Jobs and the Economy

• CBS News has learned more than two million Americans have been told they cannot renew their current insurance policies -- more than triple the number of people said to be buying insurance under the new Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. • In California, there are 279,000; in Michigan, 140,000; Florida, 300,000; and in New Jersey, 800,000. And those numbers are certain… Read more »

Today, on Michigan's Big Show with Michael Patrick Shiels, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) questioned the "duck and cover" strategy being employed by the White House to insulate President Obama. If the President is truly "unaware" of all of the problems within his Administration, what is President Obama actually paying attention to?   (Click the picture above to listen to the… Read more »

• Southeast Michigan's health insurers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Priority Health, HealthPlus and Health Alliance Plan, have told customers that rate increases next year are driven by a combination of regular medical cost trends along with new taxes, coverage of pre-existing conditions, regulations and additional benefits required under the Patient Protection and… Read more »

During a Capital Markets Subcommittee hearing on October 23rd, Congressman Huizenga spoke about the need to address the regulatory hurdles currently in place preventing the smooth transfer of small to mid-size businesses. Rep Huizenga also touches on how these regulatory roadblocks are threatening jobs currently in existence while also jeopardizing future economic growth and investment.… Read more »

Tonight, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), passed the House by a vote of 417 to 3. "I am glad to see WRRDA included provisions of the legislation I authored with Rep. Candice Miller and Dr. Dan Benishek that directly impact West Michigan and the Great Lakes Region. In addition to… Read more »

Over the weekend, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) sat down with Rick Albin on "To The Point" to discuss the latest budget battle in Washington and his thoughts on getting America's fiscal house in order. During the conversation, Rep. Huizenga addressed the unwillingness of the Senate to negotiate in good-faith and confront long-term problems with long-term solutions. Additionally,… Read more »

The $2,100 cost jump in my Gannett plan, administered by United Health, is actually worse than it appears, as my premiums have already swelled by 45 percent since 2011 as insurers anticipated federal regs forcing, for example, coverage of dependents up to 26 years old. Gannett must also swallow a $63 tax for each individual in its group plan and another $2.13 fee per head to “study… Read more »

Even though the Obama administration delayed until 2015 the financial penalties on businesses with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees that don’t offer adequate health insurance benefits, several taxes and fees will kick in by Jan. 1 — along with a major change in how insurance premiums are calculated. Those taxes and fees amount to a 4 percent to 6 percent health care cost… Read more »

Tonight, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after voting against the latest Senate-led effort to ignore the monumental fiscal challenges facing the United States: "Unfortunately, the measure voted on in the House this evening fails to address the very issue that got us into this position in the first place - Washington's out of control spending. I am… Read more »

Yesterday, the Holland Sentinel published an op-ed by Congressman Huizenga discussing the actions taken by the House in an attempt to prevent the government shutdown from happening and the bipartisan action taken by the Republican-led House to get the federal government up and running again.   Below are excerpts from the op-ed which is available in its entirety on the Holland… Read more »