Press Releases
Peters Addresses Blue Water Area Chamber Breakfast
Peters Discusses Priorities in U.S. Senate and Highlights Importance of Blue Water Bride Expansion PORT HURON, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today addressed a breakfast hosted by the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, where he discussed his top priorities in the U.S. Senate, including supporting small businesses, promoting job creation and securing funding for an expanded customs plaza at the Blue Water Bridge. Peters, a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Comm… Continue Reading
07.24.15
Peters Bill to Increase Small Business Lending Unanimously Passes the Senate
Legislation Ensures Small Business Administration’s Main Lending Program Can Meet Increasing Demand for FY2015 WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, today announced that the Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill he introduced to ensure the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s flagship lending program, the 7(a) loan program, can continue to meet increasing demand. In recent years, there has been an increase in… Continue Reading
07.24.15
Peters Backs Bill to Upgrade Record of Servicemembers Discharged Due to Sexual Orientation
Legislation Would Help Recognize Gay and Lesbian Servicemembers for Honorable Military Service WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced today that he is cosponsoring the Restore Honor to Service Members Act, bicameral legislation that will help servicemembers who were discharged solely because of their sexual orientation upgrade their military records to reflect their honorable service and reinstate the benefits they earned. U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Kirsten G… Continue Reading
07.23.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Support for Oronoko Township Fire Department
WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced $29,406 for the Berrien Springs/Oronoko Township Fire Department in Berrien County. This grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. “Our first responders work hard to protect our communities, and we need to ensure they have the right tools and training to do the job safely,” Senator Peters said. “This assistance will help the Berrien Springs Oronoko Fir… Continue Reading
07.23.15
Peters Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bipartisan Bill to Protect Northern Border
Bill Would Require Examination of Threats & Security Needs at 5,500 Mile Long Northern Border to Improve Resources, Make it Stronger, Safer WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, today announced that he joined his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Northern Border Security Review Act to require a comprehensive examination of how to strengthen American security at the Northern Border, which … Continue Reading
07.23.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Win Fight to Preserve Funds to Keep Michigan Cities, Neighborhoods Safe
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today made the following statement regarding the commitment to remove a provision in the U.S. Senate’s transportation bill that would have eliminated $1.7 billion from the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund. The Hardest Hit Fund allows cities across the country to invest in blight removal efforts and help homeowners. If this provision had passed, funding for blight removal in cities throughout Michigan would have been sig… Continue Reading
07.23.15
Peters Cosponsors Bill to Expand LGBT Civil Rights Protections
Legislation Would Explicitly Ban LGBT Discrimination Nationally WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) joined 39 of his colleagues today in introducing the Equality Act of 2015, bicameral legislation to expand federal civil rights laws to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as sex where those protections do not already exist. This bill would ensure that the same protections our nation has already extended based on characteristics like rac… Continue Reading
07.22.15
Peters, Gardner Kick Off Discussions Aimed at Strengthening American Competitiveness
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), members of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, yesterday convened the first in a series of working group discussions on federal research and development (R&D) policy priorities. The topic of the initial meeting was “Maximizing the Impact of Basic Research.” Representatives from research universities, government advisory bodies, and non-profit research organizations participated in the info… Continue Reading
07.22.15
Peters Statement on Proposal to Rescind Blight Removal Funds in Highway Bill
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement on the Senate proposal to rescind money set aside in the Hardest Hit Fund for blight removal in Michigan and other states: “Congress must come together and pass a multi-year transportation bill that makes smart investments to upgrade our country’s crumbling infrastructure, but it is unacceptable to fund this plan at the expense of the Michigan communities that rely on this funding to eliminate blight and improve t… Continue Reading
07.21.15
Peters-Ernst Provision Included in Senate Finance Committee Tax Credit Extension Package
Tax Credit Helps Small Businesses Provide Differential Pay to Reservists Called to Active Duty WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Finance Committee today approved a package of tax credit extensions that included a 2-year extension of a provision in a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) that supports small businesses that provide differential pay to military reservists and National Guard members called to serve on active duty. There are over 820,0… Continue Reading
07.20.15
Peters Celebrates University of Michigan Mcity Connected Vehicle Test Environment Grand Opening
ANN ARBOR, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today attended the grand opening of the University of Michigan’s Mcity test facility for connected and autonomous vehicles, where he spoke about the importance of promoting and developing advanced vehicle technologies in Michigan. Mcity is a 32-acre real-world test environment operated by the University of Michigan’s Mobility Transformation Center that includes a network of roads with intersections, traffic signals and signs, streetlights, sidewalks … Continue Reading
07.16.15
Peters Amendments Pass Senate, Included in No Child Left Behind Reform Bill
Amendments Support Financial Literacy Education, Dual and Concurrent Enrollment WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced today that two amendments he introduced were included in the Every Child Achieves Act, the bipartisan bill to reform the No Child Left Behind law and reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that passed the Senate today. Peters’ measures will support funding for financial literacy programming and make college more affordable by supp… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Peters, Stabenow Announce Nearly $700,000 for Fire Departments in Clay Township, Bedford Township
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that the Clay Township Fire Department in St. Clair County and the Bedford Township Fire Department in Monroe County will receive funding from the Department of Homeland Security to assist in the hiring, recruitment and retention of more firefighters. The Clay Township Fire Department will receive $691,980 for hiring more firefighters, while the Bedford Township Fire Department will receive $6,000 towards the recruitm… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce More than $1 Million to Help Mid-Michigan Students Graduate from College
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced $1.1 million to give Mid-Michigan students, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, coaching and skill development so they have a better shot at graduating college. This support through the Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services Program will benefit eligible students at Michigan State University, Adrian College, and Jackson College. “Whether it’s improving academic support … Continue Reading
07.16.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Support to Help Students Graduate from Mott and St. Clair County Community Colleges
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced $573,331 to give students at Mott and St. Clair County Community Colleges, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, coaching and skill development so they have a better shot at graduating college. This support comes through the Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services Program. “Whether it’s improving academic support services or increasing financial resources, this support fro… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce More than $1 Million to Help Students in the Upper Peninsula Graduate from College
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced $1.3 million to give Upper Peninsula students, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, coaching and skill development so they have a better shot at graduating college. This support through the Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services Program will benefit eligible students at Bay de Noc Community College, Northern Michigan University, Gogebic Community College, Finlandia Universi… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce More than $3 Million to Help West Michigan Students Graduate from College
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced more than $3 million to give West Michigan students, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, coaching and skill development so they have a better shot at graduating college. This support through the Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services Program will benefit eligible students at eight West Michigan colleges. “Whether it’s improving academic support services or increasing fi… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce More than $1 Million to Help Southeast Michigan Students Graduate from College
WASHINGTON, DC - Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced $1.1 million to give Southeast Michigan students, many of whom are the first in their family to go to college, coaching and skill development so they have a better shot at graduating college. This support through the Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services Program will benefit eligible students at Wayne County Community College District, University of Detroit Mercy, Siena Heights University, and Ma… Continue Reading
07.16.15
Peters Introduces Juvenile Justice Reform Legislation to End School-to-Prison Pipeline
Bipartisan Bill Allows Local Communities to Use Existing Federal Funding to Invest in Youth Violence Prevention Programs, Implement Evidence-Based Programs WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today joined his colleagues in introducing bipartisan juvenile justice reform legislation that seeks to end the school-to-prison pipeline. The Youth PROMISE Act (Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education) aims to empower local communitie… Continue Reading
07.15.15
Peters, Durbin Introduce Bill to Study Effects of Petroleum Coke
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Dick Durbin (IL) announced today that they introduced legislation to address the concerns of petroleum coke on a national level and open the door for federal environmental safety regulations on the tar sands byproduct. The Petroleum Coke Transparency and Public Health Act of 2015 would for the first time require a federal study into the health and environmental impacts of pet coke. Based on the results of the study, the bill would also require … Continue Reading
