Rep. Levin Cosponsors Resolution Recognizing Human Rights Day

Rep. Levin Cosponsors Resolution Recognizing Human Rights Day
This Saturday will mark the 68th anniversary of Human Rights Day and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The Declaration was the first comprehensive international agreement about the rights and freedom for all people, and marked a turning point in history where nations came together over shared ideals of dignity and freedom for humankind.  Rep. Levin has been an original cosponsor of the resolution commemorating Human Rights Day since it was first introduced in Congress in 2013.

Rep. Levin Signs Letter Requesting At Least $34 Billion in Funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Rep. Levin joined over 160 members in signing a letter to the House Appropriations Committee urging the National Institutes of Health receive no less than $34 billion for FY 2017.  This amount is equal to the funding level approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The NIH is the largest source of biomedical research funding in the world and has driven many important discoveries, treatments, and cures.  However, NIH funding has not kept up with increased research costs and inflation.  Rep. Levin has long advocated for increases in NIH funding, including sending letters of support last year when the NIH budget increased by nearly $2 billion for the first time in several years.

Health Insurance Open Enrollment Deadline on December 15th if You Want New Coverage Beginning January 1st, 2017
Open Enrollment runs through January 31st, 2017, but be sure to enroll by December 15th for coverage starting January 1st.  You can enroll in coverage if you do not have it already or want to change plans while avoiding a period in which you do have health insurance coverage.  After December 15th, coverage purchased by January 15th will begin on February 1st.  After that, coverage purchased before the end of Open Enrollment on January 31st will begin March 1st.

You may be worried about the cost of purchasing health insurance, but many Michiganders participating in Open Enrollment are eligible for savings that allow them to purchase health insurance for less than $75 per month.

If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact my Roseville office at 586-498-7122.

Holiday Events in the District
The holidays are almost here, so if you are looking for some family fun this week, Belle Isle is hosting the Holiday Stroll on December 9th from 4pm to 8pm.  Entry is free. There will be holiday music, free mulled cider, Dutch Girl Donuts at the Conservatory while they last, hot cocoa and cookies, holiday music, and free winter crafts at the Dossin.

You can also visit the Detroit Zoo. USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards has selected the Detroit Zoo as a contender in its Best Zoo Lights contest! Twenty zoos throughout the country are in contention for the top spot, leaving the final decision to the public. Wild Lights fans can vote every day – and on multiple devices – through 12pm on December 21st.

Rep. Levin Pens Op-Ed Carrier Deal
On Monday, December 5, Rep. Levin authored an op-ed following the announcement that Carrier, a furnace plant in Indiana, would keep 1,400 jobs in the state but still allow 600 jobs to move to Mexico and the close one of its factories.  In the article, Rep. Levin argues that the key to fixing trade with Mexico is for the country to raise its labor standards.  Failing to addressing terrible conditions for workers in other countries will continue to undermine the American worker. You can read Rep. Levin’s op-ed here.

This Week on the House Floor
The House looks to wrap up legislative business for the 114th Congress this week.  We will consider another bill that attempts to weaken Dodd-Frank’s oversight of systemically important financial institutions, the Transparent Insurance Standards Act (H.R. 5143).  Rep. Levin continues to work with the Michigan delegation to secure funding to address the Flint water crisis, which will hopefully be resolved when the House considers the final version of legislation authorizing Army Corps of Engineers projects and setting water infrastructure policy (S. 612) and a FY 2017 continuing resolution to government operations until April 28, 2017.