Dear Friend,
Well, it’s been a bit crazy these last couple of weeks. Many intense feelings. Like many campuses across the country, students at the University of Michigan have many deep feelings on all sides. Trying to listen and talk to everyone. The NFL Draft was an amazing success and Michigan should be proud. We continue to see unpredictable weather, as one headline called it ‘four seasons in four days.’ But I do believe spring is really here. And I had a bit of a warning for myself when a bad stomachache landed me in the hospital for three days, where my doctors found the return of ulcers. For the record, stress and Diet Coke do not cause ulcers, but they don’t help. I behaved for a week, sat in John Dingell’s La-Z-Boy chair, used the phone, talked to as many people as I could but paced and listened. I am not developing another perforated ulcer like I had three years ago, so I am actually listening. Back at work and trying to pace. But a lot of things have happened, and here is a summary of the highlights.
EPA Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution
The EPA finalized the first-ever national drinking water standard to address the urgent, growing public health and environmental threat PFAS poses. This national drinking water standard, which I have long fought for and is a central goal of my bipartisan PFAS Action Act, takes a long-needed, important step to keep PFAS out of our homes and out of our drinking water.
The EPA’s final rule regulates two of the most widely used and notoriously harmful PFAS – something I’ve worked toward since my first day in Congress. This will give EPA more authority and the tools needed to clean up highly contaminated PFAS sites.
I thank the Biden Administration and EPA for their continued commitment to ensuring clean and safe drinking water for all Americans and for prioritizing the fight against PFAS. I will continue to work every day in Congress, with the Administration, and with our state and local leaders to implement this rule, and to eliminate PFAS from our products and environment. We must continue to take aggressive action and a whole-of-government approach to clean up PFAS from communities across America that have been exposed for generations, and prevent the future spread of these toxic forever chemicals.
Legislation to Revitalize America’s Long-Term Care Workforce
As co-chair of the Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus, I joined Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to introduce legislation to tackle the caregiving crisis by reprioritizing long-term caregivers and supporting their work based on the value they bring to families.
The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act would ensure that caregiving can be a sustainable, lifelong career by providing substantial new funding to support workers in every part of the long-term care industry, from nursing homes to home-care to assisted living facilities. By improving caregiver compensation, benefits, and support systems, the bill would ensure the nation has a strong, qualified pipeline of workers to provide much-needed care for older adults and people with disabilities.
Caregiving is the foundation of our economy. It allows for all other work to be possible. No care worker should have to live below the poverty line to do this work that millions of Americans depend on. As many know, this is deeply personal for me – I was lucky to have my husband John receive care at home, but many others do not have the same opportunity. This legislation will make much needed investments in our care infrastructure and workforce, including family caregivers, to ensure they have the support they need, are paid a living wage, and are able to continue doing their critical jobs.
Letter to Secretary Raimondo and US Trade Representative Tai
I led a letter with my colleagues to Secretary Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Tai urging them to address the danger posed by the expansion of Chinese auto exports that threaten the vitality of our auto sector. We must take action to protect our national security and ensure we don’t cede our leadership to any other country.
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing about legislative proposals to support patient access to telehealth services. Telehealth services have become an essential part of our healthcare system. They eradicate barriers to care, alleviate mobility and transportation challenges, and make it easier for Americans to access care in the comfort and safety of their own homes. We discussed three bills that I am leading: the TREAT Act, the Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024, and H.R. 7711 which would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make certain telehealth flexibilities permanent under the Medicare program.
I’m grateful these three bipartisan bills were included in the hearing. Taken together, these bills will ensure patients and their families have continued access to the telehealth services they need. I’m looking forward to working with all my colleagues to strengthen telehealth and ensure Medicare beneficiaries can continue accessing these very important services beyond 2024.
We also had a hearing on the fiscal year 2025 Department of Health and Human Services budget where I asked Secretary Becerra how the proposed budget will support seniors, Long Term Care and Home and Community-Based Services, drug pricing reform, rural EMS needs, and more.
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act which gives tech companies broad immunity, allowing them to evade accountability for what occurs on their platforms.
In today’s digital age, online events directly impact our lives. Whether it’s cyberbullying, mental health issues, explicit threats, or the dissemination of false information, online content can result in tangible harm. We should be focusing on the direct human impact and imminent threats posed by such content to our communities. We shouldn’t have to accept the hate, misinformation, or violent language circulating online, as it inevitably infiltrates our communities, often with severe consequences. Section 230 needs to be updated to account for tech companies’ modern tools and behaviors. We need to protect the freedoms that have made the internet what it is today, but also raise the lowest common denominator so that companies and platforms do the right thing and so that we can protect our younger generations.
House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce
We held a hearing in the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce where we discussed how we can ensure the data of Americans is protected and our kids are safe online through legislation like the American Privacy Rights Act.
Consumers are overloaded with constant breaches of their privacy and trust. Apps collect and sell users’ location data to the highest bidder, and data brokers sell information collected from apps on users’ and kids’ sensitive data—names, birth dates, email addresses, GPS location history, purchase history, health conditions, and behavioral profiles. Consumers care about how their data is used and until direct action is taken to address these issues, platforms and services will continue to be abused by bad actors – endangering the health, safety, and security of Americans. We’ve put off significant privacy reform for too long, and I will continue working to get it across the finish line.
House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic
The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held a hearing on academic integrity where I highlighted Republicans’ predetermined and debunked claims about Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins. Nearly half a million pages of documents and more than a dozen transcribed interviews of current and former federal officials and researchers—all at taxpayers’ expense—have failed to reveal a coverup of COVID-19’s origin or any other wrongdoing by Dr. Fauci or Dr. Collins. These attempts to sow distrust in public health officials are dangerous and must stop.
Labor Caucus Meeting with IBEW President
As co-chair of the Labor Caucus, it was great to have IBEW President Cooper join us as we continue important work to support workers during the transition to a clean energy future. Workers are the backbone of America and when they succeed, our country succeeds.
Disability Policy Seminar
As a co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, it was an honor to join the Arc, Autism Society, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, United Cerebral Palsy, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, and TASH for a Disability Policy Seminar. We discussed my work to strengthen home and community-based services through legislation like the Better Care, Better Jobs Act, the HCBS Access Act, the Expanding Care in the Home Act, the Home and Community-Based Services Relief Act, the Advancing Access to Telehealth Act, and more.
Good, sound policy is created when everyone has a seat at the table. These are not partisan issues, these are issues that impact everyone of every walk of life, and it’s important they are all represented. Every American deserves to be able to get the care they need in the setting of their choice, and I look forward to continuing to work together to achieve meaningful policy solutions.
Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Rosies. I was honored to attend the Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony where 29 Rosies, 6 from Michigan, were honored for their hard work and dedication.
Visit with the MI-06 Congressional App Competition Winner
Met Ishaan Sid, our Congressional App Challenge winner from Novi High School. He showed me his app, Safe Drive, which helps keep new drivers safe on the road. Congratulations Ishaan!
Futures Without Violence Congressional Briefing
Joined Futures Without Violence for a congressional briefing to discuss meaningful ways we can work together to ensure survivors and their families have access to life-saving resources, expand avenues to justice, and ensure victims have the support they need to leave a dangerous situation and find safety and security when they do.
We know all too well that domestic violence is a public health crisis that affects not only survivors and their families but their communities. We must ensure that communities, including healthcare providers, have the tools to not only react to violence but proactively address its root causes and understand its enduring consequences. This requires a comprehensive infrastructure of support involving levels of government. We still have plenty of work to do, and we must continue working together to address the root causes of domestic violence and ensure that survivors have the support they need to heal physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus Briefing with AARP
As co-chair of the Assisting Caregivers Today Caucus, I joined the American Association of Retired Peoples for a briefing to discuss the caregiving crisis and caregivers’ needs across the nation. It’s critical we strengthen the system to support care workers and care recipients, so patients get the care they need and providers receive the pay and benefits they deserve.
Toyota Fly-In Reception
Joined Toyota to discuss the future of the automobile industry and how we can work together to achieve our goals while supporting workers, boosting our supply chain, and maintaining our rightful place as a global leader in innovation and technology.
Funding for the District
So far this month, we have secured $5,263,022 for the University of Michigan in grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct research in the areas of cancer treatment, oral diseases and disorders, heart and vascular diseases, neurological disorders, and more.
We have also secured $8,026,227 in grant funding from the National Science Foundation for the University of Michigan. This money will support programs that conduct research in computing and communications, materials, information and intelligent systems, and more.
We also secured $900,000 for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to ensure our local governments are better prepared to respond to future storms, floods, and other extreme weather impacts. SEMCOG is doing critical work to strengthen our infrastructure and in turn, make Southeast Michigan communities safer.
Inflation Report
This week, eggs are down to $2.29 a dozen, but at Kroger, they're on sale for $1.99. Milk stayed steady again this week at $2.79 a gallon, and Diet Coke is still $5.99 for a six-pack, but there's another deal; 4 for $12.
As always, I want to hear from you. What do you want me to know? What are you thinking about? Please contact me with any questions, ideas, and concerns. Share them with me at this link, or by calling one of my offices in Ann Arbor, Woodhaven, or DC:
Ann Arbor: (734) 481-1100
Woodhaven: (313) 278-2936
Washington, DC: (202) 225-4071
