Press Releases
Peters, Stabenow Announce $40.7 Million for Infrastructure Projects in Sault Ste. Marie, Berrien County
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will award two grants totaling $40.7 million for infrastructure projects in Sault Ste. Marie and Berrien County. The $20.7 million will go towards repairs for the Carbide Dock Port, which is located on the same waterway as the Soo Locks and serves as a staging area for vessels needing emergency assistance. The additional $20 million will help directly connect US-31 to I… Continue Reading
12.04.18
Peters Provision Establishing Great Lakes Coast Guard Center of Expertise Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, DC - President Donald Trump has signed into law a provision authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) to establish a U.S. Coast Guard National Center of Expertise (NCOE) for the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes NCOE will examine the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and help develop effective responses. Current oil spill response technologies are primarily designed for saltwater environments. Last year, the then-Commandant of the Coast Guard told Peters at a hearing that t… Continue Reading
12.01.18
Peters Statement on Passing of President George H.W. Bush
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today released the following statement on the passing of President George H.W. Bush: "With the passing of President George H.W. Bush, the nation has lost a respected lifelong public servant. Whether flying a combat mission over the Pacific as a WWII pilot or representing the United States on the world stage as president, George H.W. Bush demonstrated grace and a fierce dedication to America and her ideals in everything he did. Colleen and I extend … Continue Reading
11.29.18
Peters Bill to Commemorate End of WWII Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today applauded Senate passage of legislation he introduced to establish a commemorative program ahead of the 75th anniversary of World War II in 2020. The program's goals are to honor veterans, educate the public about the history of World War II, highlight the service of the men and women who served our nation on the home front during the war, recognize the contributions of our allies and remember the h… Continue Reading
11.28.18
Peters Floor Remarks Opposing Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Nominee Kathleen Kraninger
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) spoke on the Senate floor today in opposition of the nomination of Kathleen Kraninger to be the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Below is video of his remarks and text as prepared for delivery: "Mr. President, I rise today in opposition to the nomination of Kathleen Kraninger to be Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB. "This is one of the most important positions in our entire government, a job ded… Continue Reading
11.27.18
Peters, Colleagues Urge HUD to Improve Oversight Of Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), along with nine of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) urging the agency to immediately improve its oversight of lead-based paint hazards in federally-assisted housing to ensure that families and children are protected from exposure to lead. The letter comes on the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report recommending that HUD take immediate action to improve all of its p… Continue Reading
11.26.18
Peters Statement on GM Production Announcement
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today released the following statement on General Motors' announcement to end production at plants in North America, including the Detroit-Hamtramck facility: "I'm extremely disappointed by GM's announcement to cut thousands of jobs, and my heart goes out to the Michigan workers and their families who are receiving this terrible news during the holiday season. As GM considers further investment and employment decisions, I strongly encourage them to… Continue Reading
11.16.18
Peters, Stabenow, Moolenaar Announce Senate Passage of Legislation Naming Beaverton Post Office after WWII Veteran
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-04) today announced that the Senate has passed H.R. 6116 to designate the U.S. Postal Service facility located at 362 North Ross Street in Beaverton as the "Colonel Alfred Asch Post Office." Colonel Asch was a native of Beaverton and a decorated World War II combat veteran. This legislation, authored by Congressman John Moolenaar, passed the House of Representatives in September and… Continue Reading
11.14.18
Peters Provision Establishing Great Lakes Coast Guard Center of Expertise Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today applauded passage of a provision he authored to establish a U.S. Coast Guard National Center of Expertise (NCOE) for the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes NCOE would examine the impacts of and develop responses to oil spills in freshwater environments. Current oil spill response technologies are primarily designed for saltwater environments. The Coast Guard Commandant told Peters at a hearing last year that the agency was not prepared for an oil sp… Continue Reading
11.13.18
Peters Opening Remarks at Field Summit on PFAS Contamination
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, today convened a subcommittee field summit in Grand Rapids, MI on contamination from Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The summit focused on how exposure to these chemicals impacts Michigan communities and will inform potential federal actions to support local efforts to address PFAS contamination. You can watch Senator Peters' opening remarks and … Continue Reading
11.11.18
Peters Statement Honoring Veterans Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and the son of a World War II veteran, today released the following statement in recognition of Veterans Day: "From the Revolutionary War to modern day conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, generations of Michigan veterans have served our country with honor and distinction. On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the service of America's soldiers, sailors, air… Continue Reading
11.08.18
Peters, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Expand Opportunity for Disabled Veterans in Highway Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. - During National Veterans Small Business Week, U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today announced bipartisan legislation to help expand the number of infrastructure contracts awarded to small businesses run by veterans with a service-connected disability. The Disabled-Veterans Rebuilding Infrastructure to Vitalize our Economy (DRIVE) Act creates a goal that 5% of the funding authorized in the last highway bill be extended to Service-connected Disabled Veter… Continue Reading
11.02.18
Peters to Convene Field Summit on PFAS Contamination in Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) will convene a Senate subcommittee field summit titled "Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in Michigan" at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, November 13th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Federal Spending Oversight & Emergency Management Subcommittee summit will highlight how exposure to PFAS chemicals impacts Michigan communities and inform potential federal actions to support local efforts to address PFAS contamination. The summit will… Continue Reading
10.25.18
Peters, Capito Provisions Improving Opioid Treatment for Adolescents Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump has signed into law provisions based off the YOUTH Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to expand access to safe, effective treatment for adolescents and young adults struggling with opioid addiction. The provisions, which were included as part of broader legislation, expand an existing youth substance use disorder program to include young adults and help support the identification of … Continue Reading
10.23.18
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce $1 Million in Funding to Address Oscoda PFAS Contamination
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced $1 million in new federal funding to help Oscoda Township provide safe drinking water and address contamination from chemicals containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Oscoda Township utilized changes made by Senators Stabenow and Peters in the 2018 bipartisan budget bill to raise the maximum amount of USDA emergency water grants from $500,000 to $1 million. This increase allowed the township to be aw… Continue Reading
10.19.18
Peters Tours Delta College, Discusses Career & Technical Education
UNIVERSITY CENTER, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) today visited Delta College and highlighted bipartisan legislation recently signed into law to strengthen career and technical education (CTE) counselor awareness and training. Peters had the opportunity to see firsthand how the curriculum like Delta College's Computer Numerical Control (CNC) program is providing students with the technical skills needed to cater to local employment needs. "We need a 21st century workforce to keep innovati… Continue Reading
10.17.18
Peters Cosponsors Bill to Strengthen Election Security
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters today announced he cosponsored legislation to strengthen election security and require paper ballots to counteract efforts by foreign adversaries to interfere in U.S. elections. The Protecting American Votes and Elections (PAVE) Act mandates the use of paper ballots and "risk-limiting" audits for all federal elections, ensuring that election results have not been tampered with by hackers or foreign governments. "We have seen undeniable evidence that a… Continue Reading
10.15.18
Peters Applauds Justice Department Grants to Michigan’s Project Safe Neighborhoods Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today applauded the Department of Justice's announcement Michigan will receive over $1 million in funding through the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program. Peters and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) authored the bipartisan law authorizing the grant program, which is a nationwide law enforcement initiative aimed to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney's office in Michigan's Eastern Judicial District will receive $688,951 and the Western Judicial … Continue Reading
10.15.18
Senators Peters, Stabenow Urge the Administration to Take Action to Protect Michigan Students from Lead in Drinking Water
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow were joined by 33 of their colleagues this week in calling on the Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take action to protect students from lead in drinking water. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report shows an estimated 41 percent of public school districts did not test for lead in school drinking water, and a third of districts that were tested showed elevated levels. In Michig… Continue Reading
10.12.18
President Signs Peters, Risch, Evans Bill Helping Small Businesses Access Patent Protection
WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald J. Trump has signed into law legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and James Risch (R-ID), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee and Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-02) aimed at helping small businesses safeguard their intellectual property with expanded education on obtaining and protecting patents. The Small Business Innovation Protection Act will build upon existing outreach programs run by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SB… Continue Reading
