Dear Friend,
These weeks in Washington have been busier than they’ve been in years—non-stop work on so many important issues. As soon as we wrapped up work in Washington, I headed home to Michigan for lots of events throughout the district this weekend—celebrating Earth Day, events that were postponed due to recent bad weather, several annual events I always look forward to, and a series of town halls all throughout Michigan’s 6th District.
Lots of important work has happened since we last checked in, including delivering my annual State of the District to the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber, traveling to Ireland with President Biden (which was pretty awesome), many committee hearings on critical issues, meetings with Michiganders, major announcements on improving our nation’s care system, and much more.
Last Week
State of Michigan's 6th Congressional District
I delivered my 2023 State of the District Address at the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti (A2Y) Regional Chamber last Tuesday. Originally scheduled for February, my A2Y State of the District was delayed due to the ice storms that left much of Michigan in the dark.
In my remarks, I discussed many important issues – from hazardous waste to protecting the environment to fighting the climate crisis to gun violence and so much more – and shared updates on our work to confront the many challenges we face as a community, as a state, and as a nation. In Washtenaw County, we face several serious issues that we should be talking about as a broader community, including senior issues, sewer issues, and mutual aid, among many other challenges.
At a meeting with fire chiefs from across Washtenaw—among other things—I learned that we are supporting multi-jurisdiction mutual aid taskforces with bake sales. Our firefighters deserve better and stronger support than that, as do other growing issues in the community.
View my full State of the District Address on Facebook
Strengthening the U.S.-Ireland Friendship
Last week, I joined President Joe Biden and a U.S. Congressional Delegation for travel and meetings across Ireland, including stops in Dublin, County Louth, and County Mayo, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, strengthen the partnership and cooperation on shared global challenges, and to celebrate the deep ties between our nations.
America and Ireland have a rich history of friendship that spans many generations, and it was an honor to join President Biden on his trip to celebrate our shared interests and reaffirm our strong partnership.
As an Irish American, I’m proud of the unity between our nations and am thankful for the opportunity to address our mutual commitment to global peace, security, and democracy, and the values of freedom, equality, dignity, and courage that our countries were founded on. Amid the work and many bilateral meetings, we also had the opportunity to enjoy lots of Irish culture, including the wonderful music, which is so soothing and energizing.
Secretary Blinken and I also had the opportunity to discuss our commitment to secure the freedom of my constituent Paul Whelan, who has been unjustly detained in Russia for more than four years.
I thank President Higgins, Taoiseach Varadkar, and everyone who welcomed us so generously and graciously on this historic trip.
This Week
On Tuesday, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing related to our investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week’s hearing was focused on available intelligence and the lack of transparency from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Unfortunately, discussions, debates, and investigations have become highly politicized in every arena. It is essential we keep politics out of major public health decisions.
What worries me the most is what is happening in the scientific community where exchanging ideas, research, and shared data has found clues, consensus, and cures. This has now become highly politicized between virologists, researchers, public health officials, national security experts, and oh yes – politicians.
To quote the Wall Street Journal, “These divisions, and a lack of transparency from Beijing, have hobbled efforts to determine how the virus first infected humans.”
In addition to taking politics out of public health decisions, we must have greater transparency from China to ensure we are prepared for the next virus that’s already out there.
It’s important to note that we do not have any certainty in either direction as to how this virus started. Lots of us have opinions. Some are convinced it was a lab leak, others are convinced it came from an animal. But here’s a fact—no one definitely knows.
However, there are areas of agreement. A large majority of the scientific community agrees that COVID-19 does not appear to have been manufactured as part of biological warfare. A declassified assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) states, “We judge the virus was not developed as a biological weapon.” Many other nations investigating the pandemic agree with the ODNI’s conclusion.
One thing we do definitively know: politicizing public health is dangerous and can cost lives.
Eid al-Fitr
As the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close, this is a sacred time for our Muslim friends and neighbors to recommit to the values of compassion and generosity, and to celebrate the many blessings of life.
This year, as we mark Eid al-Fitr, I was proud to introduce a resolution in the House with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib to recognize and uplift the countless contributions of Muslim Americans to every part of our society and show our solidarity and support for the Muslim community.
Earth Day
Happy Earth Day! Today, we give appreciation to our beautiful planet the provides us with the bountiful natural resources we need to live and thrive. In the State of Michigan, we’re blessed with some of the most beautiful green spaces perfect for outdoor recreation and getting in touch with nature.
But our planet is in danger. The threat of the global Climate Crisis is real, and the impact it has on our everyday lives is real. We see climate change play out nearly every single day with floods, hurricanes, and dangerous weather across the country. But we can all take small steps to help reduce emissions, meet our climate goals, and protect communities from devastation. Little actions, when done together, can have a huge impact, whether that is:
· Participating in a community clean-up
· Reusing or repurposing items
· Starting a garden
· Educating yourself and others on climate change
· Taking extra steps to recycle at home or compost
Every action can make a real difference as we continue charting the path to achieve our nation’s ambitious climate goals and protect our planet for future generations.
Milan Town Hall
Last night, as part of my April Town Hall Series, I joined state Rep. Reggie Miller in Milan to provide important legislative and community updates and hear your thoughts and concerns. We had a great conversation about many issues that matter, including hazardous waste transport and disposal, protecting public health and our environment, and supporting jobs across the state.
Upcoming Events
April Town Hall Series
My April Town Hall Series continues tomorrow where I’ll be joining Rep. Shri Thanedar, state Rep. Jaime Churches, and state Sen. Darrin Camilleri to provide updates and hear from residents about the issues that matter to them.
Join us at 1 p.m. at the Downriver Council for the Arts (81 Chestnut St., Wyandotte, MI)!
Can’t join us in person? Town halls will be live-streamed to my Facebook page here.
Hazardous Waste Public Forum
My public forum on hazardous waste with Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Shri Thanedar, Michigan EGLE, EPA, Republic Industrial and Energy Solutions (REIS), and Norfolk Southern has been rescheduled to Thursday, May 04, at 7 PM at the Wayne County Community College District Ted Scott Campus Auditorium (9555 Haggerty Rd., Belleville, MI 48111).
This forum comes in the wake of significant concerns surrounding the transport and storage of hazardous waste following the Norfolk Southern train derailments in East Palestine, Ohio, and Van Buren Township here in Michigan.
Photos of the Week:
