How can Americans feel optimistic about the future when two perfect storms are headed straight towards each other? The general affordability crisis paired with the growing inaccessibility of healthcare seems to offer no path forward for the average American.
Jen is joined by Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) to discuss what Republicans have cooking for their alternative healthcare plan (if there is one at all) and how Michigan’s economy is suffering from Trump’s tariff war. Rep. Stevens surmises that in “time(s) of broad chaos and confusion and disruption,” Americans need a “steady hand.”
Congresswoman Haley Stevens is U.S. Representative for Michigan’s 11th congressional district. She serves on the House Committees on Education & the Workforce and Science, Space & Technology, where she is the Ranking Member of the Research & Technology Subcommittee. Additionally, she was appointed to serve on the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
The following transcript has been edited for formatting purposes.
Jen Rubin
Hi, this is Jen Rubin, Editor-in-Chief of The Contrarian. I am delighted to welcome Haley Stevens, who is a congresswoman from Michigan and a candidate for Senate. Welcome, Haley, it’s nice to see you.
Haley Stevens
Hey, thank you so much.
Jen Rubin
So, you are leaving another week in Washington, in which, Republicans are really nowhere on healthcare. What do you see happening over the next couple of weeks?
Haley Stevens
Well, I certainly want to be involved in the conversation for Michiganders and Michigan’s health. We have an affordability crisis of great magnitude, and that has to do with healthcare accessibility. People who were logging in to the premiums, you know, or rather, to the open enrollment and seeing their premiums just go up and up and up, and they’re being priced out. So we need a real solution, and that’s not a lot of what we’ve been seeing for Republicans, certainly for Michiganders and others who are on the ACA across this country.
Jen Rubin
Now, a number of the concerns have to do with, as you say, access, affordability, but there is also an issue of impending, although not immediately, Medicaid cuts that will impact rural hospitals, that will impact a whole other group of people, of which there are many in Michigan. Have you looked at, kind of, the dual impact of these two massive changes?
Haley Stevens
Yeah, it’s almost like two storms brewing together side by side, and then interacting, and it’s frankly, unbelievable when I’m talking to stakeholders, and it’s, what’s your biggest pain point? Certainly, our providers and our healthcare systems are really feeling this pinch. This is, in fact, something that I heard from Michiganders who were in Washington this week, and look, the tax bill got passed and signed into law. It is not something I voted for for this very reason. I want to see Medicaid get expanded on. I want to see more families get covered. I know these families, and I’m also proud of the work that the state of Michigan has done under the leadership of Gretchen Whitmer to ensure that we could do the most we could to protect people on Medicaid and to expand Medicaid.
Is that something that’s going to get addressed in these healthcare considerations and negotiations that are going on? We’re gonna have to see. I will tell you, it has been quiet for a long time, and people have not forgotten what is taking place in our healthcare networks across Michigan.
Jen Rubin
In the house there, as I understand it, is a, effort to get a discharge petition to get a 3-year extension on the Affordable Care Act subsidies going. Any sign that there are any Republicans who are willing to join that effort so far?
Haley Stevens
Yeah, the discharge petition process has been an interesting pursuit in the attempt to govern, particularly when Republicans have been M.I.A., and Michiganders right now are really feeling the squeeze. I certainly want to see these tax subsidies returned immediately. I wanted to see that happen in October, and yet the whole month went by with a government shutdown and no action. Now we’re rounding out the year, and there still doesn’t seem to be a plan or action. I mean, I’m certainly reading headlines, I’m asking the questions. I know where I am for the people of Michigan, and why I’m so intent not to compromise at the expense of values and what people need. So, you know, we’ll see if there’s some courageous Republicans willing to put their name on a good policy proposal, something like that. That could certainly be a way out of this mess.
Jen Rubin
Another area of affordability, and it’s going to be acute as winter is setting in in Michigan, is energy costs. What are you seeing so far in energy, in heating fuel, in electricity costs? How concerned are you that that’s going to be another stress point for Michiganders?
Haley Stevens
Well, we’ve experienced a real blow in Michigan. Ice storms that hit us at the top of this year, power that was out for weeks, for consumers and small businesses, our energy providers just getting some of the repairs accomplished and underway, and yet a major slap in the face from the current administration saying that they’re not going to provide emergency relief dollars, that they’re not giving us a backstop. Last term in Congress, I wrote a bill called the Power Outage Relief Act, Prolonged Power Outage Relief Act, particularly because if your tax dollars aren’t in insurance, like they are in this example for the people of Gaylord, Michigan, and Northern Michigan, who were impacted by that terrible ice storm in rural areas, and you don’t have private insurance that helps you cover for the losses that took place, and you as a taxpayer are just gonna keep paying out, for your municipality, and even at the state level.
I know our governor did make that request. It’s a real blow. And so, as we’re heading in to a cost-increasing time when we’re hearing this current administration say they want to put coal plants back online that are actually going to come down on Michiganders and Michiganders’ pocketbooks because of where that coal plant is located, rolling back some of the sustainability initiatives.
I could go on and on, Jen, because in fact, it is about what is taking place in people’s pocketbooks right now, what’s going on with their tax dollars and tax fairness. The current administration trying to get rid of LIHEAP, which, you know, we just fought so hard to keep intact in government funding packages. No, these are consumers who are going to rely on something because of what is going on with the affordability crisis in the United States of America. I’m a lawmaker who’s eager to act for Michigan in this moment, and yet it’s crickets from the other side.
Jen Rubin
Got it. Michigan’s a very diverse state, and in fact, areas of Michigan, western Michigan, were really developed and grew thanks to new Americans and people from, other parts of the country, other parts of the hemisphere of the world. What’s your, view in terms of what ICE, the Custom and Border Control, and, ultimately what, National Guards people are doing around the country? Do you think this is constructive? Do you think this is, accomplishing what it’s supposed to be accomplishing?
Haley Stevens
Well, the majority of Michiganders have long agreed that we need to have safety, at our borders and an immigration system that is fair, that provides the rules of the road for people who are paying their taxes and coming here legally, and doing everything right to earn citizenship. And now, it just seems like all that is being thrown out the window, and if it’s this administration trying to end certain things in our Constitution, calling into question citizenship pathways, a lot of uncertainty and chaos.
And that’s also how I’ll respond to your question, Jen, is that the actions of this current administration, and this is one of the reasons why I wrote legislation to stop the abuse of power and the illegal deployment of the military on fellow Americans who are standing up. This is just wreaking havoc, and unfortunately, this week, in my congressional district in southeast Michigan, I received some calls for some very concerned constituents about just driving down the road and seeing these, levels of disruption from, you know, people who aren’t in marked cars, you know, attacking their neighbors. And it’s been very unfortunate, and I don’t think it’s getting us our best result.
Jen Rubin
Speaking about the military, we’ve had a new incident that’s come to light. First of all, we have a military operation in the Caribbean that Congress hasn’t authorized. Not yet seen whether there’s any evidence that these people are really armed or combatants. And now we have an incident that’s come to light that, according to news reports, we don’t have the complete story so far, that, after destroying one of these, boats, that forces went back and, essentially killed people, blew them out of the water. How concerned are you about this specific incident, but more importantly, the larger policy that seems to be heading towards some kind of conflict with Venezuela?
Haley Stevens
Yeah, there’s a couple of things here. There’s the details, who was on these boats, what happened, why this happened, and then there’s the broader consideration of, as even a Republican posited, are these war crimes? Are these crimes that have been committed by this administration? We haven’t received answers. Jen, I mean, I have a lot of questions that I know people in Michigan do, too. This is very serious. It’s not a time for political theater, but as appropriator and steward of the taxpayer dollar, as we have a defense authorization, vote coming up in the Congress. This isn’t a blank check. to this administration to go rogue in the Caribbean and endanger lives and start wars without providing information.
Jen Rubin
That is a perfect segue to a question that I know is coming up, and that is, the NDAA, the National Defense Authorization Act, is not yet quite finished. But, first of all, is it going to get finished? And secondly, will Democrats look to insert some controls on the administration so we don’t wind up in a war with, Venezuela?
Haley Stevens
Well, it’s certainly a question if Mike Johnson has the votes, and I can tell you what the people of Michigan want, which is the effective utilization of their taxpayer dollar. We certainly have a robust automotive industry here in Michigan. We’re very known for that. Alive and well and thriving, even, in some of these, chaotic times with uncertainty brought on by tariffs. We also have an auto industry that is diversified into our defense sector, and these are incredibly innovative, patriotic companies employing a lot of people that are keeping our own country safe and working alongside our allies abroad. And so I always work to make sure that that is heard in the defense and lawmaking process.
I have a manufacturing initiative that has really exposed me firsthand to a lot of these enterprises, sometimes just even small shops that are going to benefit from the NDAA. But in terms of the political fireworks. you know, there’s certainly a lot that the Republican conference is gonna leave the punditry class to chew on, with departing members of Congress infighting from a former member of House leadership, Elise Stefanik, and if they need our votes, you better believe I’m gonna be asking for what’s best for Michigan.
Jen Rubin
Let’s turn to the election. You have a spirited primary underway, you have, multiple opponents. What do you say when people ask, what distinguishes you? Why you rather than one of your other, Democratic colleagues who’s seeking the seat?
Haley Stevens
Well, you know, at the top of this year, I was recognized by the Center for Effective Lawmaking as the most effective Democrat for Michigan in the House, and actually one of the most effective in the Congress. And then they came back and said, hey, here’s the person who’s been getting the most done in a specific policy area, and that was broadly in technology, which actually, as we all know, touches our automotive sector. So, specifically, and I would say this, is that I am running to be Michigan’s chief lawmaker and chief champion in the United States Senate.
I want to make sure that the voice of Michiganders is heard loud and clear at that lawmaking table. And what does that mean? We are just one of a handful of states whose economy is driven by the industrial sector, by the manufacturing sector. It is, delicate in terms of the impacts of trade policy, federal policy, that needs to be heard. The stewardship of our Great Lakes and the health and safety of the world’s… some of the world’s largest fresh water access and basins.
So I take that role very seriously as well. And this is also about meeting the moment, in terms of not just paying lip service to, aspirational pushbacks, of this current administration, but saying that in a time of broad chaos and confusion and disruption, we need a steady hand. We need a proven lawmaker to get us our best results, and I believe that is me. And that is also, you know, why, very excitingly, you know, I continue to gained support. I’m the only candidate in this race with multiple labor union endorsements. I’ve achieved the support of the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus.
I’m deeply honored to have the endorsement of former State House Speaker and still current member of our State House. Joe Tate, who has been a leader out of Detroit for a very long time. And so, I’m getting out here, meeting voters where they’re at. Certainly, as you mentioned, all the rich diversity that we have in the state of Michigan, it’s been remarkable to be on this campaign trail, and, you know, that’s going to be the most important thing, which is getting out there and earning those votes of Michiganders.
Jen Rubin
There was quite a controversy when eight Democrats broke, with the caucus and voted to shut down the… end the shutdown, rather, before there was any understanding, really, on healthcare. Had you been in the Senate, would you have been part of them, or would you have been with the majority of senators?
Haley Stevens
No, that’s not where Michigan was, and certainly as a House member who took a vote much previous to the final Senate vote that came down, I can tell you right now that people in Michigan, while they didn’t want a shutdown. they really cannot take any more rising costs, and they do not want to see their healthcare come into question. It’s hundreds of thousands of people alongside, you know, some pockets of our state that have rising unemployment.
You know, there are construction building trades workers who were laid off right at the start of the shutdown period, and they wanted to have those healthcare guarantees. their families needed access to SNAP benefits, and certainly the administration took it to a very unbelievable place, but now we’re still waiting for results and answers, when time and time again, folks like myself have stood up, not only defended people’s access to affordable healthcare, but gotten real results, like lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
Jen Rubin
Would you look for new Senate leadership if you join that caucus? Do you think it’s being aptly led, or do you think it’s time for a new generation, a new face, someone else?
Haley Stevens
One thing that’s very clear to me about those kind of insider conversations that actually some of the people in my race who are vying for the Democratic nomination seem to be, very eager to have. It’s just not what’s on the mind of Michiganders, and it’s clear to me as someone, you know, who’s kind of gone through that process before, that, you know, when you get to the Senate, you get the lay of the land, you get to have those kind of you know, establish the caucus type of conversation and make that decision when you get there.
But right now, people in Michigan need to hear what somebody who wants to serve them is going to do for them. And that very much has to do with, yes, the ideas, you know, quarter 21st century solutions, things like the No Tariffs on Groceries Act that I wrote, that I still want to see get done, bills that I’ve written to lessen our dependence on China, to bring jobs back here. I put together a very compelling package on critical minerals. I call it the CHIPS Act for minerals, because I played such a big role in that CHIPS and Science Act. Those are the things I want to hit the ground running for with Michigan. And then in terms of some of the broader makeup of the body, you know, we can chew on that when we get there.
Jen Rubin
Fair enough. Tell us something that the average Michigander or the average American wouldn’t know about you. Is there something in your background, or your experience, or your interests that, you think might be of interest or surprising to people?
Haley Stevens
Okay, this is kind of funny. I was born in Michigan, in zip code 48309, and this was, at the time, kind of a small town in Oakland County, Rochester Hills, Michigan, and that is the town that Madonna came from, the singer. And she’s, you know, got some years on me, so I didn’t grow up with her. But her family… her family had a small business, just like my parents did, and my parents had a small landscaping business, but her mom ran a daycare. And so, my parents, who were working their tails off, who showed me that value of hard work, you know, planting trees, doing landscape architectural design, sustainability programs for tree spraying in Michigan and snow plowing in the winter. They dropped me off at Madonna’s parents’ house.
Jen Rubin
Now, that is something that we haven’t heard before. There you go. Well, you never know when you ask that question what you’re gonna get. Thank you so much for joining us, Haley. We know how busy you are, and good luck next week in trying to wrangle out some kind of healthcare deal that will keep healthcare affordable for people. So, we will look forward to having you back soon.
Haley Stevens
Thank you.
