As I reflect on more than four decades of service in the federal government – working for our Southwest Michigan Congressman David Stockman, then President Ronald Reagan, and finally in the House – I am so grateful for the countless folks I have met who have helped along the way and my peers, staff, and family who have helped me do my best.

On Tuesday, I attended the bipartisan signing of H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill 258 to 169 on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Grand Rapids, and I were the only two GOP Representatives from Michigan to support the bill. Republican Leaders Whip-elect Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) also supported the act.

On Saturday, it was announced that President Biden will relax energy sanctions against Venezuela that have been in place since 2019, during the Venezuelan presidential crisis. The U.S. Treasury Department announced it is permitting Chevron to resume “limited” energy production in Venezuela despite President Nicolas Maduro’s exhaustive list of human rights violations. President Biden is giving him a blank check to fund his brutal regime through oil production.