url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365153,Christmas Thanks and Hope for the New Year,2013-12-24,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"As we celebrate the season’s holidays, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the blessings in our lives and say thank you to all those who make them a bit easier and a lot safer. In particular, I hope everyone will take a few minutes to think of the brave men and women in our armed services, especially those serving in hot spots around the globe, who help keep the peace and allow us to be safe during these troubled times. I want us to remember, too, their families, especially those living near us, who can’t be with their loved ones for Christmas. It’s my wish that all of us will let them know how much we appreciate the work they do to keep the home fires burning. And how grateful we are of the work these courageous service men and women do. We thank them for their work and sacrifice. I am so proud of them all. There are so many folks to thank for their work, from the cop walking the beat, to the bus driver who delivers passengers safely to their destinations, to the teacher who opens up a new world to a child as he or she masters a new skill. Even the barista at the coffee shop deserves an extra smile and thanks – that cup of joe may be the little extra boost that keeps you alert as you drive the family to the next Christmas gathering. Amidst all the hoopla, it can be challenging for some of us who have lost someone dear to our hearts. I can only hope that you find a moment of solace, a moment when something sparks a reminder of those earlier happy times and you can smile. Amey and I extend our best wishes to you and your loved ones and pray that the spirit of the season brings joy and happiness to your heart now and throughout the new year. May God bless us all.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365009,"Upton: “The Health Law is Like a Jenga Game""",2013-12-20,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Holiday surprises have sadly become routine for the self-proclaimed “most transparent administration in history.” It is not surprising that as we approach the Christmas holiday, the administration is quietly announcing yet another major change to its signature health care law. Reuters reports, “The Obama administration made a major last-minute policy shift on Thursday, saying that the change would help Americans meet a looming deadline to replace insurance plans canceled because of new standards under Obamacare reforms.” The administration knew for years that millions of Americans would lose their health care plans because of this law – already including nearly a quarter of a million people in Michigan – but the President repeated his promise of, “If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan, period. … No matter what.” Now, just days before the already-delayed deadline to enroll in a plan for coverage beginning on January 1, the administration is attempting yet another desperate round of damage control. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, commented, “The health law is like a Jenga game – the administration keeps yanking out pieces, and ultimately nothing can keep it from collapsing. The administration knew for years that it could not keep its promise, but repeated it anyway. Now, just days before Christmas and yet another deadline, the administration is telling the millions of folks who were forced to lose plans the administration deemed ‘substandard’ that they can purchase catastrophic insurance after all. The administration keeps pulling the rug out from under Americans who are worried whether they will have health care come January 1. Sadly, we ask again, what’s next?” These catastrophic plans often provide less coverage than the plans that the administration has forced out of the market, and those purchasing those plans are not eligible for a subsidy. Many will still be left with more expensive bills and less coverage. This latest delay and exemption does nothing to provide relief or peace of mind to the millions of American families hurt by the President’s broken promise. Upton’s Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350) would allow plans being sold on the individual market this year to be sold next year. This bill garnered broad bipartisan support, passing the House by a vote of 261 to 157, but received a veto threat from the administration. Holiday and Friday afternoon announcements have become the norm for this White House trying to bury its failures and attempted fixes. Writing in The Washington Post, Ezra Klein adds, “This puts the first crack in the individual mandate.”  With Christmas and New Year’s fast approaching, #WhatsNext?",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221010455/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364732,Dexter Leader: A response to President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act,2013-12-18,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Each day I receive letters and emails from constituents who are being hurt by the President’s health care law — and it’s no wonder. In the first six weeks since the law was launched, 225,000 Michigan residents received notices that their health insurance plans were canceled, despite President Obama’s numerous promises that “if you like your health plan, you can keep it.” But more than broken promises, too many people across Michigan and the country will now be paying higher premiums, losing their coverage, or be unable to see their preferred doctors because of this onerous law. Jon Shackleford from Chelsea recently contacted my office saying that the premium for his high-deductible health insurance will increase from $609 a month to $731 a month. “I am extremely angry and disappointed and frustrated. The Federal Government is harming people like me. Please let your colleagues in Congress know that your constituents are suffering under this bad law and we need relief — fast,” Shackleford wrote. Dexter resident Julie Boonstra also needs an immediate reprieve from the law. Five years ago, she was diagnosed with Leukemia and has since found doctors and specialists that she relies on to help her in her battle. She also relies on a daily oral chemotherapy. Fortunately, she had found a private individual health insurance plan that covers her medical expenses and treatment and allows her to see the doctors she knows and trusts. However, in October, she received a letter from her insurance provider that her plan would be dissolved and she’d need to find a new one within the matter of weeks. Since then, she has spent hours trying to complete an application through the health care website, only to be thwarted by technical difficulties. Making matters worse, she has not been able to find out what plans will allow her to keep her doctors and cover her chemotherapy drugs. “So what do I do?” Julie asked my office. “My life and other chemotherapy cancer patients’ lives and thousands of other high risk patients depend upon a working website. Our survival should not be based upon a website. I have fought to stay alive, sold everything to keep myself alive and the one thing that I made a priority, being insured with a great plan, was just taken away from me.” My heart goes out to Julie and many others like her struggling under Obamacare. Unfortunately, the only way to permanently stop all these cancellation letters is a full repeal of the President’s health care law. To provide immediate relief, the House recently voted with bipartisan support for H.R. 3350, Keep Your Health Plan Act, which could allow Americans whose plans haven’t already been canceled to keep their current coverage in 2014. Though not a complete fix, it’s at least a start in addressing this harmful health care law. Going forward we must replace this misguided law with common sense reforms that will allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, permit small businesses to join together to buy group health insurance, and expand the use of health savings accounts so health issues do not also become financial issues for people in Michigan. I remain committed to fighting for Americans and providing fairness for all by working toward these common sense reforms. My hope is that the president comes to terms with the full impact of his law, and joins House efforts to keep his promise to the American people that if they like their insurance, they can keep it. To read the original article at Heritage Papers, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364795,"Holland Sentinel: Huizenga Talks Budget, ObamaCare At West Coast Chamber Breakfast",2013-12-17,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Bill Huizenga talks budget at early bird breakfast The Holland Sentinel Andrea Goodell December 16, 2013Rep. Bill Huizenga defended his vote to approve a compromise budget Monday morning. “The problem is we have a divided government and two very different, distinct visions of where the country ought to be going,” he said, adding that the $1.12 trillion budget “saves more than it spends.” The Zeeland Republican addressed the West Coast Chamber during the annual “Breakfast with Bill” event at the Commons of Evergreen in Holland. Before voting on the budget, Huizenga said, he asked himself something: “What would Ronald Reagan have done?” The House budget compromise wouldn’t include new direct tax increases, and it would replace the across-the-board sequester cuts with targeted ones, Huizenga told the crowd. The bill spends $23 billion less. “No, it’s not enough. However that’s the result of a divided government,” he said. “(The vote for the budget) doesn’t mean I’m going to compromise my principles, but I can compromise on the details.” The House agreement marks the most compromise either chamber has seen in months of brinkmanship. “It will be interesting to see what happens on the Senate side, too,” Huizenga said, pointing to the recent change in Senate rules, removing the filibuster. He also predicted an increase to the debt ceiling will pass when it comes up early next year, but he isn’t happy about the country’s spending habits. “It used to take a really long time to deficit spend a trillion bucks, now it takes about a year,” Huizenga said, adding the Obama administration has been on “turbo drive” when it comes to spending. An audience question about immigration reform now in the Senate prompted Huizenga to say, “The fact is our system doesn’t allow for our folks in the ag sector to have the workers that they need. … We’re not very immigrant friendly.” While it isn’t realistic to deport every illegal immigrant, Huizenga said, neither does he see a pathway to citizenship adults who came here illegally. The other big fight in Washington is, of course, health care. About 225,000 Michiganders have received insurance cancellation notices and fewer than 7,000 enrolled in new, independent health insurance policies, Huizenga said. However, he admitted, “I don’t think anybody wants to go back to where we had been.” He’d rather see a bigger push toward Health Savings Accounts, a mechanism he believes will make customers more in charge of their health care. Although the dialogue has started to change in Washington, it will take an election before his colleagues can accomplish much, Huizenga said, more than hinting at a Republican-controlled Senate come November 2014. As Huizenga wrapped up his remarks, the Great Lake District of the U.S. Chamber presented him with the Spirit of Enterprise Award for his 90 percent pro-business rating. Huizenga responded by taking a picture of the award and the crowd and telling them to follow him on Twitter, @repHuizenga.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364833,MLive - Huizenga: Budget proposal brings 'power of the purse' back to Congress,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"As the U.S. Senate this week considers a bipartisan budget proposal, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga is expressing optimism that the agreement approved by House lawmakers last week is a first step in the parties working across the aisle to rein in federal spending.Huizenga, R-Zeeland, who voted in favor of the agreement offered by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., shared his thoughts on the proposal Monday in an address to the West Coast Chamber of Commerce at Evergreen Commons in Holland. He says the proposal “saves more than it spends. “This agreement is a small step in the right direction,” Huizenga said. “We still have huge, huge issues that we have to deal with. We have to deal with spending.” ... Huizenga believes there are opportunities to make further spending cuts, and is concerned with those lawmakers in Congress whom he calls “debt deniers.” “They don’t believe we have a problem. They look at $17 trillion in debt in a $15 trillion economy. Those ratios are out of whack. They don’t see the urgency (of trying to control spending),” he said. Read the piece in its entirety HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221011148/http://amash.house.gov/press-release/amash-host-town-hall-springfield,Amash to Host Town Hall in Springfield,2013-12-16,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       December 16, 2013                                                                             CONTACT Jordan Bush 616.451.8383 Jordan.Bush@mail.house.gov   Amash to Host Town Hall in Springfield GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) today invited constituents to a town hall meeting on Tuesday, December 17, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the City of Springfield’s offices. “I look forward to answering questions about issues facing our country and the Third District of Michigan,” said Amash. The event is free and open to the public. WHO:             Rep. Justin Amash   WHAT:           Town Hall Meeting   WHEN:           Tuesday, December 17, 2013 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.   WHERE:         City of Springfield’s offices 601 Avenue A Springfield, Michigan 49037   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364314,Huizenga Statement On Bipartisan Budget Agreement,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga Statement On Bipartisan Budget Agreement f t # e Washington, December 12, 2013 Tonight, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) released the following statement after voting in support of the bipartisan budget agreement that passed the House by a vote of 332 to 94.""While not perfect, this budget agreement is a small step in the right direction. In addition to enacting spending cuts to both permanent and mandatory spending, this bipartisan legislation avoids the potential of a government shutdown and gets Congress back on the path of funding the government in a timely manner through the normal appropriations process. ""Now that spending levels are agreed upon, I am hopeful Democrats and Republicans can continue to build on this bipartisan foundation and begin to tackle the long-term debt crisis facing our nation. Long-term problems require long-term solutions, and I am prepared to make the difficult decisions that lie ahead. We owe it to the next generation to achieve serious and substantial spending reforms that improve America's fiscal future.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364362,"Upton Votes to Break Gridlock, Pass Bipartisan Budget Agreement",2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here to watch Upton’s Floor statement on temporary SGR fix The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a bipartisan two-year budget agreement that will prevent a government shutdown in January and return the congressional budget process to regular order. Building on the earlier efforts of House Republicans, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (H.J.Res. 59) replaces the across-the-board sequester cuts to defense and non-defense programs, while still reducing the deficit by more than $20 billion and putting the nation on the path to a balanced budget.  The agreement includes new deficit-reduction provisions and shields Michigan families and businesses from higher taxes. Michigan Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, praised the agreement for breaking through the partisan gridlock and allowing the Congress to focus on long-term fiscal solutions, including comprehensive tax reform.  H.J.Res. 59 passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 332 to 94 and is expected to be considered by the U.S. Senate next week. “Not much is ever perfect, but this bipartisan budget agreement is a welcome step to begin the herculean task of tackling our nation’s debt in a bipartisan way,” said Upton.  “The sequester was put into place to force the House and Senate to reach an agreement after years of not considering a budget. This agreement keeps feet to the fire for spending caps and allows the appropriators to do their work without a meat-axe approach.” The agreement sets overall discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion and FY 2015 at $1.014, for a total of $63 billion in sequester relief. The sequester relief is fully offset by savings elsewhere in the budget. Upton spoke on the House Floor this afternoon in support of a bipartisan provision to the budget bill, which seeks to address the expiration of the current reimbursement rate for physicians treating Medicare patients. Without action, doctors would face a 20.1 percent cut in reimbursements come January 1, 2014. “It’s important that seniors do not find a lump of coal in their stockings for Christmas. This fully offset package represents access to healthcare for 40 million seniors.  It would give seniors the peace of mind of knowing that their trusted physician will be there when they need them most by securing stable payments for doctors.” For nearly three years as Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman, Upton has helped lead the bipartisan effort in Congress to permanently repeal Medicare’s fundamentally flawed payment model that is used to reimburse our nation’s doctors. Since its enactment as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the current payment system – known as the Sustainable Growth Rate or simply the SGR – has been a source of continued concern for physicians who serve Medicare beneficiaries and for the beneficiaries themselves. Earlier this year, Upton’s Energy and Commerce Committee voted 51 to 0 on H.R. 2810, which would repeal the SGR and replace it with a system that promotes the highest quality of care. Today’s provision provides a three-month window as Congress continues its work on a more complete, permanent solution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364308,Walberg Votes for Bipartisan Budget Deal,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-votes-bipartisan-budget-deal,Walberg Votes for Bipartisan Budget Deal,2013-12-12,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Rep. Walberg released the following statement after voting in favor ofthe bipartisan budget agreement: ""While this deal is not perfect, it shows we can find bipartisan solutions that reduce the deficit without raising taxes. It's also important to remember this deal keeps 92% of the sequester level funding in place, a small but important step in keeping Washington committed to pursuing a path of economic security for hardworking taxpayers,"" said Rep. Walberg following the vote.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364153,Huizenga Requests Meeting With President Obama To Discuss Health Care,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Yesterday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) joined 33 of his colleagues in requesting a meeting with President Obama to discuss patient centered reforms to improve health care options for all Americans. This effort, led by Tim Griffin of Arkansas, is in response to the President's December 3rd speech where he invited members of Congress with alternative health care reform proposals to present their ideas that ""cut costs, cover more people, and make insurance more secure.""""House Republicans have introduced more than 200 health care-related bills that my colleagues and I would be happy to discuss with the President,"" said Rep. Huizenga. ""After hearing from countless frustrated constituents, there's no question our health care system needs significant reform. It is time for the President to meet with House Republicans and embrace patient centered proposals that lower costs and improve care. Specifically, I would like to discuss my legislation that improves seniors' access to health savings accounts with the President. No party has a monopoly on good ideas. I hope the President will take this opportunity seriously."" In addition to requesting a meeting, the letter sent to President Obama highlights additional reforms Congressman Huizenga and his colleagues would like to explore, including: • Making health insurance companies compete nationwide, across state lines. Americans should have the freedom to buy health insurance from any provider; • Guaranteeing people with pre-existing conditions can get affordable coverage. Creating high risk pools with premium caps and expanding Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protections will ensure access to coverage; • Providing a universal tax incentive for buying health insurance. Whether Americans buy health insurance independently or through an employer, the tax code should treat everyone equally and fairly; • Empowering families with tax-free Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Letting families save more for health care expenses will encourage financial stability; • Increasing transparency in billing so consumers know what they are paying for. In the age of the Internet, everyone can see prices and reviews of anything before buying—except when it comes to health care. Informed choices are better choices; • Enabling small businesses and other groups to pool their coverage. Letting employers partner together to get the same insurance rates as large corporations will lower costs; • Cracking down on junk lawsuits. Capping attorney fees and reforming our legal system will let doctors focus on giving patients the care they truly need and save the time and money wasted by frivolous claims; • Reducing the doctor shortage. Incentivizing primary care physicians to work in underserved areas will increase access and improve quality of care; • Giving states flexibility to improve Medicaid through innovation. After it was freed from some federal mandates, Rhode Island increased choice and expanded access for low-income Americans while reducing costs. Other states should be able to do the same. The full text of the letter sent to President Obama by Congressman Huizenga and his colleagues is available HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364169,Upton Kicks Off Debate on Gabriella Miller #KidsFirst Research Act,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click to watch Upton’s Floor remarks House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today kicked off debate on H.R. 2019, the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act. This bill would redirect wasteful spending on political conventions to important, scientific, pediatric research. H.R. 2019 was introduced by committee member Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) in April. Remarks as prepared:  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act of 2013.  H.R. 2019, authored by my colleague Gregg Harper, is a bill that will help countless kids and families across the country.   The Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act would prioritize funding for the research of pediatric diseases and disorders such as cancer, autism, and Fragile X.  It would eliminate taxpayer financing of party conventions and use these funds to expand pediatric research at the National Institutes of Health through the NIH Common Fund. This bill truly puts kids first. Gabriella Miller was a little warrior in the battle against childhood cancer. At just 10 years of age, she had courage miles beyond her years. A frying pan and walnut is all you need to understand her brave outlook on life. When she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she was told the tumor was the size of a walnut. From then on, Gabriella always travelled with her trusty frying pan, squashing countless walnuts along the way. That is the kind of courage and outlook on life that Gabriella had.  Advancing health research for millions of young patients who suffer from rare and genetic disorders must be a priority.  While we have made great strides in the country in finding cures and treatments, we still have a great amount of work to do.  Included in this work is pushing research that will help uncover cures for pediatric diseases.  In order for clinical trials and other advancements to meet their full potential, adequate resources must be directed to pediatric research.  The legislation is an example of how much can be accomplished by ending wasteful spending and redirecting those funds toward national priorities like pediatric research.   This effort will also help families like the Kennedys in Mattawan, Michigan.  Eric and Sarah Kennedy have two delightful young daughters, Brooke and Brielle, who have the rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy. These two angels, who are fighting SMA with the same vigor and sunny outlook exhibited by Gabriella, are decorated little generals in the effort to boost research for rare diseases and serve as an inspiration for all. The sad reality is it is often difficult to conduct research into rare diseases due to the small number of individuals with the disease.  But, we are working to change that, and provide families with greater hope for a cure or advances in treatment. H.R. 2019 has over 150 co-sponsors and is supported by a long list of patient advocacy groups including Autism Speaks, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and FightSMA.   I wholeheartedly agree with the bill’s Democrat Sponsor, Mr. Welch who recently asked, “Can we just put the battle axes down for a while and take a step forward?” He thinks we can. And I do too. To the Millers who are with us today, thank you for sharing your daughter.  Although we wish Gabriella was here with us today, her message to this body rings true, “Stop talking and start doing.”  Gabriella, we heard you loud and clear. And today, we will put kids first.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364187,Walberg Votes for Pediatric Research,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-votes-pediatric-research,Walberg Votes for Pediatric Research,2013-12-11,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Rep Walberg voted in favor of H.R. 2019, the Kids First Research Act, which provides targeted and coordinated pediatric research funding through the National Institutes of Health while terminating taxpayer funding for political party nominating conventions. ""Redirecting money from political conventions to children's research is another example of how Washington should invest hardworking taxpayer dollars more effectively. Pediatric research has made great strides in improving the lives of children, and this much needed boost will help them make even more headway in developing cures for autism, cancer and other diseases. This bipartisan legislation and the research that will come from it gives hope to children and their families,"" said Rep. Walberg following the vote.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364029,Walberg Votes to Extend Important Veterans Programs,2013-12-10,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-votes-extend-important-veterans-programs,Walberg Votes to Extend Important Veterans Programs,2013-12-10,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- Today, Rep. Walberg voted for bipartisan legislation that extends authority for the Department of Veterans Affairs to run a number of important programs, including treatment for mentally ill and homeless veterans, housing assistance for homeless veterans, and assistance for disabled veterans to compete in the paralympic programs. ""Our commitment to men and women in the Armed Forces must continue after they return home, and that includes helping them transition back into civilian life. This legislation will ensure that veterans will continue to have opportunities for housing and mental health treatment services, in addition to rehabilitation and stress release through sports and other physical activities. I am proud to support these important programs,"" said Rep. Walberg following the vote.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363794,"Huizenga Leads Effort To Boost Jobs, Economy In Michigan and Great Lakes Region",2013-12-09,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Bit by bit isn’t good for dredge Great Lakes freighters account for 103,000 jobs and have an economic impact of $20 billion per year in America. Grand Haven Tribune - Editorial -  Dec. 6, 2013That's a lot of jobs, and money. Freight traffic via ships in the Great Lakes also powers other jobs, such as the local power plant that requires loads of coal from the hulking ships. But for years now the federal government has not properly funded dredging efforts on the Great Lakes. This is partially evidenced by the fact that most freighters can only use about 90 percent of their capacity, less in some ports. That's an efficiency and cost problem that has a negative ripple effect on our communities. There's a push at the federal level for more dredging dollars and greater emphasis placed on the importance of our Great Lakes. We all need to support our lawmakers who are at the front of this effort. These lawmakers include our very own Congressman Bill Huizenga. He and others sent a letter last week to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act Conference Committee, encouraging the committee to make the Great Lakes a priority in final legislation that could provide the funding necessary to adequately dredge harbors. Let’s hope Huizenga and his fellow lawmakers have the pull necessary to make it happen for our community and others that depend on open water channels. After all, a win for dredging and the Great Lakes is also a win for our local economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221010506/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363698,Adrian Daily Telegram: Tecumseh cancer patient’s insurance canceled; ACA won’t give her a subsidy,2013-12-06,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Adrian Daily Telegram: Tecumseh cancer patient’s insurance canceled; ACA won’t give her a subsidy f t # e Washington, Dec 6, 2013 “If you like your health plan, you can keep it” has been President Obama’s promise to the American people for the last four years. But recently he attempted to apologize to those who are losing health insurance because of the law. While I’m glad the president is starting to see the truth, the American people need more than just apologies. They need solutions. Rosann, a 29-year-old woman from Tecumseh, has been battling sarcoma cancer for more than a year. In that time she has undergone chemotherapy once and radiation twice. Because of her disease and treatments, she can’t work full time, but through a part-time job as a substitute teacher at a local preschool she pays her health care bills and student loans. That’s until she received a notice that she will lose her current health care because of President Obama’s health care law, and have to pay $225 more a month. She also can’t receive a subsidy because she currently lives with her family and it’s based on household income, not the fact that she has been paying her own bills. “I just thought that you should know about how this law is affecting hard working people who pay their bills,” Ann Konz, Rosann’s mother told our office. “Her healthcare should be based on her income, not ours.” Despite these frustrations Rosann often tells her family, “We’ll just go with it and God will take care of us.” Rosann doesn’t need an apology or special treatment. She just wants to be able to keep her insurance, along with 225,000 people across Michigan who have lost their coverage in the last seven weeks alone. To provide immediate relief to individuals like Rosann, the U.S. House recently voted with strong bipartisan support of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, which would allow Americans whose plans haven’t already been canceled to keep their current coverage in 2014. It’s at least a start in addressing this destabilizing health care law, but it’s important to remember that the only way to permanently stop all these cancellation letters is a full repeal of the president’s health care law. In order to get America’s health care back on track and reduce costs, we must implement common sense reforms that will allow individuals to purchase insurance across state lines, to permit small businesses to join together to buy group health insurance, and to expand the use of health savings accounts so no health issue becomes a financial issue too. Americans were not told the truth by the president about being able to keep the insurance that they like and has worked well for them. I remain committed to fighting for Americans and providing fairness for all by working towards implementing common sense reforms. My hope is the president finally begins working with us towards real health care solutions — and keeps his promise to the American people.   To read the original article at Adrian Daily Telegram, please click here. f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363628,Upton Comments on Passing of Nelson Mandela,2013-12-05,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, issued the following statement on the passing of anti-apartheid leader and former South African President Nelson Mandela.   “Nelson Mandela’s courageous leadership in the face of hatred and social injustice brought new life and new government to the oppressed people of South Africa. His words and actions will continue to inspire, strengthen, and bring hope to future generations,” said Upton, who had the honor of personally meeting Mr. Mandela during the South African leader’s address before a joint session of the United States Congress. “He was a transformational figure on the world stage, but also a public servant of great humility.  We would be well-served by having more leaders follow his example.” “Nelson Mandela’s powerful message of freedom, peace, and tolerance could not be confined by prison walls.  His spirit and legacy live on, bringing moral courage to those who face adversity and love to a world longing to heal.” “Our prayers are with his family and the people of South Africa.” Upton cosponsored legislation awarding Mr. Mandela the Congressional Gold Medal in 1998, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the Congress.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363464,Upton Subcommittee Examines Health Law’s Impact on Michigan Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries,2013-12-04,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, took part in today’s Health Subcommittee hearing that examined how the President’s health care law will impact the Medicare Advantage program and what its 14 million beneficiaries should expect in the coming year. The health care law made over $700 billion in reductions to the Medicare program – including over $300 billion in direct and indirect reductions to the Medicare Advantage program alone – in order to fund the new entitlement. These cuts will begin to be fully realized in the next year, and seniors and disabled Americans who rely on Medicare Advantage will soon suffer the consequences. In 2012, more than 436,000 people from Michigan were enrolled in Medicare Advantage. “Every day we hear from people in Michigan and across the country who are losing their current coverage and facing increased costs because of the health care law,” said Upton. “Today we turned our focus to the nation’s seniors and disabled who could be affected by the changes in the law. The empty promises have real consequences for countless Americans who like their existing coverage and expect Washington to do no harm.” Today’s hearing underscored recent revelations that the President’s promises that you could keep your doctor and you could keep your health care plan will not hold true. According to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than half a million beneficiaries may lose their existing Medicare Advantage plan next year, which would force these seniors and disabled Americans to switch their current plan or return to a traditional fee-for-service plan. More than 105,000 beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan in 2013 will not be able to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan at all in 2014. “There has been much speculation about the impact of the ACA cuts to MA plans,” stated former Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Holtz-Eakin in his prepared testimony for today’s hearing. “The common threads running through analyses of the MA landscape in 2014 are (1) fewer plan choices, (2) higher costs to beneficiaries, (3) foregone benefits, and (4) tighter provider networks.” There are several types of MA plans, including Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Private Fee-For-Services (FFS) Plans, and Special Needs Plans (SNPs) MA plan coverage includes traditional FFS Medicare services (Part A and B benefits), and, for most plans, prescription drug coverage (Part D benefit) is included as well.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363187,"Huizenga Leads Bipartisan Letter To Support Great Lakes, Boost Economic Activity",2013-12-03,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Last week, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-25), and a bipartisan coalition of 32 of their colleagues sent a letter to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) Conference Committee thanking them for advancing legislation that will improve water infrastructure across America and encouraging them to make the Great Lakes a priority in the final legislation:""While the House passed version of WRRDA is a significant step in the right direction, I believe it is important to remind the Conference Committee that the Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS) is the backbone of our nation's manufacturing and agricultural economies, supporting 145 million tons of commodities annually. For too long, harbors across the Great Lakes have not been dredged to their authorized width and depth, while 50% of the funds paid into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund have been spent on projects unrelated to maintaining our nation's ports and harbors. ""WRRDA creates the opportunity to implement policies that will help clear the 18 million cubic yards of sediment that currently clog ports and waterways throughout the Great Lakes. By classifying the entire GLNS as a unified body, focusing resources on the Great Lakes, and instructing harbor maintenance funding to be in line with revenues collected into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, Congress can ensure the Great Lakes not only maintain their economic impact, but allow for economic expansion that will make the region even stronger."" Congressman Huizenga's letter to the WRRDA Conference Committee is available HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363295,Upton Joins Bipartisan Group Calling on House-Senate Negotiators to Support Great Lakes Infrastructure,2013-12-03,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"A longtime advocate for Lake Michigan harbors, Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, has joined a bipartisan coalition of 34 Great Lakes Representatives in sending a letter to the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) Conference Committee. In the letter led by West Michigan Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, and Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-NY, the coalition thanked House and Senate conferees for their work to advance legislation to improve the nation’s navigation infrastructure and called on the conference committee leaders to make the Great Lakes a national priority.“Our Great Lakes harbors and waterways play a vital role in supporting job creation, economic growth and competitiveness here in Southwest Michigan and in communities across the nation,” said Upton. “Keeping our Great Lakes system open and operational must remain a national priority and I strongly encourage House and Senate negotiators build upon the progress made here in the House to support it.” On October 23, 2013, Upton joined an overwhelming majority of his House colleagues in passing the House version of WRRDA (H.R. 3080), which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its mission to develop, maintain, and support our nation’s ports and waterways infrastructure needs as well as support effective environmental restoration and flood protection. The bipartisan House WRRDA bill notably includes an important provision from legislation cosponsored by Upton – the Great Lakes System Sustainability Act (H.R. 2273) – which designates the entire Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS) as a single, unified system for budgetary purposes. Rather than forcing Great Lakes harbors to compete for funding like coastal ports, this important provision recognizes the economic benefits of their interdependence and will help ensure future funding. Click HERE to view the coalition’s full letter to the WRRDA Conference Committee.  The text of the letter follows below. November 25, 2013 Dear Chairmen Shuster and Boxer and Ranking Members Rahall and Vitter: Thank you for your efforts on the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), and in particular for advancing provisions that will improve our nation’s navigation infrastructure.  Both the Senate and House versions of the water resources legislation make important advances to better fund harbor maintenance throughout our nation.  We urge you to retain language that would direct harbor maintenance funding to be more in line with the revenues collected for this purpose in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF).  Only about half of the collections for harbor maintenance are currently expended for that purpose, and we urge you to retain and strengthen language in the final conference report so that funds collected to improve our navigation infrastructure are fully used for that purpose.  Many of us cosponsored the RAMP Act (H.R.335) as a way to achieve this goal and we thank you for advancing the objectives of that legislation.  We ask that the final conference report include a funding target of 100% of HMTF revenues that is not tied to other civil works funding levels. As Great Lakes Representatives, we write to call particular attention to the Great Lakes Navigation System, which is the backbone of our nation’s manufacturing, industrial, building, and agricultural economies.  Each year, about 145 million tons of commodities are carried through the Great Lakes Navigation System.  The materials transported include fuel that powers homes and businesses, limestone and cement to construct roads and bridges, iron ore to produce steel, chemicals and other raw materials for manufacturers, and agricultural products to feed our nation and the world.  This mode of transport has both economic and environmental advantages compared to alternative transportation options, and supports about 130,000 jobs in the U.S. and generates over $18 billion in revenues.  Despite the benefits the Great Lakes Navigation System provides, inadequate funding and maintenance has resulted in a tremendous backlog of dredging projects that have forced vessels to light load, grounded vessels, impeded safe navigation, and closed harbors and threatened other harbors with closure.  To further exacerbate the problem, the water levels of a number of the Great Lakes have reached record lows in the last few years. The impacts of the lack of dredging and other required maintenance, including lock improvements, breakwater repairs, and construction of dredged material disposal facilities, have economic consequences that hinder economic growth.  In order to restore the functionality of the Great Lakes Navigation System, we urge conferees to include our priorities listed below in the final conference report.  We list our requests in order of importance. 1.  Dedicated harbor maintenance funding for the Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS):  The Senate bill prioritizes 20 percent of harbor maintenance funding in excess of FY2012 levels for the GLNS.  However, the House bill sets funding aside for certain purposes using total harbor maintenance funding, and not spending above a threshold figure.  Because it is not yet clear how these different approaches will be resolved, we request the conference agreement include bill language requiring that at least 15 percent of all annual HMTF appropriations be provided for GLNS operations and maintenance to address the numerous needs we outlined above. 2.  Authorization of the GLNS:  Both the Senate and House bills recognize the Great Lakes harbors, ports and other navigation features as being part of a single navigation system.  In the House bill, Section 202(b) explicitly authorizes the GLNS as a single system, and we ask that this language be retained in the conference report. 3.  Expanded Uses of HMTF:  Both the Senate and House bills expand the use of HMTF for a variety of uses, including dredging berths, disposal of contaminated sediments, and rebates for certain types of ports. As you work towards a conference agreement, it is important that other already-authorized components of our waterway system are not unintentionally neglected, including the Great Lakes.  The GLNS has a backlog of $200 million in dredging projects, seriously aging breakwaters and locks in need of repair, and a lack of dredged material disposal facilities.  In prioritizing uses of the HMTF, it is critical that funding first be provided for currently authorized uses, such as maintaining navigation projects at their constructed depths and widths, especially in the Great Lakes. Thank you for your consideration of these requests.  We look forward to working with you to advance a final water resources conference report that improves the nation’s water resources, including the Great Lakes. Sincerely, cc: Members of the WRRDA Conference Committee",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363119,Rogers Speaks at Latson Road Interchange Ribbon Cutting,2013-12-02,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,mikerogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oct 25, 2017 | Washington Times Ignored by the “inside the Beltway” media has been the heroic efforts of Rep. Mike Rogers, Alabama Republican, as he struggles against the “corporate” Air Force to establish a separate Space Corps service. Opposing Mr. Rogers, the secretary of the Air Force says a separate space service isn’t needed and that the regular Air Force can do whatever is necessary to fulfill the military space mission. This is a huge load of some of Washington D.C.’s finest political trash. May 18, 2017 | The Hill Apr 4, 2017 | Space News Mar 8, 2017 | PBS Mar 8, 2017 | AL.com Jan 26, 2017 | Fox News Jan 11, 2017 | Real Clear Defense Sep 26, 2016 | Space News Jun 27, 2016 | Yellowhammer News Pages",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221010552/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363172,"Jackson Cit Pat: Families don't want apologies, they just want their health care back",2013-12-02,2013,2013-12,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"President Obama has frequently promised that if you like your health-care plan, you can keep it. But ask the more than 3.5 million Americans who have lost their health insurance in the last six weeks alone just how true that pledge is. As the president’s health-care law has taken effect, the president could no longer deny the negative impacts of his signature law and offered an apology to those losing their health insurance despite “assurances” from him. Families like Dawn and Vern Buchbinder from Grass Lake don’t want any more apologies. They just want their health care back. For 20 years, the Buchbinders have successfully purchased their own health insurance that best suited their needs and those of their three daughters. A few weeks ago they received a letter from their current health-insurance provider saying it can no longer offer them the same plan with a $375 per month premium because it doesn’t meet the mandates required under Obamacare. The cheapest plan they offered instead would cost $633 per month. “I am offended with the explanation I have been hearing that I need to be protected from the ‘cut rate, sub-level health insurance plan’ that I've been purchasing all these years,” Dawn recently told my office. “We know what we need and want to be able to choose it if we so desire. We weren't hurting anyone, why can't we be left alone?” As the administration’s promises are proven false, Americans are realizing the real dangers and consequences behind a government takeover of our health-care system. In the House, my colleagues and I understand this and recently voted with strong bipartisan support to provide immediate relief to families like the Buchbinders, by passing H.R. 3350, the Keep your Health Plan Act, which would allow Americans whose plans haven’t already been canceled to keep their current coverage in 2014. It’s at least a start in addressing this destabilizing health-care law but it’s important to remember that the only way to permanently stop all these cancellation letters is a full repeal. Families across Michigan are struggling to pay their bills and pay for their children’s future. It’s not fair they’re being forced to pay more for health insurance because of this harmful law. Dawn and her family, along with 225,000 other people across Michigan that are losing their health care aren’t looking for special treatment; they just want to be able to keep their health insurance at a price they can afford. Americans were not told the truth by the president about being able to keep the insurance that they like and has worked well for them. I remain committed to fighting for Americans and providing fairness for all by working toward implementing common sense reforms like allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines and permitting small businesses to group together to access the same rates typically reserved for large employers. My hope is the president joins these efforts – and keeps his promises to the American people. - Dawn and Vern Buchbinder from Grass Lake contributed to this article. ​To read the original article at Cit Pat, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363070,"Upton Thankful as Pediatric Research, Meningitis/Drug Safety Bills Signed into Law",2013-11-27,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, applauded the President today for signing two important public health bills that had been previously advanced by Upton’s committee with strong bipartisan support.“This Thanksgiving, we offer families in Michigan and across the country a little more hope with these critical public health bills now law,” said Upton. With an average of one in eight children born prematurely, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act (S.252) seeks to strengthen the ongoing effort to track, prevent, and treat prematurity to ensure children have a healthy start and a productive future. Upton sponsored the original PREEMIE Act that was signed into law in December 2006. The bipartisan legislation also provides for the creation of the National Pediatric Research Network to facilitate research to help children with rare and genetic diseases. The House passed similar stand-alone legislation, H.R. 225, to create the network in February. “Although our bipartisan effort to boost pediatric care began several years ago, the delays never deterred our commitment to getting it done. Seeing the PREEMIE Act package of reforms across the finish line and now law is something we can all be thankful for this year. This law will especially have a direct and profound impact on the lives of families like the Kennedys in Mattawan, whose daughters Brooke and Brielle are battling the rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It is often difficult to conduct research into rare diseases due to the small number of people affected. But today, with great thanks to Brooke and Brielle for serving as an inspiration, we create a new research network to provide families like the Kennedys with greater hope for a cure and advances in treatment.” The President also signed Upton’s Drug Quality and Security Act (H.R. 3024), a breakthrough agreement to improve drug safety in the wake of the deadly 2012 meningitis outbreak. By all accounts, Michigan has been hardest hit by the outbreak with 264 cases and 19 fatalities, including 3 deaths from Upton’s own district. Upton’s committee has led a thorough investigation into the recent outbreak to ensure such a public health catastrophe never happens again. “With the President’s signature today, this bipartisan law will help prevent future crises like last year’s deadly fungal meningitis outbreak while also establishing a unified framework for maintaining safety throughout the drug supply chain. Across the nation, Americans going to their doctor’s office or pharmacy will now have the confidence that their drugs are safe. From bipartisan oversight to drafting and approving legislation, we were able to reach a compromise to protect the drug supply and also remove regulatory roadblocks, creating an environment conducive to job creation. I am thankful for the cooperation of my colleagues in both the House and the Senate, on both sides of the aisle, for their efforts in this achievement.” H.R. 3024 also strengthens the prescription drug supply chain in order to protect American families against counterfeit drugs as well as eliminates needless government red tape that harms Michigan employers like Perrigo and Pfizer.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221010557/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363219,Hillsdale Daily News: Walberg visits Hartzell Veneer,2013-11-26,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"By Andy Barrand HILLSDALE — Only five months after making the move from Arkansas, Hartzell Veneer Products in Hillsdale is up and running in full production mode. While in the are Monday, Congressman Tim Walberg took the opportunity to speak to the employees at Hartzell Veneer after taking a short tour of the facility. Also on hand to welcome the company to Hillsdale were members of the Hillsdale City Council, Mayor Scott Sessions and State Rep. Ken Kurtz. ""We are delighted to be here,"" Walberg said. ""It's always an exciting opportunity when we can get back into the district and walk through manufacturing facilities. ""It is those manufacturing facilities that are the heart and soul of the district,"" he added. Before Walberg met with employees and guests, Hillsdale City Manager Linda Brown and Economic Development Director Mary Wolfram welcomed the facility to the city. In doing so they presented the company with a certificate that can be used to buy a lot in Three Meadows Subdivision for $1. The incentive is given to manufacturers that locate in Hillsdale County. Hartzell Veneer currently has 31 employees, six of which transferred to the area from Arkansas. The manufacturing facility is currently in the process of building a 35,000-square foot expansion. Once that expansion is complete, estimated to be sometime in 2014, the staff will double in size. The facility makes veneer facings for cabinets, doors and other wood products. Walberg said he was amazed by the process that goes into making the facings. He said he appreciated the quality and workmanship that was going into the products being made at the facility. Walberg took questions from employees of the facility. One question asked focused on healthcare. Walberg said he doesn't support the current plan. He is in support of letting health insurance companies compete for business across state lines. ""Hopefully people come together and say no, this isn't for us,"" he said. To read the original article at Hillsdale Daily News, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221014156/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363216,Jackson Cit Pat: U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg works to name Jackson post office after fallen officer James Bonneau,2013-11-26,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"JACKSON, MI – U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg introduced a House Resolution that would honor a Jackson police officer who died on duty in 2010. Walberg, R-Tipton, has proposed the United States Post Office downtown Jackson, be designated as the “Officer James Bonneau Memorial Post Office.” ""The Jackson community witnessed Officer James Bonneau's bravery and selflessness in 2010 when he gave his life in the line of duty,"" Walberg said in a statement. ""It’s a fitting tribute to ensure his sacrifice is remembered in our community.” While Jackson Police Chief Matthew Heins said the department is honored by Walberg’s gesture, personally he has “mixed feelings.” “We are honored....but unfortunately he (Bonneau) had to die in the line of duty to receive the recognition,” Heins said. In 2011, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow presented Bonneau’s parents, Marc and Amy Bonneau, with the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. Just after midnight on March 9, 2010, Bonneau was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. He was 26. The resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In addition, state Reps. Earl Poleski and Mike Shirkey introduced a bill last year to name the new West Avenue bridge in memory of Bonneau. Poleski did not know Bonneau, but said it would be appropriate to name a bridge in his honor, as recognition of his sacrifice. Poleski said the legislation was passed by the Michigan House and now sits with the Senate Transportation Committee. To read the original article at Cit Pat, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362930,Upton Recognized with Medicare Access Champion Award,2013-11-25,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"In honor of his work on behalf of people around the United States who have cancer and whose treatments are covered under Medicare Part B, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton on Monday was awarded the 2013 Medicare Access Champion Award for his outstanding leadership on behalf of cancer patients and seniors. The award was presented by the American Life Sciences Innovation Council.Upton, who is also chairman of the House Energy and Energy Committee, said he was pleased to be recognized for his actions on behalf of an important group of cancer patients. “If it wasn’t for these community based physicians who keep their doors open for Southwest Michigan cancer patients, it’d be a sorry situation,” Upton said. “The continuation of Part B means patients can have access to the most affordable and accessible treatment close to home.” The award was presented by a group of representatives from health-related firms: Vickie Martin of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan, Dr. Lynn Gray of the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, and Jean Maile of Southwest Michigan Hospice.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221010601/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363218,Hillsdale Daily News: Walberg gets bill signed into law helping contracted workers,2013-11-25,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"By Matt Durr WASHINGTON — There isn't much that Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) and President Barack Obama agree on these days, but the two were able to agree Thursday on a bipartisan bill which Obama signed into law. The Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act was introduced by Walberg and Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) to help shift responsibility for wage adjustments for federally-contracted workers. The two congressmen serve on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections where Walberg is the chairman and wrote the bill in an effort to streamline the process in which contracted workers get paid. ""I want to thank the president for his support of this commonsense, bipartisan proposal,"" Walberg said in a press release. ""By working together we’ve provided greater efficiency within the federal government. Just as important, we’ve helped ensure workers employed by federal contractors receive the pay they’ve earned in a more timely manner. I hope we can build on this success and discuss additional reforms that will serve the best interests of the nation’s workers and taxpayers."" Under the Davis-Bacon Act, federally-contracted workers are required to be paid a ""local prevailing wage,"" on any government project. They are also to be paid time and a half for work done after working 40 hours in a week. However the claims for those wages were handled through the Government Accountability Office, while the Department of Labor (DOL) enforced the law. With the passing of this new law, the DOL will handle all claims and it should help make the process smoother for workers trying to get their compensation. The bill was first introduced by Walberg in July and passed by the House in September. The Senate passed the bill earlier this month, and Obama signed it into law Thursday. ""I am pleased to see that President Obama has signed this commonsense bill that improves efficiency and streamlines the claims process for workers,"" Courtney said. ""Once enacted, this law will enable federal workers to get the pay that is owed to them in a timely fashion. I want to thank Chairman Walberg for his efforts on this issue, and I look forward to finding additional common ground to enhance protections for America’s workers."" To read the original article at Hillsdale.net, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362769,"Huizenga and Amash To Hold Joint ""Academy Night"" For West Michigan High School Students",2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Monday November 25th, Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-02) and Rep. Justin Amash (MI-03) will hold a joint ""Academy Night"" for Second and Third District high school students interested in learning more about the U.S. service academies. The event will take place at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. Officials from the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy will provide information about the academies and the application process. Students typically begin the admissions process in the spring of their junior year of high school. Who: Rep. Bill Huizenga, Rep. Justin Amash, Officials from the U.S. service academies What: Academy Night When: Monday, November 25, 2013 from 7- 9 p.m. Where: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum - 303 Pearl St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504 More information about the application process and nominations can be found at: /constituentservices/serviceacademynominations.htm http://amash.house.gov/serving-you/military-academy-nominations",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362672,Upton Applauds State of Michigan for Allowing Health Insurers to Reinstate Canceled Plans,2013-11-22,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, praised today’s action by the State of Michigan to help provide relief for the approximately 225,000 Michiganders who have been notified that they will lose their current health plan because of the Affordable Care Act. As of November 2, only 27,000 people nationwide have signed up for a new health insurance plan using HealthCare.gov – 1,329 of those people are from Michigan. The state’s decision will allow health insurers to reinstate the canceled policies.“Over the past several weeks, we have heard from hundreds of folks in Southwest Michigan who took the President at his word, but are now losing their current policies and are facing higher premiums and deductibles,” said Upton. “Last week, the House passed my bipartisan Keep Your Health Plan Act to help provide relief for folks here in Michigan and millions like them across the country. I applaud Gov. Snyder for his leadership and work to allow the same freedom and flexibility here in Michigan.” On Nov. 15, 2013, the House of Representatives passed Upton’s bipartisan Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350) by a vote of 261 to 157. Upton’s bill would allow health care plans currently available on the individual market to continue to be offered next year – expanding choices and beginning to provide peace of mind to the millions of Americans who were promised by the President that if they liked their health plan, they could keep it.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362464,Bill to Help Children with Rare Diseases Like the Kennedy Girls of Mattawan Now One Step Closer to Becoming Law,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, joined House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, as the Speaker signed S. 252, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act, bringing the important bill one step closer to enactment. The bipartisan legislation also provides for the creation of the National Pediatric Research Network to facilitate research to help children with rare and genetic diseases. The House passed similar stand-alone legislation, H.R. 225, to create the network in February. Speaker Boehner also signed H.R. 3024, the Drug Quality and Security Act, a breakthrough bipartisan, bicameral agreement introduced by Upton to improve drug safety in the wake of the deadly 2012 meningitis outbreak. By all accounts, Michigan has been hardest hit by the outbreak with 264 cases and 19 fatalities, including 3 deaths from Upton’s own district. Upton’s committee has led a thorough investigation into the recent outbreak to ensure such a public health catastrophe never happens again. The bill also strengthens the prescription drug supply chain in order to protect American families against counterfeit drugs as well as eliminates needless government red tape that harms Michigan employers like Perrigo and Pfizer.  Both bills will soon head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. Upton commented, “At long last we are nearing the finish line, and we will soon have a network in place to help families like the Kennedys in Mattawan, Michigan, and their two young daughters who have the rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy. These two little angels, Brooke and Brielle, are little warriors in the effort to boost research for rare diseases and serve as an inspiration for all.” ​​​IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...​ November 14, 2013 Mattawan's Kennedy sisters help inspire House bill funding research into rare genetic diseases   MATTAWAN, MI – The medical struggles of two sisters from Mattawan helped inspire a bill funding research for rare diseases that passed the House by unanimous consent this week. Brooke and Brielle Kennedy were born with type II spinal muscular atrophy. Their battle was chronicled in a 2012 Kalamazoo Gazette story.   The six-year-old and four-year-old have exceeded doctors' prognoses, but SMA is a terminal, degenerative disease.   ""SMA is the leading genetic killer of infants and young children. It is a terminal, degenerative progressive disease that results in the loss of nerves in the spinal cord and the weakness of the muscles connected with those nerves,"" according to brookeandbrielle.com, a website set up by Sarah Kennedy, the girls' mother. ""SMA impacts the ability to walk, stand, sit, eat, breathe and even swallow.""   U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, introduced the National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013, which passed Tuesday as part of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who Deliver Infants Early (PREEMIE) Reauthorization Act. Upton sponsored the original PREEMIE act, which became law in 2006.   The act supports research into rare and genetic diseases afflicting children, including SMA, by allowing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund pediatric research consortium. Earlier this year, the measure passed the House as a stand-alone bill.   ""This legislation will have a dramatic and life-changing effect on so many families who have suffered for so many years,"" said Sarah Kennedy in a statement.   Upton said he met the Kennedys a few years ago, when they brought to his attention to a similar bill written to help fund rare diseases affecting children. Upton said he was charmed by the girls and keeps a picture of them in his Kalamazoo office.   ""These girls are incredible. The first time I met Brielle and Brooke, they told me their names were Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. They're not letting their disabilities define them. But because spinal muscular atrophy is relatively rare, there hasn't been a lot of funding for it,"" said Upton in an email.   The bill will now move to the Senate as part of a package of health-related bills, S. 252. A previous version passed twice during the 112th Congress, once as a stand-alone bill and once as part of a larger piece of legislation. Neither version passed the Senate.   ""The sad reality is it is often difficult to conduct research into rare diseases due to the small number of individuals with the disease,"" he said. ""We are working to change that and provide families with greater hope for a cure or advances in treatment."" Read the entire story online here. Watch Upton’s November 12, 2013, floor statement that highlights the Kennedy family here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362594,Upton Speaks with Southwest Michigan Residents Impacted by the Health Care Law via Google Hangout,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click HERE to watch the video chat House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, this afternoon hosted a video conference call via Google Hangout with individuals from Southwest Michigan who will lose their current health plan because of the Affordable Care Act. Upton was joined by U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, who is a member of Upton’s committee. Upton has heard from countless people from across Southwest Michigan who like their current health plan, but are now losing it because of the health care law. Today’s Google Hangout provided an innovative platform for some of those folks to publicly share their stories. “The stories shared by Mary and Tim echo those I have heard again and again from families throughout Southwest Michigan. It is important that their voices are heard,” said Upton. “These folks are among the nearly quarter of a million people in Michigan who took the President at his word, but are now finding the dreaded cancellation notices in their mailboxes. “Health care should be about providing relief and certainty at a time when people need it most. The President’s health care law has done anything but that.” One of the participants was Mary Swanson, a realtor from Kalamazoo. She and her husband are both self-employed and purchase their own health insurance. “We received our cancellation notice the first week of October, much to our shock after having heard that we were going to be able to keep our plans that we were very happy with,” said Swanson. Their current plan costs $920 per month and has a maximum combined deductible of $4,000. Swanson says that because of the Affordable Care Act, their monthly premium will jump to $1,300 to $1,500, and their deductible will increase to $6,000 a piece. Now they have to figure out how they will pay for the thousands of dollars of additional health costs each year. Another participant was Tim Brown, a small business owner from Portage. Like Swanson, Brown and his spouse have recently received notice that their current plan is being cancelled, despite the President’s repeated promises to the contrary. Also like Swanson, the alternative plans they are now considering also have significantly higher costs and cover services he does not want. “So now the government is saying that you have to buy a product, and you have to buy a product that you otherwise would not have purchased,” said Brown. “Now you want to know why there’s a little bit of outrage?” Brown also expressed his frustration with the further confusion that has been caused by the President’s announcement of another administrative “fix” to the law a week ago. “Here I have a deadline of December 31st and Blue Cross has just said ‘we cannot comment on any impact the President’s comments may have made.’ Are we going in limbo now?” During the call, Upton highlighted his Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350), which passed the House with bipartisan support last Friday. Upton’s bill would allow health care plans currently available on the individual market to continue to be offered next year – expanding choices and beginning to provide peace of mind to the millions of Americans who were promised by the President that if they liked their health plan, they could keep it. Folks from Southwest Michigan can become a “Citizen Cosponsor” of Upton’s Keep Your Health Plan Act by visiting: https://www.cosponsor.gov/#details/hr3350-113",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/president-signs-bipartisan-bill-increase-efficiency-under-davis-bacon-act,President Signs Bipartisan Bill to Increase Efficiency Under Davis-Bacon Act,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Signs Bipartisan Bill to Increase Efficiency Under Davis-Bacon Act WASHINGTON, D.C. Today President Obama signed into law theStreamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act(H.R. 2747). Introduced by Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Ranking Member Joe Courtney (D-CT), the bill moves responsibility for wage claims adjustments for federally-contracted workers from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Department of Labor. ""I want to thank the president for his support of this commonsense, bipartisan proposal,""said Chairman Walberg. ""By working together we've provided greater efficiency within the federal government. Just as important, we've helped ensure workers employed by federal contractors receive the pay they've earned in a more timely manner. I hope we can build on this success and discuss additional reforms that will serve the best interests of the nation's workers and taxpayers."" ""I am pleased to see that President Obama has signed this commonsense bill that improves efficiency and streamlines the claims process for workers,""Rep. Courtney said. ""Once enacted, this law will enable federal workers to get the pay that is owed to them in a timely fashion. I want to thank Chairman Walberg for his efforts on this issue, and I look forward to finding additional common ground to enhance protections for America's workers."" Under theDavis-Bacon Act, federally contracted workers must be paid the ""local prevailing wage"" on government projects. TheContract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act(CWHSSA) requires federal contractors to pay workers one and one half times their basic rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours. While the Department of Labor enforces these laws, GAO has long been responsible for processing claims of workers who did not receive the appropriate wage. Since it no longer provides this service in other areas of the federal government, GAO has requested this authority be moved to the appropriate enforcement agency. TheStreamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Acttransfers this responsibility to the Department of Labor, which oversees other aspects of theDavis-Bacon Actand theCWHSSA. To read full text of H.R. 2747, clickhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-questions-cdc-study-motorcycle-use,Walberg Questions CDC Study on Motorcycle Use,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Walberg sent a letter to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demanding answers concerning an October 23 CDC report that aims to discourage motorcycle use while ignoring the positive economic benefits for motorcycle riding. ""As an avid and experienced motorcycle rider, I believe government should be in the business of promoting the recreational, economic and environmental benefits of responsible motorcycle riding not discouraging it,"" stated Rep. Walberg in the letter. ""During difficult fiscal times, the American people would be better served by your continued efforts to address widespread societal health matters such as virus prevention, cancer and heart disease.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131128075645/http://amash.house.gov:80/press-release/amash-and-huizenga-host-academy-night,Amash and Huizenga to Host Academy Night,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               November 21, 2013                                                                     CONTACT Hayley Alexander (Amash) 202.225.3838 hayley.alexander@mail.house.gov                                                                                                    Brian Patrick (Huizenga) 202.225.4401 brian.patrick@mail.house.gov   Amash and Huizenga to Host Academy Night GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) announced Academy Night for Second District and Third District high school students interested in learning more about the U.S. service academies. Academy Night is scheduled for Monday, November 25, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. Officials from the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy will provide information about the academies and the application process. Students typically begin the admissions process in the spring of their junior year of high school. More information about nominations can be found at: http://amash.house.gov/serving-you/military-academy-nominations http://huizenga.house.gov/constituentservices/serviceacademynominations.htm WHO:            Rep. Justin Amash and Rep. Bill Huizenga Officials from the U.S. service academies   WHAT:            Academy Night   WHEN:            Monday, November 25, 2013 7–9 p.m.   WHERE:            Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum 303 Pearl St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131210213715/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362617,President Signs Bipartisan Bill to Increase Efficiency Under Davis-Bacon Act,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"President Signs Bipartisan Bill to Increase Efficiency Under Davis-Bacon Act Washington, Nov 21 | comments WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today President Obama signed into law the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act (H.R. 2747). Introduced by Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Ranking Member Joe Courtney (D-CT), the bill moves responsibility for wage claims adjustments for federally-contracted workers from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Department of Labor.   “I want to thank the president for his support of this commonsense, bipartisan proposal,” said Chairman Walberg. “By working together we’ve provided greater efficiency within the federal government. Just as important, we’ve helped ensure workers employed by federal contractors receive the pay they’ve earned in a more timely manner. I hope we can build on this success and discuss additional reforms that will serve the best interests of the nation’s workers and taxpayers.”  “I am pleased to see that President Obama has signed this commonsense bill that improves efficiency and streamlines the claims process for workers,” Rep. Courtney said. “Once enacted, this law will enable federal workers to get the pay that is owed to them in a timely fashion. I want to thank Chairman Walberg for his efforts on this issue, and I look forward to finding additional common ground to enhance protections for America’s workers.” Under the Davis-Bacon Act, federally contracted workers must be paid the “local prevailing wage” on government projects. The Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) requires federal contractors to pay workers one and one half times their basic rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours. While the Department of Labor enforces these laws, GAO has long been responsible for processing claims of workers who did not receive the appropriate wage. Since it no longer provides this service in other areas of the federal government, GAO has requested this authority be moved to the appropriate enforcement agency.  The Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act transfers this responsibility to the Department of Labor, which oversees other aspects of the Davis-Bacon Act and the CWHSSA.   To read full text of H.R. 2747, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131211070411/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362493,Walberg Questions CDC Study on Motorcycle Use,2013-11-21,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Walberg sent a letter to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demanding answers concerning an October 23 CDC report that aims to discourage motorcycle use while ignoring the positive economic benefits for motorcycle riding. “As an avid and experienced motorcycle rider, I believe government should be in the business of promoting the recreational, economic and environmental benefits of responsible motorcycle riding – not discouraging it,” stated Rep. Walberg in the letter. “During difficult fiscal times, the American people would be better served by your continued efforts to address widespread societal health matters such as virus prevention, cancer and heart disease.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362129,Huizenga Announces Town Hall Meeting In Muskegon Heights on Friday,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga Announces Town Hall Meeting In Muskegon Heights on Friday f t # e Washington, November 19, 2013 Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) announced he will be holding a town hall meeting at the MATS Administration Office and Louis A. McMurray Conference Center on Friday at 3 PM. Residents of the community are encouraged to attend and participate in a discussion with Congressman Huizenga on issues impacting Muskegon Heights, Muskegon County, and West Michigan.        Who: Congressman Bill Huizenga         What: Town Hall Meeting         Where: MATS Administration Office and Louis A. McMurray Conference Center, located at 2624 Sixth St. in Muskegon Heights         When: Friday, November 22 at 3:00 PM f t # e",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362327,Monroe Evening News: Walberg Shares Life in Washington with Students,2013-11-19,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361997,"Senate Passes Upton’s Bipartisan Meningitis, Drug Safety Bill",2013-11-18,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. Senate today approved bipartisan legislation introduced by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, to improve drug safety and help prevent a future public health crisis like the 2012 deadly fungal meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC). H.R. 3204, the Drug Quality and Security Act, is the result of a thorough investigation led by Upton’s Committee into the cause of the recent public health catastrophe, which has infected 751 individuals and left 64 dead nationwide. By all accounts, Michigan families have been hardest hit by the contamination, totaling 264 cases and 19 deaths, including 3 fatalities from Upton’s own district.The House passed Upton’s bill by voice vote on September 28, 2013. H.R. 3204 is expected to be signed into law by President Obama in the near future. “To the dozens of families who have lost loved ones and to the hundreds who are still suffering today, with this bill we say ‘never again.’ I applaud the Senate’s passage of this breakthrough bipartisan legislation and am pleased we are now just one step away from this bill being signed into law to prevent a future public health crisis like last year’s deadly fungal meningitis outbreak,” said Upton. “Americans receiving medical treatments must have the peace of mind that their drugs are safe. With this bill we are fortifying the drug supply chain while also cutting needless regulatory red tape that is harming Michigan businesses like Perrigo and Pfizer, creating an environment conducive to growth and job creation.” The first title of H.R. 3204 will protect traditional pharmacies and clarify laws related to human drug compounding in response to the nationwide meningitis outbreak. The bill will clarify the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authority over the compounding of human drugs while requiring the agency to engage and coordinate with states to ensure the safety of compounded drugs. The second portion of H.R. 3204 will strengthen the prescription drug supply chain in order to protect American families against counterfeit drugs while eliminating needless government red tape that harms U.S. jobs. The bill will help prevent increases in drug prices, avoid additional drug shortages, and eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars worth of duplicative government regulations that impact Michigan employers like Perrigo and Pfizer. The complete text of the bill is online here. A fact sheet of the bill is online here. Letters of support can be found online here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131211074416/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361841,Monroe Evening News: U.S. needs all-the-above energy policy,2013-11-17,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"From transportation to job creation, an abundant supply of energy is critical to the health of our economy, especially in Monroe County where DTE Energy and CMS Energy employ more than 600 people combined. But uncertainty about high energy costs is making it harder for Michigan’s businesses to grow and for families to live within their budget. If we want to see a return to stable energy prices and increased job growth, we need to step away from the president’s expansive regulatory agenda and instead get serious about implementing an all-of-theabove energy plan. This year certainly has seen its share of troubling proposed energy regulations for manufacturing states such as Michigan. In June, the president issued a memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate existing fossil fuel-fired power plants. Just three months later, the EPA announced proposed greenhouse gas standards for new fossil fuel-fired power plants despite the fact that U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are at the lowest level since 1994 and almost 40 percent of all electricity nationwide is produced by coal. In a state that has more than 30 coal-fired plants, the Obama administration’s and EPA’s decision to target these type of plants hits too close to home. If we walk away from coal as a significant component of our energy portfolio, we will inevitably lose manufacturing and energyrelated jobs that have long relied on this affordable energy source. That’s why I have continued to work with my colleagues in Congress in support of an all-of-the above energy plan that recognizes our nation’s ample supply of natural resources. America is a nation abundant in natural gas, coal and oil. We use about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply but only produce about 50 percent of what we use. The Alaskan National Petroleum Reserve alone contains more than 2.7 billion barrels of oil and more than 114 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. New practices allow energy producers to more easily extract these resources from the ground while doing it cheaper, safer and with less disruption to the landscape. However, we also need to enact common-sense policies to enable the use of these resources and allow us to maximize their potential and impact. That’s why I have continued to fight for approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline and increased offshore energy production. Keystone XL alone is estimated to create tens of thousands of jobs, and in spite of ever-increasing support from Democrats and unions, the president has blocked every one of our bipartisan efforts to see it completed. Meanwhile, legislation that would require the administration to move forward with offshore energy production in areas containing the greatest amount of oil and natural gas resources remains stuck in the Senate. It’s also important to support market-based strategies that encourage alternative-energy sources such as wind, solar, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen and other clean alternatives, in addition to promoting conservation. Nuclear energy is also a viable part of our energy portfolio and remains an important component of increasing our energy production. Right now, the 104 nuclear reactors in America provide us with 20 percent of the nation’s electricity and 73 percent of our carbon-free electricity even though no new nuclear reactors have been built since 1978. My main focus in the House is to create jobs, and communities such as Monroe understand how vital affordable energy production is to helping grow and foster a healthy economy. The president and Senate need to listen and work with their colleagues in the House in a good faith, bipartisan effort to allow for an all-of-the-above energy policy that meets Michigan’s needs. To read more at Monroe Evening News, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361739,House Passes Upton’s Bipartisan #KeepYourHealthPlan Act,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, applauded today’s House passage of his bipartisan Keep Your Health Plan Act (H.R. 3350). The House of Representatives approved the Keep Your Heath Plan Act by a vote of 261 to 157. This bipartisan legislation would allow health care plans currently available on the individual market to continue to be offered next year, expanding choices and beginning to provide peace of mind to the millions of Americans who have been left to worry in the wake of the President’s broken promise. Under the Keep Your Health Plan Act all Americans would have added flexibility around their health coverage enrollment options without facing a penalty under the health care law. The White House has threatened to veto this bill, saying, “Congress should work with the administration to improve the law and move forward,” just hours after working “around” Congress and announcing another administrative “fix.”  “For the last three years, the President repeated his promise to the American people that if they like their current health care plan, they can keep it – period. Millions of Americans, including nearly a quarter of a million folks in Michigan, took the President at his word and are now unexpectedly receiving cancellation notices,” said Upton. “Sadly for many Americans, it’s cancellations today and sticker shock tomorrow. Today, with bipartisan support, the House stood up and gave a voice to those folks receiving cancellation notices and passed the Keep Your Health Plan Act. It’s a start, and much more work remains. Let’s keep the promise.” Upton has heard from countless people from across Southwest Michigan who are losing their plans because of the Affordable Care Act. Speaking from the House floor before today’s vote, Upton highlighted the plight of one family from Bangor, Michigan, who will lose their current plan because of the health care law. “This bill is to help provide peace of mind to folks like the farmer in Bangor, Michigan, who just found out, after purchasing his family’s insurance for the last 30 years, that he will be able to keep their plan no more. And the sticker shock will be unbearable as their premiums double and their deductible jumps nearly three thousand bucks.” Watch Upton’s remarks from the House floor here. More background on the Keep Your Health Plan Act is online here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361677,Rep. Walberg Votes for the Keep Your Health Plan Act,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-walberg-votes-keep-your-health-plan-act,Rep. Walberg Votes for the Keep Your Health Plan Act,2013-11-15,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today Rep. Walberg voted in favor or H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, that could allow Americans to keep their current health care coverage in 2014. ""Millions of people across the nation, including 225,000 people in Michigan, have received cancellation notices. The Keep Your Health Plan Act is a straight forward, one-page bill that could provide immediate relief to many people across Michigan and the nation. However, it's important to remember that the only way stop all of these cancelation letters is by fully repealing Obamacare and I remain committed to providing relief to the hardworking families who are already dealing with the difficult consequences of this law,"" said Rep. Walberg following the vote.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361550,"Huizenga Discusses West Michigan's ""ObamaCare Experience"" On The House Floor",2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"This afternoon, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) took to the House floor to discuss the impact of ObamaCare on Michigan and share what he has heard from constituents on how the law is impacting families and individuals across West Michigan. Remarks: At least 225,000 residents of Michigan have, or will shortly receive, letters informing them that their currently held health insurance policies will be canceled because of ObamaCare. To put this number in context - more people in Michigan have had their private health care plans canceled due to ObamaCare than have even ""selected"" a private plan nationwide on HealthCare.gov. Adding insult to injury, the dismal enrollment number announced by the Administration does not represent an accurate depiction of the ""ObamaCare Experience."" Whether it's Nancy from Grant, Barbara from Walker, Terry from Grandville or David from Twin Lake, my constituents all seem to be sharing the same experience: frustration, followed by exasperation, rounded out with higher costs they cannot afford. We hear you, and I am here for you. The reality of the ""ObamaCare Experience"" is a website that is difficult to navigate - when it actually works - coupled with policy options that result in higher health care costs for Michigan consumers. I applaud my friend and colleague Fred Upton who is going to be leading the charge to provide a legislative solution to this problem tomorrow. I hope our friends across the aisle will be able to provide that same relief to their constituents and I hope they join me in doing so.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361553,"Huizenga's Bipartisan Legislation To Streamline Regulation, Protect Jobs, & Boost Investment Passes Committee Unanimously",2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga's Bipartisan Legislation To Streamline Regulation, Protect Jobs, & Boost Investment Passes Committee Unanimously f t # e Washington, November 14, 2013 This evening, the House Financial Services Committee unanimously passed Congressman Bill Huizenga's bipartisan legislation H.R. 2274 - The Small Business Mergers, Acquisitions, Sales, and Brokerage Simplification Act by a vote of 57 to 0. This legislation will remove regulatory roadblocks threatening jobs, economic growth, and future investment while allowing for the smooth sale and transfer of both small and mid-sized businesses.""I am glad to see the Financial Services Committee act in such a strong bipartisan manner to pass H.R. 2274. As baby boomers retire, it is estimated that $10 trillion worth of privately-owned, main street businesses will be sold or closed. We don't want these businesses closing and causing their employees to lose their jobs.  The current one-size-fits-all regulatory structure fails to differentiate between the sale of a small privately held business and securities of a publicly traded company. H.R. 2274 recognizes this important difference and establishes a streamlined approach that allows for the sale of small and mid-size businesses while maintaining the necessary safeguards, protecting jobs, and allowing for continued economic growth.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361557,Upton Responds to President’s Unilateral Health Care ‘Fix’,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement today of another administrative “fix” to his health care law:“For the last six weeks, the White House stood idly by as cancellation notices flooded the mailboxes of millions of Americans – including 225,000 Michiganders – who took the president at his word that they could keep their health plans. Now, one day after getting an earful from panicked House and Senate Democrats, the president is bypassing Congress and taking matters into his own hands. “Our main priority should be helping the American people. Today’s abrupt pivot comes after the White House has spent the last week attacking our thoughtful approach to begin to give peace of mind to those folks worried about losing their affordable health care. “If the president were sincere in his apology and serious about keeping his promise to the American people, he would work with Congress on bipartisan proposals like the Keep Your Health Plan Act. “Implementation of this law has been disastrous, leaving worried Americans without the health care plans they had, with skyrocketing premiums, and limited access to doctors. Tomorrow, as we vote on the Keep Your Health Plan Act, we call on the president to work with Congress, not around us.” The House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, on Friday. This bill would allow insurance companies to offer health care plans currently available on the individual market today going into next year. Americans would have the choice to enroll in those plans without facing a penalty under the health care law. More information about the one-page bill is online here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361561,VIDEO: Upton Speaks to Importance of #KeepYourHealthPlan Act,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Click here to watch Fred’s floor remarks Today, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, urged members of the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act. The bipartisan legislation would allow plans currently available on the individual market to be offered next year. This would provide Americans the opportunity to enroll in these policies in 2014 without penalty. In his remarks, Upton highlighted a family of three from Bangor, Michigan, who have lost their insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act and now face an increased premium and deductible. The text of Upton’s remarks follow: For the last three years the President personally promised that if they like their current health plan, that they could keep it “no matter what.” Period. But cancellation notices are now arriving in millions of mailboxes across the country. And in the great state of Michigan, some 225,000 folks will see their plans terminated because of this law. That’s twice the total number of people who have even selected a plan nationwide. Now I’ve heard from countless families back home who took the president at his word. They’re upset – yes they are – and worried how they’re going to make ends meet. A self-employed family of three in Bangor, Michigan, has purchased their own insurance for more than 30 years. Their Blue Cross Blue Shield plan was working well, had no deductible, and a $750 monthly premium. To replace it, their premium is going to nearly double to $1,393 and their deductible will jump to $2,800. In their own words, they told us, they have been ‘thrown under the bus.’  Sadly, they are not alone. Tomorrow we will vote on the “Keep Your Health Plan Act,” a straightforward, one-page bill that says if you like your current coverage, you ought to be able to keep it. Let’s keep that promise.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361568,Walberg Introduces Legislation to Help New Veterans,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-introduces-legislation-help-new-veterans,Walberg Introduces Legislation to Help New Veterans,2013-11-14,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Tim Walberg introduced H.R. 3493, the Servicemembers Transition Improvement Act, which would assist members of the Armed Forces transitioning into civilian life by requiring the Department of Defense to provide the contact information for separating service members to state veterans affairs departments. H.R. 3493 is a companion bill to legislation recently introduced by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA). ""Caring for our men and women in uniform does not end when they leave military service. By strengthening the connection between new veterans and state and county veterans service organizations, this legislation will help veterans get the benefits they need and have earned,"" said Rep. Walberg.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361367,Upton Attends White House Signing of Epi-Pen Bill,2013-11-13,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, was part of a bipartisan group of congressional leaders present at the White House today for the signing of H.R. 2094, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, into law. As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Upton has been a leading advocate of this legislation, which supports our nation’s schools as they work to ensure they have the capability to treat severe allergic reactions.“When a student has an emergency reaction, every second counts as a life hangs in the balance,” said Upton. “This legislation is about saving lives and giving parents and teachers alike the peace of mind in knowing that if something does happen that there will be someone onsite and ready to act.” Acting last week by appointment as House Speaker pro tempore, Upton signed H.R. 2094, certifying the House’s approval of the bill and thereby allowing it to advance to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The bill passed the House of Representatives on July 30 after being unanimously approved by Upton’s Energy and Commerce Committee. The legislation has been widely praised by advocates of children with severe allergic reactions, including Food Allergic Families & Friends (FAFF) of Southwest Michigan, which has more than 50 member-families in the region. “We are thrilled with this lifesaving legislation, which helps schools access emergency medicine for severe allergic reactions, when every second counts,” said Sarah Swallow Beuker of Portage, Michigan, founder and moderator of FAFF. “We hope Michigan will adopt a law as urged by this Act, helping the many children who will experience their first severe allergic reaction at school and helping prevent the allergy-related deaths that occur each year in schools.” Coauthored by Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), H.R. 2094 will provide an incentive for states to allow schools to maintain an emergency supply of epinephrine auto-injectors and permit trained school personnel to administer a non-student specific epinephrine shot in case of an emergency. The legislation also requires states to review their own civil liability protection laws to ensure there is adequate protection for school personnel authorized to aid students.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361033,Huizenga Honors Veterans At Grand Valley State University,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga Honors Veterans At Grand Valley State University f t # e Washington, November 12, 2013 On Monday, Congressman Huizenga was involved in multiple ceremonies to honor the brave men and women who served our nation. In the morning, Congressman Huizenga attended the dedication of the Student Veterans' Lounge at Grand Valley State University. The lounge will be available for veterans to meet, study, and share their experiences from their time in the military.  Following the dedication, Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas announced GVSU will begin offering in-state tuition to veterans no matter where they have established residency.   At the event, Congressman Huizenga applauded GVSU's commitment to active duty military and veterans adding, ""we want our veterans coming to Michigan and staying in Michigan.""   24 Hour News 8 also covered both the dedication and the tuition announcement. Watch their newscast of the events in the video below:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361055,Huizenga Holds Medals Ceremony To Honor West Michigan Veterans,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"After participating in the dedication of new a Student Veterans' Lounge at Grand Valley State University, Congressman Huizenga hosted a medals ceremony where he presented veterans and surviving family members with the medals earned during the veterans' time of service in the military.  Medals where awarded to Major Larry Smith of Zeeland, as well as to the families of Staff Sergeant Irving Kangas and Sergeant First Class Edward Rumsey.  The event took place at the American Legion's Charles Conklin Michigan Post #28 on S Harbor Drive in Grand Haven.  Pictures of the event can be found by clicking here.  Below are the medals and awards bestowed upon each service member as well as WZZM's coverage of the ceremony. Recipients and Awards Presented: Korean & Vietnam Veteran: Major Larry Smith of Zeeland, U.S. Army. Awards: Bronze Star Medal,  Air Medal & Numeral 3, Army Commendation Medal & Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Single), Korean Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Double), Vietnam Service Medal & Bronze Star Attachment (Single), Combat Infantryman Badge 1st Award, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon w/Device (1960), Expert Badge & Carbine Bar & Rifle Bar WWII Veteran: Staff Sergeant Irving Kangas (Deceased), formerly of Holland, U.S. Army. Accepting on his behalf: His daughter Janet Kangas-Lankheet Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 silver service star, World War II Victory Medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII, Expert Badge with Machine Gun Bar with Rifle Bar with Submachine Gun Bar Vietnam Veteran: Sergeant First Class Edward Rumsey (Deceased), formerly of Montague, U.S. Army. Accepting on his behalf: His wife Martha Rumsey Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 4th Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 silver service star, Combat Infantryman Badge with Driver ""W"" Bar, Expert Badge with Machine Gun Bar, Marksman Badge with Pistol Bar",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=361122,"Upton, House Approve Landmark Children’s Health Research Bill",2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this evening in strong support of bipartisan legislation to strengthen health care for the nation’s children and families. The Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who Deliver Infants Early (PREEMIE) Reauthorization Act, S.252, continues and strengthens federal research and programs related to preterm birth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated half million babies are born premature each year in the United States. Upton sponsored the original PREEMIE Act, which was signed into law in December 2006. As amended by the House, today’s legislation includes the National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013, H.R. 225, which allows the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund pediatric research consortium that are formed from cooperating institutions to promote greater research efficiency and collaboration. Upton has met on numerous occasions with Southwest Michigan families concerning this important legislation to support children with rare and genetic diseases. H.R. 225 was approved by Upton’s Committee with unanimous consent and passed the House on February 4, 2013, as a stand-alone bill. “This legislation seeks to help Michigan children and their families with unmet health needs, including those battling rare and genetic diseases,” said Upton. “This effort will help families like the Kennedys in Mattawan. Eric and Sarah Kennedy have two delightful young daughters, Brooke and Brielle, who have the rare disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy. These two little angels, who are also affectionately known as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, are two little warriors in the effort to boost research for rare diseases and serve as an inspiration for all.” “The sad reality is it is often difficult to conduct research into rare diseases due to the small number of individuals with the disease.  But today, we are working to change that, and provide families with greater hope for a cure or advances in treatment.” The House passed S. 252 as amended this evening by unanimous consent. Upton is hopeful that the Senate will quickly act to pass this vital legislation to ensure it reaches the President’s desk. “On behalf of my family and our daughters, Brielle and Brooke, and on behalf of FightSMA – an organization that has labored hard to advocate for spinal muscular atrophy research – and on behalf of the thousands of children fighting this crippling and terrifying disease, I want to thank Congressman Fred Upton for his hard work in advancing the National Pediatric Research Network Act,” said Sarah Kennedy in response to this evening’s House action. “This legislation will have a dramatic and life-changing effect on so many families who have suffered for so many years. Congressman Upton's advocacy breathes hope into the lives of every child fighting a rare disease.” This evening, the House also approved S. 330, the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, which allows research to fully evaluate the safety and efficacy of organ transplantation between individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In 1988, Congress banned the transplantation  of HIV-infected organs. Today, HIV treatments have extended and improved the lives of individuals with HIV, increasing the need for organ donations. Upton’s Committee passed the House companion bill to this legislation, H.R. 698, on July 16, 2013, by unanimous consent.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361223,Hillsdale Daily News: Officials Pay Tribute to Vets,2013-11-12,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360927,Huizenga: The admiration we show our servicemen and women should last year-round,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) release the following statement to commemorate Veterans Day:""This Veterans Day, I hope you will join me in thanking the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line in service to our nation. As the son of a veteran, I understand the continued commitment and conviction our veterans across West Michigan demonstrate to both our communities and our country after they have completed their military service. ""Let's also take a moment today to thank the men and women currently serving in uniform across the globe, show gratitude to the military families who are working to make ends meet while their loved ones are away, and pay tribute to America's fallen heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. ""While Veterans Day is listed on the calendar as November 11th, the admiration we show our servicemen and women should last year-round.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360931,Support our Troops and Veterans with Holiday Mail for Heroes,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"This Veterans Day, Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, is encouraging folks in Southwest Michigan to share some holiday cheer with service members, veterans, and their families by participating in Holiday Mail for Heroes. ""It’s such a simple thing to sign a card to let our brave men and women in the service – and their families – know we appreciate their work. And yet it means so much,” said Upton. “I hope everyone will take a moment to participate in this program.” The American Red Cross is in its seventh year of making sure personalized holiday cards of appreciation are sent to service members and their families. Upton is again facilitating the operation by accepting cards meant for the troops and their families at his constituent service offices in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph. Cards dropped off at the offices by December 4 will be forwarded to the Holiday Mail for Heroes program. Cards can be mailed to the offices or dropped off. “Let our troops know how much their dedication is valued by the American people,” Upton urged. “The holiday season is one of the best times to acknowledge their work.” The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is an extension of the Red Cross’ work with more than 2 million services members and 24 million veterans each year. It provides a ""touch of home"" for veterans, military families and active duty service members in hospitals, military installations and other locations around the world.  The American Red Cross has asked card senders keep in mind a few guidelines:   Do: * Include a heartfelt message and signature. * Use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.” * Bundle large quantities of cards in large mailing envelopes or flat rate postal shipping boxes. Envelopes are not necessary for the cards. Don't: * Send letters, packages or monetary gifts – only cards are accepted. * Include personal information such as home or email addresses on the cards. * Include inserts of any kind; these items will be removed during the reviewing process. * Use cards with glitter or use loose glitter --  it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured service members. Holiday cards sent directly must arrive by December 6 to:  Holiday Mail for Heroes P.O. Box 5456 Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456 Upton is collecting cards at his district offices located at: Kalamazoo District Office 157 South Kalamazoo Mall Suite 180 Kalamazoo, MI 49007 269-385-0039 St. Joseph / Benton Harbor District Office 800 Centre 800 Ship Street St. Joseph, MI 49085 269-982-1986 For additional information and card requirements, please visit: http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Kicks-Off-Holiday-Mail-for-Heroes-Campaign Or http://www.redcross.org/support/get-involved/holiday-mail-for-heroes",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131202185242/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360914,Jackson Cit Pat: We must remain committed to caring for members of Armed Forces after they return home,2013-11-11,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"During a recent visit to Walter Reed National Medical Center, I met 24-year-old Sgt. Christopher Hemwall from Monroe as he underwent rehabilitation. In March 2011, he was shot three times in an ambush while serving in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province. Eventually, Sgt. Hemwall’s right leg had to be amputated below the knee after an experimental treatment failed. Yet, in spite of these hardships, he remains committed to serving our country again after his rehab. As a nation, we must remain committed to caring for Sgt. Hemwall and all our nation’s brave servicemen and women. The dedication of soldiers like Sgt. Hemwall to our nation makes recent reports of reckless spending at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) even more egregious. On October 30, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform looked into the July and August 2011 human resource employee training conferences, which took place in Orlando and included mismanagement of funds, unethical behavior, and cost taxpayers more than $6 million. During the hearing I had the opportunity to ask the current VA Assistant Secretary for Human Resources why conference planners were not concerned about establishing and staying within a budget, and I expressed my concerns over wasteful spending that included $50,000 alone on a parody video and $98,000 for promotional items including water bottles, fitness walking kits and hand sanitizers. Conference planners also traveled to Dallas and Nashville looking for the right city to hold their event while they enjoyed helicopter rides, spa treatment and shows. Meanwhile, the overnight conferences to train human resource staff included DJ’s, karaoke and game nights. All this while 700,000 veterans benefit claims are pending and more than half of that number will wait over 125 days for their case to be resolved. This is unacceptable. With thousands of new Veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan – many proudly coming home to Michigan’s 7th District - I am dedicated to providing our heroes with the highest quality medical care and resources as they transition into the job market in addition to conducting oversight over the VA and rooting out wasteful practices. Last Congress, I co-sponsored, the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act, to help address veteran unemployment, which the President signed into law. In May, the House advanced H.R 1412, the Improving Job Opportunities for Veterans Act, which would expands existing job training programs for our returning veterans. Most recently, I helped pass a bipartisan group package of bills to assist our nation’s Veterans, including legislation to address the disability claim backlog at the VA, improve vocational and educational opportunities, and help vulnerable disabled Veterans maintain housing. As your representative in Washington, I’m dedicated to upholding our nation’s commitments to Veterans every day. Veterans benefits are deserved and earned through service and sacrifice. After all, less than 1 percent of the population currently defends our great country and its important that both Republicans and Democrats strive to give those men and women the tools they need to be successful when they come home. It is the right and honorable thing to do and Congress must continue to fulfill their responsibility to do so. To read the original article at Jackson Cit Pat, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360980,THE HERALD-PALLADIUM: Upton advances federal EpiPen rules,2013-11-09,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Louise WregeEpiPens save lives, and U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, wants to make it easier for schools to have them on hand in case of emergencies. On Wednesday, as the House Speaker pro tempore, Upton signed the ""School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act,"" which allows schools to have EpiPens on hand. Epinephrine can be used to stop the deadly swelling of the throat and tongue when someone has an anaphylactic reaction, which can be caused by allergies to items such as peanuts. He said the U.S. House passed the act in July. The U.S. Senate approved the bipartisan legislation last week. Upton said President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law next week. Upton said he knows from personal experience how deadly an anaphylactic reaction can be. ""I can remember back in 1980, a family that I was close to here in our district lost their son. He was in the high school band and tragically had a candy bar during halftime for a little energy boost. And died literally on the field. It was a real tragedy,"" Upton said. He said the family has since moved out of state. ""These things happen and its a tragedy that one never escapes from. Had they had an EpiPen there, perhaps he would have lived,"" he said. He said schools are not required to have EpiPens. But with nearly 6 million children in the United States having food allergies, he said that averages to about two students with allergies in every classroom. And once the anaphylactic reaction happens, he said minutes matter. Read the full article HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360917,Coldwater Daily Reporter: Rep Walberg Recognizes Hillsdale’s Cobra Motorcycle,2013-11-09,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360669,"Become a Citizen Cosponsor of Upton’s ""Keep Your Health Plan Act""",2013-11-08,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"One of the key promises of Obamacare was that if you liked your health insurance plan, you could keep it. “No matter what.” But as NBC News now reports, “millions of Americans are getting…cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare.”  While the administration sticks to its broken promises, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, has introduced the Keep Your Health Plan Act to provide peace of mind to Americans across the country who are currently receiving insurance termination notices. The House of Representatives will vote on Upton’s bill next week.Upton is encouraging folks in Southwest Michigan to make their voices heard by becoming a Citizen Cosponsor of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act. Cosponsor.gov is an innovative platform that brings the American people into the legislative process. Users log in via Facebook and can show their support for issues they care about by becoming a “Citizen Cosponsor” of that bill. Citizen Cosponsors are then updated on the status of their bills as they move through the various stages of the legislative process.  The Keep Your Health Plan Act, would allow health insurance plans currently available on the individual market to be offered next year. Additionally, the bill would allow Americans the choice to continue enrolling in those plans without being penalized under the individual mandate.  Become a Citizen Cosponsor of H.R. 3350, Keep Your Health Plan Act here.  Facing hardships as a result of the health law? Share your story here. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags #KeepYourHealthPlan, #KeepThePromise, and #FairnessForAll.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360584,"MLive: Huizenga Talks Job Creation, Mergers & Acquisitions Legislation at ADAC in Muskegon",2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Huizenga bill on mergers and acquisitions highlighted at businesses' Muskegon meeting MLive Muskegon - Stephen Kloosterman - November 07, 2013 at 10:39 AMBusiness leaders gathered in Muskegon Wednesday and talked up legislation sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga.  House Resolution 2274 would simplify government regulation of brokers who specialize in mergers and acquisitions of privately owned, small- to medium-size companies, according to Huizenga. ... Huizenga testified about H.R. 2274 Oct. 23 in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Markets Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. ""It's been estimated at 10 trillion-with-a-T, dollars of privately-owned, Main Street, mom-and-pop-type businesses will be sold or closed as baby boomers retire. We don't want them closed, we want them sold so they can continue,"" Huizenga said. ""We must streamline and simplify the regulatory structure so small- and mid-sized businesses are able to safely, efficiently and effectively sell their companies while preserving and protecting jobs at these companies."" ... Read the rest of the article on MLive's website HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360646,House to Consider Upton’s Keep Your Health Plan Act Next Week,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House of Representatives will consider H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act, next week. The Keep Your Health Plan Act was introduced by Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, and has been cosponsored by more than 130 members. The bill would allow health plans currently available on the individual market to continue next year, providing Americans the opportunity to continue to enroll in those plans without penalty under the health care law. “Folks in Michigan and across the country have been told that, despite the President’s oft-repeated promise, they are losing their health care plans and access to their doctors because of the health care law,” said Upton. “The anxiety directly caused by the law’s broken promises is flatly wrong, and this bill serves to ease those concerns and provide choices to the American people. Health care should be about providing peace of mind – this bill does just that.”   The House is expected to vote on the bill on Friday, November 15.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131202183528/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360616,WLNS- TV: Frustrated Residents Share Thoughts With Congressman,2013-11-07,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"CHARLOTTE, Mich. (WLNS) - On Thursday morning Congressman Tim Walberg hosted a town hall meeting in Charlotte. And dozens of community members showed up to express their frustrations. Government spending and the possible loss of insurance policies were the biggest issues discussed at the meeting. Though Walberg promised to take concerns back to the house, veterans and retirees say they just want him to stand firm in his promise and represent them. I'm retired on limited income and we're struggling now. And we just got to quit the spending,"" said Owen Whitkopf, retired. ""We have reduced the deficit expenditure for this year down to $630 billion. That doesn't sound good but it's at least better than the $1.3, $1.7, $1.8 and $1.5, trillion of the previous 5 years. So we have to continue moving in that direction get the spending under control. And allow the freedom and opportunity for American citizens,"" said Tim Walberg, US Rep, Michigan's 7th Congressional District. Walberg heads to Washington D.C. to meet with the house next week. To read the original article at WLNS-TV, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360495,Bill to Help Children Suffering from Severe Allergic Reactions Heads to President’s Desk,2013-11-06,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Nearly 6 million children in the United States have food allergies – that is roughly two students in every classroom. Anaphylaxis, a serious form of allergic reaction, can be fatal in a matter of minutes. In the event of an allergic reaction, epinephrine can be used to stop deadly swelling of the throat and tongue that occurs in an anaphylactic reaction, but time is of the essence.House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, praised the advancement of H.R. 2094, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, which supports our nation’s schools as they work to ensure they have the capability to treat severe allergic reactions. “When the difference between life and death comes down to a matter of minutes, ensuring our schools have the emergency resources they need on site is crucial,” said Upton. “It is still haunting that long-time family friends tragically lost their son at a school event in Southwest Michigan due to an allergic reaction. There was no EpiPen and despite heroic efforts he died. This incentive for schools will indeed save countless lives.” “A child having a serious allergic reaction in the classroom is a parent and teacher’s worst nightmare, and unfortunately it is a problem that has become all too common. I applaud the Senate for following the House in getting this bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk. This bipartisan bill goes a long way to keep our classrooms safe and saving untold young lives in the process.” H.R. 2094 passed the House of Representatives on July 30 after being unanimously approved by Upton’s Energy and Commerce Committee. The Senate followed the House’s lead by approving the bipartisan legislation last week. Today, by appointment as House Speaker pro tempore, Upton signed H.R. 2094, certifying the House’s approval of the bill and thereby allowing it to advance to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation has been widely praised by advocates of children with severe allergic reactions, including Food Allergic Families & Friends (FAFF) of Southwest Michigan, which has more than 50 member-families in the region. “We are thrilled with this lifesaving legislation, which helps schools access emergency medicine for severe allergic reactions, when every second counts,” said Sarah Swallow Beuker of Portage, Michigan, founder and moderator of FAFF. “We hope Michigan will adopt a law as urged by this Act, helping the many children who will experience their first severe allergic reaction at school and helping prevent the allergy-related deaths that occur each year in schools.”  Coauthored by Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), H.R. 2094 will provide an incentive for states to allow schools to maintain an emergency supply of epinephrine auto-injectors and permit trained school personnel to administer a non-student specific epinephrine shot in case of an emergency. The legislation also requires states to review their own civil liability protection laws to ensure there is adequate protection for school personnel authorized to aid students. The President is expected to sign H.R. 2094 into law as early as next week.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360358,"Detroit News: As Obamacare implodes, what's the GOP alternative?",2013-11-05,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,mikerogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oct 25, 2017 | Washington Times Ignored by the “inside the Beltway” media has been the heroic efforts of Rep. Mike Rogers, Alabama Republican, as he struggles against the “corporate” Air Force to establish a separate Space Corps service. Opposing Mr. Rogers, the secretary of the Air Force says a separate space service isn’t needed and that the regular Air Force can do whatever is necessary to fulfill the military space mission. This is a huge load of some of Washington D.C.’s finest political trash. May 18, 2017 | The Hill Apr 4, 2017 | Space News Mar 8, 2017 | PBS Mar 8, 2017 | AL.com Jan 26, 2017 | Fox News Jan 11, 2017 | Real Clear Defense Sep 26, 2016 | Space News Jun 27, 2016 | Yellowhammer News Pages",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360360,"Oakland Press: Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers on Detroit, Snowden and Obamacare",2013-11-05,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,mikerogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oct 25, 2017 | Washington Times Ignored by the “inside the Beltway” media has been the heroic efforts of Rep. Mike Rogers, Alabama Republican, as he struggles against the “corporate” Air Force to establish a separate Space Corps service. Opposing Mr. Rogers, the secretary of the Air Force says a separate space service isn’t needed and that the regular Air Force can do whatever is necessary to fulfill the military space mission. This is a huge load of some of Washington D.C.’s finest political trash. May 18, 2017 | The Hill Apr 4, 2017 | Space News Mar 8, 2017 | PBS Mar 8, 2017 | AL.com Jan 26, 2017 | Fox News Jan 11, 2017 | Real Clear Defense Sep 26, 2016 | Space News Jun 27, 2016 | Yellowhammer News Pages",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131202190651/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360453,The Hill: Senate passes bill allowing DOL to pay federal contractors prevailing wages,2013-11-05,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"The Senate passed a House bill Tuesday that would transfer some responsibility from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Department of Labor. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) introduced the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act, H.R. 2747, which transfers authority from the GAO to the Department of Labor (DOL) to pay federal wage adjustment claims under the Davis-Bacon Act. Davis-Bacon requires federal contractors to be paid prevailing wages in their local area, a policy many Republicans oppose. But both parties agreed that DOL should be in charge of payments to workers who are not paid a prevailing wage, instead of the GAO. The House passed the bill on a 396-10 vote in September. The bill now heads to President Obama’s desk for his signature before becoming law. The Senate passed the bill through a unanimous consent agreement before adjourning for the evening. Several military nominations were confirmed the same way. The Senate is expected to continue work on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for the rest of the week. To read the original article at the Hill.com, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221003004/http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360363,CBS News: Obamacare website security tests never finished before launch,2013-11-05,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"A CBS News analysis finds key tests to ensure the security and privacy of customer information on troubled Obamacare website fell behind schedule. A deadline for final security plans was delayed three times over the summer, and final top-to-bottom security tests never were finished before the launch. All of that is adding to concerns about the safety of personal information on the site. Technology experts say this website did not go through proper security testing before it went live on October 1 -- and they've shared with CBS News several flaws that could expose personal information. Now we're starting to see real-like examples of what can go wrong. With critics openly mocking the Obama administration about problems with HealthCare.gov, officials insist on one thing: at least the website is safe. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, ""Consumers can trust that their information is protected by stringent security standards."" South Carolina attorney Thomas Dougall is not so sure. He said: ""My information is out there, and I want it deleted from their website."" Dougall and his wife signed up on the website in October, but over the weekend got a disturbing call about a man in North Carolina who also registered, and was shocked to get the Dougalls' eligibility letters, including their names and home address. ""It's just a system that we've continually been told was secure and now I've found out it's not secure,"" Dougall said. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed: ""An incident involving the personal information of one consumer was reported...and we took immediate steps. We identified a piece of software code that needed to be fixed and that fix is now in place."" But other problems are not fixed. Software experts tell CBS News they have identified multiple security issues, including with user names and passwords. We gave one technology expert the real HealthCare.gov user name of a CBS employee. Within seconds, he identified the specific security questions she selected to reset her password. Shawn Henry, president of the cyber security firm Crowdstrike Services and the former assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Division, said: ""If somebody's got the ability to look at the source code and be able to reverse engineer that and identify what somebody's personal questions are, that should be of concern."" On ""CBS This Morning,"" CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford reported House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., tells her this is just one more reason the website should be taken down and tested for security vulnerabilities --and Democrats are also making that point -- concerns that will likely be raised when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifies again before Congress on Wednesday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=360171,USA TODAY: Let people keep their coverage,2013-11-04,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"""If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what."" This promise from President Obama has been pervasive and unequivocal.Yet I am hearing from countless concerned constituents in Michigan who are losing their coverage. They are joined by millions of Americans who took the president at his word and are now receiving insurance termination notices and alternatives that are often much more expensive. Making matters worse, the administration has known that many health plans would be forced to end under Affordable Care Act requirements, but the president repeated his promise even into late September. The ""Keep Your Health Plan Act"" is a simple, sensible solution that would allow health plans being offered today to continue into next year. Particularly as consumers struggle with the error-prone online enrollment process, the Keep Your Health Plan Act is a voluntary escape hatch that would give added flexibility for Americans who truly want to keep the plan they have. Implementation of the president's health care law has generated confusion and concern. That's not what health reform should be about. Americans deserve to know that in times of need, they will have the coverage and care that they want, need and can afford. That is why the law's broken promises matter. ""We'll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year"" has been replaced with premium increases as high as 400%. Administration officials insisted the law would be ready Oct. 1, but a month later the website still does not work and has questionable security. Investigating this law's implementation is about accountability, transparency and fairness. To those who say the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, I concur; that is why it needs the same scrutiny we give other programs that affect American citizens and consume taxpayer dollars. Despite continued policy differences, I hope we can find common ground on keeping the promises the president made. Passing the Keep Your Health Plan Act with bipartisan support would do just that. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Click here to read the column online Click here to read a copy of H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131115154843/http://amash.house.gov:80/press-release/amash-host-town-hall-byron-township,Amash to Host Town Hall in Byron Township,2013-11-04,2013,2013-11,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    November 4, 2013                                                                               CONTACT Jordan Bush 616.451.8383 Jordan.Bush@mail.house.gov   Amash to Host Town Hall in Byron Township GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) today invited constituents to a town hall meeting on Wednesday, November 6, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Byron Township’s offices. “I look forward to answering questions about issues facing our country and the Third District of Michigan,” said Amash. The event and parking are free. The town hall is open to the public and the media. WHO:             Rep. Justin Amash   WHAT:           Town Hall Meeting   WHEN:           Wednesday, November 6, 2013 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.   WHERE:         Byron Township’s offices 8085 Byron Center Ave. Byron Center, Michigan 49315   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359888,WZZM: 26-year-old's insurance canceled because of ObamaCare,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"• Jordan was offered different options but they were triple the cost and they offered care he didn't need.• ""I'm really going from a independent financial individual to someone who needs help from the government to pay for insurance."" 26-year-old's insurance canceled because of ACA WZZM Oct 30, 2013 6:48 PMGRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- As the U.S. House Committee continues its Affordable Care Act hearings, millions of Americans are finding out that their current insurance plans are being canceled. Jordan Cloud, 26, is one of them. He was happy with his insurance. ""It was affordable to me at this stage of my life,"" says Jordan. Jordan works a part time job and attends Grand Rapids Community College. He felt like he was being responsible by getting insurance and paying for it on his own. ""The insurance was the Blue Cross Young Adult, it was a really good plan. Then, I got something in the mail that said it was going to be cancelled and I had to switch plans."" Jordan was offered different options but they were triple the cost and they offered care he didn't need. ""I'm really going from a independent financial individual to someone who needs help from the government to pay for insurance."" Jordan logged onto healthcare.gov but ran into problems right away. He took pictures of the error messages. ""I first tried to log-on and for several hours, it said I had not registered my email, password did not work."" The Obama Administration has promised to fix the site but like many, Jordan is frustrated by the process and has given up. He continues to look for a private plan that is affordable and fits his needs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359974,Washington Times Highlights Bipartisan Support In Efforts To Reform Dodd-Frank,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Reforming the reform A rollback of Dodd-Frank is overdue, and very difficult The Washington Times - Editorial - October 31, 2013The Republican plan takes aim at the most outrageous and indefensible policies concealed within the 850 pages of the legislation, which was written in the dark. With 14,000 pages of implementing regulations, the law has created a nightmare for businesses that have to make plans based on what it all means. The result has been a universal feeling of uncertainty about the future, according to the Business Roundtable’s regular surveys of chief executives. Uncertain executives are cautious, holding back on hiring and investment, which has kept the economy stalled. Instead of holding big banks accountable for the financial meltdown, Dodd-Frank is an excuse to expand government and strengthen Washington’s grip on the private sector. The newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, for example, gives jobs to a thousand cronies and wastes half-a-billion dollars duplicating the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. ... Earlier this year, the House voted 321 to 62 to repeal a new administration rule imposing “term limits” for outside auditors of a company’s financial statements. The rule isn’t part of Dodd-Frank, but it shares the theme of empowering bureaucrats to damage the private sector. Other measures have cleared the House Financial Services Committee and await a floor vote. Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan is going after Dodd-Frank’s mandate that companies compute the average employee’s salary for comparison to what the CEO makes. It’s the sort of gimmick dreamed up by someone with no idea of the effort involved to create a statistic that is only useful to class-warfare warriors attacking capitalism. Rep. Robert Hurt of Virginia wants to exempt private equity and growth capital funds from Dodd-Frank’s registration requirements. These funds had nothing to do with the financial crisis, so imposing a layer of red tape on them increases costs without providing any benefit in market stability. Despite the broad, cross-party support for most of these pending proposals, it’s not clear whether they’ll be able to get past Harry Reid and the Senate. ...  Read the rest of the piece over at the Washington Times' website HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131111144914/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359977,Jackson Cit Pat: Tim Walberg says Washington needs to do a better job of promoting policies to boost job creation,2013-10-31,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"The recently released Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) September employment report certainly wasn’t worth the wait. Delayed because of the government shutdown, September’s jobs report disappointed as our economy added just 148,000 jobs, fewer than the previous month’s and slower than the average pace of growth within the last year. Perhaps more telling, 136,000 fewer Americans participated in the labor force, keeping the labor force participation rate at its lowest level since the 1970’s at 63.2%. That’s in addition to the 11 million who are unemployed and actively searching for work. While these dismal numbers may look like the new normal, Americans deserve better. Washington needs to do a better job of promoting policies to boost job creation. Rather than looking to big government solutions that only grow the bureaucracy, we should look to those with the best track record at creating the most jobs – small businesses. Not only do they employ about half of people working in the private sector, but their knack for innovation, tendency to promote healthy competition and drive to succeed keeps our economy afloat. Unfortunately, many of them have only been frustrated in recent years by the federal government’s unaffordable health care law, overwhelming regulations and a complicated tax code.  We also need to help job seekers. Many Michiganders have trouble finding work because they can’t cut through the bureaucratic red tape that keeps them from accessing the specific job training they need for the industries that have jobs available. Earlier this year, the House passed the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act to eliminate or consolidate proven ineffective job training programs, while also removing roadblocks that keep job seekers from getting the training they need in careers such as design manufacturing, engineering, technology, construction and healthcare. With better education and the right training, we could see more jobs fulfilled in Michigan and across the nation. Sound investment in infrastructure is another important component in helping our economy recover. In late October the House passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) to authorize ports and waterway infrastructure projects. Our nation’s waterways are vital to a healthy economy and job creation and this reauthorization makes necessary reforms to streamline the approval of important infrastructure projects while promoting American competitiveness and fiscal responsibility. It passed the House with strong bipartisan support, by a vote of 417-3, proving that it is possible for Washington to come together to enact common sense reforms that save money and boost our economy. It’s not complicated.  If we want to better prepare job seekers to fill those jobs, we must equip them with the skills they need and make sure they’re not being held back by federal red tape. And if we want to know how to foster a healthy economy we must keep talking to the 28 million small businesses and focus on real solutions that strengthen the economy like simplifying the tax code and reducing the regulatory burden. We need the President and Senate to listen and work with the House in a good faith, bipartisan effort to allow for significant job creation and recovery. To read the original article at Jackson Cit Pat, please click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357129,WOOD TV 8: West Michigan Residents Learn They Cannot Keep Their Insurance,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"• Derby said she was surprised to get the notification from BCBS. ""It's like, 'Oh, yeah, I got this insurance. Should be good to go.' Never saw this coming. Never,"" she said.• For years, President Barack Obama and his administration said those who had and liked their insurance would be able to keep it. ""He did say that,"" Derby said. ""I remember that. I don't know what happened that we can't keep it."" • Derby currently pays close to $400 per month for insurance with a $5,000 deductible for herself and her 7-year-old daughter. A new policy from BCBS could cost her less per month, but her deducible would double, and she received a quote on a comparable policy from Priority Health that was more than $650 per month. Obamacare insurance switch 'not fair' Many still can't access HealthCare.gov WOOD TV 8 - Tom Hillen Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 6:31 AM EDT FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - As many as 2 million Americans will likely lose their current health care plans because they do not meet certain requirements of the Affordable Care Act -- more commonly known as Obamacare -- according to NBC News. One of those Americans is Fruitport Township resident and mother Jackie Derby. Derby currently has a plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield, but that plan is being canceled come the end of the year. ""I have until December 15. If I'm not in a plan -- whether it be Blue Cross, Priority or Etna -- I have no coverage January 1. Due to heath conditions, that's not an option for me,"" Derby said. Derby said she was surprised to get the notification from BCBS. ""It's like, 'Oh, yeah, I got this insurance. Should be good to go.' Never saw this coming. Never,"" she said. Derby currently pays close to $400 per month for insurance with a $5,000 deductible for herself and her 7-year-old daughter. A new policy from BCBS could cost her less per month, but her deducible would double, and she received a quote on a comparable policy from Priority Health that was more than $650 per month. ""I thought I was going to see a better rate, and I'm not seeing that right now,"" Derby said. Derby has been told she qualifies for a subsidy through the Affordable Care Act that would bring down the cost of her premium. But in order to figure out how much that would be, she has to be able to log into HealthCare.gov, which she has been trying to do for a month. When Derby tried Tuesday, the website was once again down. ""No system is perfect, but this is unacceptable,"" she said. ""You can't do anything. I can't see rates. I can't see what am I going to be doing."" Derby said she feels lost. ""I still don't' know what I'm going to do,"" she said. The spottiness of the website has been the subject of a congressional hearing. During that hearing Monday, the Medicare chief apologized for the problems and promised they would be fixed. But Derby said she doesn't understand why she has to change plans in the first place. For years, President Barack Obama and his administration said those who had and liked their insurance would be able to keep it. ""He did say that,"" Derby said. ""I remember that. I don't know what happened that we can't keep it."" She also said she does have a message to those who represent her, from the president to her senators and representative. ""You need to get it fixed,"" she said. ""This isn't fair. We're going to be penalized for inaction on your part. I've done everything that was told to me to do. Log on, create a profile, and now I can't get on. And it's [a working website] coming, it's coming. Well, when? You've got to make changes. Peoples' lives and their livelihoods are at stake.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=359837,Huizenga Honors Grandville Mayor Jim Buck For His Historic Leadership in West Michigan,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) honored Grandville Mayor Jim Buck on the House floor for his commitment, dedication, and service to West Michigan:   Remarks:I rise today to say thank you to a friend of mine, Mayor James R. Buck, who has dedicated 45 years of service to the City of Grandville in the Second District and has served the last 29 years as mayor. Mayor Buck has been recognized countless times for his leadership and commitment to West Michigan. Most recently he received the Michigan Municipal League's Michael A. Guido Leadership and Public Service Award. In addition to his role as Mayor, Jim serves as the Chairman of the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council, which plays a leading role in fostering public and private cooperation to enhance the quality of life in West Michigan. Under the steady leadership of Mayor Buck, Grandville has grown and thrived. Grandville would not be the city it is today without Jim and his impact will be felt forever and recognized by all. I want to personally thank my friend, Jim Buck, for his dedication and service to our community. Your long days and hard hours have put Grandville on the map as a destination to do business, visit, and most importantly live. Mayor Buck, thank you for what you have done not only for Grandville, not only for West Michigan, but for all of Michigan and our country. Enjoy the time off. Thanks Jim.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=359852,Upton’s Committee Hears from HHS Secretary Sebelius on Botched Health Care Rollout,2013-10-30,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today heard from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the health care rollout. The hearing, entitled “PPACA Implementation Failures: Answers from HHS,” focused on the failures and issues surrounding the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges. Last Thursday, Upton’s committee heard from several of the health care law’s top contractors.Click here to watch Upton’s opening statement.Click here for more information on today’s hearing.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356922,NBC News: Obama Administration Knew Millions Could Not Keep Their Insurance,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC NEWS that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.”  Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.” That means the administration knew that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them. Richard Helgren, a Lansing, Mich., retiree, said he was “irate” when he received a letter informing him that his wife Amy's $559 a month health plan was being changed because of the law. The plan the insurer offered raised his deductible from $0 to $2,500, and the company gave him 17 days to decide. The higher costs spooked him and his wife, who have painstakingly planned for their retirement years. ""Every dollar we didn't plan for erodes our standard of living,"" Helgren said. Ultimately, though Helgren opted not to shop through the ACA exchanges, he was able to apply for a good plan with a slightly lower premium through an insurance agent. He said he never believed President Obama’s promise that people would be able to keep their current plans. ""I heard him only about a thousand times,"" he said. ""I didn't believe him when he said it though because there was just no way that was going to happen. They wrote the regulations so strictly that none of the old polices can grandfather.""  Obama Admin. Knew Millions Could Not Keep Their Insurance NBC News Lisa Myers and Hannah Rappleye  October 28, 2013President Obama repeatedly assured Americans that after the Affordable Care Act became law, people who liked their health insurance would be able to keep it. But millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years. Four sources deeply involved in the Affordable Care Act tell NBC NEWS that 50 to 75 percent of the 14 million consumers who buy their insurance individually can expect to receive a “cancellation” letter or the equivalent over the next year because their existing policies don’t meet the standards mandated by the new health care law. One expert predicts that number could reach as high as 80 percent. And all say that many of those forced to buy pricier new policies will experience “sticker shock.” None of this should come as a shock to the Obama administration. The law states that policies in effect as of March 23, 2010 will be “grandfathered,” meaning consumers can keep those policies even though they don’t meet requirements of the new health care law. But the Department of Health and Human Services then wrote regulations that narrowed that provision, by saying that if any part of a policy was significantly changed since that date -- the deductible, co-pay, or benefits, for example -- the policy would not be grandfathered. Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.” That means the administration knew that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them. “This says that when they made the promise, they knew half the people in this market outright couldn’t keep what they had and then they wrote the rules so that others couldn’t make it either,” said Robert Laszewski, of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, a consultant who works for health industry firms. Laszewski estimates that 80 percent of those in the individual market will not be able to keep their current policies and will have to buy insurance that meets requirements of the new law, which generally requires a richer package of benefits than most policies today. The White House does not dispute that many in the individual market will lose their current coverage, but argues they will be offered better coverage in its place, and that many will get tax subsidies that would offset any increased costs. “One of the main goals of the law is to ensure that people have insurance they can rely on – that doesn’t discriminate or charge more based on pre-existing conditions. The consumers who are getting notices are in plans that do not provide all these protections – but in the vast majority of cases, those same insurers will automatically shift their enrollees to a plan that provides new consumer protections and, for nearly half of individual market enrollees, discounts through premium tax credits,” said White House spokesperson Jessica Santillo. Individual insurance plans with low premiums often lack basic benefits, such as prescription drug coverage, or carry high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. The Affordable Care Act requires all companies to offer more benefits, such as mental health care, and also bars companies from denying coverage for preexisting conditions. Today, White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked about the president’s promise that consumers would be able to keep their health care. “What the president said and what everybody said all along is that there are going to be changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act to create minimum standards of coverage, minimum services that every insurance plan has to provide,” Carney said. “So it's true that there are existing healthcare plans on the individual market that don't meet those minimum standards and therefore do not qualify for the Affordable Care Act.” Heather Goldwater, 38, of South Carolina, says that she received a letter from her insurer saying the company would no longer offer her plan, but hasn't yet received a follow-up letter with a comparable option. Other experts said that most consumers in the individual market will not be able to keep their policies. Nancy Thompson, senior vice president of CBIZ Benefits, which helps companies manage their employee benefits, says numbers in this market are hard to pin down, but that data from states and carriers suggests “anywhere from 50 to 75 percent” of individual policy holders will get cancellation letters. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, who chairs the health committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, says that estimate is “probably about right.” She added that a few states are asking insurance companies to cancel and replace policies, rather than just amend them, to avoid confusion. A spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), an insurance trade association, also said the 50 to 75 percent estimate was consistent with the range they are hearing. Those getting the cancellation letters are often shocked and unhappy. George Schwab, 62, of North Carolina, said he was ""perfectly happy"" with his plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield, which also insured his wife for a $228 monthly premium. But this past September, he was surprised to receive a letter saying his policy was no longer available. The ""comparable"" plan the insurance company offered him carried a $1,208 monthly premium and a $5,500 deductible. And the best option he’s found on the exchange so far offered a 415 percent jump in premium, to $948 a month. ""The deductible is less,"" he said, ""But the plan doesn't meet my needs. Its unaffordable."" ""I'm sitting here looking at this, thinking we ought to just pay the fine and just get insurance when we're sick,"" Schwab added. ""Everybody's worried about whether the website works or not, but that's fixable. That's just the tip of the iceberg. This stuff isn't fixable."" Heather Goldwater, 38, of South Carolina, is raising a new baby while running her own PR firm. She said she received a letter last July from Cigna, her insurance company, that said the company would no longer offer her individual plan, and promised to send a letter by October offering a comparable option. So far, she hasn't received anything. ""I'm completely overwhelmed with a six-month-old and a business,” said Goldwater. “The last thing I can do is spend hours poring over a website that isn't working, trying to wrap my head around this entire health care overhaul."" Goldwater said she supports the new law and is grateful for provisions helping folks like her with pre-existing conditions, but she worries she won’t be able to afford the new insurance, which is expected to cost more because it has more benefits. ""I'm jealous of people who have really good health insurance,"" she said. ""It's people like me who are stuck in the middle who are going to get screwed."" Richard Helgren, a Lansing, Mich., retiree, said he was “irate” when he received a letter informing him that his wife Amy's $559 a month health plan was being changed because of the law. The plan the insurer offered raised his deductible from $0 to $2,500, and the company gave him 17 days to decide. The higher costs spooked him and his wife, who have painstakingly planned for their retirement years. ""Every dollar we didn't plan for erodes our standard of living,"" Helgren said. Ulltimately, though Helgren opted not to shop through the ACA exchanges, he was able to apply for a good plan with a slightly lower premium through an insurance agent. He said he never believed President Obama’s promise that people would be able to keep their current plans. ""I heard him only about a thousand times,"" he said. ""I didn't believe him when he said it though because there was just no way that was going to happen. They wrote the regulations so strictly that none of the old polices can grandfather."" For months, Laszewski has warned that some consumers will face sticker shock. He recently got his own notice that he and his wife cannot keep their current policy, which he described as one of the best, so-called ""Cadillac"" plans offered for 2013. Now, he said, the best comparable plan he found for 2014 has a smaller doctor network, larger out-of-pocket costs, and a 66 percent premium increase. “Mr. President, I like the coverage I have,"" Laszweski said. ""It is the best health insurance policy you can buy.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356929,CBS News: More than 2 million people getting booted from existing health insurance plans,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"(CBS News) 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.There have been estimates about hundreds of thousands of people losing coverage, CBS News' Jan Crawford reported on ""CBS This Morning."" CBS News has reached out to insurance companies across the country to determine some of the real numbers -- and this is just the tip of the iceberg, Crawford said. The people who are opening the letters are shocked to learn they can't keep their insurance policies despite President Obama's assurances to the contrary. The White House is on the defensive trying to explain it, after Mr. Obama repeatedly said, ""If you like your doctor or health care plan, you can keep it."" White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, ""What the president said and what everybody said all along is that there are going to be changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act to create minimum standards of coverage."" It's an unexpected reality of Obamacare being told through anecdotes in local papers and on social media. But the hard numbers reveal the evidence is far more than anecdotal. CBS News has confirmed with insurance companies across the country that more than two million people are getting notices they no longer can keep their existing plans. In California, there are 279,000; in Michigan, 140,000; Florida, 300,000; and in New Jersey, 800,000. And those numbers are certain to go even higher. Some companies who tell CBS News they've sent letters won't say how many. Industry experts like Larry Levitt, of the Kaiser Family Foundation, say the insurance companies have no choice. ""What we're seeing now is reality coming into play,"" he said. Obamacare forces them to drop many of their plans that don't meet the law's 10 minimum standards, including maternity care, emergency visits, mental health treatment and even pediatric dental care. That means consumers have to sign on to new plans even if they don't want or need the more generous coverage. Industry experts say about half the people getting the letters will pay more -- and half will pay less, thanks to taxpayer subsidies. Levitt said, ""The winners outnumber the losers here, but because of all the website problems, it's hard to find out who the winners are because they don't even know it themselves."" And for the people who've gotten the letters, the broken website is a real problem, Crawford added on ""CTM."" They don't know what to do. They don't know if they get subsidies. And then there are others getting the letters who have very good insurance but are being told they can't keep it. Industry experts CBS News talked to say for everyone, the best bet is to just call their insurance companies to get the information. Watch Jan Crawford's full report above.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357010,Huizenga: What is President Obama actually paying attention to?,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga: What is President Obama actually paying attention to? f t # e Washington, October 29, 2013 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 interview) Congressman Huizenga: When you have the President of the United States turning to 'plausible deniability' all of the time - I was unaware what was going to happen with health care. I was unaware of what was happening with Fast & Furious, or Benghazi, or the phone taps on our allies. What are you paying attention to? Basketball scores and brackets? Other than that, what are you paying attention to?",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131112111410/http://amash.house.gov/press-release/congressmen-write-landmark-surveillance-reform,Congressmen Write Landmark Surveillance Reform,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        October 29, 2013                                                                                  CONTACT Will Adams (202) 225-3849 will.adams@mail.house.gov   Congressmen Write Landmark Surveillance Reform Amash, Bipartisan Coalition Introduce Comprehensive Bill to Rein in NSA Snooping Washington, D.C. – Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) and a bipartisan coalition of congressmen this morning introduced comprehensive legislation to rein in the federal government’s unconstitutional surveillance of Americans. The USA FREEDOM Act, H.R. 3361, reforms parts of the USA PATRIOT Act that have been used to surveil Americans’ telephone records and Internet activity, according to recent leaks.  Amash joined Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and more than 70 cosponsors in the House. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the companion bill in the Senate. “The days of unfettered spying on the American people are numbered. This is the bill the public has been waiting for. We now have legislation that ceases the government’s unconstitutional surveillance. I am confident that Americans and their representatives will rally behind it,” said Amash. Amash continued, “I am thrilled to join senior colleagues on the Judiciary Committee such as Subcommittee Chairman Sensenbrenner and Ranking Member Conyers in introducing the bill.  Leading members on the committee of jurisdiction and a diverse group of more than 70 congressmen have signed on as original cosponsors. We have strong momentum.” The comprehensive bill reforms several provisions in the Patriot Act that reportedly have been used to commit privacy abuses. First, the bill ends the government’s blanket collection of Americans’ records. Second, it increases the transparency of government surveillance. It ends the era of secret law by requiring FISA court opinions to be made available to all congressmen and summaries of the opinions to be made publicly available. Gag orders on telecommunications companies are modified so that the companies can make more information about government surveillance available to customers. Third, the bill increases privacy protections. It installs a Special Advocate to argue on behalf of Americans’ privacy before the FISA court, and the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board receives subpoena power to perform its duties. Introduction of the Freedom Act marks a major acceleration in the movement to reform government surveillance. The Amash-Conyers amendment, which was substantively incorporated into the Freedom Act, failed narrowly on a 205-217 vote in July. Eight of the Freedom Act’s original cosponsors voted against Amash-Conyers. Sensenbrenner and Leahy are the primary authors of the Patriot Act, which the Freedom Act reforms. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20140221003147/http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=357009,CNN Money: Security hole found in Obamacare website,2013-10-29,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Until the Department of Health fixed the security hole last week, anyone could easily reset your Healthcare.gov password without your knowledge and potentially hijack your account. The glitch was discovered last week by Ben Simo, a software tester in Arizona. Simo found that gaining access to people's accounts was frighteningly simple.  You could have: guessed an existing user name, and the website would have confirmed it exists. claimed you forgot your password, and the site would have reset it. viewed the site's unencrypted source code in any browser to find the password reset code. plugged in the user name and reset code, and the website would have displayed a person's three security questions (your oldest niece's first name, name of favorite pet, date of wedding anniversary, etc.). answered the security questions wrong, and the website would have spit out the account owner's email address -- again, unencrypted. Armed with the account holder's email address, a person with malicious intent could easily track down their target on social media, where they'd likely discover the answers to those security questions. It wouldn't have even taken a skilled hacker. Anyone with bad intentions -- and a minimal understanding of how to read a website's code -- could have figured it out. While such an attack might not have yielded your Social Security number or health information, it would have exposed your address and phone number. By Friday, that dent in security was gone. But security consultants say it's disconcerting that such a privacy concern remained unaddressed for more than three weeks after the federal government launched the Obamacare website Oct. 1. The Department of Health and Human Services, which is rolling out the health care overhaul, confirmed the flaws existed. After being contacted for this story, the department said changes were made that would prevent outsiders from seeing someone's password reset code. ""We have taken great care to ensure that people's usernames and information are kept secure,"" said health spokeswoman Joanne Peters. Simo tried to report the defect as soon as he found it, but the Obamacare hotline operator referred him to law enforcement -- which was neither helpful nor relevant. While attempting to retrace Simo's steps on Friday, CNNMoney found that some of the issues had been fixed -- but not all. Still, Simo fears that a savvy hacker could find other holes and Obamacare applicants' data will be compromised on a mass scale. ""This seems really sloppy,"" Simo said. ""Either the developers were incompetent and did not know how to do the basic things to protect user information, or the development was so fractured that the individuals building the system didn't understand how they fit into the bigger picture."" The flaw wasn't mentioned at last week's congressional hearing, when government contractors CGI Federal and Quality Software Services Inc. testified about their responsibilities in the project. But another point was made by Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Mich.: companies keep patching up the website's holes, and adding thousands of new lines of computer code, exposing the entire system to unforeseen security problems. Cyberattacks on Obamacare exchange websites are already underway. At least one state, Connecticut, has seen outsiders attempt to gain ""irregular"" access, according to Jim Wadleigh, chief information officer of Access Health CT. Congress' inquiries continued Tuesday, when the Ways and Means Committee posed questions about the site's glitches and security to Marilyn Tavenner, head of the health department's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The security hole is just the latest in a series of mishaps for the Obamacare website's launch. In the first weeks, system errors prevented people from signing up to the newly launched insurance exchanges. Over the past weekend, a government contractor's network failure again left users unable to apply. Monday brought the latest worrisome disclosure: that the entire Obamacare website operates on a single computer server in Virginia -- without any backup, according to Congressman Rogers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356768,Crain's Detroit: Michiganders Forced To Contend With Higher Costs Due To ObamaCare,2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"• 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 Affordable Care Act. While an estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of policyholders will receive lower premiums next year, insurance agents and health insurance executives confirm that a majority of clients and customers will pay a larger increase in premiums in 2014 than they have in recent years.• Some customers have been offered early renewal options for 2014 to lock in plans from 2013 that in some cases are priced only slightly higher. But thousands of other customers have had their current policies canceled -- told by insurers their plans are not compliant with Obamacare for 2014. • Small businesses and individuals in Michigan have complained long and hard the past several weeks to health insurers, agents and state insurance regulators over health insurance renewal quotes they have received for 2014 that range from under 10 percent to up to 75 percent or more. • Steve Miller, account executive with Grand Rapids-based Mills Benefits Group, said small groups of all sizes are paying more. Less than 10 percent of his groups have received lower rates, he said. ""The overall average is higher this year, and the dollar amount of increase is much higher for all groups,"" Miller said. Health insurance rates rising Among reasons cited: Cost trends, new required benefits Crain’s Detroit Business Jay Greene October 27, 2013 Small businesses and individuals in Michigan have complained long and hard the past several weeks to health insurers, agents and state insurance regulators over health insurance renewal quotes they have received for 2014 that range from under 10 percent to up to 75 percent or 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 Affordable Care Act. While an estimated 10 percent to 20 percent of policyholders will receive lower premiums next year, insurance agents and health insurance executives confirm that a majority of clients and customers will pay a larger increase in premiums in 2014 than they have in recent years. Over the past three years, average employer health insurance costs for midsize employers have ranged from 6 percent to 8 percent, according to Troy-based McGraw Wentworth's Mid-Market Group Benefits Survey. Read the rest over at Crain's Detroit HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=356887,Upton to Introduce Keep Your Health Plan Act,2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, is to introduce legislation this evening to protect the many Americans whose health plans are being cancelled because of the health law.  President Obama repeatedly promised,“ If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what.” Unfortunately, many Americans from coast to coast are all too familiar with the consequences of the president’s broken promise, already receiving health plan termination notices in the mail. The Keep Your Health Plan Act will ensure that insurance plans available today in the individual market can continue to exist which would allow Americans who want to keep their current health coverage to do so.“Despite the president’s repeated promise of ‘if you like your plan, you can keep it,’ many Americans are now learning the sad reality that their current plan will no longer exist beginning on January 1. Instead they are forced to purchase health care that they cannot afford through a system that does not even work, and that’s just not fair,” said Upton, who is also chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “This legislation is about providing folks the peace of mind that they will be allowed to keep their current coverage if they so choose.” The bill would allow health care plans available today on the individual market to continue to be offered so Americans have the option to keep what they have if they like it. The bill also ensures that Americans maintaining their health care plan would not face a penalty under the Affordable Care Act.| Read the draft bill online here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-helps-pass-bipartisan-veterans-bills,Walberg Helps Pass Bipartisan Veterans Bills,2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Rep. Walberg voted today in support of several pieces of legislation to assist our nation's veterans. Among the bipartisan pieces of legislation passed are bills that address the disability claim backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs, improve vocational and educational opportunities for veterans, and help vulnerable disabled veterans maintain housing. ""I was proud to support a host of veterans-focused bills today which demonstrate our nation's continued bipartisan commitment to the men and women who have put their lives on the line for our country. From efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the unacceptable claims backlog at the VA, to legislation that provides additional education and vocational assistance for our veterans, these bills are a step in the right direction for our veterans and their families,"" said Rep. Walberg following the votes. Background on bills: H.R. 2189 creates a task force to examine and make recommendations on ways to fix the disability claim backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs. H.R. 3304 authorizes and asks the President to award the Medal of Honor to certain veterans H.R. 1742, Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act, exempts severely disabled veterans from having to prove that home-aid benefits are being spent on their care before meeting income eligibility requirements for public housing. H.R. 2481 creates the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration to manage programs that provide economic assistance to veterans, their dependents and survivors. H.R. 1405 requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include an appeal form in any notice of decision denying a benefit claim, and increase local and state government access to veterans' records to expedite claims. H.R. 2011, Veterans Advisory Committee on Education Improvement Act, expands the veterans represented in the Veterans Affairs education and training programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131110133109/http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356879,Walberg Helps Pass Bipartisan Veterans Bills,2013-10-28,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Rep. Walberg voted today in support of several pieces of legislation to assist our nation’s veterans.  Among the bipartisan pieces of legislation passed are bills that address the disability claim backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs, improve vocational and educational opportunities for veterans, and help vulnerable disabled veterans maintain housing. “I was proud to support a host of veterans-focused bills today which demonstrate our nation’s continued bipartisan commitment to the men and women who have put their lives on the line for our country.  From efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the unacceptable claims backlog at the VA, to legislation that provides additional education and vocational assistance for our veterans, these bills are a step in the right direction for our veterans and their families,” said Rep. Walberg following the votes. Background on bills: H.R. 2189 creates a task force to examine and make recommendations on ways to fix the disability claim backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs. H.R. 3304 authorizes and asks the President to award the Medal of Honor to certain veterans H.R. 1742, Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act, exempts severely disabled veterans from having to prove that home-aid benefits are being spent on their care before meeting income eligibility requirements for public housing.  H.R. 2481 creates the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration to manage programs that provide economic assistance to veterans, their dependents and survivors. H.R. 1405 requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include an appeal form in any notice of decision denying a benefit claim, and increase local and state government access to veterans’ records to expedite claims. H.R. 2011, Veterans Advisory Committee on Education Improvement Act, expands the veterans represented in the Veterans Affairs education and training programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=356808,Upton Delivers the Weekly Republican Address,2013-10-26,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"In the Weekly Republican Address, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, highlighted efforts to provide fairness for all Americans under the President’s health care law, and get to the bottom of what went wrong with its rollout. The committee will hear from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday, October 30 and Upton notes that ""the bipartisan chorus has been growing ... to delay the penalty that Americans would face for being unable to purchase insurance through this broken system.”  The committee last week heard from four of the health care law's top contractors in an effort to understand what led to the botched rollout of the health law, who is responsible, and when or if the groups involved recognized the challenges that lay ahead. Concluding his address, Upton asks Americans facing hardships from the President’s broken promises to visit gop.gov/YourStory to share their experiences. Chairman Upton’s full remarks below: Hey there. I’m Michigan Representative Fred Upton, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Our panel has been active in crafting solutions to improve health care for the American people, as well as conducting thoughtful oversight of the president’s health care law.   Over the last year, we have become all too familiar with the troubled rollout of the law with its broken promises, missed deadlines, delays, special waivers, and now website crashes.   This week, in this committee room, four of the lead contractors responsible for the troubled healthcare.gov website testified about what went wrong.   Next week, we will hear directly from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  Despite hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars invested, the website still does not work for most.   At a time when we can do everything from ordering a pizza, flowers, or airline tickets, or banking and paying bills, they expect the same reliable service from healthcare.gov – and it’s still not ready for primetime.   Over the months leading up to the October 1 launch, top administration officials and lead contractors appeared before this committee, looked us in the eye, and assured us repeatedly that everything was “on track.”   Except that it wasn’t, as we now know all too well.   The broken healthcare.gov website has captured the nation’s attention, but this is more than a website problem.  We are also concerned about what happens next.   Will enrollment glitches become provider payment glitches?   Will patients show up at their doctor’s office or hospital only to be told they aren’t in the system?   And is the personal information Americans provide as part of the enrollment process safe from cyber hackers and identity theft.   Oversight is not about blame – it is about accountability… transparency. And it’s about fairness for the American public.   In a few short months, families across the country will be subject to penalties under the law’s individual mandate.   How can the administration punish innocent Americans by forcing them to buy a product many cannot afford, from a system that does not work?   And what about the promises that health care costs would go down, and that Americans could keep their health plans if they liked them, “No matter what?”   The reality in communities across America is that premiums are going higher – for some, as much as 400 percent higher.   And millions of Americans are receiving unwelcome notices that their plans are being terminated. Believe it or not, more people are receiving cancellation notices in just three states than are applying in all 50 states.   This is not what health reform promised.   In the past few days, the bipartisan chorus has been growing to delay the individual mandate, to delay the penalty that Americans would face for being unable to purchase insurance through this broken system.   This is good news.   The business mandate was delayed, and it’s only fair that individuals and families receive the same treatment.   Likewise, we should look for bipartisan solutions to allow Americans to keep their current insurance.   After all, that was President Obama’s solemn promise during the health care debate.   We will continue working toward patient-centered reforms that keep costs down for folks, all the while improving quality of care. This is a matter of fairness for all.   If you are facing hardships as a result of the law, we want to hear from you. Please go to http://gop.gov/YourStory to share your experience.   Thank you.  And God Bless.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356301,Huizenga discusses the economic impact of H.R. 2274,2013-10-24,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga discusses the economic impact of H.R. 2274 f t # e Washington, October 24, 2013 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. Watch the video below:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356099,"CBS News: ""Serious Pricing Problems"" with HealthCare.gov",2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, on ""CBS This Morning,"" CBS News' Jan Crawford reported on major pricing problems with healthcare.gov that are misleading consumers about the actual cost of insurance. Below is the video of the news segment as well as some of the key facts from the story.• The administration announced it would provide a new ""shop and browse"" feature Sunday, but it's not giving consumers the real picture. In some cases, people could end up paying double of what they see on the website, CBS News' Jan Crawford reported Wednesday on ""CBS This Morning."" • Industry analysts, such as Jonathan Wu, point to how the website lumps people only into two broad categories: ""49 or under"" and ""50 or older."" Wu said it's ""incredibly misleading for people that are trying to get a sense of what they're paying."" Prices for everyone in the 49-or-under group are based on what a 27-year-old would pay. In the 50-or-older group, prices are based on what a 50-year-old would pay. • The numbers for older Americans are even more striking. A 62-year-old in Charlotte looking for the same basic plan would get a price estimate on the government website of $394. The actual price is $634.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356231,Huizenga: WRRDA Is A Step In The Right Direction For Michigan,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"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 making significant and necessary cuts to bureaucratic red tape, this bipartisan measure will improve the dredging of harbors across the Great Lakes, help shorten the dredging backlog, and boost economic activity for both recreational and commercial harbors. ""WRRDA classifies the entire Great Lakes Navigation System as a unified body and instructs the Army Corps to count the 160 million tons of cargo shipped throughout the various ports in the Great Lakes Region as a single entity rather than forcing all 140 harbors to compete against one another. By classifying the Great Lakes like other major shipping waterways, harbors spanning from the St. Lawrence River Basin to Lake Michigan will be able to compete for funds needed to alleviate the over $200 million dredging backlog throughout the Great Lakes. ""It is estimated that 18 million cubic yards of sediment clogs ports and waterways throughout the Great Lakes. This has reduced the amount of cargo shipped by 500,000 tons over the course of the navigation season. To put this number into perspective, a standard dump truck holds around 15 cubic yards of material, so 18 million cubic yards of sediment would fill the equivalent of 1.2 million standard dump trucks. That number of dump trucks would span a distance greater than the distance between Muskegon, Michigan and Beijing, China."" ""Lastly, H.R. 3280 takes an important step toward ensuring the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used for its intended purpose by requiring 80% of the monies collected by the fund to actually go to U.S. Army Corps operation and maintenance of our harbors by fiscal year 2020. More must be done to ensure these dollars are used as they are intended and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the future to make sure that happens.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://mikerogers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356261,Washington Post: U.S. businesses are in an unfair fight against cyberthreats,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Mike Rogers,R000572,mikerogers.house.gov,,,legacy,"Oct 25, 2017 | Washington Times Ignored by the “inside the Beltway” media has been the heroic efforts of Rep. Mike Rogers, Alabama Republican, as he struggles against the “corporate” Air Force to establish a separate Space Corps service. Opposing Mr. Rogers, the secretary of the Air Force says a separate space service isn’t needed and that the regular Air Force can do whatever is necessary to fulfill the military space mission. This is a huge load of some of Washington D.C.’s finest political trash. May 18, 2017 | The Hill Apr 4, 2017 | Space News Mar 8, 2017 | PBS Mar 8, 2017 | AL.com Jan 26, 2017 | Fox News Jan 11, 2017 | Real Clear Defense Sep 26, 2016 | Space News Jun 27, 2016 | Yellowhammer News Pages",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://upton.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=356234,"Upton, House Support Bipartisan Bill to Promote Great Lakes Harbors",2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Fred Upton,U000031,upton.house.gov,,,legacy,"By an overwhelming vote of 417 to 3, the House of Representatives this evening passed comprehensive legislation to modernize the nation’s water transportation infrastructure. A longtime advocate for Lake Michigan harbors, Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, supported the legislation – the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 (WRRDA), H.R. 3080 – which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out its mission to develop, maintain, and support our nation’s ports and waterways infrastructure needs as well as support effective environmental restoration and flood protection. “As folks in Michigan know, our harbors not only bring goods and raw materials to our communities, but jobs and economic opportunity,” said Upton. “Whether for commercial shipments or recreational traffic, it is critical that our waterways are well-maintained and operational.” The bipartisan bill also includes an important provision from legislation cosponsored by Upton – the Great Lakes System Sustainability Act (H.R. 2273) – which designates the entire Great Lakes Navigation System (GLNS) as a single, unified system for budgetary purposes. Rather than forcing Great Lakes harbors to compete for funding like coastal ports, this important provision recognizes the economic benefits of their interdependence and will help ensure future funding. The GLNS is a continuous waterway that extends more than 2,400 miles from the far reaches of Lake Superior to the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. portion of the GLNS consists of 140 harbors (60 commercial; 80 recreational), two operational locks, 104 miles of breakwaters and jetties, and more than 600 miles of maintained navigational channels. While praising the overall legislation, Upton also took the opportunity to renew his call for support of the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act (H.R. 335), which would ensure that all federal revenues collected for harbor maintenance through the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) are fully used and not left unspent in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). “Given the funding constraints facing the Corps, it is all the more important for us to ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is solely used for its intended purpose: maintaining our nation’s harbors. The continued misallocation of these collected user fees has left our nation’s ports and waterways seriously underfunded.” Revenue in the HMTF has increased over the past decade, generating a substantial surplus. Because the HMTF is not a separate account within the federal budget, many of the HMT revenues paid by users have been left unspent as a budgetary gimmick to offset other federal spending. Congress has historically passed water resources legislation every two years to provide oversight and policy reforms, but has not done so since 2007. The House-passed bill must now be reconciled with its companion in the Senate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://walberg.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356213,"Walberg Votes for Infrastructure, Great Lakes Harbors",2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Press Releases Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work on behalf of Michigan's 7th District.   Press Kit Members of the media can view Rep. Walberg’s biography and download an official picture.   Tim in the News Find the latest articles about Rep. Walberg from local and national papers.   Opinion Editorial Read the latest opinion editorials authored by Rep. Walberg.   Latest Videos Videos of Rep. Walberg from the House floor and committees.   Social Media Follow Rep. Walberg on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.   e-Newsletter Archive Stay up-to-date on Rep. Walberg’s work in D.C. and in Michigan through the e-newsletter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://walberg.house.gov/media/press-releases/walberg-votes-infrastructure-great-lakes-harbors,"Walberg Votes for Infrastructure, Great Lakes Harbors",2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Tim Walberg,W000798,walberg.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Today, Rep Walberg voted in favor of H.R.3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WWRDA), to authorize ports and waterway infrastructure projects while implementing commonsense reforms that to reduce bureaucracy, and foster sustained economic growth. WWRDA passed by a bipartisan vote of 417 -3. ""Our nation's waterways are vital to a healthy economy and job creation and this reauthorization makes necessary reforms to cut red tape and bureaucracy while promoting American competitiveness and fiscal responsibility. This bipartisan bill is significant for the Great Lakes region and districts such as Michigan's 7th as it works to address the dredging backlog and puts us on a path to properly fund our ports and harbors. I'm glad that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle could come together and support a bill that rebuilds our infrastructure, saves taxpayer money and creates jobs,"" said Rep Walberg following the vote.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131031175732/http://amash.house.gov:80/press-release/amash-receives-taxpayers%E2%80%99-friend-award,Amash Receives Taxpayers’ Friend Award,2013-10-23,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ October 23, 2013������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ �� CONTACT Hayley Alexander (202) 225-3838 hayley.alexander@mail.house.gov �� Amash Receives Taxpayers��� Friend Award Tax Watchdog Honors Congressman with Highest Ranking in Michigan Washington, D.C. ��� Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) received the ���Taxpayers��� Friend Award��� for his votes to cut federal spending, taxes, debt, and regulation. The National Taxpayers Union (NTU), which gave Amash the award, ranked him as the congressman with the best record on fiscal issues in the Michigan delegation and the second best in the entire House. ���I work every day in Congress to limit the size and scope of the federal government. With $17 trillion of federal debt, we have a moral obligation to our children and grandchildren to put the government on a sustainable path,��� said Amash. ���I���m honored for the second year in a row to receive the ��?Taxpayers��� Friend Award.��� I thank NTU for the award.��� The NTU Rating is based on every roll call vote affecting federal taxes, spending, debt, and significant regulations. For 2012, a total of 274 House and 127 Senate votes were selected for scoring. �������� ���Congressman Amash���s pro-taxpayer score of 92 percent was one of the best in the entire Congress,��� NTU President Duane Parde said. ���By casting principled votes for limited government time and again, Congressman Amash has led by example in the fight to defend overburdened taxpayers across the country.��� ���If every Member of Congress voted as carefully as Congressman Amash, current and future generations of Americans could enjoy much lower taxes and a less wasteful government,��� Parde concluded. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356065,Detroit News: ObamaCare's Middle-Class Sticker Shock,2013-10-22,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Detroit News: ObamaCare's Middle-Class Sticker Shock f t # e Washington, October 22, 2013 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 heath care outcomes.” Similar costs threaten private, union-negotiated health plans, leading Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa to say Obamacare will “destroy the very health and well being of our members.” Obamacare's middle-class sticker shock The Detroit News Henry Payne October 22, 2013Last week I got news that my health insurance costs are going up. A lot. In 2014 my monthly premium for a family of four will increase 15 percent to $575, my deductible will double to $3,000 and I will lose my drug coverage, adding another $100 a month to my expenses. My story is typical for employees of Gannett, the Detroit News’ parent company, and other businesses across the country. Obamacare is not just creating havoc in state exchanges, it is roiling the larger private health insurance market. Costs are skyrocketing thanks to the expensive mandates, regulations and taxes buried in the Affordable Car Act. Call it the Unaffordable Care Act. Read the rest of the article on DetroitNews.com HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://web.archive.org/web/20131115154849/http://amash.house.gov:80/press-release/amash-staff-hold-mobile-office-hours-7,Amash Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Springfield,2013-10-22,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      October 22, 2013                                                                                 CONTACT Jordan Bush (616) 451-8383 Jordan.Bush@mail.house.gov   Amash Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Springfield Staff Available to Assist Third District Constituents Grand Rapids, Michigan – Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) announced that his staff will hold mobile office hours at Springfield City Hall on Wednesday, October 23. Members of Amash’s staff will be on hand to provide assistance to those with federal issues or casework. No appointments are necessary and questions may be directed to Amash’s district office at (616) 451-8383. “I understand that not every constituent has regular Internet access and some may have difficulty making it to our district offices in Grand Rapids and Battle Creek. I want to bring our office to them,” said Amash.   WHO:            Rep. Amash’s Staff   WHAT:            Mobile Office Hours   WHEN:            Wednesday, October 23, 2013 Noon-1 PM   WHERE:            Springfield City Hall 601 Avenue A Springfield, Michigan 49037     Note: The Grand Rapids office will remain open as usual during mobile office hours. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=355973,Huizenga: Long-Term Problems Require Serious and Sustainable Long-Term Solutions,2013-10-21,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"Huizenga: Long-Term Problems Require Serious and Sustainable Long-Term Solutions f t # e Washington, October 22, 2013 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, Congressman Huizenga stressed the need to deal with not only Washington's spending habits, but the expansion of government as well. On The Need To Address The Long-Term Problems Facing America: Everybody wanted the shutdown to end. The question is: are we going to have unconditional debt increases without any sort of substantial, substantive, or significant changes? That is where I drew the line. … If you looked up ""kicking the can down the road"" in a thesaurus this would be ""Exhibit A."" … I am not convinced whatever the next step is will solve these long-term problems, because we're not using long-term solutions. You've got people who are not willing to look further down the road than the next three months or the next election cycle. We have to get serious about how we are going to deal with our spending and this mountain of debt being piled on our kids. On The Fight To Rein In Washington's Out Of Control Spending: For two years in a row, for the first time since the end of the Korean War, we have seen government spending go down in real terms. … Harry Reid and his colleagues in the Senate want to see an expansion of government, an expansion of spending, not a contraction. On Gridlock: It's not about partisanship. It is about the philosophical differences over the proper size, role, and scope of government. Whether it's TARP, whether it’s the Affordable Care Act, whether it's our spending levels - it's all going to play into it.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://huizenga.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=356025,LSJ: Michigan Businesses Brace For Cost Increases Stemming From ObamaCare,2013-10-21,2013,2013-10,Republican,House,MI,Bill Huizenga,H001058,huizenga.house.gov,,,legacy,"LSJ: Michigan Businesses Brace For Cost Increases Stemming From ObamaCare f t # e Washington, October 21, 2013 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 increase for many small and midsize businesses in Michigan that already offer health benefits, according to interviews with insurance brokers and benefits lawyers.  The new premium calculus has resulted in some businesses getting hit with renewal prices for benefit plans that jump 20 percent or more. … Still, rising costs for employers can mean stagnating paychecks for employees. “Even without the health care reform law, every year we’ve seen the trend of our deductibles and co-pays getting a little bit higher,” said David Lindgren, corporate compliance officer at Rosemont, Ill.-based Flexible Benefit Service Corp., which serves health insurance brokers. “This kind of escalates that.” Businesses brace for Obamacare The Lansing State Journal October 19, 2013Management at one 40-employee Michigan car dealership has been bracing for higher health insurance costs in 2014, when the Affordable Care Act goes into full effect. But they were shocked to hear this month just how high their renewal rate with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan would jump — 65 percent. Add in the new taxes and fees in the health care law that affect businesses, and the total cost for the dealership of providing medical benefits would rise another 5 percent. Since learning of these increases, Extreme Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Jackson has debated whether it can afford to continue offering health care to employees, said Mark Trudell, the dealership’s general manager. If it drops coverage, workers would have to get coverage through a spouse or buy insurance on their own, either directly through an insurer or through the new Michigan Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as a state exchange. Read the rest of the story at the Lansing State Journal's website HERE",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z