congress John R. Moolenaar Contact information

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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.

Accountability

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.

Agriculture

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.

Budget

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.

Education and Opportunity

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.

Energy

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.

Foreign Affairs

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.

Great Lakes

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.

Health Care

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.

Jobs and the Economy

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.

Life and Adoption

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.