Congressman John Moolenaar represents the residents of Michigan's Fourth Congressional District. He is currently a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Moolenaar brings years of leadership experience in the private and public sectors to Congress. He has worked as a chemist and business development director, and as a school administrator.
As a public servant, Moolenaar has been elected to the Midland City Council, the Michigan House of Representatives, and the Michigan Senate. Moolenaar and his wife Amy have raised six children. He has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Hope College and a master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.
Congress should lead by example to reduce federal spending and the national debt. Since 2010, Congress has passed legislation to freeze the pay of legislators. Members of Congress and their staff are also required to participate in the health care exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act.
Likewise, Congress should continue to exercise its oversight authority of the Executive Branch. I believe Congress must work to rein in expansion of Administrative power and uphold the legislative responsibilities given to Congress by the Constitution.
As a lifelong resident of mid and northern Michigan, I understand the importance of agriculture to our state. Agriculture has been instrumental in our state's economic recovery, and I am proud to represent the 15,000 farms and rural communities of our district.
As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I am committed to ensuring that vital agriculture programs are maintained. I will continue to support Michigan farmers by ensuring that federal regulations do not impede upon farm operations, and helping develop policies that will enable farmers to sell more products to more customers.
The hardworking families of mid and northern Michigan understand how to balance their checkbook and it's about time the federal government does the same. Excessive spending in Washington has been unchecked for too long, and as a result, our nation faces over $20 trillion in debt. Plain and simple, our obligations are growing faster than our ability to pay them.
We must find a way to get the federal government's spending under control and restore confidence in our economy. As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I support legislation that promotes fiscal responsibility, accountability and puts our nation on a brighter path for our children and grandchildren. Ultimately, I believe the strength of our economy is the thousands of people and businesses like those in Michigan's Fourth District, not with government spending.
Congressman Moolenaar requested funding for the following communinty projects in Michigan's Fourth District. The links below provide information and details on the requested funding.
2022
City of Frankenmuth
Provide a funding level of $1,000,000 for the City of Frankenmuth Heritage Park Riverwalk project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the City of Frankenmuth located at 240 West Genesee Street, Frankenmuth, MI 48734. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would complete a 30-year old project providing outdoor recreation, economic development opportunities and connect all current paths within the community.
McLaren Central Michigan
Provide a funding level of $849,358 for the McLaren Central Michigan MRI Replacement Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is McLaren Central Michigan, located at 1221 South Drive, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because upgrading and replacing the hospital’s current MRI system to one more current will better serve the five rural counties and its residents. With this replacement, vendor support and service will not terminate at the beginning of 2023, and the hospital will be able to avoid gaps in service and not compromise patient safety.
City of Midland
Provide a funding level of $1,000,000 for the City of Midland Sylvan Pump Station Detention Basin project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the City of Midland located at 333 West Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would respond to the critical infrastructure needs that have arisen due to the historic flooding in 2017 and 2020 by strengthening the system to be more resilient during high flood events.
Midland County
Provide $750,000 for Midland County, in coordination with the State of Michigan, private landowners, and local leaders, to redesign traditional drains and improve stormwater drainage after several historic flooding events. The most recent flooding event was in 2020 when a significant rain event contributed to the catastrophic failure of two dams. The proposed project will create ecologically functional floodplains, allowing stormwater to flow into formerly disconnected floodplains. The result will be increased stormwater storage during large runoff events, improved soil health, reduced erosion, improved water quality, enhanced vegetation and wildlife habitat, and reduced damage caused by floods and other natural disasters
Letter of Certification
Michigan Heroes Museum
Provide a funding level of $215,800 for the Michigan Heroes Next Door Educational Program Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is Michigan’s Own, Inc. dba – Michigan Heroes Museum, located at 1250 Weiss Street, Frankenmuth, MI 48734. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because digitizing the collection of stories of Michigan veterans and astronauts and making this medium available in several new formats that can be utilized for K-12 history and social science curricula will provide online learning platforms and increase access to these museum resources for teachers, students, and other groups. By utilizing recent technological innovations via internet and social media, the project will not only offer new and exciting educational platforms for K-12 students but also enhance historical records and enrich the experience of visiting the museum.
My Michigan Health Medical Center Midland
Provide a funding level of $2,000,000 for the MyMichigan Health Medical Center Midland Boiler Plant and Flood Resiliency Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is MyMichigan Health Foundation, located at 4000 Wellness Drive, Midland, MI 48670. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because construction of a new boiler plant, located outside of the flood-prone area on higher ground, is essential to support critical functions of the hospital and campus (inpatient and emergency services) including the hospital’s heating, humidification, sterilization processes, hot water, and to supply 160-degree water required for operations of the hospital’s kitchen. The current boiler plant sustained significant damage from the historic flooding in May 2020 following the breach of two local dams that led to a federal major disaster declaration (DR-4547-MI).
City of Perry
Provide a funding level of $130,000 for the City of Perry Security Upgrades project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the City of Perry located at 203 West Polly Street, Perry, MI 48872. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would respond to critical security and technology needs improving police effectiveness and preparedness.
Presbyterian Villages of Michigan - Village of Rosebush Manor
Provide a funding level of $115,000 for the Telehealth for Rural Seniors Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is Presbyterian Villages of Michigan – Village of Rosebush Manor, located at 4210 East Rosebush Road, Rosebush, MI 48878. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because telehealth access to primary care physicians and medical specialists that currently do not exist without traveling long distances, which is both difficult during the Michigan winters and often poses additional risks to the health of seniors, will make regular doctor visits more feasible and allow for better management of chronic conditions, medications and overall lifestyle in a more cost-efficient manner. Establishing a medical suite for patients to utilize telemedicine services is especially needed in a community like Rosebush where many people may not have access to the high-speed internet connections and devices necessary to perform even a simple video visit.
2021
Village of Breckenridge
Provide a funding level of $1,646,932 for the Breckenridge Industrial, Technology and Agri-Business Park Phase II as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the Village of Breckenridge. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would build the needed capacity for developed lots for industrial, technology and agribusiness expansion and will lead to the creation of over 200 new jobs and an estimate of $10 million of investment within the Breckenridge area and the Great Lakes Bay region. This project will provide for 19 new developed lots with full infrastructure, all season roads, lighting, and access to a major thoroughfare.
City of Big Rapids
Provide a funding level of $1,827,000 for the Roben-Hood Airport in Big Rapids. The entity to receive funding for this project is the City of Big Rapids, Michigan located at 226 North Michigan Avenue, Big Rapids, MI 49307. This project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would invest in infrastructure and would be used to extend Roben-Hood Airport’s runway from a length of 4,300-feet to a length of 5,000-feet, with a full parallel taxiway, high intensity runway lighting, a precision approach, and a segmented circle to accommodate both existing and future users.
Central Michigan University
Provide a funding level of $350,000 for the Central Michigan University Telepsychiatry Outreach for Suicide Prevention in Rural Medically Underserved Communities Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine, located at 1280 East Campus Drive, Mount Pleasant, MI 44859, The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because, according to the March 2021 Michigan Suicide Commission Report, suicide rates are generally higher in more rural area and the northeastern half of the Lower Peninsula and the eastern portion of the Upper Peninsula have the highest age-adjusted suicide rates in the state. There is also a behavioral health provider service gap in these rural areas, which has been complicated by the uneven geographic distribution of psychiatrists, where two-thirds of the state’s psychiatrists are based in the Ann Arbor-Detroit areas. This project would boost the capacity of telehealth assets across the 15 counties in Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District to strengthen telepsychiatry services with a focus on reducing youth suicide deaths and attempts which unfortunately has been exacerbated by COVID-19.
Letter of Certification
Clinton County Area Transit System
Provide a funding level of $1,000,000 for the Clinton Area Transit System Rural Transit Facility Expansion as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the Clinton Area Transit System located at 215 North Scott Road, St. Johns, Michigan 48879. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because curb-to-door ridership has increased by 30% for community seniors, persons with disabilities, and veterans. The need for additional transportation staff, increasing office space, and providing for increased vehicle maintenance capability is desperately needed. This project would allow for the construction of additional office spaces for the Clinton County public transit system to house additional staff, as well as constructing a new maintenance facility to properly maintain county transit vehicles and protect vehicles during winter months.
Four Lakes Task Force
Provide a funding level of $1,060,000 for the purchase and installation of public safety booms, as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the Four Lakes Task Force located at 233 East Larkin Street, Suite 2, Midland, Michigan, 48640. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide much needed public safety awareness on the upstream side of two dams that suffered significant damage in May 2020. The historic rainfall in May 2020 also led to the catastrophic failure of two additional dams that sent roughly six billion cubic feet of water flowing down river forcing ten thousand residents to evacuate and causing millions of dollars in damage and lost economic activity.
IQHub
Provide a funding level of $250,311 for creating the IQhub Community Classroom, as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the IQhub located at 1130 South DeWitt Road, St. Johns, Michigan 48879. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the IQhub, as an educational center for agricultural history, innovation and exploration, and the Community Classroom will be a destination for STEM-based learning and agriscience education for thousands of Michigan students from rural communities as well as the Grand Rapids and Lansing metropolitan areas. The Community Classroom will also enhance community programming and lifetime education for residents in rural mid-Michigan.
City of Midland
Provide a funding level of $750,000 for the City of Midland Storm and Sanitary Sewer Improvement as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the City of Midland located at 333 West Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would respond to the critical infrastructure needs that have arisen due to the historic flooding in 2020, which resulted in the major disaster declaration (DR-4547-MI) being issued, by strengthening the system to be more resilient during flooding and high rain events.
Midland Center for the Arts
Provide a funding level of $500,000 for the Midland Center for the Arts Revitalization Project as a community project funding request. The intended recipient is the Midland Center for the Arts. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because in March 2020, the Midland Center for the Arts was closed due to COVID-19 and, two months later, the Center’s five buildings, including its historical archives and collections, sustained several million dollars in damages due to historic flooding and the breach of two local dams that led to a federal major disaster declaration (DR-4547-MI). The Center is working with the City of Midland, Midland County, the Midland Business Alliance, and other local partners to recover and rebuild from the devastating impact of these events, and to bring the city’s economy back to life through increased tourism and regional visitation to Midland. The Center’s estimated impact on the local economy is over $14 million annually, and the revitalization of the facility strengthens the entire city, county, and region.
Education is key to success in our economy. I support efforts to ensure all students have access to a high quality education, one that best fits their learning needs. I will work to update critical education policies and return decision-making back to parents and communities.
In addition, I support improving access to quality, affordable higher education. I will support efforts to help students and parents have clear information about the real costs of college. This includes reforms that ensure student aid will be available for those who need it most and reductions in costly federal regulations on colleges and universities. It is time for a new direction, one in which institutions, states and the students themselves play a key role in helping control costs and making responsible choices.
Finally, scientific and technological discoveries have made our country a global economic leader. I support efforts aimed at spurring innovation, which will lead to economic growth and create jobs for the American people. Additionally, I believe we should encourage our children to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow. I support efforts to increase access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in order to inspire children to pursue these fields.
Our nation's long-term energy policy must be aimed at reducing prices for American families and businesses. I support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that utilizes our nation's abundant domestic resources so we can continue to be an energy-independent nation.
American leadership ensures global stability. We must use all possible diplomatic tools to partner with our allies and further the interests of the American people. We must also hold countries and organizations accountable for their actions and use sanctions when necessary to show the resolve of United States to stand up to rogue regimes that wish to harm our country.
The Great Lakes are critical to Michigan's economy and outdoor heritage. As a unique national treasure and the largest system of fresh surface water in the world, the Great Lakes provide drinking water for nearly 40 million people and are an economic driver that supports jobs, commerce, agriculture, transportation, and tourism.
It is imperative that we protect this vital asset against invasive species. Asian carp have been found less than ten miles from Lake Michigan. If Asian carp establish populations in the Great Lakes, they will devastate the region's fishing and boating industries. The Army Corps of Engineers must act quickly to take the necessary steps to protect our Great Lakes.
I strongly support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Since the initiative was launched in 2010, GLRI funds have been used to support over 3,000 restoration projects to improve water quality, protect and restore native habitat, clean up environmentally-impaired Areas of Concern, fight invasive species, and prevent beach closings. I will continue to work across the aisle to ensure funding for protecting the Great Lakes.
I am a member of the House Appropriations Committee and the subcommittee with oversight of HHS and its response to the opioid crisis. I support funding for states to combat the opioid crisis and I have also backed legislation funding research into new pain relief treatments so patients can safely recover without the risk of addiction. I have also supported funding that will help our country find cures for cancer and Alzheimer's. These diseases rob us of our loved ones and we must continue research that will bring us closer to finding life-saving treatments.
Unnecessary and burdensome regulations have hindered economic growth and job creation in America. That is why I am fighting for smarter, pro-growth policies that get government out of the way and help small businesses expand and hire new workers. In fact, I have supported overturning numerous regulations written by unelected bureaucrats who do not understand the negative consequences of the rules they wrote.
Michigan has a talented workforce and world-leading manufacturing base, and we can keep it that way by promoting opportunities in the skilled trades. I am committed to ensuring residents have the opportunity to learn career and technical skills that are vital to applying for good-paying jobs.
I believe that everyone has an unalienable right to life and that life begins at conception. We must work to protect life and ensure that every child has the opportunity to live life to the fullest.
Hand-in-hand with my belief in the sanctity of life is my belief in the importance of adoptions. I am committed to supporting policies that promote adoption as a way to provide safe and loving homes for children.
For over two hundred years, the men and women of the United States military have protected us and defended American values at home and abroad. We must commit to a strong national defense in order to respond to challenges from countries like China and Russia, deter rogue states like Iran and North Korea, and defeat violent extremists who know no borders.
The men and women of our Armed Forces deserve the best resources and support possible to carry out their mission to keep America safe. I am committed to ensuring our troops have the tools and training they need to be effective wherever and whenever they are called upon.
As a supporter of the Second Amendment, I believe the right to bear arms is a fundamental principle upon which the founders built our nation. This right must be preserved for future generations.
I believe that Congress must keep the promises made to our nation's seniors. While many programs, like Social Security and Medicare, face problems with their long-term financial solvency, any changes to these programs must be grandfathered in so they do not affect the benefits retirees and individuals nearing retirement receive.
As a father of six, I understand the importance of every dollar in raising a family. That is why I supported tax reform that will let hardworking Michigan families keep more of their own money.
The tax reform legislation, which became law in 2017, represents the first major overhaul of our tax code in more than 30 years. The new law doubled the standard deduction and lowered tax rates across the board. It also doubled the child tax credit to $2,000 and maintained deductions for medical expenses, charitable giving, mortgage interest payments, adoption expenses, and student loan deductions.
Tax reform will also stimulate the economy by giving family owned small businesses a tax break. The new tax rates will take affect when residents pay their 2018 taxes in 2019, but Michigan workers are already seeing benefits. Many employers have given their employees bonuses and pay raises, and utility companies have announced plans to pass on the savings in the form of lower rates for customers. Tax reform is letting Michigan families keep more of their own money and that is always a good thing.
Michigan's infrastructure – from the airports and waterways to rails and roads – fuels our economic development and is vital to our growth. Deteriorating infrastructure hinders our ability to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. We can no longer put off sound investment in this critical network, which requires leadership and investment from all levels of government.
It is well known that Michigan put the world on wheels; however, Michigan is also home to the linchpin of the North American industrial economy, the Soo Locks. An extended, unscheduled closure of this single lock would have devastating effects felt across the country. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must work with Congress and local stakeholders to build a replacement lock. I am committed to working with the Corps and my colleagues in Congress to bring this vital project to fruition.
Our nation's veterans and wounded warriors have sacrificed in defense of our country. Their dedication and commitment, along with that of their families, has ensured our freedom and should never be taken for granted.
Our veterans deserve the absolute highest quality medical care and benefits for their service. We must ensure that returning military members have access to every benefit they have been promised, As such, Congress should focus on stringent oversight of the VA to ensure veterans are getting the services they need. I will continue to put our veterans first, and fight for legislation that removes barriers for our returning veterans.
The hardworking families of mid and northern Michigan understand how to balance their checkbook, and the federal government needs to do the same.
Plain and simple, our obligations are growing faster than our ability to pay them. Our $18 trillion national debt burden is unsustainable. The federal government’s spending has eroded economic confidence and caused uncertainty for job creators. We must find a way to get our spending under control.
As a member of the House Committee on the Budget, I will fight to control spending, remove waste and eliminate the federal deficit.
Scientific and technological discoveries have made our country a global economic leader. I support efforts aimed at spurring innovation, which will lead to economic growth and create jobs for the American people. Additionally, I believe we should encourage our children to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow. I support efforts to increase access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in order to inspire children to pursue these fields.
I am honored to serve on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. I will advocate for legislation aimed at ensuring the United States maintains its place as a global leader for innovation.