Today, I got an update on the ceasefire negotiations from the White House, and separately met again with families of Americans held hostage by Hamas. There is a credible ceasefire deal on the table and Hamas needs to take it. The Israelis have publicly supported it. The families of the hostages and the families in Gaza are desperate for it. Once again, refusal by Hamas is only selfishly prolonging the war and abusing the very civilians they claim to be fighting for. Now is the time.
Antisemitism is on the rise in Michigan — from vandalism at elected officials’ homes and workplaces, to antisemitic fliers papering our small towns, to support for armed violence at public conferences. No matter how passionately people feel about a cause, resorting to threats of violence and intimidation does nothing but hurt the causes people care about.
My statement on the @WCKitchen workers killed in Gaza:
Today marks 80 years since U.S. and allied troops landed at Normandy on D-Day. Among them was my late grandfather, Ted Spitz, who was recognized for “gallantry in action” in the vicinity of Caumont, Normandy in the days following the initial landings. His story helps me get my arms around the enormity of the sacrifice that was made on this day eight decades ago. My grandfather landed on Omaha Beach after what felt like an eternity at sea waiting in silence. I was young when he died, so the only story I remember him telling me was about how terribly seasick he was, and therefore how desperate he was to get to dry land, despite what was waiting for him at the beach. Later, after the invasion, his unit set up camp, and he ended up discovering enemy outposts near his company. PFC Spitz “proceeded over treacherous and fire-swept terrain and routed the hostile patrols”, and was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his efforts. The story was published in the Detroit News. As a teenager, I traveled to the village in Normandy where his medals were pinned on him. Today, I keep his medals, the story, the citation, and his photo in my office. It’s a powerful reminder of the many stories of bravery by American service members on D-Day and in the days and weeks that followed. D-Day was the first step in a long march through Europe that freed millions from fascist occupation. It was made possible by the incredible courage of the heroes who landed on that beach – courage that lives on in the generations of American service members that have followed them. Today is also about recognizing the individual stories of the hundreds of thousands who risked everything for something bigger than themselves.
Today marks 80 years since U.S. and allied troops landed at Normandy on D-Day. Among them was my late grandfather, Ted Spitz, who was recognized for “gallantry in action” in the vicinity of Caumont, Normandy in the days following the initial landings. His story helps me get my arms around the enormity of the sacrifice that was made on this day eight decades ago. My grandfather landed on Omaha Beach after what felt like an eternity at sea waiting in silence. I was young when he died, so the only story I remember him telling me was about how terribly seasick he was, and therefore how desperate he was to get to dry land, despite what was waiting for him at the beach. Later, after the invasion, his unit set up camp, and he ended up discovering enemy outposts near his company. PFC Spitz “proceeded over treacherous and fire-swept terrain and routed the hostile patrols”, and was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his efforts. The story was published in the Detroit News. As a teenager, I traveled to the village in Normandy where his medals were pinned on him. Today, I keep his medals, the story, the citation, and his photo in my office. It’s a powerful reminder of the many stories of bravery by American service members on D-Day and in the days and weeks that followed. D-Day was the first step in a long march through Europe that freed millions from fascist occupation. It was made possible by the incredible courage of the heroes who landed on that beach – courage that lives on in the generations of American service members that have followed them. Today is also about recognizing the individual stories of the hundreds of thousands who risked everything for something bigger than themselves.
Today marks 80 years since U.S. and allied troops landed at Normandy on D-Day. Among them was my late grandfather, Ted Spitz, who was recognized for “gallantry in action” in the vicinity of Caumont, Normandy in the days following the initial landings. His story helps me get my arms around the enormity of the sacrifice that was made on this day eight decades ago. My grandfather landed on Omaha Beach after what felt like an eternity at sea waiting in silence. I was young when he died, so the only story I remember him telling me was about how terribly seasick he was, and therefore how desperate he was to get to dry land, despite what was waiting for him at the beach. Later, after the invasion, his unit set up camp, and he ended up discovering enemy outposts near his company. PFC Spitz “proceeded over treacherous and fire-swept terrain and routed the hostile patrols”, and was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his efforts. The story was published in the Detroit News. As a teenager, I traveled to the village in Normandy where his medals were pinned on him. Today, I keep his medals, the story, the citation, and his photo in my office. It’s a powerful reminder of the many stories of bravery by American service members on D-Day and in the days and weeks that followed. D-Day was the first step in a long march through Europe that freed millions from fascist occupation. It was made possible by the incredible courage of the heroes who landed on that beach – courage that lives on in the generations of American service members that have followed them. Today is also about recognizing the individual stories of the hundreds of thousands who risked everything for something bigger than themselves.
Today, in the markup of the Pentagon’s budget, @RepDonBacon (R-NE) and I introduced a bipartisan amendment to require the Air Force to pump the brakes on fighter retirement until we get a realistic plan for keeping capabilities we need, including at Selfridge Air Base. 94% of our homeland air defense and the lion’s-share of our fighting experience reside with the Air National Guard, so we believe it’s critical that the Air Force show their cards and lay out a plan before more fighters are removed from bases across the country.
Today marks 80 years since U.S. and allied troops landed at Normandy on D-Day. Among them was my late grandfather, Ted Spitz, who was recognized for “gallantry in action” in the vicinity of Caumont, Normandy in the days following the initial landings. His story helps me get my arms around the enormity of the sacrifice that was made on this day eight decades ago. My grandfather landed on Omaha Beach after what felt like an eternity at sea waiting in silence. I was young when he died, so the only story I remember him telling me was about how terribly seasick he was, and therefore how desperate he was to get to dry land, despite what was waiting for him at the beach. Later, after the invasion, his unit set up camp, and he ended up discovering enemy outposts near his company. PFC Spitz “proceeded over treacherous and fire-swept terrain and routed the hostile patrols”, and was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star for his efforts. The story was published in the Detroit News. As a teenager, I traveled to the village in Normandy where his medals were pinned on him. Today, I keep his medals, the story, the citation, and his photo in my office. It’s a powerful reminder of the many stories of bravery by American service members on D-Day and in the days and weeks that followed. D-Day was the first step in a long march through Europe that freed millions from fascist occupation. It was made possible by the incredible courage of the heroes who landed on that beach – courage that lives on in the generations of American service members that have followed them. Today is also about recognizing the individual stories of the hundreds of thousands who risked everything for something bigger than themselves.
Iran’s complex attack on Israel last night was unprecedented. Israel – like any country – has the right to self-defense, and while we want strategic thinking from all parties, Iran chose to take this conflict to a new place. PS: the only other country launching attacks combining ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones is Russia, against Ukraine.
I’ve been following reports from the Middle East this evening. My statement:
Appreciated hearing from and touring the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing this week, an org that has provided support services to more than 10,000 women in our community since opening in 2005. Their leadership shared that the need for their services has tripled over the last year, and that recent drug shortages — specifically medications that address mental health needs — puts a real strain on their ability to serve the community. Hearing from the local folks on the ground is vital to the work I do in Congress, and it’s always great to spend some time with dedicated advocates who work so hard to serve people.
Appreciated hearing from and touring the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing this week, an org that has provided support services to more than 10,000 women in our community since opening in 2005. Their leadership shared that the need for their services has tripled over the last year, and that recent drug shortages — specifically medications that address mental health needs — puts a real strain on their ability to serve the community. Hearing from the local folks on the ground is vital to the work I do in Congress, and it’s always great to spend some time with dedicated advocates who work so hard to serve people.
Appreciated hearing from and touring the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing this week, an org that has provided support services to more than 10,000 women in our community since opening in 2005. Their leadership shared that the need for their services has tripled over the last year, and that recent drug shortages — specifically medications that address mental health needs — puts a real strain on their ability to serve the community. Hearing from the local folks on the ground is vital to the work I do in Congress, and it’s always great to spend some time with dedicated advocates who work so hard to serve people.
Did you know that the symbolism of Rosie the Riveter originated at the Willow Run Aircraft Factory in Ypsilanti? It’s no surprise that hardworking women in Michigan were among the first to roll up their sleeves and serve their country. Today’s Congressional Gold Medal ceremony honoring Rosie the Riveters was long overdue, and I encourage everyone to take time to listen to Mae Krier, an “OG” Rosie who helped produce B-17s and B-29s for the war effort from 1943 to 1945.
As a former CIA officer & Pentagon official, I’m concerned by a potential flood of cheap Chinese-made electric vehicles coming to the U.S. as they have come to Europe. I asked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about it today – this is not just an economic issue, but also a major national security concern.
I was honored to pay tribute to the Canady Family of Lansing from the House floor during Black History Month, and was honored again to present family members with the tribute that now lives in the Congressional Record. The Canady family is part of the very fabric of our community, a fabric stitched with their incredible work ethic, commitment to breaking new ground, and to clearing a path for others to follow.
I support the President’s actions today to secure the border — it’s a last ditch effort given that House Republicans declared a tough bipartisan border security deal “dead on arrival”.
Since joining the House Ag Committee, I’ve said it over and over: food security is national security. We should *always* be able to feed ourselves by ourselves. And as we mark up the House version of the Farm Bill today, that’s the approach I’m taking. Watch:
Today’s announcement that the EPA has finalized drinking water standards for PFAS is one of the biggest victories we’ve scored in a decades-long effort to protect Michiganders from PFAS.
Today, I welcomed @secvilsack to Williamston, where we convened nearly 100 members of Michigan’s agriculture community to hear directly from the Secretary on everything from protecting our agricultural diversity, to recent HPAI detections, to the upcoming Farm Bill. This community was of course affected heavily by the major storms and tornadoes that swept through Mid-Michigan last August, and it’s great to see how far they’ve come thanks to the resilience of the farmers in the area and the dedicated work of emergency management workers. I’m grateful to the Secretary for coming out and to all of the Michiganders who joined us – especially as we’re right in the middle of planting season! It’s vital that federal policymakers hear directly from the folks on the ground, and that’s exactly what we’re doing today.
Thanks to @secvilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture, for visiting the district today — it was perfect timing: our farmers, researchers & ag leaders are hard at work dealing with HPAI, or avian flu, which has shown up in poultry and at dairy farms across the state. The folks at @msuvets’ diagnostic lab — the only one in Michigan that can test for HPAI — are working overtime to help test and track cases. It’s important that we stop the spread in its tracks. Producers must remain vigilant & contact a vet for any animal health concerns among their herds or flocks. For more information, check out the page below, which is being updated regularly by @usdagov. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock
Today’s announcement is a landmark moment in the fight to clean up PFAS. For the first time, the EPA has finalized national, enforceable standards for PFAS contamination, and will require public water systems to take action to meet them. Michigan has been focused on water quality issues in a serious way since the Flint water crisis, and when the EPA was slow to issue PFAS standards, Michigan developed our own in 2020. But this fight has always been at the federal level, and today, I’m thrilled to see a nationwide standard for every state in the union. More than almost any issue, I have worked on this since my first days in Congress, pushing administrations of both parties for a national drinking water standard on PFAS contamination – through legislation, Pentagon amendments, and direct engagement with the EPA. Many other Michigan legislators, grassroots activists, and concerned citizens have worked it long before me. This is a big deal for our state and for sites of concern in our district, so I’ll be working closely with all impacted communities to ensure these new standards get Michiganders the answers they deserve as soon as possible.
With narrow majorities in the House and Senate, if we’re going to pass a Farm Bill into law, we will need to compromise like adults. My full statement after today’s markup in the House Agriculture Committee:
