Dear Neighbor,

We returned to session this week following our August district work period. I’ve got a recap of my work for you this week below and a preview of what’s to come next week. I'm grateful for your engagement in reading it through. 

I attended a press conference alongside my fellow freshman Democrats to urge House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to avoid a government shutdown. 

The Week in Review

Bipartisan Congressional Dialogue at the Library of Congress
There are a lot of ways to spend your time in Washington when you’re not voting. Some are fulfilling, some are… less so. I look for as many opportunities as I can to connect with my Republican and Democratic colleagues in a bipartisan, social way—to meet as people first and break down the barriers that can so often divide us. One opportunity to do that is the Library of Congress’s Congressional Dialogue Series. It’s a monthly series that centers on a book or topic of discussion, allowing us to dig deeper and more thoughtfully into the issues facing our nation. It’s widely attended by Republicans and Democrats alike, and I make a point to go every month. 

This month, I was honored to accept an invitation to sit at the author’s table as we discussed An Ordinary Man, a biography of President Gerald Ford, written by Richard Norton Smith, a wonderful MI-03 constituent and lauded historian. As I now hold the seat that President Ford once did, I’m engaged daily in the legacy of service-oriented leadership that led both of us to represent West Michigan in Congress. My mission transcends party. At its root, it’s a mission that puts the people we serve above the partisan fighting that divides & distracts us. 

As we delve into one of the hardest challenges facing Congress in the coming weeks—how to spend our precious taxpayer dollars—it is opportunities like this that keep us talking to one another across the aisle. I want to say a special thanks to the Library of Congress for its commitment to helping us be thoughtful, engaged, and bipartisan in our work here. 

The Vote Explainer

The Budget
This week, we were supposed to vote on the Department of Defense’s budget. Actually, we were supposed to vote on this budget in August, but House Republican leadership could not finalize their own procedural vote to bring the bill to the floor for debate. Instead of getting this critical work done, they sent us home and issued a 6-week recess. This happened again this week. Republicans could not produce a rule to allow a discussion on the budget. You may be hearing a lot about “Congress” failing to pass a budget to prevent a shutdown, but it’s important to clarify exactly what is happening. House Republicans–who are in charge and required to produce a rule and then a bill to debate–have not even been able to get past step one. Republican and Democratic Senators, The White House, and House Democrats are united and ready to work but are being held back by House Republicans as we stare down a fast-approaching budget deadline.

The Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act
Republicans did however produce a bill that would hamper the production of electric vehicles and make them prohibitively expensive for the American people. In a rare showing of unity–auto manufacturers, the UAW, and environmental groups all came out against this backward bill that is nothing more than a handout to the oil and gas industry. In order to stay competitive with other countries moving forward with electric vehicles, we must remain on pace with production and innovation. I voted no–for the West Michigan economy & the environment. 

Legislative Work
This week, my legislative work was all about ensuring competition in the marketplace. As my children will tell you–I’m just a TEENSY bit competitive. I believe that competition brings out our best ideas, our best products, and our best services. This week, I introduced two separate bills to enhance competitiveness on Main Street and also rural and underserved areas, respectively. 

You can read more about them here and here!

Committee Work
We had a markup in our Small Business committee this week where I’m proud to say that my Main Street Competes Act was passed unanimously out of committee! From supply chain delays to rising prices and worker shortages, it’s becoming harder and harder for small businesses to stay competitive against larger corporations, and American businesses against foreign. Our main streets are paying the price. Who wants a main street where everything is the same? Not me. West Michigan’s main streets are at the heart of our economy and our community and it’s critical that we protect their competitiveness in the market.

Back in the District 
Back in the district, we continued our excellent work representing constituents. My district team works tirelessly to put money back in the pockets of constituents. This week we were able to finalize a case with the IRS and secure a $3,659 tax refund for an MI-03 resident! If you need help working with a government agency, my casework team is always ready to help – you can give them a call at (616) 451-8383.

The theme this week has been maintaining and improving a healthy environment in West Michigan. So many choose to live here because our parks, rivers, and lakeshore provide abundant opportunities to engage in a healthy outdoor lifestyle. This week, Team Scholten has been engaging in the annual Grand River Clean-Up project. I look forward to capping off this wonderful week of events by hosting a roundtable to talk about my environmental priorities.

I also got some exciting news–soon to be shared–that will be a MAJOR boost for our West Michigan environment. Stay tuned – my social media is linked below and you can follow for updates!

The Week in Preview

Next week we’re back for another full session week. Here are some things to look out for:

Committee Hearings 

• Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation of the Committee Meeting
• Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing: “Oversight of the Department of Transportation’s Policies and Programs” The Honorable Pete Buttigieg, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation
• Small Business Committee Hearing: Athletes and Innovators: Analyzing NIL’s Impact on Entrepreneurial Collegiate Athletes

• H.R. 4665: A bill appropriating funding for the Department of State and Related Agencies
• H.R. 1130: A bill pertaining to the import and export of natural gas
• H. Res. 684: A resolution concerning state efforts to address firearm deaths

Thanks for taking the time to read these updates. As many of you know, I write them personally, often on my plane ride home to West Michigan from DC. They are my direct communication with you. The key to a well-functioning democracy is engaged constituents and responsive representatives. So, keep in touch. I want to hear how I can better represent our community in Congress.

It’s an honor to serve you, West Michigan.

Congresswoman Hillary J. Scholten