Fred Upton: “It seems like just yesterday when a number of community leaders encouraged me to run for Congress. Against all odds, we…”

“It seems like just yesterday when a number of community leaders encouraged me to run for Congress. Against all odds, we ended up winning a very hotly contested Republican primary, and the journey began. Throughout my career, I have leaned on lessons from my Reagan White House days where my boss and mentor was Ken Duberstein, who later was his chief of staff. Reagan worked both sides of the aisle to get things done, caring less about who got the credit, and I made a promise that such a principle would be my guiding light. Especially in these days of divided government, that is the only way one can actually get legislation enacted. There has been something special in my household with highlights and lowlights that we often discuss at the dinner table. As I reflect back, there have certainly been more highlights representing the wonderful and diverse corner of southwest Michigan. These folks are truly the salt of the earth, and I love them all. I really do, even the few that don't always love me. As chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, a huge highlight was 21st Century Cures. Hailed as the most important piece of legislation passed in that Congress, it laid the foundation for Operation Warp Speed and faster drug approvals, including the first vaccine that Pfizer produced in Kalamazoo. Now, once again, with my partner Diana DeGette, we are pursuing Cures 2.0 with all the disease and patient groups who joined us on Cures.…”