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Hi there,
As we begin the new year, I’ve been thinking back on 2021. It was certainly a year of challenges in many ways, but it was also a year of hard work and resilience. While the last 12 months have been difficult, they have also brought out the best in us Michiganders. Time and time again, I saw folks stepping up to help their families and support their communities, in ways big and small. In Congress, the work my office focused on had those Michigan families, workers, and businesses in mind
In 2021, we dug into the issues I hear about most often from folks in our district: lowering the cost of prescription drugs, supporting our businesses and our economy during the pandemic, taking care of our vets, and making critical improvements to our infrastructure.
Just before the year started, my Real Time Benefits Act was signed into law by President Trump. This game-changing legislation will allow seniors to compare prescription drug prices right at the doctor’s office so they know they are getting the best deal possible. This has been one of the top issues I’ve heard about from people in the district, so my team and I hit the road across Oakland, Livingston and Ingham Counties to talk about how this law is going to impact seniors right here in Michigan.
We all know that Michigan’s small communities have been hit hard by the pandemic, with businesses closing, workers out of a job, and hospitals overwhelmed. In Congress, we knew that we needed to deliver relief fast, so we passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Delivering billions in funding for Michigan’s local governments and small businesses, the ARP helped our communities stay safe and restaurants and concert venues keep their doors open.
Another big issue we worked on this year was supply chains – something I’ve been obsessed with since the start of COVID. Supply chain issues are impacting Michiganders every day. In our community we saw our local GM plants grind to a halt because they couldn’t find enough 14-cent microchips to power the new cars coming off the assembly lines. That’s why I went to work co-chairing a bipartisan task force to study and write legislation to address vulnerabilities in our national security supply chain so that we reduce our dependence on places like China and make more critical supplies in the United States. A number of the provisions we wrote were signed into law at the end of last month as part of the Pentagon’s budget for 2022.
 
As someone who served alongside the military during my three tours in Iraq as a CIA analyst, I understand the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform. With this in mind, I worked across the aisle to ensure our veterans get more of the support they need and earned by helping to pass the PAWS Act, which connects our men and women in uniform with service dogs. These dogs can help tremendously with PTSD and mental health, so I was thrilled that we passed this bipartisan bill and that I was able to stand next to the President in the Oval Office as he signed it into law.Any Michigander can tell you how desperately our state needs improvements to its infrastructure, which is why I pushed so hard to send the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan to the president’s desk. A once-in-a-generation investment in Michigan’s critical infrastructure, the package provides $7.3 billion for Michigan highways, $563 million for Michigan bridges, and $110 million for Michigan rural broadband expansion. The legislation is already making an impact, with Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport receiving nearly $2 million in funding just a couple weeks ago.
Sadly, 2021 concluded with a terrible tragedy in our district, in Oxford, MI. An armed 15-year old boy walked into Oxford High School and took the lives of four of his fellow students. In the weeks following the shooting, I was in Michigan nearly every day, attending vigils and funerals, listening to survivors and their parents, and meeting with first responders. It was clear to me that we need legislation to prevent another tragedy and save future lives, so I introduced the Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act, which will require that gun owners responsibly store their firearms when children are present. It will also hold them accountable if a minor has reasonable access to a gun and uses it to commit a crime.
Whether it’s taking questions at a town hall, touring a union training facility, or hearing from small business owners, meeting people in our district at one of the over 200 community events I attended this past year inspires new legislation and directly impacts everything I do in Congress. I’ve had the chance to meet with our first responders, health care workers, restaurant owners, local government officials and so many of the people who serve our communities about ways we can make sure they have the support and assistance they need.
Finally, as always, my team and I are here to work for you. And it may not be the flashiest part of the job, but constituent services is one of the most important parts of my office and my work as your Representative. Our office’s dedicated caseworkers have years of experience helping folks navigate the federal government. Whether it’s a missing tax return, trouble with the VA, or a delayed visa, we can help. In my first two terms in Congress, my office has closed 3,577 cases and returned over $2.7 million to constituents. If you’re having an issue, you can give us a call at (517) 993-0510 or visit our website at slotkin.house.gov.
Thank you for reading and here’s to a happy, healthy start to 2022,
– Rep. Elissa Slotkin
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