The following guest commentary was written by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, who represents Michigan 1st Congressional District. For over three months, our country has endured an unprecedented economic and health crisis as the result of the coronavirus pandemic. Over 100,000 lives have been lost, while millions have lost their jobs—and often their businesses—because of the restrictions on social interaction imposed by our public health authorities. To keep the economy afloat and to help millions of new...
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The Great Lakes basin is home to more than 30 million people, containing approximately 90 percent of the United States’ supply of fresh surface water, and providing drinking water for more than 48 million people. Those of us who call the First District home know the importance of our water and the need to protect, preserve and restore this treasured natural resource. Reps. John Moolenaar, Bill Huizenga and I had the distinct opportunity to ride with President Trump in Grand Rapids recently and h...
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For those of us who call the Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan home, the discussion around border security is often different than what we see on the nightly news. The challenges for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agents and other federal, state and local law enforcement in the Soo vary greatly from those of their southern border counterparts. The commonality is we share the same goal: the safety and security of our citizens. As the national debate rages on, we must remember that our nation ...
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It’s Police Week, and as we honor our fallen officers and celebrate the men and women who put their lives on the line every day, here are five reasons for all of us to support our local law enforcement officers: Service. First and foremost, our law enforcement officers do the jobs they do because they are committed to serving others. They love where they live, and they want their communities to thrive. The Traverse City Police Department’s mission, for example, is “to protect life and property, ...
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There’s an old Irving Berlin song you may have heard that goes like this: “anything you can do, I can do better / I can do anything better than you.” I’ve been thinking a lot about those words during my first few weeks in Congress because that’s exactly how many of my colleagues on the left seem to view the role of government. As they see it, there’s no matter too big or too small for Uncle Sam. And, as for individual liberty? That’s a myth and a relic. The American people can’t be trusted. Gove...
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Over the past eight years we have seen America’s standing in the world deteriorate. The Obama administration has refused to name our enemies and backed away from our allies all while threats across the globe multiply. There is no one better equipped to understand the dangers we face, how to repair our world image, and set us on a path to rebuild our military than President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis. General Mattis is respected by Republicans and Democr...
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