congress Haley M. Stevens Contact information

Congresswoman Haley Stevens was elected to represent Michigan’s 11th Congressional District in 2018. Since coming to Congress, Rep. Stevens has been a key leader advocating for workers and families. She has cosponsored and strongly supported several pieces of important legislation, such as the Raise the Wage Act, focused on raising the federal minimum wage, the FAMILY Act, which creates a national paid leave family program, and many more critical pieces of legislation for Michiganders.

Stevens is a strong advocate for unions, women, innovation, manufacturing and gun reform. The Congresswoman’s passion for manufacturing and innovation is rooted in her experience as an Obama appointee, serving as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force, which saved over 200,000 Michigan jobs. Following her work on the Auto Rescue, Congresswoman Stevens worked in a research lab where her work focused on the future of working in the digital age.

Congresswoman Stevens sits on the House Committee on Education & Labor, and the House Committee on Science, Space & Technology, where she also serves as Chairwoman of the Research & Technology Subcommittee. On these Committees, Congresswoman Stevens works to protect access to healthcare, defend a woman’s right to choose, and increase investment in critical research and development.

In 2020, Congresswoman Stevens launched the first ever Women in STEM Congressional Caucus. The Caucus is designed to support and increase the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. She also introduced and passed original legislation to advance opportunities for women and girls in STEM fields.

The Congresswoman resides in Waterford with her husband and attends Kensington Church in Troy. As a child, Stevens grew up in Birmingham and graduated from Seaholm High School.

Healthcare

Healthcare is a right. Every single American deserves access to affordable, and high-quality healthcare. For too many Michiganders, especially our seniors, cost remains a major barrier to accessing healthcare. I support protections for pre-existing conditions and will continue fighting against any rollbacks of these essential protections.

This year, the Affordable Care Act saw a record number of sign-ups, over 14 million. Increasing access to healthcare should be something we all agree on, but instead of working toward this goal, Republicans in Washington have focused on dismantling the Affordable Care Act. The ACA is working, and Congress must continue to strengthen and expand it. That’s why I support creating a public option and a Medicare buy-in to add more competition to the marketplace and more options for coverage.

Too many of Michigan’s seniors are forced to make the impossible choice between essentials like food and heating just to pay for the medications they need to stay healthy. I repeatedly voted for bipartisan legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and finally allow Medicare to negotiate with “Big Pharma”. Additionally, I voted in support of provisions that will cap the cost of insulin at $35 dollars per month. I will continue working hard to lower premiums, reign in prescription drug costs, safeguard essential health protections, grow our healthcare workforce, and promote research and innovation to improve the health and wellbeing of all Americans.

Growing A New Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused one of the worst economic downturns in Michigan’s history. Millions of Michiganders have been laid off, and thousands of small businesses are in danger of closing permanently. In the years to come, I will do everything I can to help communities in Michigan’s 11th District rebuild our economy, create jobs, and come back stronger than ever. Michiganders have been through challenging times before, and we will do it again.

Now is the time for us to value hard work, prioritize wage growth, and support working families. We need to reorient our policies so that people, not corporations, are at the forefront of our economic success. Having spent my career working at the intersection of the manufacturing industry and government, I believe public-private partnerships are critical to growing our economy.

Prior to Congress, I spent my career working alongside Midwest manufacturing companies large and small. I was at the table when the Economic Development Administration invested in the Detroit Regional Chamber to create a supplier diversification program. I have managed and created job training programs focused on advanced manufacturing and believe Michigan’s future of automation and innovation will continue to unlock incredible job opportunities, as long as we have policy makers advocating for the value of technical talent and hard work.

Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy in southeast Michigan, and I am running as a woman in manufacturing with an economic development background. I know the importance of bringing industry and government leaders together to produce outcomes for our district.

To support our workers, I cosponsored and advanced through the House the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. This comprehensive legislation aims to strengthen our nation’s laws that protect workers’ right to form a union and negotiate for higher wages and benefits. I also co-sponsored and voted to pass the Raise the Wage Act to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

I am proud to have led workforce development initiatives with SkillsUSA, National Institute of Metalworking Skills, SME, ASME, the Manufacturing Institute, Code for America, the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor throughout my career. I have managed a multi-million dollar federally funded job training portfolio that received matching corporate investment and buy-in from universities, community colleges, and high schools.

For the burgeoning and existing workforce, I believe in a 21st century labor movement that protects workers, supports training programs, and pays a livable wage. We need a federal government that strategically invests in research and development that supports the great innovation taking place in southeastern Michigan.

I worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass the renegotiation of NAFTA and get Michigan workers a better deal. I plan to work with the President to crack down on China’s unfair trade practices and take tax breaks away from companies that ship jobs overseas.

Finally, I believe we must once and for all end the gender pay gap and support paid family leave for all Americans.

Quality Education

As the daughter of a retired Detroit public school teacher, I am a fierce advocate for Michigan’s public education system. From pre-K to higher education, I will always advocate for Michigan’s educators, students, and families.

Since coming to Congress, I have been a champion for STEM education and oversaw the House passage of the bipartisan National Science Foundation For the Future Act in 2021. The bill puts forth a suite of sweeping proposals – from scaling up PreK-12 STEM education research innovations to modernizing higher education student training. I am a founding member of the House Women in STEM Caucus and have introduced numerous bills aimed at leveling the playing field for women in science and technology.

In my role on the House Education and Labor Committee, I have been a fierce advocate for the expansion of apprenticeship and workforce development programs. My PARTNERS Act was passed in 2021 and it will ensure that small and medium sized businesses establish Registered Apprenticeships and work-based learning programs. Registered Apprenticeships and work-based learning programs provide individuals with paid, on-the-job training and classroom instruction. These investments are essential as our nation recovers from the economic consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic, and hundreds of thousands of workers have been displaced or dislocated. I have also advocated for record levels of funding for HBCU’s and increases in Pell Grant funding so our neediest students get the assistance they need to attend college.

For students who choose to attend 4-year universities, the cost of higher education is out of control. Over 45 million Americans owe a combined $1.6 trillion in student debt. That is more than two and a half times what they owed just a decade ago. The average student in Michigan graduates with over $31,000 in student loan debt. This burden of debt is unacceptable, and the hefty price tag of higher education makes college seem out of reach for too many Michiganders. We must also address predatory lending and some for-profit colleges who subject student borrowers to extreme costs without a return on a certified degree. Many of these students have been defrauded and they deserve relief. That is why I have championed legislation to protect student borrowers and allow them to more easily repay their loans and recently introduced my Clean Slate Through Consolidation Act.

In Congress, I will continue to fight for every Michigan student — whether they are 3 or 73. Education is the key to opportunity, and we must make sure every individual has the opportunity to pursue an educational track that will allow them to achieve the American Dream.

Our Promise To Seniors

In Congress, I have fought every attempt to privatize or cut Social Security or turn Medicare into a voucher program. Instead, I believe we must protect and expand Social Security benefits to keep up with the costs faced by our seniors, grandparents, and veterans.

These are programs that seniors paid into their entire working lives, and we must keep our promise to them by ensuring these programs are protected now and for generations to come.

We must also ensure our seniors receive access to long-term care options, affordable housing, and have advocates in Congress to protect them from predatory and fraudulent schemes.

Finally, prescription drug costs are through the roof. Our senior citizens should never have to choose between paying for food or paying for their prescriptions. In Congress, I strongly supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to lower the cost of prescription drugs by finally allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug costs.

Protecting Our Environment

Climate change must not be a partisan issue. It is the global challenge of our generation and requires dedicated leadership to tackle it. We only have one planet, and it is important that we protect it for future generations. We must fight to keep the “Pure Michigan” that we love so much. I am proud to have a 100 percent pro-environment voting record from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.

For too long, Michigan communities have been plagued by dangerous lead pipes. That’s why I was proud to vote for the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act which allocated $2.9 billion dollars for lead pipe mitigation. This is the single largest federal investment in clean water in American history, and nothing short of transformational.

In 2020, the House passed my PROTECT Act to add PFAS to the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The inclusion is particularly important because PFAS chemicals that can travel long distances through the air are making their way into Americans drinking water. This bill was part of the PFAS Action Act which would ensure cleanup of PFAS contaminated sites under the Superfund program, establish drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals, and create a grant program to support the installation of treatment technologies in our municipalities.

As we work towards a greener future, effective recycling plays a huge role. Currently, less than 10 percent of plastics are recycled, a figure that is absolutely unacceptable. I have led the charge in Congress to innovate America’s recycling systems, and am the founder and chair of the Congressional Plastic Solutions Task Force and a member of the House Recycling Caucus. As Chair of the Research & Technology Subcommittee, I convened the first Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing about recycling in a decade after hearing concerns about the long-term viability of local recycling programs in southeast Michigan. I have introduced widely supported, bipartisan legislation to combat the plastic waste crisis in the United States which will call on the Federal government to develop a strategic plan for plastic waste reduction, and the development of standards for plastics recycling. I believe that the solutions to so many of our most pressing issues can be harnessed through innovation, and I am working tirelessly to ensure that SE Michigan is leading the way.

A Plan For Immigration

The metro Detroit region shows the way forward on immigration. We have a community of people with roots from all over the world working together to strengthen our regional economy.

Unfortunately, our immigration system is broken and needs comprehensive reform. In Congress, I have voted repeatedly to secure our borders and worked to provide a path to citizenship for those living, working, and paying taxes in the U.S., and even serving in our military. Dreamers are American in every way except on a piece of paper, and the United States is the only home they have ever known. I have also supported bipartisan proposals to make it easier for high-skilled immigrants to come here through the employment-based green card system and contribute to our economy.

LGBTQ+ Community

I am a lifelong ally of the LGBTQ+ community and believe LGBTQ+ individuals should have the same rights as all other Americans. I always have the iconic, rainbow Pride Flag, beside the Michigan and American flags outside of my Congressional office in Washington. We have witnessed incredible progress when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, including the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized gay marriage and the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. However, I am extremely alarmed by the recent attacks that gay and transgender children are facing across our nation. Florida’s recently passed “Don’t Say Gay” bill, shows just how much work still has to be done. In Congress, I will continue to support the LGBTQ+ community and be a voice for equality under the law. I was proud to co-sponsor and vote for the Equality Act in Congress and the Global Respect Act, which will deny Visas to those who have committed acts of violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community abroad.

Commonsense Gun Laws

In November 2021, our community was brought to its knees by a senseless and preventable act of gun violence. Four innocent Oxford High School students tragically lost their lives. We will never forget those we lost and must commit to fighting harder than ever to prevent any more deaths due to gun violence.

I was in high school when the Columbine massacre occurred. I just finished college when Virginia Tech happened and I had just finished my service in the Obama Administration when our nation was rocked by the Sandy Hook shooting. And I was running for Congress when the Parkland shooting shocked our country.

One of the central reasons I ran for Congress in Michigan – to flip a seat and hold it – was to change our gun laws and keep dangerous weapons out of our communities. Even while millions were spent against me by the Right, including the NRA for my policy views, I cosponsored and voted for every single piece of legislation aimed at reducing gun violence.

We must end loopholes in the background checks system – especially the boyfriend and gun show loopholes. Pass a bill to crack down on bump stocks, enforce the laws we already have on the books, and get ghost guns off of our streets. These are common sense reforms that cannot wait. Our schools, grocery stores, movie theaters and places of worship must be free from gun violence.

I am honored to have received endorsements from Moms Demand Action, Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady PAC and Parkland parent, Fred Guttenberg.

Veterans

The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs is to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan.” Having learned from family members who served in the military and in combat zones, I understand the special role that veterans play in our society.

We must continue to support veterans who return from service with visible and unseen scars. This starts with ensuring the Department of Veterans Affairs and our VA facilities are adequately serving our veterans with both their physical and mental health needs.

I believe in the role the Department of the Defense plays in our government. I have worked closely with the DOD throughout my career, particularly the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Based Policy. The DOD can be a partner for automakers and suppliers as our industrial base has been critical to our long term national security. We need to encourage public-private partnerships and co-investment in R&D, Innovation and supply chain securitization, particularly for cyber security. I believe in responsible spending that equips our soldiers and military personnel with the resources they need to do their jobs.

The United States foreign policy success rests squarely with strategic allied relationships and diplomacy. We must avoid isolationist policies that fray international relationships and continue to develop strong bonds with our allies.

I was honored to travel with the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs to Kuwait and Afghanistan to meet with soldiers serving abroad and learn more about the needs of those getting ready to complete their service.

A Voice For Women

When I was elected to Congress, I became the first woman to ever represent Michigan’s 11th District. Since coming to Washington, I have worked to protect a woman’s right to an abortion, and championed the cause of full equality for women under the law, including legislation fighting for equal pay and to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

I unequivocally support a woman’s right to choose and have been endorsed each year I have been in Congress by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Abortion IS healthcare and all women must be able to make the decision that is best for them and their families.

If Roe is overturned by the United States Supreme Court, any abortion will immediatly be illegal in the state of Michigan. This is horrifying and unacceptable. Even as I had millions of dollars spent against me through Republican attacks, I voted twice in support of the Women’s Health Protection Act to codify Roe v. Wade. Now more than ever, as the right to an abortion is under attack across the nation, we need pro-choice women in Congress who will never stop fighting to defend the right to choose.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on women, with women leaving the workforce at record rates. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without a federal paid leave policy, and this pandemic has shown us the consequences of that choice. This is not just a “women’s issue”, it is an economic one. When women are forced to leave the workforce, the effects on our economy are devastating. This is why I have been one of the leading Congressional champions in the fight for Paid Leave for All.

Nationally, women are paid 80 cents for every $1 a man is paid. In Michigan, women make only 78 cents to every $1 for men. The numbers are even worse for women of color. According to a National Partnership for Women & Families study, black women in Michigan make 63 cents for every $1 a man is paid, and Latina women make only 58 cents. This is unacceptable. As a proud cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, I have been and will always be a strong advocate for equal pay for women.

Since coming to Congress, I have been a champion for STEM education and oversaw the House passage of the bipartisan National Science Foundation For the Future Act in 2021. The bill puts forth a suite of sweeping proposals – from scaling up PreK-12 STEM education research innovations to modernizing higher education student training. I am a founding member of the House Women in STEM Caucus and have introduced numerous bills aimed at leveling the playing field for women in science and technology.

EMILY’s List has taken notice of my work in Congress to champion women and girls and I am honored to have had their endorsement in every one of my Congressional races.

Addiction And Drug Policy

The nationwide addiction crisis is something we as a country must come together to address immediately. Our families and communities are being torn apart by opioid abuse, and our government has a duty to take action to combat this epidemic. As a member of the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force and the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, I have hosted opioid community events, secured grant dollars for our local behavioral health clinics, and supported legislation to expand our substance use health workforce and provide more funding to states to curb the tide of this devastating epidemic.

Another approach we must take to curb opioid addiction is following the example of the state of Michigan to decriminalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational use. Studies have shown that full, federal legalization of medical marijuana in particular could be an effective solution to combat opioid addiction.

In addition to legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes, I support descheduling marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and pardoning and wiping the records of past offenders who were convicted of non-violent, marijuana-related crimes. We should begin taxing and regulating marijuana to fund important projects like our roads and our schools.

Foreign Affairs

Ukraine

My heart is with the incredibly brave people of Ukraine who have had their lives uprooted overnight and continue to see their cities ravaged by Putin’s brutal regime. We must continue to lead by example and support democracies across the globe. Putin’s attack on Ukraine was an attack on democracy everywhere. The United States Congress has led the world in supporting Ukraine from both a defense and humanitarian perspective and will continue to do so. The House has passed multiple, bipartisan humanitarian and defense packages that have delivered desperately needed aid to Ukrainian fighters and those who have been displaced. I remain absolutely sickened over the images and reports coming daily from Ukraine. We must stand ready to welcome and support fleeing Ukrainians as we did last summer with Afghanis and help them as they learn a new language and become valued members of our communities.

Russia and Paul Whelan

My constituent from Novi, Paul Whelan has been wrongfully imprisoned in a Russian labor camp on false charges of espionage after a sham trial and legal process. Paul was detained just days before I was sworn into Congress for my first term. His detention and imprisonment was truly the canary in the coal mine – foreshadowing Putin’s violent descent into lawlessness. I have twice led a Resolution calling for Russia’s release of Paul which has passed with the support of the entire Congress. Since I came to Congress, I have been laser-focused on working to secure Paul’s release and see him come safely home to Michigan and be reunited with his family. Americans must not be used at political pawns or bargaining chips for Putin – full stop.

U.S. Israel Partnership

Chief among my priorities are safety and security, both here in the U.S. and abroad, and I believe that our strong and enduring partnership with the State of Israel is a cornerstone of maintaining these goals. The United States and Israel have maintained a steadfast partnership for over seven decades, bound by our shared commitment to common values. The U.S.-Israel partnership is one that must continue to thrive – and importantly, cannot become a partisan issue. I stand firm in my commitment to the U.S.-Israel alliance and will continue working in Congress to support policies that strengthen our strategic alliance.

I had the opportunity to visit Israel for the first time in 2019, where I experienced its deep history, cultures, and natural beauty. I was also able to learn more about the innovative technologies Israel has created that Americans depend upon for agriculture, energy, healthcare, commerce, transportation, and national security, among many others. I look forward to finding new ways to develop strategic plans to build on these technological successes.

I stand alongside Israel against the BDS movement, which seeks to undermine Israel’s economy and legitimacy. Its main goal is to delegitimize Israel’s existence and inflame tensions in communities and on college campuses, which undermines the prospects for peace. At a time when anti-Israel boycotts are prevalent around the country and globe, and the Anti-Defamation League is reporting a dramatic uptick in anti-Semitic hate crimes, it is now more important than ever to stand beside Israel and oppose state-sponsored BDS.

I believe in Israel’s fundamental right to self-defense. As the only democracy in the Middle East and our strongest ally in the region, Israel’s safety is paramount to our interests at home and abroad. Congress must continue to unconditionally support critical programs that help Israel upgrade its fleets in air, land, and sea, enhance the mobility of its ground forces, and continue to strengthen its missile defense capabilities. The landmark Memorandum of Understanding reached under the Obama Administration provided Israel with robust funding to accomplish these goals, and I will continue to support funding from this historic agreement, as I have each year. We must prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and further destabilizing the region. Diplomacy must be the first option and is the best solution but all options must remain on the table.

I believe in the worth and value of every Palestinian and every Israeli and will work to support a negotiated solution resulting in two states—a democratic Jewish State of Israel, and a viable, democratic Palestinian state—living side-by-side in peace, security, and mutual recognition. This peace process should be settled by the parties directly.

Our countries share a commitment to justice and equality for all. From standing up for women’s rights to affirming our support for the worldwide LGBT community, our common values are what unite us. That deep sense of justice – born out of a shared commitment to repairing the world – is why we can always count on each other.