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Dear Neighbor, Welcome to my Capitol & Community Update e-newsletter! As you know, the week started with Martin Luther King Jr. Day! To recognize the day, government leaders from Troy, such as myself, took part in “More Than a Dream,” a video celebration with the Troy School District to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy. I hope you have a chance to watch and learn more about Dr. King’s work. Unfortunately, due to widespread COVID exposure, legislative sessions for this week were canceled. However, I was able to attend the Tax Policy Committee meeting virtually! I continue to mask and have confirmed that I am COVID negative in spite of the close contact. Additionally, I have had more time to connect virtually with people in-district and on policy concerns that constituents have brought up. I am also happy to continue providing these email updates with the latest information, resources and opportunities relevant to community members. Please encourage neighbors and friends in HD 41 — Troy and Clawson — to also sign up for these updates at kuppa.housedems.com and let us know if you have any feedback on the newsletter or concerns about any state-level issues. As always, you can reach my office at (517) 373-1783, or by email at PadmaKuppa@house.mi.gov. Be sure to also check out the latest on my social media platforms — @PadmaKuppaMI41 (Twitter) and @MIRepPadmaKuppa (Facebook)! In Service, Padma Kuppa State Representative House District 41 Upcoming Events2022 Coffee Hours Please join me for my in-person office hours where I will be giving legislative updates and taking your questions about the issues facing our state and our community. Please refer to the policy of the venue regarding masks. Physical distancing is also strongly encouraged during the event. In 2022, in order to make for a more consistent schedule for constituent events, I will be holding my coffee hours this year on the fourth Monday of each month from 4:30-6 p.m. at the centrally-located Troy Community Center. The information for my next coffee hour is as follows: When: Monday, Jan. 24, from 4:30-6 p.m. Where: Troy Community Center (3179 Livernois Road in Troy)
Disinformation Training Town Hall Please join me and NARAL Pro-Choice America for an in-depth training on the disinformation surrounding reproductive freedom. As reproductive rights are being threatened, it’s more critical than ever to stand up for reproductive freedom and fight back against disinformation fueling attacks on abortion and our democracy more broadly. Together we will learn what disinformation is, how to identify it and how to respond to it in our everyday lives. When: Monday, Jan. 31, from 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Zoom (Register here) Have a Say in Infrastructure SpendingLast year, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and President Biden signed it into law. This means that Michigan is expecting to receive billions of dollars from the federal government to fix our roads and bridges, improve high-speed internet access, keep our Great Lakes and our drinking water clean, and more. As your state representative, I want to hear from you about how you think this money should be spent. I invite you to go to this website to take the “Invest in MI Community” survey. You’ll get a chance to make your voice heard on what matters most to you. In addition, listening tour stops will be scheduled across the state, including a stop near you, to discuss those topics in greater detail. Then we’ll take those discussions to the Capitol and fight for the projects you care about. Then we’ll take those discussions to the Capitol and fight for the projects you care about. An investment in infrastructure is an investment in all of us. These federal dollars are a unique opportunity to make critical improvements, and that’s why I want to hear from you! Free COVID-19 TestsPer the federal government’s free COVID-19 testing program, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests are available for free at COVIDTests.gov, with every household eligible for four free tests that will be shipped directly to Michiganders’ homes. Testing, in addition to getting vaccinated and wearing masks, is a crucial tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19. This federal program removes barriers and makes testing easy and accessible for all Michiganders while also empowering residents to take immediate action after receiving a test result. When to use an at-home test:
State of the StateGov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her fourth State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. It will be held virtually, and more information can be found here. Ahead of the 2022 State of the State address, Gov. Whitmer’s team will set out to hear from Michiganders across the state on why they believe in Michigan. She will share their stories each day leading up to the address in a video series. Gov. Whitmer invites any Michigander to share their stories and asks: why do you believe in Michigan? Share your stories, photos, videos and more with her on social media using #IBelieveInMichigan. Community Recognitions and ResourcesSmall Business of the Month Each month, I recognize two small businesses in our community, one in Troy and one in Clawson, as my small businesses of the month. To nominate a business for this recognition, please fill out this form on my website. Tributes, Letters and Certificates Do you know someone in the district who is retiring and would like a legislative tribute to celebrate their years of service? Has a local team or group reached a milestone that they would like to be acknowledged with an official certificate for each member? Our office can provide legislative tributes, letters and certificates on a wide range of recognitions for constituents. If you would like to request any of these materials for yourself or others, please email my office at PadmaKuppa@house.mi.gov with as much information as possible on the requested recognition and we will work with you to arrange delivery or presentation of the recognition! E-News Archives and Constituent Downloads My e-news archive is available on my website here. Constituent downloads are also available on my website here. |
