WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the Customs and Border Protection's process for inspecting passenger vehicles, pedestrians and commercial vehicles at land ports of entry's to secure the border. The report (GAO-19-658) is titled "Land Ports of Entry: CBP Should Update Policies and Enhance Analysis of Inspections". The report was sent to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, chairman, and Sen. Gary C. Peters, D-Michigan, ranking member of the Senate Home  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the Veterans Health Administration's efforts to assess the impact of the same-day services initiative on veterans' access to care. The report (GAO-19-546) is titled "VA Health Care: Goals and Related Measures Needed to Better Assess the Impact of Same-Day Services". The report was sent to Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Michigan, ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, on A  more

PLYMOUTH, England, Aug. 9 -- Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Today, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) announced that the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is investing over $1 million in the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) to lead a national project to assist defense contractors in implementing cybersecurity protections needed to safeguard information being handled in defense manufacturing su  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 -- Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, issued the following statement in response to the shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. "We cannot allow the blind hatred and disregard for innocent life to be the new normal. We need to find out how and why individuals in our society are being radicalized and committing these horrific acts. "The tone and tenor of how we discuss these serious societal and policy issues also matters. Those seeking to politicize these tragedies make   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: On Friday, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) joined Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03), Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02), and the author of the legislation, Congressman Denver Riggleman (VA-05), in introducing the Protecting Patients with Pre-existing Conditions Act. This legislation will amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to guar  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: On Friday, members of the Michigan congressional delegation introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize and expand funding for the Great Lakes. House Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chairs Congressman Bill Huizenga and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) joined U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and U.S. Representatives Jack Bergman (MI-01), John Moolenaar (MI-04), Dan Kildee (MI-05), Fred Upton  more

FLINT, Michigan, Aug. 7 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: * * * - Members Call on Senate Leader to Cancel Recess, Take Action on House-Passed Universal Background Checks Bill * * * Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, today wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell demanding he immediately call the U.S. Senate back into session to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and H.R. 1112, the Enhanc  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Michigan, issued the following statement on the death of Iraqi national Jimmy Aldaoud: "Jimmy Aldaoud should have never been deported to Iraq. Jimmy, born to Iraqi parents in a Greece refugee camp, lived in Detroit since he was six months old. Mr. Aldaoud faced severe mental illnesses while also battling diabetes. Jimmy, having never been to Iraq, did not speak Arabic and was denied access to proper healthcare to treat his medical conditions. "I st  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following statement on the death of Iraqi national Jimmy Aldaoud: * * * - Following his deportation to Iraq, Iraqi national Jimmy Aldaoud yesterday died of a diabetic crisis. * * * "Jimmy Aldaoud, a Chaldean resident of Oakland County, should have never been sent to Iraq. For many reasons, it was clear that deporting Jimmy to a country where he had never been, had no identification, had no family, had no knowledge of geography or   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: * * * - In a letter sent to President Trump, Congressman Andy Levin and 27 of his House colleagues expressed their opposition to the nomination of Eugene Scalia for DOL Secretary. * * * Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09) today led a letter signed by 28 Members of Congress and sent to President Trump expressing their opposition to the nomination of Eugene Scalia to be the next Secretary of Labor. The letter was  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: * * * - By working with the Iraqi and American governments, Congressman Levin and the Aldaoud family have secured the release of Jimmy Aldaoud's remains to be returned to the U.S. * * * Following the death of Jimmy Aldaoud, an Iraqi national who was deported to Iraq and died of a diabetic crisis as a result of his deportation, Congressman Andy Levin today announced that Jimmy's remains will be returned to t  more

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Michigan, Aug. 9 -- Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Michigan, issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services announced $1.73 million in Rural Communities Opioid Response Program grants for McKenzie Memorial Hospital in Sandusky and Michigan Rural EMS Network in Marlette: "As the opioid crisis ravages our nation - claiming more lives than car accidents - our government should assist efforts that fight this issue head on. "Programs like the Rural Communit  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Michigan, issued the following letter: Yesterday afternoon, Congressman Paul Mitchell (MI-10) sent the letter below to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer regarding a proposed gravel mine on the D Bar A Boy Scout property in Metamora, which is adjacent to the Metamora Landfill Superfund site. "Dear Governor Whitmer, I write to express serious concerns about a proposed gravel mine on the D Bar A Boy Scout property in Metamora. This property is adjace  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 -- Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: After deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio over the weekend, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) joined several of her colleagues on the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force to send a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to immediately call the Senate back into session to vote on two gun safety bills the House passed earlier this year. H.R 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and H  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8 -- Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, issued the following statement after the Department of Health & Human Services announced a grant to Western Michigan University for the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program: "We have all seen the horrendous impact caused by the opioid epidemic. No family is immune and all too many of us have experienced the devastation and loss firsthand. "We can all be encouraged that Western Michigan University is showing commitment to address this epidemic an  more