In the News
Detroit Free Press: U.S. senators want more scrutiny for Mich. oil pipeline
by Todd Spangler
Peters, Stabenow say Line 5 through Straits of Mackinac may be treated as onshore -- not offshore -- pipeline and receive less scrutiny WASHINGTON - Michigan's U.S. senators on Tuesday sent a letter to the Obama administration raising concerns that a pair of pipelines at the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac may be treated as onshore -- and not offshore -- facilities, meaning they could face less regulatory scrutiny. U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., sent the letter to … Continue Reading
05.16.16
Oakland Press: Senator honors Farmington Hills Marine, calls him ‘trailblazer’ in race relations
by Anne Runkle
The Marines who trained at Canp Montford Point in North Carolina during World War II slept in temporary huts. They drove on dirt ruts. The Montford Point Marines were among the first African-Americans to serve in that branch of the military. Their white counterparts at nearby Camp Lejeune had permanent barracks and paved roads. Their training hours were shorter. On Monday, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters wished to express the nation's thanks to John Jordan, 90, a Farmington Hills resident and Montford … Continue Reading
05.14.16
Macomb Daily: From Macomb to Mars: County firm manufactures hardware of dreams
by Jim Bloch
Long known for auto plants and a thriving blue economy revolving around its lakefront, Macomb County is getting into the next chapter of space exploration. A local firm is building components and tooling for the spaceship that will take astronauts to Mars. "A lot of the work we've been doing lately is for the new Space Launch System, which is the rocket that's going to power the Orion capsule to Mars," said John Couch, vice president of Futuramic Tool and Engineering in Warren. The name of th… Continue Reading
05.06.16
Soo Evening News: Senator Peters visits the Sault
by Nick Nolan
United States Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) paid a visit to Sault Ste. Marie on Thursday to talk about federal and state issues going on in the Senate that are affecting the city and the Great Lakes area. The first-term senator from Pontiac discussed his efforts to create a more bipartisan approach to the senate. He believes that by entering the senate in 2014 as the only democrat alongside 12 republicans, he has become more inheritably open to reaching across the aisle to get legislation passed. … Continue Reading
05.03.16
Alpena News: Peters promotes Great Lakes, unmanned aircraft
by Steve Schulwitz
ALPENA - Monday afternoon students at Alpena Community College got a brief glimpse of an unmanned aircraft flying just below the tree line on campus. What they probably didn't realize is who the pilot was - Sen. Gary Peters. The college was one of several stops in Northeast Michigan where Peters was taken on tours in part promoting his agenda of helping to protect and preserve the Great Lakes and ease burdensome restrictions on colleges who have unmanned aircraft programs. Peters co-sponsored … Continue Reading
05.02.16
Dearborn Press & Guide: Vehicle Innovation Act passes Senate, awaits approval in House
Vehicle Innovation Act passes Senate, awaits approval in House Legislation to promote investment in the future of the automotive industry is more than halfway to becoming law after passage in the Senate for the Vehicle Information Act. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-12th District) appeared at a commercial vehicle outfitting plant in Taylor last year to announce the legislation that promotes investments in research and development of fuel-efficient technologi… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Washington Post: Extreme space weather could cripple our infrastructure. This bill aims to prevent that.
by Angela Fritz and Joe Kunches
Legislation introduced in the Senate last week is the best effort yet put forward by Congress to improve forecasts of an invisible yet potent threat: space weather. The bipartisan bill, authored by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), passed out of the Commerce Committee on Wednesday and will soon be brought to the Senate as a whole. It tackles the threats and challenges that space weather poses to our critical infrastructure, enumerating aspects that beg… Continue Reading
04.28.16
MLive/Flint Journal: Federal funding for Flint water crisis heads to full Senate
by Ron Fonger
FLINT, MI -- A bill that includes $100 million in federal funds for Flint has cleared committee and is headed to the full U.S. Senate. Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters said today, April 28, today that the Committee on Environment and Public Works passed the funding as part of the Water Resources Development Act. The legislation includes money to repair water infrastructure and authority for the state of Michigan to forgive $22 million in past drinking water loans given to the cit… Continue Reading
04.27.16
Detroit Free Press: Oil company will not ship under St. Clair River in wake of outcry
by Daniel Bethencourt and Keith Matheny
A petroleum transport company will not be shipping heavy crude oil under the St. Clair River through 98-year-old pipelines, following an outcry from residents and concern from state and federal officials earlier this year. The company, Plains LPG, based in Houston, has withdrawn a request to revise its permit that would have allowed it to potentially transport oil under the St. Clair River between Marysville and Sarnia, Ontario, according to announcements issued Wednesday from U.S. Senator Gary… Continue Reading
04.26.16
AP: Senators Again Reach Deal on Flint Water Crisis Aid
by MATTHEW DALY
WASHINGTON (AP) - For the second time in two months, the Senate has reached a bipartisan deal to address a water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where lead-contaminated pipes have resulted in an ongoing public health emergency. Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan said an agreement reached Tuesday with Republican Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma would authorize $170 million in grants and loans to replace the city's lead-contaminated pipes and other infrastructure. It includes $5… Continue Reading
04.22.16
Midland Daily News: Sen. Gary Peters discusses Dow merger, education, small business in Midland visit
by John Kennett
The city of Midland recently saw a visit from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., as the first-term senator toured The Dow Chemical Co., sat down with the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce and followed those visits up with a stop at the Daily News. "It was incredible what they are doing there and the products they are devising," Peters said of Dow Chemical. "If you are looking to reduce the amount of energy consumption in America, or dependence on foreign oil, or making buildings more insulated, Dow is r… Continue Reading
04.22.16
Detroit Free Press: Peters, Stabenow want action on Downriver air quality
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - Michigan's U.S. senators wrote the nation's top environmental official Friday asking her agency to implement a plan for reducing sulfur dioxide and other pollutants in Wayne County if the state of Michigan does not do so in the next two months. Three years ago, a section of Wayne County stretching from Detroit south along the Detroit River past Trenton was found to have sulfur dioxide levels above federal standards, triggering a requirement for the state to submit a plan for contro… Continue Reading
04.20.16
Space News: Space weather bill introduced in U.S. Senate
by Jeff Foust
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation April 20 to improve space weather forecasting and preparedness efforts in parallel with a space weather strategy released by the White House last year. The Space Weather Research and Forecasting Act is intended to codify into law the responsibilities various government agencies have for forecasting and studying space weather, as well as assessing the vulnerability of the electrical grid and other critical infrastructure to geoma… Continue Reading
04.20.16
Michigan Daily: Michigan to receive $188.1 million from Hardest Hit Fund
by Lydia Murray
Along with U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint), Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D) and Gary Peters (D) announced that Michigan will receive $188.1 million from the Hardest Hit Fund to go towards blight removal during a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning. The Hardest Hit Fund - created in 2010 - allocates funding to states to aid struggling homeowners and avoid instances of foreclosure. During budget negotiations last year, Stabenow, Peters and Kildee championed a total of $2 billion to be alloc… Continue Reading
04.20.16
Detroit Free Press: Energy bill promotes fuel-efficient vehicles
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - A wide-ranging energy bill -- which had previously been help up over concerns of a lack of funding to address the Flint water crisis -- was approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday and included a measure authored by Michigan's senators promoting investments in the research and development of more fuel-efficient vehicles. The legislation, passed on a vote of 85-12, included a provision written by U.S. Sens Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., as well as U.S. Sen. Lamar Ale… Continue Reading
04.19.16
Macomb Daily: Senate passes Peters' amendments
by Jenna Jakowatz
The Senate passed legislation today to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which includes two amendments introduced by Michigan senator Gary Peters. The Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Attack Wing will maintain operations in Battle Creek, according to the first provision. W.K. Kellogg Airport could lose its FAA grant eligibility if the Michigan Air National Guard's rent is not increased to fair market value. Peter's amendment will allow the Guard to maintain their eligibi… Continue Reading
04.10.16
Detroit Free Press: Senators: More money needed for federal sex assault investigations
by David Jesse
It's been 25 months since the federal Office of Civil Rights notified the University of Michigan it would be looking at how U-M handles complaints of sexual assault on its campus. There's no news about when the investigation might come to an end. It took the OCR more than a year to investigate how Michigan State University handles sexual assault cases. The length of time in these two cases isn't a surprise. In 2014, it took an average of 1,469 days for a complaint to be resolved, largely becau… Continue Reading
04.01.16
Lapeer County Press: Sen. Gary Peters addresses Econ Club
by KRYSTAL JOHNS
ELBA TWP. - As U.S. Sen. Gary Peters began his speech to the Economic Club of Lapeer County on Tuesday, the sun was shining brightly outside the windows of the Lapeer Country Club, giving off the illusion that it was warmer than the actual temperature outdoors. Peters alluded to the scenery, and commented about DTE Energy choosing this county for its largest solar array east of the Mississippi, "That tells me the sun is always shining in Lapeer County." He quickly shifted his focus to the auto… Continue Reading
04.01.16
Battle Creek Enquirer: Sen. Peters tours Air Guard base
by Trace Christenson
One of Michigan's United States senators toured new facilities at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base Friday as officials said continued investment can preserve the future of the facility. Senator Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, spent just over an hour at the base, looking through the command center for remotely piloted aircraft and touring the 318-acre base in a bus with Col. Bryan Teff, Commander of the 110th Attack Wing. "This is an incredible facility and we are going to do everyt… Continue Reading
03.30.16
Wards Auto: U.S. Lawmaker Pursues National Auto Cybersecurity Lab
by James M. Amend
NOVI, MI - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters wants to establish a national laboratory for automotive cybersecurity, preferably in Detroit, to lift expertise in the field to fight off threats from potential hackers. The first-term Michigan senator wants the lab located at a former General Motors manufacturing site and historic World War II-era bomber-building facility in Ypsilanti Twp., about 20 minutes west of Detroit. Locally called Willow Run, the 332-acre (134-ha) site has been designated for developmen… Continue Reading
