Hillary Scholten is bidding to keep her seat as Michigan's third congressional district congresswoman. I sat down with her to hear her stances on the issues ahead of this August primary. This interview was conducted on July 2nd and has been edited for clarity.
SO FIRST OF ALL, TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED YOU WANT TO MEET US OUT HERE?
Yeah, well, the Great Lakes is one of my top priorities in Congress and one of the projects that I'm most hoping to continue working on, after I'm reelected to a second term. Most importantly, and you guys are the first to hear this. We just recently secured $1.1 million in funding through my community project funds direct appropriations in the Department of Interior for remediation of PFAS and coal ash, along the harbor Island waterfront, we sit here at the mouth of the Grand River heading into the Great Lakes, it's actually one of the largest estuaries in the Great Lakes system. And it's so critical for to make sure that the water here is clean and fresh, and that our Great Lakes are sustainable for years to come.
PFAS. THAT'S A HUGE TOPIC, ESPECIALLY IN WEST MICHIGAN AND A LOT OF COMMUNITIES. SO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SECURE THAT FUNDING AND WHAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN TO KIND OF ELIMINATE THAT ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING.
So community project funds, were formerly known as earmarks and often got a bad name because legislators had a really private secretive process for how they got the money done. And, you know, you'd hear these crazy stories about lawmakers, you know, getting millions of dollars to build a private road, you know, for their own estate. But direct appropriations can help a community immensely by giving lawmakers who are closest to the issues and their community and ability to get those taxpayer dollars back home to their district instead of to far flung parts of the country. I'm a big believer in making sure that our federal tax dollars are coming home here to do the work that we need them to do. So every year, I have a process where I run a zoom townhall, people can come in, they hear about the the community funded project process, we put it out in our newsletter, we accept dozens of applications. And then I get to select 15 different projects that I can put forward. It's really challenging, but I am so proud of the fact that in fiscal year 2024, as well as fiscal year 2025, all of my 15 projects have been selected for funding. I'm one of the only freshmen to have all 15 projects funded. And that speaks to not only the type of projects that we're selecting, you know, I'm not choosing some extremist wish list, right? We're funding roads, bridges, transportation projects, we're funding, you know, health care initiatives, and things like water remediation here, in harbor Island, and also to the level of advocacy that I do, I'm not just putting these requests in and walking away. I make relationships with our appropriations committee, and I advocate for West Michigan, every single day, we're going to have a full list and a press release coming out because we obviously just got the news for fiscal year 2025. But when it comes to the harbor Island Project, I'm so proud of the fact that $1.1 million was secured. It's actually the highest level of appropriations that was allocated in the interior budget.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAYBE IS THE PROJECT YOU'RE MOST PROUD OF THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET FUNDING? OR MAYBE JUST THE MOST NEEDED RIGHT NOW?
So you know, it's hard to select just one, it was hard to select 15, frankly, but the the projects really do span the needs from across the district. This district is really diverse three counties. It includes, you know, the city of Grand Rapids and surrounding areas, rural communities, you know, in Coopersville, Ravenna Fruitport, and out here on the lake shore. You know, to me, frankly, this is one of the most important projects that we've done, because it impacts all of us in huge ways. You know, our Great Lakes are such a precious commodity, and our freshwater is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity around the world, in one of the largest freshwater reserves in the entire world right here in our back door, and we want to make sure it's clean for generations to come.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY MAYBE IT WAS SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF?
Yeah, well, I'm so proud of the work that we've been able to do out here on the Great Lakes, but also in other places, you know, like the city of Grand Rapids and Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. We just announced a few weeks ago that we were able to secure a half a million dollar planning grant for redevelopment of the Muskegon Heights streetscape. And you know, that community has been through so much in the past few years. You know, one of my very first stops after I won election and I was in my, you know, inauguration phase was to go and visit Muskegon Heights, public schools and worked, you know, tirelessly with the governor to get that debt forgiven, and then get them on a road to rebuilding, there is so much promise in that community. And I'm excited to continue to work with them. Another huge project that I had been laser focused on is getting the air traffic control tower at Grand Rapids, Gerald R. Ford International Airport replaced. So proud of the fact that my bipartisan piece of legislation directing the FAA to prioritize older towers first was included in the FAA reauthorization that we just passed. We've been working tirelessly with the FAA to prioritize it, we're going to have an exciting announcement coming later this summer on that project. But we are, you know, we're so excited about that the fact that the bill was passed, we've secured millions of dollars in funding since my time in office, for the airport specifically, it's just such a critical, you know, regional piece of of infrastructure that is helping the West Michigan economy grow. Overall, you know, it's a challenging time to serve in a Republican led Congress where oftentimes, you know, the the Republican leadership seems more focused on partisan infighting than it does on legislating and delivering for the people. You know, there was that that famous viral video of chip Roy or Republicans saying, you know, what, have we gotten done, you guys? Nothing we've gotten nothing done. I'm proud of the fact that I can't say that I've gotten a lot done for West Michigan from getting bipartisan bills passed out of the house to bringing close to $100 million back home here to West Michigan since the time I took office. That's from federal grants. That's from community directed funds right back home here. And that's from getting taxpayer dollars returned to them from overpayments to the IRS to getting Social Security payments adjusted close to $100 million. Think about the good that that money can do back here.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BIPARTISAN PIECE, WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH ACROSS THE THE AISLE BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING TO VOTERS, THEY'RE CRAVING MORE BIPARTISANSHIP.
Yeah. You know, on my two committees, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the house Small Business Committee, you know, we've gotten legislation passed out of the House of Representatives and signed into law on a bipartisan nature. You know, it doesn't go viral. I'll never forget, we recently passed a bill to help direct, you know, more, more funding, more investment of capital. Through the SP DIC, it was a great bill, I worked with one of my Republican counterparts on it through the Small Business Committee, and we finally passed it, we were ready to celebrate, we walked out, you know, of the House floor, you know, into the throng of reporters. And there they were, you know, cameras on one of our counterparts, you know, for something salacious, they had just said, on social media, you know, and we just laugh to each other. And we're like, well, we're not here to go viral, we're here to get things done, you know, and the bill that we passed, is going to help, you know, small businesses in rural communities overlook small businesses in urban parts of our district to get more access to the capital, they need to start and grow their small businesses. That's what I'm focused on. You know, I've got a saying, I'm bringing boring back to Congress, we kind of joke and sing it along to that famous Justin Timberlake song by another name, which has an opposite meanings click, I just clicked. Exactly, exactly. But it's kind of my mantra right at a time when, you know, there is just so much, you know, focus on on building up egos in Congress, the American people are tired of it. They just want people who are going to get things done for them. And that's what I've been focused on with the veracity of a working mom, who also cares about our drinking water about having state safe streets, you know, that we can walk and bike on about having, you know, a functional airport that we can use for business or, you know, family travel when when the budget allows, you know, it's it's about the things that I hear my friends and neighbors saying every single day that you know, encourage me and send me back to Washington to deliver,.
WE CAN'T CHAT WITH YOU WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE DEBATE, OF COURSE. AND WHAT ARE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS?
You know, I have definitely heard the concerns, you know, from constituents across the district, I watched the debate, I had the concerns myself and have raised them to our Democratic leadership. But, you know, the, the other concern was, you know, the fact that that the other guy on on the other podium, said, You know, he would not accept the results of the 2020 election, he wouldn't he wouldn't commit to that. That's, that's terrifying in the wake of a Supreme Court decision, you know, just this week that said that presidents can experience complete and total immunity for acts committed, you know, while in their official capacity. You know, listen, I'm not saying it's, it's not a big deal. 81 is a big number. But you know, what else is a big number 9393 felony counts and 13 convictions at a time when now presidents can experience absolute immunity. Given where we are right now, there's a choice, right, we have two candidates. And there is a choice, there's a choice between, you know, one candidate who has and will continue to deliver on protecting women's reproductive health and another guy who has bragged about taking those rights away and says he wants to go even even farther. It's a choice between a president who says he'll protect and uphold the rule of law and another one who has violated it with abandon and you know, now can experience presidential immunity for doing so, you know, from my perspective, the choice is, is an easy one
GOVERNOR WHITMER. HER NAME HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, BE A REPLACEMENT. [WHAT ARE YOUR] THOUGHTS THERE. DO YOU FEEL LIKE SHE WOULD BE A GOOD REPLACEMENT SHOULD SHE REPLACE?
You know, I love my gm. I think she's doing a great job as a governor. And, you know, I don't decide, you know, if the president is going to step aside, but, you know, I think she's doing a great job as governor.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST NEEDS RIGHT NOW [FOR MICHIGANDERS]? AND WHERE WHERE DO YOU COME IN?
Yeah, I mean, the economy is still a huge deal for so many people. I mean, it's probably the number one issue that I hear people talk about, you know, the rising costs of goods, whether it's the grocery store, housing is a huge issue. You know, people are really concerned, you know, about whether or not their kids are going to be able to afford to live in the same place that they grew up. I take that very seriously, we're working at the county and state levels to come up with a long term comprehensive approach to address housing affordability, really excited about the federal components that we can add to that again, you know, hopefully in my second, third and fourth terms continuing, but also with real, immediate responses, you know, to address right now, as well. But you know, it's something we have to think about long term as, as the community continues to grow, I'm focused on bringing good paying jobs back here to West Michigan, continuing to grow this economy in a way that works for everyone, as we've seen rapid growth, you know, we know that the growth people have experienced is not equal across sectors, right, our minority neighbors have not experienced the same level of economic growth. And we want to find those barriers that are preventing, you know, women communities of color, you know, first generation West Michiganders, from developing and succeeding in in the way that they can
WE HAVE SPOKE WITH YOUR DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT. HE'S PLEDGING THAT HE IS GOING TO FUND HIS CAMPAIGN ON HIS OWN. AND HE POINTED TO, YOU KNOW, SUPER PAC AND PAC FUNDING AND OTHER CONTRIBUTORS TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?
Well, you know, I mean, I think results matter, right. And I've spent my first term in Congress showing that I am beholden to only one stakeholder, and that is the voters, my constituents in West Michigan.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S RAINING JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT FOR ANYONE THAT IS WATCHING, WHEN THIS AIRS, THEY'RE SEEING YOUR FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEY MAY BE UNFAMILIAR WITH YOUR PAST WITH WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT IF I'M SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SELL YOURSELF. HOW DO YOU DO THAT.
Oh, fantastic. Well, it is. It's such an honor to be the first woman and mother in history to represent West Michigan in Congress. I'm a fourth generation West Michigander. I raised my hand to run because this is my home. And I saw that the issues that were plaguing us through inaction in Washington years of representation that you know, didn't advocate for working families like mine, you know, we deserved a voice in Washington. It was truly a ground swell of support from around West Michigan that helped me win with a commanding margin to lead with pragmatism putting politics aside and voting in a way that's consistent with West Michigan every single time. You know, I'm not running on campaign promises. I'm running on results. You know, my record in my first year and a half in office speaks for itself. I've crossed party lines, voted with Republicans hundreds of times was recently named one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, and I'm going to continue to deliver on that every single day. I hope I have the chance to earn their their support any new voters that might be watching to you at home, I hope I have the chance to earn your support. It is the honor of my lifetime to get to serve you in West Michigan.
FULL INTERVIEW: