Great Lakes Issues

The Great Lakes serve as a vital source of drinking water and recreation for millions of Americans. For us in Michigan, the Great Lakes are a way of life. As Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, I have worked to build a bipartisan coalition in Congress to make the Great Lakes a national priority. Last week, this work took another step forward when I joined the… Read more »

Today, U.S. Representatives Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Dave Joyce (R-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) and members of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2024. The bipartisan bill will reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which is set to expire at the end of FY 2026, for another five years through FY… Read more »

Recently, our national debt crossed a stunning $34,000,000,000,000.  While some “debt deniers” in Washington seek to ignore the threat this massive number poses, it is undeniable that seniors, our children, grandchildren, and future generations of Americans will be impacted in the absence of solutions.   Last fiscal year, interest payments on the debt alone totaled a whopping… Read more »

Yesterday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04) had the honor of presenting Kalamazoo Resident Gerold Prather with the Carnegie Medal for heroism. The ceremony was attended by more than two dozen family members and friends. The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. Since it’s founding… Read more »

Our local economy is unique. It is driven by tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing. It is rare for an area to have all three staples of economic activity in one spot, and Southwest Michigan is fortunate to have them. I am proud to serve as Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, where I play a leading role in protecting the ecology and strengthening the economy of the Great Lakes.… Read more »

Today Congressman Huizenga was joined by U.S. Representatives Moolenaar, Scholten, and Walberg in a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer in an effort to protect Allegan, Berrien and Muskegon counties from facing increased regulatory burdens following a misguided determination by the EPA that these areas did not attain certain ozone levels. It has been widely acknowledged, including by the… Read more »

Last night, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04) honored the life, service, and legacy of Ret. U.S. Coast Guard Commander and Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Director Michael J. Smith. Video of Congressman Huizenga’s speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the text of his remarks are available below. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the… Read more »

Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, helped announce the relaunching of the bipartisan House PFAS Task Force for the 118th Congress. PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” poses serious dangers to human health and the environment. In recent years, communities in Michigan and across the nation have discovered PFAS contamination in soil,… Read more »

Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) released the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act.  The Lower Energy Costs Act will strengthen our economy and lower prices for Michiganders by unleashing American energy, modernizing our sorely outdated permitting process, and increasing domestic production of critical minerals. This will lower… Read more »

Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-04), who serves as the Republican Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force and the US-Canada Inter-parliamentary Group, released the following statement after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will spend approximately $300 million over the next decade to protect the Great Lakes. “This increased funding commitment to help… Read more »