Benishek visits Copper Country
HOUGHTON/HANCOCK — Congressman Dan Benishek is visiting the Upper Peninsula this week, stopping in Houghton and Hancock today.
The day began with a tour of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Area at the Advanced Technology Development Center on the campus of Michigan Tech.
Benishek said, “Many of the local hospitals contributed to the creation of this facility so that they would have students training here in Northern Michigan and know what Northern Michigan is like, grow to love to the area and be able to have more of those people stay here in Northern Michigan and work here and provide for the care of the people living here.”
The Upper Peninsula’s representative in Congress has been busy of late, focusing on battling invasive species in the Great Lakes and opposing a proposed ban on a bullet used in AR-15 rifles.
Benishek said, “I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe that people in this country have the right to keep and bear arms. It’s not going to do any good to have any arms if you don’t have any ammunition, and I think the people in Michigan’s 1st District bear that position as well, and I’m proud to stand up to the President, put a stop to what I think is an illegal order.”
Following the tour, Benishek visited U.P. Health System Portage as the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center Pediatrics Clinic was presented with a Site Excellence Award. The award comes from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry for the clinic’s performance including maintaining a 78% immunization rate for children from the ages of 19 to 36 months.
Clinic Supervisor of the Pediatrics/O.B. Department of the Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center Kathleen Coppo says, “We work as a really good team in pediatrics and we print out a Michigan registry from the MICR (Michigan Care Improvement Registry) website for every patient that comes through and if they do need a vaccine we make sure that they either get it that day or come back for one if they happen to be sick. So, we try to make sure every child is vaccinated and gets the opportunity.”
Congressman Benishek continues his U.P. tour tomorrow with a visit to Bessemer High School.