Upcoming Town Hall

Next week, I will be holding a town hall from 7:00 - 8:30 PM on Wednesday, August 23rd at Orchard View High School in Muskegon. The doors will open for the event at approximately 6:30 PM.  

Similar to previous town halls, signs will not be permitted in the auditorium due to concerns regarding line of sight. Anyone who would like to display a sign is welcome to do so outside the school prior to the event.

Orchard View High School is located at 16 N Quarterline Road in Muskegon. As a reminder, this event is reserved for residents of the Second District. I look forward to having a constructive dialogue on the issues facing our nation and how they impact West Michigan.

Confronting Hate

Recently we have seen disgusting examples of bigotry, racism, and hatred at the national level as well as right here in West Michigan. The events that unfolded in Charlottesville were not only tragic, they were sickening.  We all must clearly refute the hateful ideology spread by groups such as the KKK and White Supremacists. What we witnessed in Charlottesville goes directly against the values we cherish and teach our children in West Michigan. If an ideology promotes hate and targets individuals because of their race, religion, or gender it should be refuted. 

Here in West Michigan, specifically in Muskegon, we saw statues vandalized with racist language and even a noose at a local school. As a community, we must condemn these actions and stand up to this intimidation, hatred, and intolerance.

Protecting The Great Lakes

On August 7th, the Army Corps of Engineers released the long awaited Brandon Road Study. This important report provides guidance from the Army Corps of Engineers to Congress and residents of the Great Lakes region on how to best protect the Great Lakes.

While the release of the Brandon Road Study is a positive step, now is when the hard work begins. Republicans and Democrats must work in a bipartisan manner to craft policy solutions that preserve the Great Lakes ecosystem as well as the Great Lakes economy. I encourage West Michigan residents to engage in this process by participating in the public comment period.

How to get involved: On September 14th, the Army Corps of Engineers will host a public forum on the Brandon Roady Study from 3:30 to 6:30 PM at Muskegon Community College's Collegiate Hall located at 221 S. Quarterline Road in Muskegon.

To view the Brandon Road Study, click here. 

Around The District

Throughout August, I have been traveling across West Michigan to hear from job creators and constituents.  Here are some examples of how I am working to represent the Second District.

In Zeeland, I toured Woodward Inc, where they manufacture top of the line components for the F-35, our nation's next generation aircraft. In Spring Lake, I gave a legislative update to the Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Ferrysburg Chamber of Commerce. In Ravenna, I toured Metal Technologies' Foundry to see first-hand the incredible precision and skill that defines "Made in Michigan." I also met with Jackson Riegler, a student entrepreneur at Muskegon Catholic Central, who is putting his innovative mind to work to support the Great Lakes. 

In Wyoming, I sat down with WKTV Host Ken Norris to provide residents of Wyoming and Kentwood with an update on my efforts to protect the Great Lakes, improve results for West Michigan veterans, and how my work on the Financial Services Committee impacts West Michigan. During the interview, I also addressed the need for the Senate to revisit health care reform with a conservative approach that restores choice and lowers cost. You can watch the wide-ranging discussion here.   

The Michigan Minute