Congressman Bill Huizenga (HIGH-zen-guh) represents Michigan's 2nd Congressional District which stretches from Kentwood to the lakeshore and up the coast of Lake Michigan from Holland to Ludington. Huizenga was first elected to Congress in 2010 and is currently serving in his fifth term.
In January of 2017, Congressman Huizenga was honored to be elected by his colleagues to serve as a Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force. This bipartisan group fosters cooperation and support for policies and programs that enhance the environmental health of the Great Lakes while also ensuring the full economic potential of the Great Lakes region is realized. As a bipartisan leader on the Great Lakes, Huizenga has successfully rallied bipartisan support for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a program that is vital to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes ecology while also promoting opportunities for the Great Lakes economy. The GLRI has had multiple success stories across West Michigan and throughout the Great Lakes basin.
At the start of the 116th Congress, Huizenga became a founding member of the bipartisan PFAS Task Force. The goals of the Task Force include- educating members of Congress and the public about the potential impacts of PFAS; help craft bipartisan legislation to help communities recover from PFAS contamination, and working to determine the proper health and safety levels of PFAS. Bill believes residents in West Michigan across the nation deserve to know the truth and the full picture about the health risks as well as the sources associated with PFAS and PFOAS.
As a member of the prestigious House Financial Services Committee, Huizenga has focused on removing government-imposed barriers to private sector job creation and increasing transparency across the federal government. Because of his steadfast leadership, Congressman Huizenga has been selected to serve as Ranking Member on the Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets Subcommittee for the 116th Congress.
Congressman Huizenga has focused oversight efforts pertaining to the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) operations, activities, and initiatives to ensure that it fulfills its congressional mandate to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. This subcommittee also has jurisdiction pertaining to credit rating agencies, investment advisers, mutual funds, accounting standards, equity/option market structure, and fixed-income market structure. For the first time, Bill is serving on the Housing, Community Development, and Insurance Subcommittee in the 116th Congress. Previously, Bill served as a member of the Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee where he focused on restoring accountability and transparency to the Federal Reserve.
Huizenga's interest in public service began when he was a young boy. When the family was gathered around the dinner table, his father would encourage thoughtful discussions surrounding business and politics. Huizenga went on to attend Holland Christian High School, and later received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Calvin College. After college, Bill began his career as a Realtor and entrepreneur. Today, Bill co-owns Huizenga Gravel Inc. located in Jenison, MI.
Bill became deeply familiar with the issues facing West Michigan residents while serving as the Director of Public Policy for Congressman Pete Hoekstra. That experience combined with Bill's first-hand knowledge of the regulatory and tax burdens facing small businesses and the desire to create a better environment for his children inspired Bill to return to public service.
In 2002, Huizenga was elected to represent the southern portion of Ottawa County, Michigan's 90th District, in the Michigan House of Representatives. There, he served in elected leadership roles as well as Chairman of the Commerce Committee. He was re-elected until term-limited out in 2008.
Congressman Huizenga is a lifelong resident of Ottawa County, where he currently resides with his wife and children.
