Press Releases
Peters Meets with Homeland Security Secretary Nominee Kirstjen Nielsen
WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Kirstjen Nielsen, President Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security: "I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Nielsen and discuss several pressing issues facing Michigan. With one of the longest stretches of our northern border, Michigan is a hub for international co… Continue Reading
10.23.17
Peters, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force Letter to OMB Director Calling for $300 Million for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in Next Year’s Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, and Gary Peters (D-MI), a member of the Task Force, today led a bipartisan letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney calling for $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to be included in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request. Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chair Rob Portman (R-OH), Vice Chairs Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN), and Task Force members J… Continue Reading
10.19.17
Peters Floor Remarks on Need for Bipartisan Tax Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) spoke on the Senate floor today to voice his opposition to the Republican budget and the need to reach a bipartisan agreement on tax reform that benefits middle class families without raising the deficit. Below is video and text of his remarks as prepared for delivery: Watch the full video "Mr. President, Later today, the Majority is going to attempt to pass a budget for 2018. 'Passing a budget' has come to mean all sorts of things in Congress … Continue Reading
10.18.17
Peters Highlights Benefits of Federal Investments in Scientific Research at Federal Spending Oversight Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management Subcommittee, participated in a hearing on federal investments in scientific research. Below is the text of his opening statement as prepared for delivery and video of his remarks: Watch the full video. "Thank you, Chairman Paul, for holding this hearing on such an important topic, and thank you to our witnesses for taking the time to be here today. I look forward to hear… Continue Reading
10.05.17
Peters Leads Colleagues in Demanding Scrutiny of IRS Contract with Equifax
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, led eight of his colleagues in a letter demanding further scrutiny of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) decision to award Equifax a sole-source contract to verify taxpayer identities and help prevent tax fraud despite the company's recent disclosure of a massive cybersecurity breach exposing the personal information of as many as 145.5 million American… Continue Reading
10.04.17
Peters to Travel to Liberia to See Michigan National Guard Work, Observe National Elections
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees, will travel to Liberia to meet with Liberian defense officials and see the impact of the Michigan National Guard's State Partnership Program with the Liberian military. The State Partnership Program connects state national guards with partner countries around the world. The Michigan National Guard has partnered with Liberia since 2009 to further both nation's security c… Continue Reading
10.04.17
Commerce Committee Approves Peters Legislation to Advance Development of Self-Driving Vehicles
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today unanimously approved the American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies (AV START) Act introduced by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), along with Senator John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The bipartisan legislation will help advance the testing and development of self-driving vehicles that have the potential to impro… Continue Reading
09.29.17
Peters Tours Cambron Engineering to Highlight Legislation Promoting Awareness of Employee Stock Ownership Plans
BAY CITY, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today toured the Cambron Engineering facility in Bay City to highlight his legislation to boost awareness of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). ESOPs are workplace benefit plans that allow employees to save for retirement while sharing in a business' profits by ensuring a majority of a business' holdings are owned by employees. Cambron Engineering, a tool and die manufacturer, transitioned to an ESOP model that has greatly reduced employee turnov… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Peters, Thune Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Advance Development of Self-Driving Vehicles
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Thune (R-SD), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today introduced the bipartisan American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies (AV START) Act to help advance the testing and development of self-driving vehicles that have the potential to improve mobility, reduce accidents, save thousands of lives lost on American roads each year, and ensure that the Unite… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Senators Peters, Stabenow Introduce Small Business Access to Capital Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today introduced the Small Business Access to Capital Act, which will reauthorize and improve the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) to help small businesses grow and create jobs. The legislation builds on the successful SSBCI initiative that both lawmakers championed in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. SSBCI funds the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other state-led lending programs that leverage priva… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Peters, Stabenow Announce Over $4.3 Million for Bishop International Airport
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that the Bishop International Airport will receive a $4,302,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to rehabilitate the pavement of Taxiway C, construct asphalt shoulders and install runway guard lights at each access point to the runway. "Bishop International Airport provides critical transportation services for residents and businesses around the Flint community," said Senator Peters. "Thanks to th… Continue Reading
09.27.17
Peters, Colleagues Urge Swift Action from Trump Administration for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Disaster Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, joined 36 Democratic Senators, in sending a letter to President Trump expressing deep concern about the situation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the letter, the senators wrote, "We write to express deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria re… Continue Reading
09.27.17
Senate Approves Peters’ Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate unanimously approved bipartisan legislation U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped introduce to protect the Great Lakes from harmful algae blooms. The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act will reauthorize ongoing efforts to combat the negative impacts harmful algal blooms have on drinking water, recreation, and fisheries. Peters introduced the legislation with Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Bill Nelson (D-FL). "The Great Lakes provide drinking… Continue Reading
09.26.17
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Almost $3 Million in Support for Two Southeast Michigan Fire Departments
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that two fire departments in Southeast Michigan will receive $2,986,965 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant program to hire 15 new full-time firefighters. The Lincoln Park Fire Department will receive $1,304,205 to hire six new firefighters. The City of Inkster Fire Department will receive $1,682,760 to hire nine new firefighters. "Firefighters and… Continue Reading
09.22.17
Peters, Stabenow Join Health Care Leaders and Patients in Opposition to Last-Ditch Republican Effort to Take Away Health Care from Michigan Families
DETROIT - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today joined health care leaders and patients in opposition to the last-ditch Republican effort to take away health care from Michigan families. The bill, known as the Graham-Cassidy-Heller proposal, hurts millions of children, older Americans, and people with disabilities and removes protections for patients with pre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Republicans are attempting to jam this proposal through Cong… Continue Reading
09.22.17
Peters Leads Colleagues to Urge Office of Management and Budget to Investigate Taxpayer-Funded Travel for Executive Branch Officials
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight & Emergency Management, led 15 of his colleagues in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) following reports that a number of high-ranking officials in the Trump Administration are incurring excessive travel costs. According to a September 19th POLITICO report, at least three members of the Cabinet have used taxpayer funds to charter expensive private airplanes … Continue Reading
09.21.17
Peters, Stabenow Announce Over $1.6 Million for Houghton County Memorial Airport
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that Houghton County Memorial Airport will receive a $1,629,463 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which will be used to rehabilitate the runway and apron, as well as purchase snow removal equipment. "The Houghton County Memorial Airport helps bolster the local economy by connecting Keweenaw Peninsula residents and businesses with the world," said Senator Peters. "This additional support will help t… Continue Reading
09.20.17
Peters, Colleagues Request Investigation into Secretary Price’s Travel
Washington, D.C. - Senior Congressional Democratic leaders sent a letter to the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) today requesting an investigation into reports that Secretary Tom Price has been using taxpayer funds to book private jets to accommodate his travel. The letter was signed by Senate Subcommittee onFederal Spending Oversight & Emergency Management Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Patty… Continue Reading
09.19.17
Peters, Warren & Udall Introduce Bill Barring Taxpayer-Funded Travel at Properties Owned by President, Executive Branch Officials
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight & Emergency Management, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced Heightened Oversight of Travel, Eating, and Lodging (HOTEL) Act to prohibit executive branch employee travel expenses paid by tax dollars from being spent at properties owned by the President, Vice President, cabinet secretaries or their family members. The legislation aims to prevent potential confli… Continue Reading
09.19.17
U.S. Senate Approves Defense Bill with Peters Provisions
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Senate today approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included over a dozen provisions authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The NDAA sets policy for the Department of Defense (DoD) for Fiscal Year 2018. "Our country faces constantly evolving threats, and it is vital that our brave men and women in uniform have the resources and support they need to safely conduct military operations and protect… Continue Reading
