Dear Friend,
I am glad to say this week has finally ended looking more positive than it started. We voted, in both chambers, to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement to raise the debt ceiling. I don’t like a lot of what’s in this bill, but it was critical we avoid catastrophic default that would rock our economy for years, if not decades. With the debt ceiling taken care of, I was able to attend some events at home with old and new friends. I also led a letter this week addressing the emergency department patient boarding crisis and congratulated UM’s Sequestration Squad on taking home first place in the first-annual American-Made Carbon Management Collegiate Competition.
Raising the Debt Limit
On Wednesday, The House of Representatives voted to pass the Bipartisan Budget Agreement to raise the debt ceiling, But I remain concerned about several of the provisions in this bill, especially the rolling back of landmark provisions under NEPA in the name of permitting reform, which has been the bedrock of conservation and environmental law for more than 50 years. We also continue to have a long-term care crisis in this country, which disproportionately impacts women, who often must leave the workforce and sacrifice a source of income to care for a loved one. I’m concerned that the modification of work requirement exemptions for SNAP in this bill to include adults up to age 54 will seriously impact those who are serving as a family caregiver because they can’t find or afford adequate care. I will continue to fight to support our long-term care workers, family caregivers, seniors, Americans with disabilities, children, and all those who depend on lifeline services including SNAP.
We do need address the deficit and spending, but we need to do it through regular order and the appropriations process. We must also end this cycle of manufactured crisis bringing us to the brink of potential financial collapse and establish a permanent solution to the debt that ensures the full faith and credit of the United States cannot be questioned. This is a poor way to govern, and the American people deserve better.
Emergency Department Boarding Crisis
On Tuesday, I led a bipartisan letter with Rep. Fitzpatrick and 42 of our colleagues to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra urging the department to convene a task force to address the growing public health crisis of emergency department (ED) patient boarding. Boarding takes place when a patient cannot be sent home from the ED or transferred to another facility for further treatment because there are no available beds, so they must wait, or be “boarded” in the ED – often for hours, sometimes days, or even weeks.
Boarding places a strain on already-stressed emergency departments, and on top of this, EMS crews bringing emergency patients in via ambulance are often left waiting what can be hours to be able to safely hand over their patient to hospital ED staff, keeping them from being able to respond to new calls for help in the community.
I am committed to doing everything in my power to help alleviate stress on our emergency department employees, who already have an unbelievably stressful and unpredictable job. We must focus on expanding access and decreasing congestion in emergency departments across the country to ensure the safety of our communities.
Sequestration Squad Takes First Place
On Thursday, I congratulated the University of Michigan’s Sequestration Squad for taking first place in the first-annual American-Made Carbon Management Collegiate Competition. The competition challenged students to help shape the future of carbon management by proposing regional carbon networks capable of transporting at least one million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year from industrial sources such as power plants or ethanol production facilities to locations that either use the CO2 to manufacture products or for permanent storage.
The Sequestration Squad’s winning submission provided a hyperlocal blueprint for safe CO2 sequestration and integrative city planning in Houston, Texas with a replicable pipeline system designed for major metropolitan areas. The winning teams will have the opportunity to present their winning proposals at DOE’s annual Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting in August 2023. Learn more about the competition and winning teams here.
The University of Michigan continues to be a national leader in the fight against climate change and clean energy innovation and technology. Congratulations to the Sequestration Squad on this impressive accomplishment. I look forward to keeping up with their work to advance the carbon capture, storage, and transportation industries and move us closer to a zero-emissions future.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles S Kettles VAMC
On Thursday evening, I attended a townhall at the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S Kettles VAMC, the first townhall for female veterans since before COVID. We discussed the importance of access to the resources & benefits they earned with personal, sensitive, and timely care. These women are heroes and deserve to be treated as such, which I was I love getting to visit with them and hear about what I can do in D.C. to make their lives easier.
Media: photos
Supporting Ypsi Schools
On Thursday, I joined good friends for the Ypsilanti Community Schools Grizzly Soiree, an annual tradition we love that brings our community together in support of our schools.
Gun Violence Awareness Day
Painting the rock for a cause is an Ann Arbor tradition. Today we painted it orange for National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Lots of people driving by honked to show their support as we did. More than 43,000 people in the United States are killed and 76,000 are injured from gun violence each year, tearing apart families and communities and leaving survivors with lifelong trauma. We can end gun violence, it's time to act.
K9 Grant Voting
Our local heroes need our help! Join me in voting for our downriver police departments to help them secure a grant for their K9 units, who are doing valuable work throughout their communities.
Passport Update for Summer Travel
Are you and your loved ones planning to take a vacation out of the country this summer? If so, Passport application times are 10-13 weeks for routine and 7-9 weeks for expedited processing. Make sure to check that your passport is up to date to prevent any hiccups with summer travel approaching.
