My path to motherhood was not easy. Thankfully, advancements in reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), gave my husband and me the gift of our daughter. Going through the IVF process strengthened my belief that reproductive health care must be protected and available to all who need it. My plan for Michigan is one in which personal health care decisions are left to individuals, not mandated by the government.

In Congress, I will be committed to protecting access to reproductive health care, including:

‍

• ‍Reproductive Freedom: Codifying the protections set forth in Roe v. Wade, which protect access to safe and legal abortion;

• IVF: Protecting access to IVF and other fertility services for those who wish to start a family;

• Contraception: Guaranteeing access to affordable birth control for everyone.

‍

Bill Huizenga supports a national abortion ban and threatens Michiganders’ right to choose; his ban is so extreme it would threaten IVF nationwide.[1] He has refused to stand up to protect access to IVF and contraception. While MAGA Republicans, like Huizenga, are trying to move us backward, we must fight back to protect reproductive rights.

During the last few years of my dad’s life, we found we needed round-the-clock care. My mom was unable to provide that care, so we turned to assisted living. Through that expensive, frustrating, and – at times – painful process, I saw firsthand the need for a health care system that is accessible and affordable to all. In Congress, I promise to stand up to Big Pharma to lower prescription drug costs for Michiganders, and to work across the aisle to improve health care access and affordability for all.

‍‍

• ‍Affordable Health Care: The high cost of prescription drugs and rising insurance premiums create barriers to high quality health care for too many Michigan families.. I support allowing Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, capping out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, and finding creative solutions to reduce the pressure on insurance premiums. These measures will lower the prices for all of us and ensure the long term survival of Medicare. No family should have to choose between paying for health care and paying their rent;

• Accessible Care: Affordable health care options can’t help families that can’t access them. I will fight to guarantee everyone has access to high quality health care. By investing in telehealth services, increasing funding for rural hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and improving access to Medicaid services, we can ensure more Michiganders get the care they need.

Bill Huizenga has stood in the way of efforts to make health care more affordable and accessible for all. In Congress, he voted against legislation that would lower the cost of prescription drugs and expand Medicaid[2].

Growing up, I was raised by a small business owner and a public school teacher. We experienced the same financial ups and downs that many families face. I got my first job at age 13, and later worked two jobs so I could pay the bills. Hard work is in my DNA. In Congress, I’ll look out for Michigan families like mine, and work to bring down the cost of childcare, groceries, housing, and more while also supporting small businesses and strengthening the economy for everyone.

‍

• ‍Supporting Small Businesses: As the daughter of a small business owner, I’ve seen the sacrifices and burdens it takes to keep the doors open and the lights on. I will fight for small businesses by cutting red tape, providing grant opportunities to accelerate growth, expanding high-speed internet access, and exploring innovative ways to support new entrepreneurs in West and Southwest Michigan;

• Bolstering the Economy: A strong economy that works for all Michiganders should not be a partisan issue. In Congress, I will work across the aisle and with the business community to create the economy of tomorrow right here in West and Southwest Michigan. Through programs that incentivize businesses to invest and grow, locally, workforce training, and apprenticeship programs to get workers the skills they need to get ahead, we can create good-paying jobs, strong businesses, and resilient communities.;

• Reducing Costs: From childcare to health care and housing to groceries, rising costs are a burden for far too many working families in Michigan and across the country. I know firsthand what it means to work hard and to make sacrifices. In Congress, I will work to ease the cost of living by providing more funding for childcare and early childhood education, boosting affordable housing, lowering health care and prescription drug costs, and putting money back in your hands.

‍

Bill Huizenga chose his party ahead of his constituents when he voted to defund key community development and transportation projects and attempting to gut the Inflation Reduction Act, which has already created tens of thousands of good-paying jobs .[3] Instead of helping families and residents in West and Southwest Michigan, Huizenga supports increasing the national deficit by over $100 billion[4] while further squeezing the middle class.

As a former Veterans Affairs attorney and the wife of a Navy veteran, I am committed to ensuring that veterans receive the recognition and benefits they earned. When I worked at VA, I fought to protect veterans from waste, fraud, and abuse. I also worked to hold appointees accountable to the government ethics rules. I will do the same in Congress.

‍

• ‍Health Care: Veterans overwhelmingly say they are satisfied with the care they receive from the VA, but there is still more we can do. In Congress, I will work to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs provides the comprehensive, reliable, and high quality medical and mental health care that our veterans were promised. I will protect veterans from efforts to privatize those health services and draw money away from VA, which would have a devastating effect on the world class care they currently receive. I will also fight to preserve access to abortion services that veterans currently have. ‍

• Jobs: As with the population at large, veteran unemployment remains an ongoing problem throughout the country and especially in rural areas. We need stronger investments in workforce training, apprenticeships, and ongoing education programs targeted specifically at the veteran population in order to aid in their transition from active military to civilian life.; When I am in Congress, I will fight to make those investments.‍

• ‍‍Housing: Veteran homelessness, despite progress made by VA, continues to be a problem nationally and represents an unacceptable public policy failure we can no longer ignore. In Congress, I will work with my colleagues to support veteran outreach and affordable housing programs to guarantee no one sleeps on the streets.

Bill Huizenga and his MAGA allies have failed to stand up for our veterans. Huizenga voted[5] to rescind over $2 billion in VA funding, which would threaten medical and mental health care, lead to longer wait times, and undermine veterans’ access to quality care.[6]

The Great Lakes are the foundation of the Midwest. They provide drinking water for millions of residents, convenient transportation routes, recreation and employment for countless communities, and foster a diverse ecosystem with thousands of species of plants and animals. We know that the effects of climate change and ongoing pollution threaten not just the health of the Great Lakes, but the communities who rely on them for so much. I am committed to working across the aisle to pass legislation to safeguard our water resources and address the concerns of our community.

‍

• ‍Combating Climate Change: We already are experiencing the effects of climate change in West and Southwest Michigan, whether it’s more extreme weather events or toxic algal blooms on Lake Michigan. . As a member of Congress, I will support legislation to transition to renewable energy, reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and protect our already strained natural resources.;‍

• Reducing Pollution: By now, all of us are familiar with the growing issue of toxic forever chemicals in our lakes and drinking water, and new studies have shown they are on the rise in Lake Michigan. In Congress, I will support legislation to establish stronger regulations to hold polluters accountable and protect our most precious assets for future generations; ‍

• Resilient Infrastructure: By investing in climate-resilient infrastructure projects, we can not only better prepare our communities for the effects of climate change tomorrow, but also can better safeguard our natural resources today. I will fight for more funding in order to modernize and improve our water infrastructure in particular and ensure our drinking water is free of harmful chemicals such as PFAS.

‍

Bill Huizenga has failed to stand up to protect the environment and the Great Lakes. Huizenga voted to decrease funding for the Department of Energy (the federal agency responsible for investing in clean energy projects),[7] cut funding for the Bureau of Land Management (the federal agency responsible for sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands),[8] and defund the Biden administration’s plan to fight the climate crisis.[9] Less than a year after PFAS was found in our community’s drinking supply, Huizenga voted against an amendment to close a loophole in the Clean Water Act that allowed for unlimited PFAS discharges by companies into waterways.