news

Dear Friend,
 
Being home in Michigan and out in our communities—talking to all of you—is the best and most important part of my job. This last week back home has been busy, and I’ve been doing a lot of listening: at college campuses across the district, at high school robotics competitions, at our Western Washtenaw Town Hall, and at the St. Patrick’s Day parade and parties, to name a few. I’ve heard concerns from downriver residents about toxic waste, from students about gun violence, and from many who were left without power after recent winter storms. 
 
These conversations are essential as the House convenes later this week to continue working on important issues, including continuing the appropriations process.
 
 
Western Washtenaw Town Hall

Last week, I held a town hall in Chelsea to hear directly from residents of Western Washtenaw about that matter to them and our communities. It was great to be joined by so many of our bipartisan local elected leaders, including State Senators Sue Shink and Jeff Irwin, State Representatives Kathy Schmaltz, Carrie Rheingans, Jennifer Conlin, and Felicia Brabec, and County Commissioner Jason Maciejewski. We had a packed house with only standing room left. We had many great conversations on the different issues important to the community. And we committed last night to host quarterly town halls in Western Washtenaw with rotating locations to make sure we are hearing from all of you!
 You can find a stream of the town hall on Facebook here.
 
 
Long-Term Care
 
We discussed the urgent need to invest in our nation’s long-term care system which has too often prevented Americans from getting the care they need in their own home or community. Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) allow seniors and people with disabilities to receive care while remaining in their communities and living independently. We know that the overwhelming majority of people would prefer to receive care in the comfort of their own homes, but countless Americans don’t have that opportunity. And caregivers deserve to earn a decent wage and benefits for the essential work they do. 
 
I recently re-introduced my Better Care Better Jobs Act and HCBS Access Act with Senator Bob Casey, which would enhance Medicaid funding for home care, helping many of the hundreds of thousands of people on waiting lists nationally finally receive care in the setting of their choice. And, it would also strengthen the caregiving workforce, improve the quality of life for families, and boost the economy by creating good-paying jobs to make it possible for families and workers alike to thrive economically. Critically, it would permanently authorize protection against impoverishment for individuals whose spouses received Medicaid HCBS, as well as the Money Follows the Person program to support individuals transitioning from institutions to home or community-based settings. We need to make caregiving a priority in this country, and I am committed to getting this done!
 
 
Gelman Plume & Superfund Sites
 
We provided updates on the Gelman dioxane plume that has contaminated groundwater in Washtenaw County for decades. This is a critically important issue to the health of surrounding communities. Court cases related to the plume have been battled out for over 30 years, and little progress has been made. Since being elected to represent this area, I’ve brought the impacted communities together to figure out the best way forward. After many conversations, the four communities requested Governor Whitmer to formally request the site be considered for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priority List, which would take the next step in determining the site cleanup’s eligibility for federal funding under the Superfund program.
 
EPA and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) are testing the community’s water every month at the same time to give residents reassurance that the water is safe and meets EPA’s standards. We are watching every step of this closely and we will not stop working until this area is finally cleaned up and residents’ health is protected.
 
 
Toxic Waste Disposal
 
We discussed the growing issue of toxic waste disposal here in Michigan. This has been a concern for our state for many years, but the recent train derailments in East Palestine, Ohio, and Van Buren Township have increased our awareness. There are currently two toxic waste disposal sites—Wayne Disposal, Inc.’s (WDI) Van Buren and Republic Industrial and Energy Services (RIES), LLC’s Romulus hazardous waste sites—with pending applications to renew operations. These are deeply important issues to the health and well-being of our communities and their residents. We must ensure throughout this process; the public is fully informed and has the opportunity to voice their concerns before any decisions are made. 
 
EGLE is currently hosting a public comment period relating to WDI’s pending license renewal and operations expansion application. The application includes a request to add new operations at the landfill—including storing waste in containers and treating waste before placement in the landfill—and to increase the landfill’s waste capacity.
 
Requests, comments, or questions regarding the WDI application should be submitted to Christine Matlock at (517) 290-4612; MatlockC2@michigan.gov; or to the following address:
 
Christine Matlock
EGLE, MMD, Hazardous Waste Section
P.O. Box 30241
Lansing, MI 48909
 
There was a public hearing for the Romulus site on February 01, 2023, and a public comment period that closed on February 16, 2023, both of which even many local leaders didn’t know about. Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), and I called on EGLE to re-open the window for public feedback regarding the renewal of the Romulus site. Residents were unable to properly provide their input or share their concerns about this site and the movement of hazardous waste into their communities. 
 
Last month, when Norfolk Southern attempted to dispose of hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment in Belleville, we learned once again how critical public engagement is in this process. And I will not back down when it comes to the health and safety of my constituents.
 
 
PFAS Contamination
 
We provided updates on our continued efforts to confront the growing threat of toxic per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to our communities. PFAS are used in everything, from the packaging our food comes in to cosmetics we put on our face to firefighting turnout gear and foam. These ‘forever chemicals’ never go away! They build up in our blood and can eventually lead to countless illnesses, including cancer. And Michigan is ground zero for PFAS contamination. 
 
I am continuing to work with my colleagues, across the aisle, to address this urgent threat to public health. I’ve been leading the fight in Congress to address these chemicals everywhere they’re found to limit Americans’ exposure and potential health consequences. 
 
Last week, EPA took an important step to take meaningful action to remove and keep PFAS out of our homes and out of our drinking water. The agency announced a proposed action to establish the first-ever national drinking water standard for PFAS. With this proposed standard, the EPA is showing they take the threat of PFAS to public health seriously. 
 
The proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation will establish legally enforceable levels for six PFAS chemical compounds—including the most notoriously harmful variants, PFOA and PFOS—known to appear in drinking water. The proposed rule would require public water systems to monitor for these PFAS, notify the public of the levels of these PFAS, and reduce the levels of these PFAS in drinking water if they exceed the proposed standard. 
 
The EPA is requesting public comment on the proposed regulation. I encourage every community impacted by PFAS to give input or voice their concerns to the EPA during the public comment period. Information for commenting on EPA dockets, including the proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation, can be found here.
 
 
The Climate Crisis
 
We discussed confronting the Climate Crisis and the challenges we face in protecting our environment.
 
The Climate Crisis is impacting communities right now—historic floods, raging wildfires, and droughts are devastating communities and displacing people across the globe. We must be intentional and direct in confronting this crisis. I have worked hard to bring everyone—community leaders, the autos, labor unions, and environmentalists—to the table to find common ground and a path forward to meet our carbon emission reduction goals. With the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, we secured historic investments in EV charging and manufacturing, clean energy, and strengthening our power grid. 
 
Bills are circulating in Congress right now that will gut landmark environmental protection laws, like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—the Magna Carta of environmental laws around the world. NEPA—which John Dingell worked for years to pass and was signed into law by President Nixon—holds polluters accountable and protects endangered species, water quality, and the environment. This law ensures Americans have the right to give their input or share their concerns on projects that could have a significant impact on their community, and we must protect it. I will not let NEPA be gutted.
 
 
Power Outages
 
We discussed recent winter storms that wiped out power for nearly a million Michiganders and left many without heat or electricity for more than two weeks. Extended power outages threaten every resident, particularly those with health conditions requiring electricity for treatment such as oxygen support, or accommodations like a stair lift. 
 
This month, I led my Southeast Michigan colleagues in demanding an explanation for the recent outages from DTE. We need to know why this happened and what concrete steps they are taking to make sure it never happens again.
 
Michigan isn’t alone in serious grid infrastructure issues—it’s a problem nationwide. But the fact remains that Michiganders spend more money on electricity than any other state in the region and we have the worst grid reliability. We need to get serious about investing in our nation’s power grid to make it more resilient and secure. This is a public health and national security issue.
 
If you want to share your thoughts or concerns on these issues or any other, send me an email here!
 

Equal Pay Day

On Equal Pay Day, I joined Congressman Jamie Raskin and former Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) for the release of a new report on the persistent gender pay gap and under-representation of women in management positions across all industries. The report found that in 2021, women working full-time earned an estimated 76¢ on average for every dollar that a man earned—with even higher disparities among women of color and women with families. Women accounted for only 42% of managers, and the pay gap between women and men was even larger in management roles—with female managers earning 71¢ for every dollar male managers earned.
 
This report confirms what we have long known: that despite playing a critical role in the workforce, women are still not paid equally for equal work. And the disparity is greater for women who are managers – even though women’s representation in management positions has increased since 2018, the pay gap has stayed virtually the same.
 
This is not just a women’s issue – it matters to our children and families and our economy as a whole. When women succeed, our country succeeds. This disparity is unacceptable, and it's past time for our policies to catch up and pay women what they deserve.
 
We must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to end the practice of pay secrecy and strengthen resources and support for workers. Men and women in the same job deserve the same pay. Period.
 
 
Combatting Gun Violence

Last week, I joined lawmakers, advocates, and students at the Michigan State Capitol to send a clear message that we will not stop working to confront gun violence, make our communities safer, and save innocent lives. 
 
Safe storage, universal background checks, red flag laws, and closing the ‘boyfriend loophole,’ to name a few, are all commonsense proposals that protect the rights of responsible gun owners while keeping firearms out of the hands of those deemed dangerous by a court. The majority of gun owners agree with these straightforward proposals. 
 
We need to hear the calls of the American people and have the courage to get this done.
 
Last week, President Biden announced new executive actions he is taking to reduce gun violence and save lives. These strong actions move us closer to universal background checks, increased use of ‘red flag’ laws, and improved law enforcement’s ability to locate and apprehend shooting suspects, among many other important steps.
 
These actions build on the strong progress we made last year with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. But we know our work isn’t done here. Congress must support President Biden’s actions by passing true universal background checks, expanding and improving ‘red flag’ laws across the country, getting assault weapons off our streets, and closing the ‘boyfriend loophole,’ to name a few.
 
 
More Affordable Insulin

Following months of pressure from President Joe Biden, Democrats in Congress, and advocates, all three of the largest manufacturers of insulin—Sanofi, Eli Lilly, and Novo Nordisk—announced they will cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for people with or without private insurance. This comes after Congressional Democrats and President Biden passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which capped out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month for insulin for seniors and people with disabilities.
 
Read more here.
 
 
New Grant Funding Opportunity
 
A new grant funding opportunity is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the FY 2023 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The NSGP is a competitive grant which provides funds to support target hardening and other physical security enhancement activities for nonprofit organizations at risk of a terrorist attack. 
 
The NSGP-UA funds nonprofit organizations located in FEMA-designated urban areas, which in Michigan includes the counties of Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne. The NSGP-S funds nonprofit organizations outside the FEMA-designated urban areas. There is $152,500,000 available nationwide under each program. Eligible nonprofit organizations may apply for a maximum of $150,000.
 
The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm April 02, 2023.
 
Find more information on NSGP here.
 
 
Photos of the Week