Representative Hillary Scholten

Congresswoman Scholten with Coasties in West Michigan

Congresswoman Scholten and Congressman Larsen at the 100th Annual Coast Guard Festival

Dear Neighbors —

What an honor to celebrate the 100th annual U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Festival – the longest-running in the nation – this week with so many of you. Our Great Lakes are the pride of our state, and our Coast Guard is our guardians of these inland seas. They keep boaters and recreators safe, prevent illegal fishing, and keep harmful invasive species from entering our waters. Semper Paratus – always ready – is their motto. I’m reflecting on that this week as I think about how we too, as citizens, can be always ready to help make our community and our country better every day.

The Week in Review

The Centennial USCG Festival Recap

Right after I was elected to Congress and assumed my role as the Vice Ranking Member on the USCG Subcommittee, I knew we needed to make sure to showcase our incredible congressional district to our leaders, so I invited the Coast Guard Admiral and the leadership of the House Transportation & Oversight Committee out for the festival.

I’m so excited that Admiral Fagan accepted and that our ranking member, Rick Larsen, was able to make the trip as well. Since day one, I’ve been advocating for our Coasties here who are essential to protecting and preserving our Great Lakes.

My Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act will ensure that Coasties get paid in the event of a government shutdown, just the same as other members of the military (they were excluded in 2019 because they’re not a part of the Department of Defense, and worked without pay for days on end). I was also able to help secure a much needed pay raise for enlisted members in the most recent Coast Guard reauthorization. They deserve no less.

Congresswoman Scholten and Congressman Larsen Onboard a USCG Ship

Here's how we honored them this week:

Heroes and Legends Dinner

On Thursday evening, we had a chance to celebrate the Heroes and Legends of the U.S. Coast Guard. This year was incredibly special as we honored USCG Veteran and longtime festival chair Mike Smith. The Admiral of the Coast Guard revealed an incredible surprise – our Coast Guard building will be renamed in his honor. Now, all who pass by this building every year will be able to learn about his inspiring legacy of service.

Commanding Officers Reception

On Friday, we joined Coast Guard Commanding Officers aboard the USCG SPAR, a Buoy Tender whose home port is in Duluth, MN. The SPAR has incredible history too – it’s named after the first women’s Coast Guard reserve, which formed in WWII to fill the gaps at home, tending to the seas, while the men were called off to duty. You can read more about it here.

Admiral Fagan at the 100th Annual Coast Guard Festival

It was wonderful to celebrate the Admiral who was named an honorary Commanding Officer alongside our local commanding officers. We also got to say a special thanks to the USCG cooks and sample their great cooking. These often unsung heroes keep our Coasties fed and always ready!

Memorial Service

The highlight of the festival for me is always the USCG memorial service in Escanaba Park where we honor the incredible sacrifices of our brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our country. The eponymous park honors the USCG Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba.

100th Annual Coast Guard Festival Memorial Service

During World War II, she was called into service in the North Atlantic region but tragically experienced an explosion on board that killed 101 of the 103 crew that were on board. Not a dry eye was left in the park during the USCG Pipe Band’s rendition of Amazing Grace.

Showing Up with Action

In addition to honoring our incredible heroes of the Great Lakes, I showed up with action at the following stops last week:

Congresswoman Scholten at Trinity Health Lacks Cancer Center

Did you know that we have real-world physicists right here in West Michigan working day in and day out to cure cancer? I didn’t — until I toured Trinity Health’s radiology unit. The care and expertise these folks bring to their job are changing lives every single day.

Congresswoman Scholten at the Muskegon VA

I spent Tuesday in Muskegon visiting the brand-new VA facility. I was so impressed by the world-class care that our veterans can receive every day — and importantly, many of our veterans can now receive this care without having to drive miles and miles away from home.

Congresswoman Scholten with GMED Council

After our VA tour, I sat down with the team at the Greater Muskegon Economic Development Council to talk about short and long-term plans for the region. With how fast this vital part of the Lakeshore is growing, I’m committed to a long-term economic plan that includes a diverse array of public transit options.

Congresswoman Scholten and Congressman Larsen at GRR's Air Traffic Control Tower

With the Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee in town you know I didn’t miss an opportunity to take him up in the Air Traffic Control Tower at GRR and impress on him the urgency of funding the replacement of the tower.

Congresswoman Scholten and Congressman Larsen at Kent County Road Commission

On Friday morning I brought road experts together to discuss the future of our roadway surfaces in Kent County in a whole-of-government roundtable. Bringing people together is one of the most essential parts of my job. Next year, we’ll be responsible for a five-year reauthorization of our funding for highways, surfaces, and bridges. Having stable funding streams is essential for our communities to plan and prepare. That’s why I brought some of the most influential players together to begin talking early about the needs of our community.

I also used the opportunity to announce half a million dollars in funding for the Patterson Ave resurfacing project that I helped to secure in the 2025 budget. While we still have a few steps before we get this funding package to the president’s desk, I am hopeful we will bring these dollars home. Patterson Ave is one of the most heavily traveled thoroughfares in the district and a critical gateway to the airport. A broken strut from a pothole on the way to the airport just hits different when you’re rushing to catch a flight. We want to ensure smooth and uninterrupted travel all the way there! I’ll keep you updated on the status of this funding in the days ahead.

The Week in Preview

This coming week will be another action-packed one at home in the district. We’re looking forward to welcoming the co-chair of the U.S. House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ted Lieu, for an important roundtable on the use of AI in health care. We’ll also welcome THREE administration officials including the Environmental Protection Agency Acting Assistant Administrator for Water to highlight a workforce grant for GRCC, the Housing and Urban Development Acting Secretary to discuss affordable housing, and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to talk about one of West Michigan’s most critical specialty crops – BLUEBERRIES. It’s an honor to bring so many high-profile visitors to the district to draw attention to the needs of our community.

ICYMI

Michigander Paul Whelan was released back to the U.S. after 6 years of imprisonment in Russia, as well as many other innocent Americans. Our Michigan delegation pushed hard to get Paul back home, and I’m so proud of our country for its tireless work to ensure the safe return of all wrongfully detained citizens.

Read more about the crucial funding I secured for Patterson Ave improvements.

Wings Over Muskegon will open with an all-women skydiving team! Check it out this Thursday, August 9th.

More than 30,000 West Michiganders will have more reliable access to power and have their power restored quicker in case of an outage thanks to this new $9.5 million substation near Grand Rapids.

Tomorrow is Election Day in Michigan! Make sure you have your voting plan ready so your voice can be heard. See here for more info on polling locations.

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

- HJS