We must enact a Balanced Budget Amendment. A Balanced Budget Amendment would prevent the federal government from spending outside its means. Families across West Michigan have to sit down and balance their budget. The State of Michigan has to pass a balanced budget every year; it’s commonsense that Washington should have to do the same.

The sanctity of life is close to my heart and dear to my family. Protecting life beginning with conception is a value that cannot be compromised and something that I will continue to fight for. I stressed this for 10 years as the Right to Life representative for my church in Zeeland and continue to fight for the unborn as a member of Congress.

Agriculture is one of the strongest economic drivers in Michigan. In fact, the impact of food and agriculture on Michigan’s economy is estimated at $101.2 billion and accounts for nearly 1 in 4 jobs. The Fourth District is one of the most agriculturally diverse in Michigan and is a leader in livestock, poultry, pork, fruit, nursery, greenhouse, and floriculture production. I have consistently fought for the hard-working farmers in the Fourth District and will continue to support Michigan’s farmers and growers.

As the son of a disabled World War II veteran, ensuring that our veterans are treated with the dignity and respect they have earned is very personal to me. It’s clear the federal government has failed our veterans. I will hold the VA accountable and fight for drastic reforms so the men and women who have served our nation are put first.

Michigan residents have long understood the importance of the Great Lakes, but if you get outside of the region, some folks don’t quite grasp how these picturesque settings, beautiful beaches, and pristine sunsets, play a vital role in our economy.

As Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, I have worked in a bipartisan way to protect our Great Lakes for future generations while strengthening both the ecology and the economy of these incredible resources.

As the father of five children, I believe that parents know their kids the best. For too long, officials at the federal, state, and local levels have moved to shut parents out of their education while directing what our children learn through top-down mandates. I believe that decisions about our children’s education should be made by those who truly know them best, and parents should be empowered to ask questions and work with school officials to achieve the best outcomes for their children.

Defending our Constitution is the foremost responsibility of any Member of Congress. As the size of government grows, the American people are rightly concerned about its interference in our lives. Congress must act as a check and balance to protect the freedoms and liberties that we hold dear.

From a young age, my parents taught me to be kind, generous, and to value service. Michigan shares these values and is blessed with numerous churches and charitable organizations that serve the most vulnerable in our communities. The federal government can do better a job of helping people escape the poverty trap and it must. It is time to stop measuring the success of anti-poverty programs by how much money is spent but instead by how many people are helped.

When Obamacare was signed into law, Americans were promised that their costs would go down, that care would improve, and that more choices would be available. Today, we know these claims to be fiction and that ObamaCare has failed. In reality, costs have skyrocketed, the quality of care has been driven down, and hardworking Michiganders have had to change doctors because ObamaCare did not cover the doctor their family had seen for years.

Energy prices are soaring because of misguided policymaking in Washington. Democrats have chosen a path that is well outside the mainstream of America and it is rising prices on families, farmers, and small businesses across the 4th District. To lower prices, we must restore energy independence here in America.  Developing American energy will help keep costs down, creates jobs, and protects us from relying on sometimes hostile foreign nations to meet our energy needs. While developing our resources we must strike a common sense balance between economic growth and protecting our environment. That is why I support a responsible all of the above approach to increasing American energy supplies that ensure Michigan’s energy demands are met all year round.

Border security is national security. When I visited the border earlier this year, it became clear that Congress must ensure the men and women tasked with securing our border have the resources and manpower necessary to properly do so.  The number of individuals illegally crossing the border combined with the sheer volume of deadly and dangerous drugs like fentanyl pouring across the border demonstrate our border is not secure.