Dear Friends,

To better serve you, I am offering this e-newsletter on what’s happening in the 30th Senate District and across our state.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about any of the content discussed in this e-newsletter or if I can be of assistance to you or your family. You may call toll-free at 1-855-347-8030 or email [email protected]. Also, please check out my Facebook page. Let me know if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.

Working for you,

Mark Huizenga
State Senator

The Michigan Senate recently approved my resolution requesting support and funding from the National Archives and Records Administration for the restoration of the reflecting pool and fountain at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is one of West Michigan’s most important civic spaces and one of our greatest community assets. It both connects residents and visitors to the lives of the president and Mrs. Ford and serves as a gateway to the American presidency, inspiring commitment to our shared democratic values and the type of active citizenship necessary for the health of our state and nation.

Senate Resolution 84 notes that, “When the reflecting pool and fountain stopped operating in 2019, a special aspect of the Museum was lost, leaving an empty cement pool that visually detracts from the campus and downtown Grand Rapids. Many in our community think that now is the time to restore these important features as the 50th anniversary of President Ford’s call to service as our nation’s 38th president approaches.”

The reflecting pool and fountain are designed to be reminiscent of the reflecting pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and — at nearly 100 yards long — commemorates Ford’s football career as both a player and a coach.

The reflecting pool and fountain are an integral connection between the museum and downtown Grand Rapids. They are not just an extension of the design of the museum itself. They work as a mirror of President Ford’s hometown, allowing people to see themselves in both Ford and the presidency itself, symbolically continuing his representation of those in our community.

I talked with WOOD-TV 8 about the resolution. Click here to watch the interview.

I urged the Senate to join me in rejecting House Concurrent Resolution 10 to adjourn the Michigan Legislature a month and a half early. Unfortunately, Democratic majorities in the House and Senate voted to end the 2023 legislative session – the earliest the Legislature has adjourned in the last 55 years.

I came to Lansing to help solve the problems facing the people of West Michigan and our entire state. That work is not done. While I understand that we aren’t going to solve all the problems we face in the next six weeks, we should — at the very least — be meeting as an elected body and trying to achieve positive solutions.

Michigan families and small business owners are struggling to make ends meet as costs for everything continue to increase. They deserve and need us to continue to work on solutions to help them and improve their lives.

During my time in the private sector, the people I worked for expected me to show up and do my job. As senators, we work for the people of Michigan — and they have the same expectations of us. Teachers in my district are still showing up to teach. Factory line workers are still showing up to help build our economy. Police officers are still standing up to protect our communities. It only seems fair that we show up to do our part, too.

The people of our districts entrusted each of us to do a job. We should honor that trust and uphold the commitment we made to them when we ran for office by continuing the legislative work on their behalf.

As we prepare for winter, I recently had the privilege of touring the brand-new Kent County Road Commission Central Complex. It was a very educational experience learning how the road commission operates and how they help keep drivers safe on our roads when bad weather hits. Click here or on the image below to see a video of the tour.

Thanksgiving is a time to gather together with family and friends and give thanks for our many blessings. We have much to be thankful for as Americans. We live in the greatest nation on Earth, where everyone has the chance — through hard work and determination — to achieve the American Dream.

Thanksgiving is a rare moment to cast aside the worries of our everyday lives and relax with our loved ones. It is an opportunity to gather with those closest to us, give thanks for the many blessings that have been bestowed on us and celebrate the most cherished thing we have: one another.

I hope we will all take time to warmly express our gratitude to our family and friends for their love and friendship throughout the year. Click here or on the image below to see a short Thanksgiving video I recorded from the Senate floor.

Hunters play an important role in wildlife conservation and management while contributing roughly $11 billion to the state’s economy and supporting 171,000 Michigan jobs.

With regular deer firearm season now open until Nov. 30, I wanted to remind hunters of some useful information. Hunting digests, including the 2023 edition of the Michigan General Hunting Digest from the Department of Natural Resources, feature all current state rules and regulations. It is one of several digests available online that can be downloaded to a smartphone or other personal device for use in the field.

All harvested deer must be reported within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer to another person, a processor or taxidermist. You can report a harvest by downloading the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or online at Michigan.gov/DNRHarvestReport.

I wish you all a happy, productive and safe hunting season.

Serving the people of West Michigan is very important to me and I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You may contact me by calling toll-free 1-855-347-8030 or emailing [email protected].

I look forward to serving you, and I encourage you to contact me if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.