Legislative Recap

I’m sure many of you have seen the ongoing protests happening on college and university campuses across the country right now. The right to free speech and protest is fundamental, but far too many of these protests have crossed the line into harassment, intimidation, and discriminatory anti-semitism. Colleges and universities do not have enough clear guidance on what does and does not cross the line into antisemitism– which has put Jewish students at risk and at the same time, jeopardizes legitimate free speech. Students have the right to peacefully protest, but antisemitism is never –and never will be– tolerated.

As others rushed to the cameras, I got to work on solutions. This week, my Republican colleague and fellow midwesterner Rep. Rudy Yakym from Indiana and I championed our new bill, the PROTECT Jewish Students and Faculty Act, to require colleges and universities to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s official working definition of antisemitism in student and faculty codes of conduct as a condition of receiving Title IV federal funds for financial aid. This way, we’re protecting students and faculty and ensuring that institutions of higher education can be safe spaces of learning and free expression for all. Read more about it here.

From all the calls and e-mails we’ve received on this issue, I know that there is a wide range of opinions on this issue, so I want to hear from you:

I also signed onto several bills this week, including legislation that would rename the U.S. Post Office location in Battle Creek to the “Sojourner Truth Post Office” to honor her abolition efforts and work for women’s suffrage.

Now, here’s what I was up to at home!

Celebrating Earth Day

Earth Day is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to protecting our beautiful natural resources for future generations. I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished for West Michigan and families nationwide – and we’re just getting started! This Earth Day, I was home in West Michigan meeting with local organizations committed to sustainability and putting their money where their mouth is to build a stronger tomorrow for West Michigan!

I kicked off my Earth Day celebrations at Public Threads in Grand Rapids where they’re working on incredible upcycling, design, and innovation! Their creative reuse of materials and dedication to education, training, and upskilling our community brings us closer to a circular economy! So fun to check out their range of products and see all the sustainable innovation and creativity on display.

I also visited Cascade Engineering this week, which is a global company founded and headquartered right here in West Michigan. The company's "triple bottom line"--people, planet, profit creates a truly unique atmosphere where every individual can thrive and profit from the company's success, all while having a positive impact on the planet.

Showing Up with Action

Everyone has a valuable perspective – especially our young people! I spent time with students at East Kentwood High School and Mona Shores High School to hear about the issues that are on their minds and answer any questions they had about what’s going on in our community, in Congress, and the world. I’m so encouraged by the next generation of leaders and can’t wait to see how they will change the world.

I put on my Sunday best to visit our country’s best–our farmers! Our world-class orchards here in West Michigan are about so much more than cute family photos on a beautiful fall day. Having a safe and affordable domestic food supply is a national security issue! And it doesn’t happen by magic–the hard work of generational family farms like Thome Orchards and the farmhands who pick the produce are to thank. I’m hard at work addressing things like labor shortages, specialty crop designations, crop insurance, and other agriculture policies that impact these folks (and all of us who rely on their product). Do me a favor–thank a farmer this week for the healthy, fresh food they put on our families’ tables each week.

You may be thinking to yourself– wow, there’s a lot going on at GRR right now– and you’d be RIGHT! There are so many exciting projects underway to keep up with its booming growth and improve the safety and travel experience for West Michiganders. This week, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Snow Removal Equipment Building to help make sure people can get to where they need to go safely no matter the weather conditions.

Summer is just around the corner, and that means it’s parade season! As the mom of two young boys, I can tell you firsthand just how exciting it is for us to get out in the community to see friends and neighbors, grab a bite to eat, and, of course, occasionally get our faces painted. We want every family to experience the magic of West Michigan, but we also want to make sure that they can be safe. 

This week, I joined Muskegon Mayor Ken Johnson and Public Safety Director Chief Timothy Kozal to announce that we secured $380k for the City to install new, state-of-the-art vehicle barriers to help protect the public during Muskegon’s more than 100 public events every year. I can’t wait to be back on the lakeshore this summer to see them in action!

Access Health makes healthcare more affordable and accessible for our Muskegon neighbors! It was so great to visit and learn about their Access C3 Health Plan that supports those who don't qualify for Medicare but also can't afford traditional health insurance. Thanks for everything you do to keep our communities safe and healthy.

I am getting ready for six weeks of in-session work straight. Now accepting all the good vibes, thoughts, and prayers you can muster that we can get some good things done.

Some exciting news – my bipartisan bill, the Investing in All of America Act to help small businesses in low-income and rural areas, will be on the floor this week! I’ll be speaking on the House floor urging my colleagues to come together and vote for this common sense bill. More on that soon, so make sure you follow me on social media to see the action!

ICYMI

• Over the last two weeks, our West Michigan community has been mourning the tragic loss of Sam Sterling, who tragically lost his life after an encounter with MSP. I’ve been in touch with Sam’s family to express my condolences. I’ve also been in touch with relevant law enforcement officials and am committed to making sure there is proper oversight in this matter. Our community deserves answers. Read my full statement here.
• My team is hosting a Small Business Access to Capital Workshop on Tuesday, April 30th from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at GVSU’s Seidman Campus. The event is designed for those who are interested in starting, growing, or expanding a small business through grant opportunities, loan qualifications, and other resources. Sign up here!
• I caught up with WGHN’s Mary Ellen Murphy this week to talk about how I’m working to defend reproductive freedom and bring home investments to West Michigan. Listen here.
• Summer is right around the corner. Make sure your passport is up-to-date for your international travel plans! If you need help getting or renewing your passport, contact my team!

As always, it’s an honor to serve you, West Michigan.

Sincerely,