Summary

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About

Source: Campaign page

My story is a West Michigan story.

My great-great-grandparents emigrated from the Netherlands to build a better life in Grand Rapids.

My mom worked as an elementary school teacher, and my dad was a reporter and an assistant sports editor for the Grand Rapids Press.

My husband Jesse and I are raising our sons, James and Wesley, in Grand Rapids, around the corner from the house my grandfather was raised in and right up the road from the one my grandma grew up in.

My West Michigan roots, my family, and my Christian faith have shaped who I am, and inspired me to always think critically, and stand up for what’s right.

Growing Up

Growing up, my mom’s work at a high-poverty school put us in touch with struggling families and students facing difficult times. We opened our homes to these families in ways big and small.

Seeing those families working hard, playing by the rules, and still not getting ahead, disturbed me and refused to let me ignore the injustices right in front of me. So I took the lessons I learned from my mom, and from my church, and dedicated my life to helping others.

I led the kids summer program at a local non-profit that helps homeless women and their children (among others) get back on their feet. I later earned a degree in social work and became a case worker for the Aids Action Committee, where I helped members of the LGBTQ+ community who faced housing discrimination.

A Fresh Perspective

Seeing time and again that the system is rigged for the wealthy and well-connected, I realized that in order to make real change, we had to change the system. That’s why I went to law school, clerked for the U.S Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and later worked for the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Obama Administration. At the DOJ, our goal was to create strong, fair, and moral immigration policies. But when President Trump was elected, chaos took over. Carefully crafted policies focused on keeping Americans safe were overruled by late night tweets.

While Washington dissolved further into hyper-partisan bickering, I joined the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center to handle our growing immigration crisis, protect Michigan families, and defend our Constitution. I also served as a volunteer attorney for Times Up Legal Defense Fund, an organization that provides legal service to women who face sexual harassment in the workplace.

A New Kind of Leader

I’m running for Congress because we need a leader who is committed to putting forth common-sense solutions to the pressing problems facing West Michigan. From a healthcare system strained by a pandemic, to the rising cost of goods, to an organized assault on our democracy, we need a proven leader who will roll up her sleeves to help working families, and who will do what’s right, not what’s easy.

That’s the West Michigan way.

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Politics

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Finances

SCHOLTEN, HILLARY has run in 1 race for public office, winning 0 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $3,793,419.

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Voting Record

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Issues

Source: Campaign page

Seeing time and again that the system is rigged for the wealthy and well-connected, I realized that in order to make real change, we had to change the system.

Democracy & Governance

Voting Rights and Democracy Protection
The right to vote and the integrity of our elections–the very foundations of our democracy–are under attack. It has never been of greater consequence that we stand up against these attacks by passing federal legislation to secure our democracy and defend the right to vote, including: ending voter suppression and expanding vote-by-mail and early-vote nationwide; ending partisan gerrymandering; and protecting against attempts to subvert or overturn the results of our elections.

Economy & Jobs

We can – and we must – continue fighting to create well-paying jobs with good benefits in West Michigan. As Americans are getting squeezed with higher prices, we need to do everything we can to put money back in Michiganders’ pockets.

That means we need to lower the cost of prescription drugs so people can keep more of their paychecks. We need to invest in renewable energy – and tap our nation’s oil reserves right now – to bring down the cost of energy. We need to invest in Michigan’s semiconductor manufacturing capability and stand up to China when they threaten our global supply chain, so we can control costs by making things in Michigan.

Building an economy that works for everyone means investing in the small businesses that fuel our West Michigan economy, especially as they work to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19. It means investing in our infrastructure, making sure Michigan gets its fair share of road money, and fixing our roads the right way. And it means fighting for fair wages and the right for workers to collectively bargain.

Environment & Energy

Energy and the Environment
Part of what makes Michigan so great is our Great Lakes, great outdoors, and beautiful natural resources. I come from a long line of conservationists, and we are a camping, hiking, and fishing family. Being good stewards of the environment means both creating jobs and keeping our state – and our families – safe from dangerous pollution. In Congress, I’ll work to protect our drinking water from PFAS and other toxic chemicals. I’ll fight to curb climate change before it’s too late. I’ll stand firmly in defense of our Great Lakes. And I’ll lead the charge to invest in a new energy economy with tax credits for renewable energy innovations to create good paying jobs while reducing our reliance on foreign oil and lowering the cost of energy for all of us.

Roads and Infrastructure
Every Michigander knows that our roads are a danger to our safety and a strain on our pocketbooks. In Congress, I’ll be proud to work to get the standards and weight limits for our Michigan roads in line with the rest of the country; advocate for Michigan’s fair share of road funding from the federal government; make sure the roads get fixed the right way, with the right materials. The first time.

Health & Education

Healthcare
The American healthcare system features some of the world’s greatest advancements in technology and pharmaceutical research, but for too many the system is broken. Nobody should have to rely on charity or a kickstarter for cancer treatment. No parent should have to make the choice of putting food on the table or paying for a prescription for their child.

In Congress, I’ll work to find common-sense solutions to bring down the costs of healthcare and lower the cost of prescription drugs. I support policies that will ban insurance companies from raising rates on people when they get sick, denying people coverage for having a pre-existing condition or dropping them when they get sick. I will work tirelessly to prevent insurance companies from increasing premiums and deductibles while reducing coverage. I’ll fight for paid family and medical leave, so when someone is sick, they stay home and keep us all safe. I’ll vote to cap the cost of critical prescription drugs and insulin, and I will defend the Affordable Care Act and work every day to expand on it.

As the daughter of a public school teacher and local newspaperman, I don’t have to look far to see a generation of Michiganders who worked a lifetime paying into Social Security and Medicare expecting the benefits to be there when they needed them. We have to live up to that promise. I’ll fight efforts to raise the retirement age, or to cut or privatize our social safety net. Instead, I’ll work to make these programs more efficient by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, and letting Medicare negotiate the cost of drug prices.

Social Security and Medicare
As the daughter of a public school teacher and local newspaperman, I don’t have to look far to see a generation of Michiganders who worked a lifetime paying into Social Security and Medicare expecting the benefits to be there when they needed them. We have to live up to that promise. I’ll fight efforts to raise the retirement age, or to cut or privatize our social safety net. Instead, I’ll work to make these programs more efficient by cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, and letting Medicare negotiate the cost of drug prices.

Education
My mom was a special education teacher in Grand Rapids Public Schools – growing up, I saw what a good, public education could mean, especially for families struggling to get by. As a mom of two school-aged kids myself now, I see firsthand every day how important it is that we refocus our efforts to build up our classrooms. These last two years have left some kids an entire grade level (or more) behind and our teachers strained.

That’s why I’ll work to strengthen Michigan public schools to make sure our students are prepared and ready to engage in a 21st-century economy. I’ll work to make sure our highly skilled and talented educators are compensated fairly and get the support they need to equip our kids with the fundamentals they need to be successful. I’ll work to support opportunities for learning from pre-k to affordable college for those who wish to attend. I’ll also work to create and expand job training, apprenticeship programs, and skilled trade programs so that Michiganders who don’t go to college can get the skills they need to work hard and get a good paying job. And I’ll work with parents, teachers, and administrators to ensure that no matter what happens with COVID-19, our classrooms stay open, and our kids keep learning.

Public Safety

Common-Sense Gun Safety Reform
I believe that the primary role of a Member of Congress is to represent the American people. While the vast majority of Americans support common-sense gun reform measures, we continue to see no action from Republican leaders. Our elected officials have the power to take action — it’s time they use it.

As a mother of two young boys, I won’t accept this new normal of active shooter drills in our schools and senseless gun violence in our country. I’m proud to have been recognized by Moms Demand Action as a Gun Sense Candidate for my commitment to common-sense gun safety reforms like universal background checks, safe gun storage laws, and red flag laws.

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