In the News
Detroit News: Peters unveils bill to review criminal justice system
by Tom Greenwood
With the backing of two Republican U.S. Senators, Michigan Democratic Sen. Gary Peters on Tuesday introduced legislation that would create a National Criminal Justice Commission to review the U.S. criminal justice system. According to Peters, the intent of the commission is to scrutinize the justice system from top to bottom and to propose reforms to issues facing the system. "Recent incidents, like the traffic stop of Floyd Dent in Inkster, and civil unrest in areas like Baltimore and Ferguso… Continue Reading
04.28.15
MLive: Sen. Gary Peters calls for comprehensive review of the country's criminal justice system
by Fritz Klug
With recent police-related killings leading to protests and civil unrest, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is calling for a comprehensive review of the country's criminal justice system. The Michigan Democrat is expected to introduce a bill Tuesday calling for the creation of a national commission to look at the criminal system. The bill is also sponsored by senior Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas. Members of the commission would include experts on law enforcemen… Continue Reading
04.20.15
Holland Sentinel: U.S. Sen. Gary Peters introduces bipartisan bill
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-14th District, a member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced he has introduced bipartisan legislation. The legislation will ensure that the Small Business Administration's main lending program, the 7(a) Loan Program, can continue to meet the increasing small business demand for loans. In recent years, there has been an increase in demand for 7(a) loans, from $15.2 billion in 2012 to $19.2 billion in 2014, including $1.2 billion in lending to o… Continue Reading
04.15.15
Detroit News: Worthy pushes for more funding to prosecute rapists
by David Shepardson
Washington - Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy met Wednesday with Michigan's two senators and other members of the congressional delegation, seeking more funding to help prosecute suspected rapists. In 2009, more than 11,300 untested rape kits were found in Detroit dating back to 1984. With $4 million from the state and support from advocacy groups, testing has been completed and found significant evidence of serial rapists. Worthy said last year that testing of some kits had identified 127 p… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Dearborn Press & Guide: Peters co-sponsoring bill to train medical staff to respond to trafficking victims
by Teresa Duhl
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters on Monday held a press conference at Wayne State University's School of Medicine to announce that he is co-sponsoring Senate Bill 205: The Trafficking Awareness Training for Health Care Act of 2015. Also on hand to show their support for the bill were Dr. Jack Sobel, interim dean of the WSU School of Medicine, and Angela Aufdemberge, president and chief executive officer of Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights. If passed as currently written, the Trafficking Awareness Training … Continue Reading
04.02.15
Battle Creek Enquirer: Sen. Peters tours Air Guard base for first time
by Trace Christenson
Michigan's newest senator had his first tour of Battle Creek's military base. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, who took office in January, spent nearly three hours at Battle Creek's Air National Guard Base Wednesday, learning more about work on the base, future missions and seeing the facilities. "It is always better to go out and kick the tires and see what is here," Peters said. Riding with several local officials, Peters saw the base from the front seat of a van and then had briefings about the past… Continue Reading
04.02.15
Flint Journal: U.S. Sen. Gary Peters pushes for human trafficking intervention bill
by Sarah Schuch
FLINT, MI -- Giving medical professionals training on identifying victims of human trafficking could save lives, officials say. That is why U.S. Sen. Gary Peters wants to see more health care professionals trained in knowing what to look for, and is pushing a bill that would create a pilot program for a medical school to create best practices for intervention. Peters, D-Bloomfield Twp., made a stop in Flint on Thursday, April 2, at the Genesys Downtown Flint Health Center to push for his new l… Continue Reading
04.01.15
Kalamazoo Gazette: Michigan Sen. Gary Peters shows strong support for proposed missile defense system
by Alex Mitchell
BATTLE CREEK, MI -- U.S. Sen. Gary Peters toured Fort Custer Wednesday to show support for a proposed missile defense system that could be constructed at the military base. Fort Custer, a 7,500-acre training base for the U.S. Army Reserves and other branches of the military that straddles Calhoun and Kalamazoo counties, is one of four locations currently undergoing an environmental impact study that will be used to partially determine the area best suited for the project. Peters said he strong… Continue Reading
03.31.15
Grand Rapids Press: U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga promote rebuilt parts for federal fleet
by Jim Harger
KENTWOOD, MI - Taxpayers will save money and Michigan companies that rebuild automotive and truck parts will benefit from legislation sponsored by a bipartisan team of U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich. and U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland. "Encouraging the federal government to use less expensive remanufactured auto parts when repairing their vehicles helps save taxpayers money and supports remanufacturing suppliers in Michigan and across the country," said Peters, who appeared at North America … Continue Reading
03.31.15
MiBiz: Federal legislation could spur growth of remanufactured parts, local jobs
by John Wiegand
KENTWOOD - Advocates for a bill pending in Congress say that using remanufactured parts to repair and maintain federal vehicle fleets would not only help save taxpayer money, but also act to spur job creation at local companies. For North American Fuel Systems Remanufacturing LLC in Kentwood, the bill to encourage the federal procurement of more remanufactured parts could help fuel demand for the engine components it refurbishes for the heavy-truck industry, said Adam Knobeloch, the company's v… Continue Reading
03.30.15
Detroit News: Peters seeks pilot program on human trafficking
by Chad Livengood
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is scheduled to visit Wayne State University's medical school Monday to push for legislation helping health care professionals better identify patients who are victims of human trafficking. Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, has introduced a bill creating a pilot program for a medical school to develop best practices for identifying and preventing the spread of human trafficking - what the U.S. Department of Homeland Security calls "modern-day form of slavery involving the ill… Continue Reading
03.30.15
The Hill: Fully fund the A-10 fleet, say Michigan senators
by Martin Matishak
Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D) and Gary Peters (D) are urging senior appropriators to fully fund the Air Force's A-10 "Warthog" fleet and scrap the service's plan to move some of the aircraft into backup status. "Given the United States' current military engagements in the Middle East fighting against [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria], and protecting NATO countries in Eastern Europe, the aircraft program must be continued until a suitable alternative is in place," the pair said in a let… Continue Reading
03.27.15
Detroit News: Senate OKs Peters’ measure on customs plazas fund
Washington - The U.S. Senate late Thursday approved a budget amendment by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, that creates a reserve fund for future spending authorization at customs plazas and ports of entry. The measure is non-binding and does not represent an approval for funding. The amendment did not specify a dollar amount for the fund or from where the money would come. It creates a reserve fund in the federal budget that won't increase the federal deficit. The fund may be used for… Continue Reading
03.26.15
Detroit News: Peters seeks funding for customs plazas in Michigan
by Melissa Nann Burke
Washington - As Congress sets its spending priorities this week, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, is seeking a budget reserve for future spending authorization at customs plazas and ports of entry. If approved, the amendment would create a deficit-neutral reserve fund in the federal budget that may be used for construction or increased staffing at ports of entry, such as the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron - which is awaiting an expanded customs plaza - and the new U.S.-Canada cros… Continue Reading
03.19.15
Houghton Daily Mining Gazette: Peters unveils bills to address wasteful spending, deficit
by Garrett Neese
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters announced two bills aimed at cutting wasteful spending and reducing the deficit Tuesday, both co-sponsored by a Republican senator. The first bill would require Congress to hold Congressional hearings on duplicative and wasteful government spending and create a formal review process. The second bill would require Congress to debate and vote on deficit reduction recommendations in the president's budget. Peters, D-Bloomfield Hills, contrasted his approach to d… Continue Reading
03.17.15
Detroit Free Press: Peters proposes deficit-cutting bills
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is joining with a Republican colleague to propose two pieces of legislation he says could cut wasteful spending and reduce the nation's deficit. The first piece of legislation would require congressional hearings on the Government Accountability Office's annual report on recommendations for reducing duplicative programs. The second would require Congress to hold an up or down vote on annual deficit reduction recommendations from the White House. "We need to c… Continue Reading
03.17.15
Detroit News: Sen. Peters proposes bills to cut government waste
by David Shepardson
Washington - Sens. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, unveiled bills Tuesday aimed at cutting waste and eliminating duplicate federal programs from the $2 trillion annual U.S. budget. One proposal, called the COST Savings Resolution, would require congressional committees to hold oversight hearings on the Government Accountability Office's annual report on ways to reduce overlap and duplication in the federal government. The bill directs Congress to take into acc… Continue Reading
03.17.15
WBUP: Peters introduces bills to reduce government spending
WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters introduced a pair of bills today that would reduce government spending. Peters, along with Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), have come up with a pair of bills that would reduce the cost of some government agencies that overlap responsibilities. Peters says that these bills would go along way in making the government as efficient as possible and reduce the nation's debt at the same time. "An example of that is catfish inspection," said U.S. Senator Gary Peter… Continue Reading
03.07.15
Macomb Daily: Senator helps celebrate 100th anniversary of Naval Reserves at Selfridge
by Maryanne MacLeod
Celebrating a century of service by Naval Reservists was the order of the day at Selfridge Air National Guard Base Saturday afternoon. Dignitaries from throughout metro Detroit, including keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, joined current reservists, veterans and their families to recognize the special sacrifices made by citizen sailors at the base. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 70,000 naval reservists have answered the call to active duty; 31 of those were killed in action. Naval reservi… Continue Reading
03.07.15
WWJ: Senator Peters On Hand As Selfridge Air National Guard Base Celebrates 100 Years
HARRISON TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township celebrated an important milestone Saturday - its centennial anniversary. U.S. Senator Gary Peters spoke at the U.S. Navy Reserve ceremony Saturday afternoon. "I certainly just wanted to honor the incredible traditions that exist in the U.S. Navy Reserve and its 100 year anniversary," Peters said. "You're basically dealing with citizen sailors, folks who have families and careers in the States and yet are called up… Continue Reading
