Andrew Votnica, a staff member from U.S. Rep. Andre Carson's office, told the neighborhood association that federal budget uncertainty could affect existing grants and local projects and encouraged residents to report problems that might threaten funding.

"No news is good news," Votnica said as he summarized the office's work pressing to protect federal investments in Indianapolis. He described local priorities including maintenance funding for the Beach Grove maintenance facility, historic rail investments at Union Station, electric-vehicle charging projects targeted to Black neighborhoods, and FTA funding for the Blue Line project. Votnica said those items are "our number 1 priority right now" and asked residents to notify the office if they learn of potential risks.

Votnica also discussed broader federal funding concerns, noting the congressional budget debate could affect programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. He described local advocacy efforts focused on preserving federal commitments and said the office was monitoring a potential federal building sale downtown (described in the meeting as the main Kpark Building on American Legion Mall), which would house agencies including Social Security, the VA, IRS and immigration court.

The staffer said the office has been distributing constituent resources and said the office's immigration-rights materials are available in more than 20 languages. He promoted a job and resource fair planned for August at the Ivy Tech Culinary Center and encouraged employers to register as vendors on the congressman's website.

During the Q&A, residents asked specifically about whether federal grants already awarded for roadwork and transit — including FTA-backed Blue Line funding — were likely to be rescinded. Votnica said the Blue Line funding had been prioritized and that members of Congress had sought a complete list of projects slated for cuts earlier in the year but had not received a formal response.

Votnica closed by reminding attendees that the congressman's office handles constituent services and urged neighbors to contact them about federal program issues and project disruptions.