Building a Stronger America

May 22, 2026 Weekly Column BIG Update Memorial Day is a reminder to honor those who gave their lives defending our nation and protecting the freedoms we hold dear. Their sacrifice can never be fully repaid, but a grateful nation honors their service. The Midwest Honor Flight gives back to veterans by bringing them to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to them and those they served alongside. This remarkable program honors American heroes for their service. I joined a group of incredible veterans at Arlington National Cemetery as they paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. God bless our troops, God bless our Gold Star families, and God bless the United States of America. BIG Idea Hardworking families should be able to achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Unfortunately, rising construction costs and unnecessary government regulations have driven up the cost of building and maintaining a home, leaving this dream out of reach for many. I’m working to make housing more affordable and accessible. This week, I voted to pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to expand housing supply, modernize housing programs, and lower costs for those wanting to buy a home. BIG News Safe roads, strong bridges, and a well-connected transportation network keep our supply chains moving. This week, I worked to pass the BUILD America 250 Act out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which provides the largest-ever investment in American bridges and ensures states have flexibility to prioritize the projects they need most. The BUILD America 250 Act provides robust funding for America’s transportation needs and included several of my priorities to strengthen our infrastructure. Some of these priorities are prohibiting the Department of Transportation from using Chinese Communist Party 3-D mapping technology, LiDAR, and cutting regulations to speed up highway projects. We all use and benefit from roads and highways. I’m grateful for the strong investment from the BUILD America 250 Act to keep us all connected. Click here to watch Johnson’s remarks. Issues : Transportation & Infrastructure Economy Veterans