In the News
WSJM: Possible Excise Tax Cut Good for Business
by Pat Moody
Local distillers in Michigan's Great Southwest concur with Michigan Senator Gary Peters that a proposed federal reduction in the excise tax on alcoholic spirits by small distilleries will mean more capital investment and more jobs for the local economy. Peters visited Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers yesterday and cited the potential gains for the local economy under the proposed Distillery Excise Tax Reform Act, or DETRA. The legislation before the U.S. Congress would lower the excise t… Continue Reading
09.14.15
Grand Rapids Press: Sen. Gary Peters visits Grand Rapids distillery, wants lower taxes on craft liquor
by John Serba
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Those in the craft distillery business call the federal excise tax on liquor a "hangover from Prohibition." Flanked by a pair of bronze distillers in Long Road Distillery's production facility Monday morning, Sept. 14, 2015, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) said he hopes to significantly lower the sin tax on liquor, and therefore put distillers on the same footing as beer and wine makers. In May, Peters and fellow Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introd… Continue Reading
09.01.15
Detroit Free Press: Peters to visit Middle East before returning to D.C.
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., will travel to the Middle East this week to meet with officials in Iraq, Jordan and elsewhere to discuss ongoing efforts to combat ISIS. Peters, a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, will travel with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The senators also will visit the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and visit a refugee camp in Jordan. "Michigan service members are among … Continue Reading
08.19.15
Manistee News-Advocate: Peters talks small business, Great Lakes
by Dylan Savela
MANISTEE - On Wednesday, United States Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) paid a visit to the Manistee News Advocate office, which sits a block away from a recently revitalized River Street and a mere mile from Lake Michigan. Fittingly, Manistee represents much of what the first-term senator considers priority in his public service to the state. On what's considered Start-Up Day Across America, Peters spoke to the News Advocate about his focus on small businesses and the economic impact of waterfront c… Continue Reading
08.15.15
Houghton Daily Mining Gazette: Sen. Peters pushes for another big icebreaker
by Dan Roblee
The past two winters have been tough ones for Great Lakes freighters, and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield, is pushing for a new heavy icebreaker to ease their springtime passages. According to a release from Peters' office, he has sent a letter urging House and Senate congressional committees to authorize funding for a new heavy icebreaker. "In 2006, the USCG took a positive step towards combating Great Lakes ice by launching a heavy icebreaker called the USCGC Mackinaw," Peters said in th… Continue Reading
08.11.15
Marquette Mining Journal: Beer tour
by Elizabeth Bailey
MARQUETTE - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Hills, learned about the beer brewing process and highlighted legislation he has co-sponsored while touring Blackrocks Brewery in Marquette Monday afternoon. "This is a great industry for Michigan like we see here in Marquette, this (Blackrocks Brewery) is a business that hires people, puts folks to work and it also adds to tourism," Peters said. If approved, the Small BREW Act Peters co-sponsored would reduce excise taxes for small breweries. Th… Continue Reading
08.11.15
Escanaba Daily Press: Senator addresses issues in Escanaba
by Jordan Beck
ESCANABA - As part of a four-day visit to the Upper Peninsula, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D) visited Escanaba to discuss issues affecting the U.P. and the rest of the country. In an interview with the Daily Press, Peters said one of the key goals of his visit is to meet with people in the Upper Peninsula to talk about the area's problems and advantages. "We look forward to having a close working relationship," Peters said. In order to work toward this goal, Peters plans to attend several meeti… Continue Reading
08.05.15
WMUK: U.S. Senator Gary Peters Wants to Stop Post Office Closures
by Robbie Feinberg
In April, the U.S. Postal Service was forced to shut down Kalamazoo's mail processing facility to cut costs. But a new bill from U.S. Senator Gary Peters could reverse that and other closings across the country. The Senator's plan would put a two-year moratorium on post office closures. Peters says the moratorium can give Congress a chance to put together a comprehensive plan for the future of the Postal Service, without causing postal delays today. "Let's make sure we're doing things efficie… Continue Reading
07.31.15
Detroit News: U.S. Sens. sponsor bill to boost small business lending
by Lauren Abdel-Razzaq
Detroit - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters introduced legislation Friday that would provide an additional $26 million in federal loans to help small businesses in Michigan grow and create jobs. The Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 builds on the pre-existing State Small Business Credit Initiative, which helps fund the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other state-led lending programs. Overall, the legislation would provide an additional $500 million in formu… Continue Reading
07.31.15
Detroit Free Press: Stabenow, Peters urge support for business loan bill
by Frank Witsil
With a vacant, graffiti-covered building in the Eastern Market district as a backdrop, Michigan's two senators -- Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters -- touted legislation today they introduced that would send millions in federal funding to Michigan to benefit small businesses and create jobs. The senators, both Democrats, are seeking to reauthorize the State Small Business Credit Initiative that has funded efforts through the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and other state-lending programs t… Continue Reading
07.30.15
Detroit News: Two advanced vehicle bills move ahead in Senate
by David Shepardson
Washington - Two pieces of legislation aimed at boosting advanced technology vehicles moved ahead Thursday in the U.S. Senate. The Vehicle Innovation Act, which promotes investments in research and development of cleaner vehicle and advanced safety technologies that will create more fuel-efficient vehicles, was included in the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015 approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The Vehicle Innovation Act reauthorizes the Department of Energy's… Continue Reading
07.27.15
Port Huron Times Herald: Sen. Gary Peters talks business in the Blue Water Area
by Nicole Hayden
About 20 people filled a small room at the Blue Water Convention Center Monday morning to talk business with U.S. Sen. Gary Peters. The topics were international commerce, small business and manufacturing, among others. The event was hosted by the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce. Peters told the audience of local business owners and community leaders that he is working aggressively to secure funding for the customs plaza at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. He said Port Huron and Detro… Continue Reading
07.24.15
Detroit News: Senate won't touch blight aid to pay for highway bill
by Melissa Nann Burke
Washington - Senate Republican leadership on Friday unveiled a substitute version of the long-term highway bill that wouldn't deprive Detroit and other cities of money to continue fighting neighborhood blight. "It removes provisions that would have terminated the $1.7 billion Hardest Hit Fund mortgage program," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said Friday morning on the Senate floor. "Several senators on both sides of the aisle, and in particular Senator (Rob) Portman on our side o… Continue Reading
07.21.15
Michigan Radio: Sen. Gary Peters joins us for an in-studio chat
by STATESIDE STAFF
Sen. Gary Peters, D-MI, has often reached out through the phone line to talk with us here on Stateside, but today he joined us in-studio to discuss petroleum coke, the Iran nuclear deal, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and life as the only Democratic freshman in the U.S. Senate.… Continue Reading
07.20.15
Detroit Free Press: U-M opens $10M test city for driverless vehicle research
by Greg Gardner
Billed as a linchpin of Michigan's strategy to preserve its dominant role in automotive technology's future, MCity is designed to accelerate development of inter-vehicle communication and driverless cars. MCity, the new research hub for autonomous and connected vehicle technology, had its coming out party today in Ann Arbor. Billed as a linchpin to preserve southeast Michigan's dominance in automotive technology's future, MCity is designed to accelerate development of inter-vehicle communica… Continue Reading
07.19.15
Detroit News: Legislation could aid effort to save Mich. mail centers
by Charles E. Ramirez
Community officials are fighting to keep three U.S. Postal Service mail processing centers in Michigan open, and new federal legislation could boost their efforts. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and three of his fellow lawmakers introduced the bill - the Rural Postal Act of 2015 - last week. "People across Michigan and the nation rely on the Postal Service to provide timely home delivery, from elderly Americans who depend on Social Security checks and prescription drugs to small… Continue Reading
07.17.15
Michigan Radio: Gary Peters wants a study of health risks of pet coke
by Tracy Samilton
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, D-Michigan, has introduced legislation with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin to require a study of the health effects of petroleum coke, along with best practices for storage and disposal. Peters says both Chicago and Detroit have had problems with open piles of pet coke, which is a byproduct of processing heavy tar sands oil. A huge pile of pet coke was stored near the Detroit River in 2013 and 2014. "It was blowing into people's homes, going into the Great Lakes, peopl… Continue Reading
07.16.15
MLive: Michigan senator wants to keep post offices serving rural areas from closing
by Kyle Feldscher
LANSING - United States Sen. Gary Peters wants to help keep open mail processing facilities that serve rural communities in three parts of the state with new federal legislation. Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, joined colleagues in introducing the Rural Postal Act of 2015, which would place a two-year moratorium on the closing of postal mail processing facilities. The bill would also preserve six-day mail home delivery and restore delivery standards. If passed, the bill would protect mail proce… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Detroit Free Press: Education law passes with Peters’ amendments
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - Legislation passed by the U.S. Senate today making changes to the No Child Left Behind education law included a pair of additions proposed by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich. Peters won approval of amendments that support funding of financial literacy programs for students and make it easier for federal funds to be used to pay for dual enrollment programs that let high school students receive college credit for certain courses. The senator proposed the first change noting that finan… Continue Reading
07.15.15
Detroit Free Press: Sen. Peters again calls for pet coke study
by Todd Spangler
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is again introducing legislation calling for a study into the health and environmental impacts of petroleum coke, a refinery by-product that two years ago caused concerns when it was piled several stories high next to the Detroit River. Peters' office said Wednesday that he has proposed the legislation along with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Two years ago, Peters proposed similar legislation when he was a member of the U.S. House. The legislation, … Continue Reading
