By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The State of the 8th District address was delivered by Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin on Wednesday night.



Slotkin discussed past accomplishments and unveiled her second-term agenda. The Holly Democrat’s career has been spent in national security – she worked as a CIA intelligence analyst who served three tours in Iraq as a militia expert and served as a Pentagon official under both President Bush and President Obama. Slotkin was recently named as Chair of the House Intelligence & Counterterrorism Subcommittee to identify and work against groups attempting to use violence as a political strategy.

Slotkin said government shouldn’t take care of everyone’s problems but it should take care of the big things including economic and physical security. She noted a lot of internal division and a need for people to see each other as neighbors and come together despite differences in views. Slotkin discussed a need to build the economy back stronger and assure that it is open to all regardless of race or creed, support small businesses now but also in the long term with policies that support the growth, and expand the manufacturing sector in Michigan and the U.S.

Slotkin also talked about her health security agenda and fighting COVID-19, lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs so people can get the care and needed treatment without breaking the bank. Slotkin further announced that she was just named to the House Veterans Affairs Committee to take on issues like suicide prevention and healthcare for injuries and disabilities as the result of military service.

Slotkin also emphasized a need to pass additional COVID relief, highlighting the impacts of COVID-19, including the strain on mental health and unemployment. To help alleviate that strain, she says we need to super-charge distribution of the vaccine and deliver funding to state and local governments. Slotkin said she plans to focus on boosting “buy American” requirements for the federal government, reduce dependence on foreign sources, boost manufacturing and fix the "broken immigration system" with comprehensive reforms.

Slotkin said she remains focused on physical security but commented "it’s time to start treating the climate crisis like the national security threat that it is." She stressed that PFAS chemicals in groundwater and the health of the Great Lakes are issues that both impact health and plans to keep the pressure on the Pentagon to clean up contamination around military bases.

Slotkin also highlighted the need to develop the next generation of electric vehicle batteries, and other technology to reduce our carbon footprint.

Finally, she stressed a need to take on the emerging threats of domestic terrorism and cyber-attacks.