Haley Stevens

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.