On Monday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) was awarded the National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM) award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence based on his strong support of West Michigan workers and manufacturers. Huizenga supported 95% of the pro-growth policies identified by NAM as critical to the success of manufacturing and job creation during the 112th Congress. "It is truly an honor to be recognized by the National Association of Manufacturers. Manufacturing has been a staple of... Read more

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WZZM) -- Congressman Bill Huizenga is applauding how Michigan lawmakers are handling emergency dredging along the lakeshore, calling it "unprecedented." Monday, the congressman met with local, state, and federal officials about the condition of Michigan harbors. Earlier this year Gov. Rick Snyder approved $21 million in emergency funding for 58 harbors. Now Congressman Huizenga hopes to secure additional federal funding as well. "We're very pleased that the state of Michigan... Read more

Obama, bank president: Home loans by decree The Union Leader-Editorial April 4, 2013 7:10pm As the economy struggles to recover from a recession triggered in large part by a collapse in the housing market, which itself was caused in large part by too many people signing mortgages they could not afford, the White House is urging banks to lower their lending standards so that Americans with weaker credit can qualify for home loans. And here we go again. Here is how The Washington Post summarized t... Read more

House Republicans stand their ground Thought dead after 2012, GOP hasn't changed to appease critics Detroit News - Marisa Schultz April 4, 2013 at 1:00 am Washington — After a bruising start to 2013, Speaker John Boehner led his Republican House delegation to its party retreat in Williamsburg, Va., to forge a more practical path. Divisions lingered over the fiscal cliff deal on Jan. 1 that ushered in tax increases for high-income households, normal wage earners and investors as well as sharpened... Read more

Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after it was announced the S.S. Badger will continue to sail despite the unprecedented regulatory roadblocks placed before it: "The Badger is not merely a piece of living history, it is a very active and very vital part of Michigan's economy and remains a major source of job creation and economic growth for both Ludington and Manitowoc on the other side of Lake Michigan. It contributes $35 million to the local economies annually,... Read more

Last coal-fired ferry stays alive under deal between EPA, shipping company Manuel Quinones, E&E reporter Friday, March 22, 2013 The Great Lakes' last operating coal-fired ferry will stay in business under an agreement between U.S. EPA and Lake Michigan Carferry Inc. The S.S. Badger -- which ferries travelers between Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis. -- had until December to stop dumping its combustion ash into Lake Michigan. Managers and supporters on Capitol Hill thought the deadline could ... Read more

Pay Ratio Provision Not Worth Cost, Repeal Bill Sponsor Huizenga Says Bloomberg BNA - Mary Hughes | March 20, 2013 08:32PM ET (BNA) -- The pay ratio disclosure requirement of Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is a “perfect example of an unnecessary and complex regulatory requirement that is not worth the cost and should be repealed,” Rep. Bill Huizenga (R–Mich.) told BNA March 20. Huizenga introduced the Burdensome Data Collection Relief Act (H.R. 11... Read more

Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after voting in support of reforming the nation's entitlement programs, making government more efficient, and responsibly balancing the budget: "Today's vote shows the determination of the House to get the nation's fiscal house in order. The House Republican budget reduces deficits by $4.6 trillion over the next ten years, not by raising taxes, but by targeting wasteful spending and making common-sense reforms to the drivers of t... Read more

Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after voting in support of The Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act (SKILLS Act) that passed the House by a vote of 215 to 202: "This important legislation will streamline the maze of duplicative and ineffective workforce training programs and combine them into a more user-friendly system that makes the federal government more efficient and more effective. The SKILLS Act also includes important reforms making... Read more

This week, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) introduced the Consumer Mortgage Choice Act - H.R. 1077, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would amend and clarify the qualified mortgage definition in the Dodd-Frank Act thereby improving access to credit and qualified mortgages for low and moderate income borrowers while protecting consumers from bad loans: "This bipartisan legislation is designed to help improve low and middle income borrowers' access to credit and provide access to lower rate... Read more