Press Releases
Senators Stabenow, Peters Announce Support for Otsego County Fire Department
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced almost $47,000 for the Otsego County Fire Department to help purchase equipment. This grant comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grants program. "Our firefighters in Otsego County put their lives on the line to protect our families and homes," said Senator Stabenow. "Thanks to these new resources, these brave men and women will have the equipment they need to help them do … Continue Reading
05.20.16
Peters Tours Fullerton Tool West & Highlights Bipartisan Bill to Support Small and Medium Manufacturers
THOMAS TOWNSHIP, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today toured Fullerton Tool West in Thomas Township, MI to highlight bipartisan legislation he recently introduced to strengthen and improve the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) - a public-private partnership dedicated to providing technical support and services to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Michigan's MEP affiliate, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC), has been working with small and medium-sized businesses … Continue Reading
05.19.16
Peters, Stabenow Urge Quick Completion of Army Corps Study to Help Upgrade Soo Locks
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) sent a letter urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to swiftly complete their Economic Reevaluation Report in order to begin the process of upgrading the Soo Locks. At the urging of Stabenow and Peters, the Obama Administration last year approved $1.35 million for Army Corps of Engineer's request to review upgrades for the Soo Locks and help replace the Davis and Sabin Locks with a lock of similar size to the Poe Lock. … Continue Reading
05.17.16
Peters, Stabenow Call for Stricter Standards, Stronger Oversight of Great Lakes Pipelines
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Great Lakes Task Force, and Debbie Stabenow (MI), Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, sent a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx urging DOT to hold pipelines that cross the Great Lakes to the same standards as other offshore pipelines given the potential for significant economic and ecological harm from an oil spill in the Great Lakes. Pipelines crossing the Great Lakes, including Enbridge's Lin… Continue Reading
05.16.16
Peters, Carper and Coons Urge GAO to Study How Innovative Payments Providers are Regulated
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI), Tom Carper (DE) and Chris Coons (DE) today sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting additional information on innovative payment provider regulations and ongoing efforts at the state and federal levels related to mobile payments. "The financial services industry has seen significant developments in recent years as technological advancement and adoption have created opportunities for both established firms and n… Continue Reading
05.16.16
Peters Presents Congressional Gold Medal to Montford Point Marine
FARMINGTON, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today presented Mr. John Willie Jordan a Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the Montford Point Marines in 2012. Corporal Jordan, who served in Hawaii during World War II and is a long-time resident of Metro Detroit, was among the first African Americans to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. Senator Peters' office worked to secure the medal for Mr. Jordan and ensure his contributions to our nation were properly honored. Peters' office also secured the … Continue Reading
05.11.16
Peters Small Business Provisions Advance in Senate
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship today approved three provisions introduced by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) to strengthen small businesses. Peters' provisions improve Small Business Administration (SBA) outreach to women and minority-owned small businesses, strengthen the ability for small businesses to protect intellectual property, and support small businesses that are assisted by the SBA's Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) pr… Continue Reading
05.06.16
Peters Statement on Treasury Department Rejection of Central States Pension Fund Plan
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Treasury Department's rejection of an application from the Board of Trustees of the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan (Central States Plan) to enact drastic pension cuts for thousands of retirees: "The deep pension cuts proposed by the Central States Plan would have caused devastating financial hardship for thousands of retirees in Michigan and across the countr… Continue Reading
05.05.16
Peters Makes First Visit to Soo Locks
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today toured the Soo Locks for the first time as U.S. Senator, where he saw firsthand lock operations and discussed the critical importance of the Soo Locks to Michigan's economy and national security. During the visit, Peters toured the control room and the MacArthur and Poe Locks and received a briefing from the Army Corps of Engineers on the current state of operations. Last year, the Obama Administration approved $1.35 million to review up… Continue Reading
05.05.16
Peters, Stabenow Announce Support for Southeast Michigan Fire Departments
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that the Southgate Fire Department, the Wayne Fire Department, and the Grosse Pointe Woods Department of Public Safety will be awarded assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). The funding will be used to purchase equipment and improve safety operations. "It is critical that first responders and firefighters have the tools and resources needed to keep th… Continue Reading
05.04.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow Applaud $1.3 Million Investment for Great Lakes Protection in West Michigan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today applauded the announcement of over $1.3 million in federal funds to help four projects in West Michigan focus on: controlling and combatting invasive species, restoring wildlife habitats, implementing new conservation measures, and conducting on-farm educational research. The funding comes through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. "The Great Lakes are part of our way of life in Mi… Continue Reading
05.04.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow Applaud $1.1 Million for Michigan Technological University to Combat Invasive Species in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, today applauded the announcement of a $1.1 million grant to help Michigan Technological University control and combat invasive species in the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. This funding comes through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. "The Great Lakes are part of our way of life in Michigan, driving economic growth and providing safe drinking water for over 40 million people," said Senator… Continue Reading
05.04.16
Peters, Stabenow Applaud Great Lakes Investment to Combat Invasive Species in Northern Michigan
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Michigan will receive $4.2 million in grants from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to invest in ongoing efforts to combat invasive species and protect Michigan's Great Lakes, including over $1.4 million for Northern Michigan. "The Great Lakes are part of our way of life in Michigan, driving economic growth and providing safe drinking water… Continue Reading
05.04.16
Peters, Stabenow Applaud Great Lakes Investment to Combat Invasive Species in Great Lakes
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that Michigan will receive $4.2 million in grants from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to invest in ongoing efforts to combat invasive species and protect Michigan's Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Commission will receive $340,000 to enhance software detecting the availability of invasive species in online commerce and coordinate with law enforcem… Continue Reading
05.03.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Legislation to Hold Pension Fund Executives Accountable if Retirees’ Benefits are Cut
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today announced the introduction of the Pension Fund Integrity Act of 2016 (S. 2894), which would cut pay and prevent raises and bonuses for top pension fund executives if retirees' benefits are cut. The Central States Pension Fund has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Treasury that would drastically cut pension benefits for roughly 270,000 retirees across the country. If approved, some retirees could see their pensions… Continue Reading
04.29.16
Sens. Peters, Heitkamp & Heller Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Dialogue Between Small Businesses & Federal Regulators
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Dean Heller (R-NV) this week introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure small businesses have a seat at the table as new federal rules are made on how small businesses can raise funding and access the resources they need to succeed. The SEC Small Business Advocate Act would establish clear lines of communication between small businesses and the federal rule makers, allowing small businesses to advocate for policies … Continue Reading
04.29.16
Peters Urges Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools Program
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today joined a bipartisan group of Senators urging Senate leaders to work to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program for Fiscal Year 2016. SRS helps pay for schools, roads, forest health projects and emergency response services in rural counties that include national forest land, which is not subject to property taxes. The SRS program expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2015, and as a result, many forest counties in Northern Michigan and th… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow: Bipartisan Flint Agreement Passes Senate Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today announced that the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed their bipartisan agreement to help families in Flint and other communities across the country. Their agreement was part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed committee 19-1 and is ready for a vote before the full Senate. "Today, thanks to support from Republicans and Democrats, we are another step closer to pas… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Peters Urges Administration to Renew & Strengthen Security MOU with Israel
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) and a bipartisan group of 83 Senators are urging President Obama to reach a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Israel to help ensure Israel can meet its long-term defense needs. Israel faces a variety of threats, from Hamas attempting to rebuild tunnels while growing their weapons inventory, to Hezbollah positioning rockets and missiles to Israel's north, to disorder in Syria bringing new dangers. The letter urges the President to support a… Continue Reading
04.28.16
Peters Statement on Meeting with U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Judge Merrick Garland
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Gary Peters issued the following statement after his meeting with President Obama's U.S. Supreme Court Nominee Judge Merrick Garland, who currently serves as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit: "I'm pleased I had the opportunity to meet with Chief Judge Merrick Garland today, and I am impressed by his distinguished credentials and his thoughtful demeanor. His extensive judicial experience makes him a highly accom… Continue Reading
