With our nation now over $33 trillion in debt, we must address federal spending. We must also find a productive path forward to keep the federal government operating. 

I was involved in meetings this week regarding the creation of a debt commission. I believe this is necessary to seriously address our debt and get our nation's fiscal house in order.

I also believe the proposal coming out of the House should address the crisis happening along our southern border. In May, House Republicans passed H.R. 2 - the Secure the Border Act. This is arguably the strongest border security measure to have ever passed the House.

As negotiations stand today, the House is looking for a pathway forward that includes these important provisions. I do not want a government shutdown and while challenges definitely remain, I am hopeful a deal can be reached before the September 30th deadline. As talks continue, please be sure to follow my social media accounts for more updates as they develop. 

Supporting our Veterans

Last week, I attended the Veteran's Stand Down Event at the Salvation Army in Kalamazoo. It was great to speak with veterans and see the community come together to serve those who have served our nation. Thank you to the VFW, the Kalamazoo Veterans Service Office, the Battle Creek VA, and a host of additional organizations for supporting underserved veterans across Kalamazoo County

Progress at Palisades

Last week, it was announced that a power purchasing agreement had been reached between Holtec International and Wolverine Power Cooperative. This partnership completes another important step in the effort to restore clean, carbon-free energy production at the Palisades Nuclear Facility. 

Given the shared goal of meeting our nation's growing energy needs, I encourage the Biden Administration as well as my colleagues in Congress to continue examining this unique opportunity to repower Palisades and restore a significant source of good-paying jobs and economic activity in Southwest Michigan.

Additionally, I recently discussed the economic impact of Palisades with WWMT. You can watch their coverage of the announcement below. 

The Next Generation of Leaders

On September 7th, I hosted a Service Academy Night at the Portage Senior Center. This was an opportunity for students, parents, and guidance counselors to meet and ask questions about our Military Academies.

We had representatives from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in attendance. 

Thank you to everyone who attended this informative event. Southwest Michigan has garnered a reputation at the Service Academies for having highly-skilled and qualified applicants.

If you were unable to attend but know someone interested in attending a Service Academy, please visit Huizenga.House.Gov for more information. 

Touring Farms Across Southwest Michigan

Last month, the EPA Agriculture Advisor and EPA officials out of Chicago and Washington, DC were in West Michigan to tour multiple farms and learn about the important impact agriculture plays in our economy. I joined these officials for a tour of Visser Farms in Zeeland.

I think it is important for federal agencies to actually see and understand how farmers along the Lakeshore and across the 4th District operate. While I have signifcant differences with the EPA on a host of policy matters, I was encouraged to see they have an advisor with a background in agriculture. 

Protecting Taxpayers and Our National Security

Last week, I had the opportunity to question a high ranking Biden Administration official over concerns surrounding the federal government’s oversight of a proposal to build electric battery plants in Michigan by Gotion Inc.

Michiganders and Americans frankly are rightly concerned about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) buying up land and using taxpayer dollars in our states and elsewhere.

If the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) cannot learn from past mistakes or fully understand the adversarial nature of the CCP, then I believe CFIUS needs to be modernized even further to meet the national security risks and challenges we face today.  You can watch my full questioning regarding Chinese investment in strategic sectors of our economy below. 

Thank you for reading the latest addition of the Huddle. If you have questions, need assistance navigating a federal agency, or would like to share a comment, please don't hesitate to reach out to my office!