Congresswoman Scholten’s Newsletter Covering 3/21/2023 - 3/24/2023

Dear constituent, 

I’ve been hard at work serving you this week at home and in Washington. I couldn’t do this work without engaged constituents like you. Thank you for your letters, calls, emails and requests for visits. Here’s a recap of what we accomplished together. 

At Home in the District

This past week, I visited the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce to talk with local business owners to talk about the issues that matter to them. I’m committed to creating a better economy for West Michiganders–one where business owners, workers, and entrepreneurs thrive. I also attended several bipartisan meetings through the Problem Solvers Caucus where we discussed the debt ceiling and other critical issues facing West Michigan and the country. 

Committee Work in Washington 

It was an active week on my committees. We had two subcommittee hearings on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. In our aviation subcommittee hearing, we talked about how to improve passenger experiences during the FAA reauthorization. As America returns to air travel I want to make sure special needs travelers, like those with disabilities and those traveling with the elderly and small children have what they need. On our Coast Guard subcommittee, I served as Ranking Member and asked questions about the Coast Guard’s efforts to address sexual harassment at sea, and make sure that Coast Guardsman and Coast Guardswomen are safe while they protect our waterways and coastlines. Finally, at our Small Business committee hearing, we heard from SBA Administrator Guzman and I pressed her to make sure that the SBA 8a program was being used in a way to ensure that women and minority owned businesses got the support they need to thrive. 

Leading the Charge to Support Our Parents and Students

This week, I led a group of mothers who are members of Congress to express support for parental rights in education, and to oppose H.R. 5. As a mom of two school-aged kids, I know how important it is to center parents in the education of our children. Parents across the country are counting on their representatives now more than ever to legislate in a way that will will enhance, not inhibit their freedoms, like the freedom to learn and educate our children in a way that prepares them to engage in a 21st century world, their freedom to send our their kids to school without fear of violence, and their freedom not to have to choose between gas in the car and food on table. 

But instead, Republican policies like H.R. 5 are doing the opposite. We could have put forward legislation to truly uplift parents—expand the child tax credit, or to lower the cost of insulin for kids, or make college more affordable. Instead, we used our time and taxpayer dollars to vote on a bill that is out of step with the will of most West Michigan parents, and makes kids less safe. I’m opposing this legislation because I want what’s best for my community–and this ain’t it. 

Constituent Success Story

This week, I chatted with Mitch McNeil, president and CEO of Baruch Ministries. Baruch operates assisted living facilities across West Michigan—and my office recently secured a game-changing tax refund for them. My office is here to serve MI-03—and we’re just getting started. 

Funding Friday Spotlight

As a reminder, This week, we’re highlighting the Runaway and Homeless Youth - Prevention Demonstration Program Grant for FY 2023. This grant supports community organizations focused on fighting youth homelessness. You can access more information about this program and whether you are eligible here–and feel free to reach out to my office if you have any questions regarding this grant at (616) 451-8383.
 

As always, it’s an honor to serve you, West Michigan! I look forward to continuing to serve you in Washington next week.

Hillary J. Scholten

Member of Congress