A D.C. Trip Unlike Any Other!
10/13/25
Last month, participants in the Hoosier Leadership series traveled to Washington, D.C., for two full days to meet with Indiana’s congressional delegation and learn about important legislative issues impacting our state and nation. The action-packed trip included opportunities for HLS members to interact with top state and national voices and hear from leading conservative organizations – and even sit in our representatives’ seats on the House floor!
This year, we had the unique opportunity for a private evening tour of the Capitol with Rep. Rudy Yakym. We sat on the House floor (in the representatives’ seats!) learning about the building’s history and the rules and procedures of voting and debate. We were also able to observe a debate between Rep. Chip Roy and Rep. Brian Mast from the gallery earlier in the day.
This was the first time in a long time that we met in the Members’ Room at the Library of Congress for our meetings on Thursday. This wonderful opportunity was made possible through Rep. Marlin Stutzman’s office. As a result, our leadership group was able to attend Live at the Library and spend the evening exploring the Library of Congress.
Rep. Victoria Spartz sponsored our dinner at the Capitol Hill Club and spoke to us on a variety of issues we are facing as a nation, but most of all, she inspired us to fight for this country and to continue to protect it.
Finally, while our prayer walk around the Capitol grounds is always reverent and impactful, this year it took on a more somber and significant tone as our group began to mourn the loss of Charlie Kirk, who had been killed only about an hour before. This reinforced the importance of praying for our country’s leaders, its people, and the protection of our freedoms, especially our religious freedom.
We also had the opportunity to hear from key speakers at the Family Research Council and the Heritage Foundation. It was an action-packed two days, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who made it possible!
The purpose of the Hoosier Leadership Series is to create a movement of high-caliber, committed leaders from across the professional spectrum who are grounded in a principled conservative philosophy and oriented toward thoughtful cultural engagement and service to the people of Indiana and beyond. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, please email HLS Director Valerie Swack at valerie@hoosierfamily.org to learn more about next year’s class!
We’d like to extend a special thanks to our Hoosier Leadership Series sponsors, who helped make the D.C. trip possible: Indiana Wesleyan University, Adler Law Firm, The Heritage Foundation, LifeWise Academy, B23 Strategies, Americans for Prosperity, Ash and Oak, and Samaritan Ministries.