’ll all come together.”

Yakym expressed concern that President Biden is not up to the challenge for facing the issues coming from China. “If we’re not careful we will have a 21st Century that is dominated by China worldwide as opposed to led by America. But I’m glad for at least our part - Republicans - we’re treating this with the seriousness that it deserves and we’re standing up against the Chinese Communist Party.” 

As a member of the House Budget Committee Yakym addressed an internal existential threat - the National Debt. He said that the $31 trillion dollars of National Debt is not sustainable. If no other action is taken beyond the current path, the United States will enter in to a $1.4 trillion dollar deficit next year. “An unfathomable sum of money.” 

He noted that the impact of the current “reckless spending spree” has led to inflation which has increased the cost of food, energy, transportation and labor across the nation. Spending $1.5 to $2 trillion dollars beyond what is being taken in every year is not sustainable. “We are seeing a level of inflation that is purely unsustainable.” 

As a member of the House Budget Committee, Yakym is eager to seek remedy and bring the Federal Budget back in to balance - for the sake of current and future generations. 

Yakym closed, “I can’t thank you enough for everything that you’ve done to support me and to support my family along the journey as we all collectively work together to make sure that the United States of America is always and forever the greatest country in the history of the world. Thank you so much. God bless you. God bless Marshall County.”

Provided by our news partners at the Pilot News. By Jamie Fleury, staff writer.

Pilot News Group Photo / Jamie Fleury: Chairman of the Marshall County Republican Committee Deborah VanDemark, Indiana 2nd District United States (U.S.) Representative Rudy Yakym, and District Director; 2nd Congressional District of Indiana Griffin Nate. Yakym expressed gratitude for the assistance of District Director; 2nd Congressional District of Indiana Griffin Nate referring to him as, “Marshall County’s favorite son.” According to Yakym, Nate, at the age of 21, is the youngest District Director in the Country and “He is unarguably the best District Director in the Country.”