Justin Amash

Commentary: Peters runs for Senate

Jack Lessenberry — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:58:35 +0000

For many years, it was far more common for Democrats to have brawling, bruising primary fights than Republicans.

The Democratic Party, after all, was a coalition of sometimes very different factions – African-Americans and Jews; labor and ethnic groups; factory workers and elegant, highly educated liberals in places like Ann Arbor.

They often had little in common except the fact that they were all more opposed to the Republicans.

Republicans, on the other hand, were more homogenous, more like an extended family that was largely business-oriented, largely white Protestant, and didn’t like fighting in public.

They even used to have what they called the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” Well, times have changed.

Congressman Amash and Michigan ACLU talk wiretaps, drones, and gay marriage

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:23:32 +0000

Congressman Justin Amash (R-Grand Rapids) says libertarian leaning Republicans like himself are having an impact on federal policies involving people’s civil rights. He made the remarks at a town hall meeting Monday night hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union in Grand Rapids.

He points to US Senator Rand Paul’s 13-hour-long filibuster of John Brennan’s nomination as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. That filibuster was, in part, to raise awareness about the ambiguity in the rules governing the use of unmanned drones on American soil.

ACLU and Republican Congressman to talk drones in America and indefinite detention

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Congressman Justin Amash (R-Grand Rapids) and the American Civil Liberties Union are teaming up to talk about national security.

Amash is more libertarian than many Republicans. While he and the ACLU don’t see eye to eye on everything, ACLU of Michigan Deputy Director Mary Bejian called Amash “one of the ACLU’s strongest allies in congress on these important national security issues.”

Amash outlines goals for new term; get federal spending “under control” and inform the public

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:20:08 +0000

The federal budget, automatic spending cuts (known as sequestration), and the debt ceiling dominated a town hall meeting Congressman Justin Amash hosted Wednesday night in Grand Rapids.

"It's been a very eventful last month or two, "Amash started, "Even I'm sick of seeing myself in the paper."

Amash was one of twelve Republicans who voted against John Boehner for House Speaker last week. Boehner kicked Congressman Amash off the budget committee last month. People asked him about it at the town hall.

Michigan Rep. Amash played "key role" in votes against Boehner

Mark Brush — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:52:05 +0000

Members of the new 113th Congress were sworn in last week, and they went about picking their leaders.

Republicans in the House of Representatives still hold a majority, so Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) was elected to a second term as Speaker of the House.

But the votes didn't come without controversy as Politico reported:

In an unusually suspenseful roll-call vote of the new House of Representatives, Boehner garnered 220 votes, but 12 Republican lawmakers either opposed him, voted present or abstained.

That was a change from his unanimous election to the Speakership two years ago.

A group of Republican representatives led an 'anti-Boehner' effort the day of the vote.

Roll Call reported Michigan Rep. Justin Amash played a 'key role' in the effort against Boehner.

Republican Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan, Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina and Raúl R. Labrador of Idaho played key roles in organizing the plot. But participants describe its origin as organic and not led by any particular member, despite the suggestion by at least one House Republican that Amash was the ringleader.

One member who participated in the effort described it as the work of small groups of Republican lawmakers who concluded independently that new leadership was needed in the speaker’s office. After learning of their agreement on the subject through discussions on the House floor during the week or two before Thursday’s vote, they decided to band together in an attempt to assemble a group of 25 members committed to opposing Boehner.

UPI reports Boehner told the group of twelve in a privatee meeting that he doesn't hold grudges and that his door will always be open to them.

Rep. Justin Amash ousted from House Budget Committee

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 21:05:02 +0000

U.S. Representative Justin Amash of Cascade Township was one of four Republican congressman removed from prominent committees Monday by House Speaker John Boehner.

This “purge” of rebellious lawmakers is part of Boehner’s attempts to close ranks before looming negotiations on the fiscal cliff, Roll Call reports.

US Congressmen Amash, Huizenga weigh in on “sequestration” debate

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 22:12:20 +0000

President Obama and leaders in Congress will need to agree on a way to reduce the federal budget deficit to avoid automatic, sweeping cuts in January. There’s concern that the cuts could have a damaging effect on the economy and military programs.

The cuts are looming because Congress authorized the federal government to borrow more money last summer. In exchange, a bi-partisan super committee (Michigan Congressmen Dave Camp and Fred Upton served on the committee) was supposed to come up with a plan to cut the federal deficit. But that committee failed.

Congressman Justin Amash says, yeah, he called it.

"…That they would raise the debt ceiling, borrow more and then later on say ‘oh we don’t want to do these cuts’ and that’s exactly what’s happening,” Amash said.

Amash, who represents Michigan’s 3^rddistrict, was the only Republican from Michigan to vote against what he says was a “phony plan” to begin with.

Businessman, former Kent County official hopes to unseat Congressman Justin Amash

Lindsey Smith — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:22:21 +0000

There are now two democrats hoping to unseat first-term Congressman Justin Amash. The conservative republican faces a newly redrawn district in his reelection bid this year.

Michigan lost a congressional district after the recent census. Newly redrawn maps cut the generally republican suburbs of Grand Rapids out of the third congressional district and added Battle Creek.

That could be a challenge for Amash. The freshman is a strong advocate of limited government and free markets. He’s one of only a few sitting federal officials supporting Congressman Ron Paul in the presidential election.

Democrat Steve Pestka thinks the new congressional map (and that it’s a presidential election) will help him defeat Amash in November. Pestka announced today in Grand Rapids he’s running for Congress. He’ll make another stop this afternoon in Battle Creek.

Detained indefinitely without a trial? Michigan's Amash says "no"

Zoe Clark, Jennifer White and Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:25:55 +0000

Freshman Republican Congressman Justin Amash opposes a bill that would give the federal government the power to detain American citizens indefinitely, if suspected of terrorist activities.

"The federal government could come to someone’s house, pull the person out of the house and the family could ask, 'why are you taking my husband away?' and the federal government can simply say, 'we don’t have to tell you, he’s suspected of terrorism,'" he said in an interview with Michigan Radio's Jennifer White.

Amash says he's gaining support for plan to balance federal budget

Lindsey Smith — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:36:54 +0000

Congressman Justin Amash (R-MI) is pushing for a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. Amash shared his proposal with a group of college students Monday night and he’ll host a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Barry County.

Amash is one of 66 Republicans who voted against raising the debt ceiling back in August. He says he’d vote against a deal again if “it’s not very serious” about reducing federal spending.

Congressmen from opposite sides of MI, political aisle, make friends

Lindsey Smith — Sat, 21 May 2011 19:02:43 +0000

A republican congressman from West Michigan and a democrat from Detroit held a joint town hall meeting today Saturday in Grand Rapids. The two freshmen lawmakers have bonded in the nation’s capitol and want to show people some politicians do get along.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/michigan/local-michigan-969930.mp3

Congressman Justin Amash is a tea party favorite from West Michigan. Congressman Hansen Clarke is a democrat from Detroit.

Countdown to federal government shutdown

Steve Carmody — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:46:09 +0000

The clock is ticking down to a possible federal government shutdown at the end of this week. And, Michigan lawmakers are playing pivotal roles in the budget debate.

Michigan congressmen Justin Amash and Tim Walberg are among a group of 13 House Republicans that have threatened to break with the GOP leadership on the budget negotiations. They’ve pushed budget amendments to slash$61 billion in spending.

Michigan Democratic Senator Carl Levin says far right Republicans in the House are preventing the two sides from reaching a budget deal.

“Right now the leadership of the House…Mr. Boehner…is a kind of a captive of the far right of the House.”

Levin complains that lawmakers with ties to the Tea Party don’t care if the federal government shuts down, since they believe government is the problem to begin with.

Michigan Republican casts only "present" vote to defund NPR

Mark Brush — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:59:26 +0000

The bill to "defund NPR" passed the House mostly along party lines. Most republicans voted "aye" and all Democrats voted "nay" (seven Democrats are listed as "not voting" on the bill).

Seven Republicans voted "nay" and one voted "present."

Michigan Republican Justin Amash was the lone member who voted "present" on the bill.

He explains why on his Facebook page:

3rd congressional candidate debate heats up in Grand Rapids

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 04:57:04 +0000

Congressional candidates in Michigan's third district debated health care, education, and government spending in West Michigan Wednesday night.