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Slotkin leading effort to change U.S. House from within

Elissa Slotkin
Cheyna Roth
/
MPRN
Representative-elect Elissa Slotkin (file photo).

Representative-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) says she and 45 other newly elected members of the U.S. Congress plan to push U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for big changes. 

Slotkin spearheaded the writing of a letter to Pelosi, asking her to make passing bills a priority, especially on immigration reform, gun safety, the environment, health care, infrastructure, and criminal justice. Incoming House Democrats Andy Levin (9th District) and Rashida Tlaib (13th District) were among those signing the letter.

Slotkin says the House can and must pass important legislation, in addition to investigations into alleged corruption in the Trump administration.

"You have to be able to walk and chew gum," Slotkin told Michigan Radio's Stateside host Cynthia Canty.  "You can't say we only do legislation, and ignore what looks like potential violations of the rule of law -- and you can't just do investigations and not push foward with an agenda that helps people."

The letter also asks for a less chaotic schedule, so parents elected to Congress can spend time with their children, allowing members of Congress 72 hours to read bills before voting on them, as well as the granting of seats on important committees to freshmen in Congress.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Public as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.
Stateside is produced daily by a dedicated group of producers and production assistants. Listen daily, on-air, at 3 and 8 p.m., or subscribe to the daily podcast wherever you like to listen.
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