Dear Neighbor– 

I’m on my way home from a special Saturday session of Congress, and I’m so proud of the work that we were able to do to pass a critical national security supplemental for our allies around the world–it’s been months in the making, but we finally got it done. As explained in more detail below, we’re shoring up support for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian assistance for innocent civilians in Gaza who have suffered incalculable losses in recent months. The biggest hurdle here was undoubtedly Ukraine, as our own forces from within the Congress sought to prevent us from stopping Putin in his tracks. It’s chilling when you think about it. 

Pictured above is me meeting with mom members of the Ukrainian parliament who took time away from their families to fly halfway around the world and ask the United States–a beacon of democracy–to help them in their David v. Goliath fight against Putin and Russia. Their visit made such an impression on me. As a mother, there’s absolutely nothing I wouldn’t do for my kids, and I promised these moms that I wouldn’t stop fighting until we got them the aid they needed to help us (yes, help US) in our universal struggle for more freedom and liberty around the world.

On the right is the picture of me and Rep. Brittany Pettersen from Colorado, after we passed the aid packages yesterday. If America wants to continue to be the leader of the free world, we must lead. We did that this week, and I’m so proud.

Legislative Recap

The Big Bill

This was a monumental week for Congress and for our country. For months, our democratic allies have been calling on the United States for much-needed support – including Ukraine, which has been fighting a brutal war against Putin’s authoritarianism for more than two years. And, instead of answering those calls, House Republicans sat on their hands and refused to act.

This week, I’m glad to say that we FINALLY got it done. But it took a lot to get there. Extremist Republicans from within our own House tried to stop us. Every time a bill comes before the House in normal order, the party in charge must pass their own rule governing the procedure and posture of that bill, including amendments etc. Republicans must pass their own rule. 

This Congress, they have failed to do that more times than ever before. But when it came to this critical aid package, we weren’t going to let that happen.

I crossed party lines to help Republicans pass a rule to bring national security bills to the House floor. And for the first time in recorded history, Democrats bailed out Republicans to help them pass their own rule. Then, on Saturday, we passed bipartisan bills to send critical assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The Israel package also provides millions of dollars for humanitarian aid for innocent civilians who are suffering in Gaza. These bills are far from perfect, but they send a strong, clear message that the United States will always support and stand with its allies during times of crisis.

So many of you have already reached out to me about the steep cost of these packages, and I want to say– I hear you. As a fiscal conservative, this was not easy. I came to Congress to be a responsible steward of your hard-earned tax dollars. 

Here’s how I view this: an investment in the fight against the spread of global authoritarianism is an investment in our national security, and this will prevent us from spending more money down the road. Additionally, we were able to structure the Ukrainian aid package as a forgivable loan. So, if we help Ukraine turn around the war now, and send Putin packing, they can pay us back when they get back on their feet.

Many were calling this week in Congress a Churchill-Chamberlain moment, and I’m sure history books will write about this chapter in our democracy. As extremists around the world went on the march to overtake our democratic allies, the United States had to answer a critical question–how will we respond? 

This week, we responded as I hope our allies will respond when our back is against the wall–by rushing to their aid. We’re all in this together. To prevent the atrocities of a third world war, we must stand strong now against the forces who think they can make ground. This week, we said resoundingly to anyone thinking of messing with the United States or our allies: don’t.

I want to thank everyone who has reached out to share their thoughts and ask questions. Please know my door is always open to you. I would encourage you to let me know how you feel about this by reaching out to my office.

Other Votes, Bills, and Letters

Additionally, this week I co-sponsored or signed on to 5 bills and letters, including a letter to Speaker Johnson requesting the extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program to make sure West Michiganders have access to high-speed, affordable internet.

Committee Work

I spoke about our bill and the impact it will have on low-income and rural communities across our country during our Small Business Committee hearing this week. Watch here.

AI is a crucial tool for our transportation sector, but with great power comes great responsibility! My Transportation and Infrastructure Committee colleagues and I hosted a roundtable to discuss how we can responsibly leverage this technology to enhance and expand transportation nationwide.

Here’s how else I showed up for you this week.

Showing Up with Action

Kent County isn’t just growing — it’s thriving! We’re working hard to keep up with growth so we stay on the map for generations to come. I kicked off the week with Gov. Whitmer, Speaker Tate, Majority Leader Brinks, Mayor Bliss, and Rep. Fitzgerald to celebrate an important step in that direction. A special thank you to Rep. Fitzgerald and all the hard-working leaders in the legislature who continue to deliver for our community. Your work today will secure a stronger West Michigan for tomorrow!

It’s no secret that we make good beer in West Michigan. That’s how we’ve earned the title “Beer City, USA” many times over. I was so “hoppy” to sit down with Michigan beer distributors to talk about how I can support their work.

West Michigan harbors a wealth of medical knowledge and innovation. It was great to hear from the Michigan Hospital Association and Trinity Health about how they’re making healthcare more accessible and supporting groundbreaking research in the heart of our community!

Nothing warms my heart like talking to West Michigan’s future leaders! The Close Up Foundation offers an incredible opportunity for students across the country to see firsthand how our government runs. So glad I could talk about my work and answer their questions!

I introduced the Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act with Rep. Dan Goldman to protect migrant children as they navigate our complex immigration system. This week, I joined KIND and colleagues to share about the bill and our continued work to protect kids.

It was a true honor to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Karien van Gennip of the Netherlands to the Capitol. We had an important conversation about the need to support Ukraine, workforce development, childcare, labor rights, and the future of the U.S.-Netherlands relationship.

Airplane Reading

One great thing about Congress–access to great books. This month, we were so honored to host Jonathan Haidt here at the Capitol to talk to us about his book, The Anxious Generation. It’s a close-up look at how the move from play-based childhood to phone-based childhood has actually rewired our children’s brains. A big negative side effect is increased anxiety and poor mental health. As one of only a few moms of school-aged kids in Congress, I’m answering the call to make sure we’re holding tech companies accountable for preying on our kids and giving parents the tools they need to keep kids safe and engaged in a healthy childhood and adolescence—I co-sponsored bills to push back against TikTok and also got funding for the West Michigan Sports Commission so kids can have opportunities to be outside and play instead of only on their phones.

I’m so excited to be back in Michigan for a full week next week. We’ve got an action-packed week around the district, including a very special visit from the First Lady. I’m so honored that she accepted my invitation to come and serve as a special guest speaker at the 50th anniversary of the First Lady’s Luncheon honoring Betty Ford at the Ford Museum.

ICYMI