Bill Huizenga
Bill Huizenga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 2nd district | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Pete Hoekstra |
| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives from the 90th district | |
| In office January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Wayne Kuipers |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Haveman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Patrick Huizenga January 31, 1969 Zeeland, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Natalie Huizenga (m. 1993) |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Calvin College (BA) |
| Website | House website |
William Patrick Huizenga (/ˈhaɪzɪŋɡə/ HY-zing-gə; born January 31, 1969) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 2nd congressional district since 2011. The district covers much of Lake Michigan's eastern shore and many of Grand Rapids's suburbs, including Muskegon, Holland, Kentwood and Grand Haven.
A member of the Republican Party, Huizenga served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009.[1]
Early life[]
Born to a family of Dutch Americans, Huizenga is the co-owner and operator of Huizenga Gravel Company, a family business in Jenison, Michigan. In the early 1990s, he worked in real estate. He left real estate in 1996, becoming an aide to U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra.
Michigan House of Representatives[]
Starting with his first election in 2002, Huizenga represented the 90th district for three terms, winning reelection in 2004 and 2006. After the 2006 election he was term limited. The district is in Ottawa County and includes Holland, Zeeland, Hudsonville, Blendon Township, Jamestown Township, Holland Township, and Zeeland Township.
Huizenga voted for the initial version of the Michigan Business Tax, but opposed the 2% surcharge and a sales and services tax later in the process.[2]
U.S House of Representatives[]
Elections[]
2010[]
After serving 18 years, Republican incumbent Peter Hoekstra retired to run for the Republican nomination for governor. Huizenga defeated Jay Riemersma, State Senator Wayne Kuipers, businessman Bill Cooper, and three others in the Republican primary election—the real contest in this heavily Republican district—on August 3, 2010.[3] Huizenga defeated Democratic nominee Fred Johnson, 64% to 32%.[4] The district was rated "Solid Republican" by The New York Times.[5] The district and its predecessors have been in Republican hands for all but four years since 1873, and without interruption since 1935.
2012[]
Huizenga was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Willie German Jr., Mary Buzuma of the Libertarian Party, Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party and William Opalicky of the Green Party.[citation needed]
Tenure[]
In December 2020, Huizenga was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated[6] incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[7][8][9]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." She also reprimanded Huizenga and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[10][11] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Huizenga and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit, arguing that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[12]
Committee assignments[]
- Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology
- Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
Caucus memberships[]
- Republican Study Committee[13]
- Congressional Constitution Caucus[14]
- Republican Main Street Partnership[15]
Personal life[]
Huizenga and his wife have five children and live in Holland. He attends Haven Christian Reformed Church in Zeeland.[16]
On October 14, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Huizenga announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 via a rapid antigen test he was required to take before meeting with Vice President Mike Pence.[17] The next day Huizenga announced that he had once again tested positive for the virus after taking a more accurate PCR test.[18]
References[]
- ^ "Representative William Patrick Huizenga (Bill) (R-Michigan, 2nd) – Biography from LegiStorm".
- ^ Jim Harger, Jay Riemersma criticizes Bill Huizenga's 2007 Vote, Grand Rapids Press, October 12, 2009.
- ^ Roelofs, Ted. "Bill Huizenga edges out former NFL player Jay Riemersma by less than 700 in race for Congress", The Grand Rapids Press, August 4, 2010.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- ^ Michigan 2nd District Race Profile Archived August 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine New York Times. August 23, 2010.
- ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Liptak, Adam (2020-12-11). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
- ^ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. 2020-12-11. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Smith, David (2020-12-12). "Supreme court rejects Trump-backed Texas lawsuit aiming to overturn election results". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-12-13.
- ^ "Pelosi Statement on Supreme Court Rejecting GOP Election Sabotage Lawsuit" (Press release). Speaker Nancy Pelosi. December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Jordan (2020-12-11). "Democrat asks Pelosi to refuse to seat lawmakers supporting Trump's election challenges". TheHill. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-12.
- ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "MEMBERS". RMSP. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
- ^ Bill Huizenga: ‘A good Christian Reformed Dutchman, and a little Irish’
- ^ "Huizenga announces positive COVID-19 result via rapid test". U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga. 2020-10-14. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
- ^ "Huizenga Statement Confirming Positive COVID-19 PCR Test". U.S. Congressman Bill Huizenga. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
External links[]
- Congressman Bill Huizenga official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Bill Huizenga at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Bill Huizenga at MichiganVotes.org
- Articles
- Jay Riemersma criticizes Bill Huizenga's 2007 Vote, Jim Harger, Grand Rapids Press, October 12, 2009
- No Worker Left Behind After Three Years: Successes and Challenges, Andrew S. Levin, Michigan.gov, June 29, 2010
| show Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan |
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- 1969 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- American people of Dutch descent
- Christians from Michigan
- Living people
- Members of the Michigan House of Representatives
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
- Michigan Republicans
- People from Jenison, Michigan
- People from Zeeland, Michigan
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives