Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) took to the floor of the U.S. House to honor the life and service of former State Senator and Great Lakes Champion Patty Birkholz.
Congressman Huizenga:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a friend and former colleague, former State Senator Patty Birkholz. I join my colleagues and friends in Lansing today by wearing purple in her honor, as she was affectionately known as “Purple Patty.” Literally down to the ink pens that she used, everything was purple.
Senator Birkholz was first elected to the state legislature in 1996 as the first woman from Allegan County on the western side of Michigan. Then she became the first female Republican Speaker Pro Tempore. After that, she was elected to the state senate where she served two terms.
Upon leaving the legislature, Senator Birkholz was appointed Director of the Office of Great Lakes by Governor Rick Snyder and as the Michigan Representative to the Great Lakes Commission. President Obama appointed her to the National Sea Grant Advisory Board, a position she continued until she passed away.
Senator Birkholz was a passionate advocate for Michigan's natural resources and passed significant legislation creating the Great Lakes Inner Basin Compact, water withdraw assessment laws, as well as, ballast water standards that have affected the entire Great Lakes region.
In 2010, a 291 acre portion of the 1,000 acre Saugatuck Dunes State Park was renamed the Patricia Birkholz Natural Area by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. She was a friend and colleague who fought hard for her beliefs. She was tough, she was compassionate, and she was a great legislator. She will be deeply missed and blessings to her family as we mourn her loss.
This morning I visited the Outdoor Discovery Center to see first hand how the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is helping restore wetlands, reduce flooding, and stop harmful runoff from flowing into rivers, Lake Macatawa, and Lake Michigan.
More positive news for West Michigan’s economy! It’s wonderful to see innovative manufacturers continue to expand and/or choose West Michigan as the place to invest, grow, and create good-paying jobs!
This afternoon, the House passed bipartisan legislation to improve care for our veterans and strengthen the Great Lakes economy by ensuring that harbors in Grand Haven, Ludington, Holland and other across the Great Lakes are properly dredged. These are among the first set of legislative funding priorities that have passed Congress and are now headed to the President’s Desk to be signed into law. You can read my full statement on the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA) Appropriations Act below.
Today West Michigan says farewell to one of the people who helped shape our community into the incredible place it is today. Thank you for all that you have done for West Michigan Rich and while your legacy will live on, know that your leadership and friendship will be deeply missed. Rest well Rich.
The engine of our economy is powered by small business job creators and thanks to tax and regulatory reform they are feeling more confident than ever before. "As the tax and regulatory landscape changed, so did small business expectations and plans," said NFIB President and CEO Juanita D. Duggan. Capital spending is at it's highest level in a decade and small businesses are reporting record levels of job creation!
