There has been a flurry of activity in Washington and across Southwest Michigan since the last edition of the Huddle. I encourage you to visit Huizenga.House.Gov for more frequent updates. The website is an excellent source of information that has my social media feeds, voting record, legislative updates and more. With that, let's Huddle up!

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

We are working on getting the facts surrounding the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. The true cause of this failure needs to be thoroughly investigated. It is important to remember there are protections already in place to ensure the soundness of our financial system. If you were impacted by the closure, the FDIC has provided a resource guide here. Look for more information to be shared on my social media channels regarding this issue as it becomes available.

Honoring a Southwest Michigan Hero

On Thursday, I honored the life and memory of Paw Paw Firefighter Ethan Quillen. Lt. Quillen was a father, a husband, a Marine Corps veteran, and a hero. He consistently put the well-being of his fellow Americans and his neighbors over himself, while asking for nothing in return. On behalf of the people of Paw Paw and the residents of the 4th Congressional District, I thank Lt. Quillen for his service.

Delivering Results for Southwest Michigan

This summer, communities such as St. Joseph, South Haven, and Saugatuck will have bustling marinas, packed beaches, and tourists flocking to visit the small businesses that help make each town unique. In order for the Lakeshore local economy to reach its full potential, these harbors must be properly dredged.

I am happy to report that all three of these harbors will receive funding. Earlier this month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers updated their FY 2023 work plan for the Great Lakes. St. Joseph’s inner harbor will receive just over $1 million for dredging activities as well as an additional $560,000 for repairs on the north pier. Saugatuck will receive $895,000 to dredge its harbor and South Haven will receive $610,000 for repairs to its south pier.

In the run up to this announcement from the Corps, my office has been working behind the scenes to make sure the federal government lives up to its obligations to our Lakeshore communities. 

To learn more about the economic importance of Lake Michigan Harbors, watch ABC 57's coverage above, listen to my interview on WOOD Radio, or read about Saugatuck's summer being "saved" on MLive.

Standing Up for Parents

Earlier this month I helped introduce the Parents Bill of Rights Act. This legislation defines protections for parents and lays out guidelines for schools to follow in an effort to encourage positive dialogue and strengthen the education children receive in schools across America.

Last week, I led our first House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing. We had the Inspectors General from the SEC, Federal Reserve/CFPB, and Treasury testify as we examined the Biden Administration's wasteful spending and regulatory overreach.

In my opening statement, which is available to watch above, I discussed the need for Congress to use its constitutional authority to conduct oversight and hold bureaucrats in Washington accountable to the American people.

Sounding the Alarm on SEC Overreach

In February, I had an op-ed on Fox News detailing the long-lasting damage the SEC’s overreaching rule proposals will do to the stock market and retail investors. 

If SEC Chair Gary Gensler gets his way, the stock market will be less competitive, slower, and more expensive for Main Street investors. These increased costs will likely be passed along to retail investors resulting in fewer innovative, low-cost options for consumers. Learn more about these costly and concerning changes here.

Protecting Retirement Savings

On March 9th, I joined Speaker McCarthy for the signing of a resolution, that I cosponsored, to repeal the Department of Labor's ESG Rule. Using the Congressional Review Act, both the House and the Senate passed a measure to stop this overreach. 

The federal government should not be making it more difficult for Americans to grow their retirement and plan for their future. Sadly, this is a growing trend in the Biden Administration and their unelected bureaucrat allies in Washington. 

The resolution introduced by Congressman Andy Barr now heads to the President's desk. The President should prioritize the retirement savings of Americans over his far-left agenda by signing this measure into law.

To learn more about ESG and the importance of maximizing retirement savings, you can listen to my recent interview on the Mike Gallagher Show.

Probing the Origins of COVID-19

On March 1st, I joined Fox Business to discuss the Energy Department's latest intelligence as well as FBI Director Wray's comments on the origin of COVID-19. I believe that funding for labs in China should be on the chopping block.

Last Friday, I supported the COVID Origins Act of 2023. This legislation passed the House by a vote of 419-0 and would require the President to declassify intelligence related to any potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origins of COVID. This legislation has already passed the Senate and now heads to President Biden's Desk where I encourage the President to sign it. 

Leading a Bipartisan Call to Protect the Great Lakes

I am proud to lead a bipartisan effort with Democrat Brian Higgins of New York for increased protection of the Great Lakes. In our letter to President Biden, we are asking him to press our Canadian friends to increase their commitment to protect and strengthen the Great Lakes.

Joining Rep. Higgins and me on this bipartisan letter are Congressmembers Jack Bergman (R-MI), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), David Joyce (R-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), John Moolenaar (R-MI), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). You can read our letter to the President below.

I hope you found this edition informative. If you would like to share a comment or make a suggestion, please reach out to me! Thank you for reading the Huddle!