Press Releases
Sens. Peters & Cassidy and Reps. Polis & Reed Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Make College More Affordable & Accessible
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Congressmen Jared Polis (D-CO) and Tom Reed (R-NY) today announced they are introducing new bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand options for high school students to obtain college credit, making higher education more affordable and accessible while improving high school and college graduation rates. The Making Education Affordable and Accessible Act (MEAA) would expand access to dual and concurrent enrollment pr… Continue Reading
02.19.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow and Congressman Kildee Announce Hard-Fought Victory to Continue Blight Removal Efforts Across Michigan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI), today announced that the U.S. Department of Treasury will begin distributing new Hardest Hit Funds to Michigan in the coming months. Michigan will receive $74.49 million immediately from the U.S. Department of Treasury's Hardest Hit Fund and is eligible to receive up to an additional $249 million this April to continue the revitalization of neighborhoods across the state. Th… Continue Reading
02.12.16
Peters Tours Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, Discusses Support for Short Line Rail
ESCANABA, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today toured the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, where he saw firsthand the work being done in their facility to refurbish old railroad cars for a new purpose on the fleet. Peters, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, also discussed his support for the Short Line Tax Credit, which encourages greater investment in short line rail infrastructure. Michigan is home to 21 short line railroads that operate 2,861 miles of tr… Continue Reading
02.10.16
Peters, Stabenow & Kildee Applaud Small Business Administration Disaster Declaration, Office Hours for Flint Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) applauded the Small Business Administration's (SBA) quick approval of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration for Genesee County and the City of Flint to provide loans for eligible businesses that have been adversely affected by the Flint water crisis. Last month the members sent a letter urging Governor Snyder to request SBA assistance for struggling Flint businesses. SBA also a… Continue Reading
02.04.16
Sen. Peters Floor Remarks on Need for Bipartisan Action to Address Flint Water Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) spoke on the Senate Floor today on the need for bipartisan action to help the City of Flint recover from the water crisis. Below is a transcript of his remarks. "Mr. President, "I rise today to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to oppose the upcoming cloture vote on the Energy Policy Modernization Act. "This is not because I think this is a bad bill - in fact, I think this bill is the result of months of hard work on both sides of the … Continue Reading
02.03.16
Peters, Stabenow and Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge Treasury to Protect Pensions for Thousands of Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, along with a bipartisan group of 23 Senators, sent a letter urging the U.S. Treasury Department to prevent the Board of Trustees of the Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan (Central States Plan) from enacting drastic cuts to hard-earned employee pensions for thousands of retirees. The Treasury Department is required to review the proposed cuts by the Central States Plan and has authority to approve, deny or m… Continue Reading
02.03.16
Peters Cosponsors Bill to Improve Home Health Care Assistance
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today announced he has cosponsored the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that would expand access to home health care for Medicare beneficiaries. The legislation would amend Medicare guidelines to allow home health services to be certified by nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and physician's assistants, all of which are playing increasingly critical roles in delivering health care, particularly in rural… Continue Reading
02.02.16
Peters, Stabenow Announce $2.3 Million for Stony Island Habitat Restoration
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is awarding $2,330,898 to restore habitats on the islands in the lower part of the Detroit River. Senator Stabenow is Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force and Senator Peters is a member. "After years of water pollution and industrial waste being dumped into the Detroit River, I am pleased to see it becoming a dynamic riverfront with many fish and wild… Continue Reading
02.02.16
Peters Applauds Bill Authorizing New Coast Guard Icebreaker for the Great Lakes
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today applauded the passage of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015, which authorizes the design and construction of a new Coast Guard heavy icebreaker vessel to enhance icebreaking capability on the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes have seen record levels of ice cover over recent winters, limiting commercial shipping and other economic activity in Michigan's waterways. Last winter, ice cover on the Great Lakes contributed to an estimated 3.2 milli… Continue Reading
02.01.16
Peters, Kildee Meet with Community Leaders in Flint, Receive Update on Water Crisis
FLINT, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters and Congressman Dan Kildee today met with community leaders from Flint and representatives of various government agencies to receive updates on response efforts to the Flint water crisis. "What is happening in Flint has been a colossal failure on the part of the State, but I am committed to working on the federal level to help Flint overcome this crisis and move forward," said Senator Peters. "I was pleased to have Congressman Kildee join me as we heard first… Continue Reading
02.01.16
Peters Recognizes Black History Month
Detroit, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement to commemorate Black History Month: "Today marks the beginning of Black History Month, a time to celebrate the countless contributions African Americans have made to every aspect of our national life. As innovators, business leaders, elected officials, military service members, scientists, and educators, African Americans have played - and continue to play - a central role in shaping our history and paving the way for o… Continue Reading
02.01.16
Peters Visits Hurley Medical Center to Announce Legislation to Expand Head Start for Flint Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today visited Hurley Medical Center in Flint to announce new legislation he will be introducing along with Senator Debbie Stabenow to expand Head Start and Early Head Start enrollment for Flint kids exposed to lead. Peters was joined by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Director of Hurley Medical Center's Pediatric Residency Program, whose work exposed elevated lead levels in Flint kids last year. The Children's Head Start Intervention for Life and Developm… Continue Reading
01.29.16
Peters Discusses Need for Telehealth Services During Visit to Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today visited Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids to discuss his bipartisan Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act, legislation that would expand access to health care by paving the way for Medicare to cover additional telehealth services. Last year, Spectrum Health launched a telehealth service called MedNow, which allows patients to virtually visit with a health care professional. Spectrum has completed 4,500 secure email and video visits with pa… Continue Reading
01.28.16
Senators Peters, Stabenow and Congressman Kildee Announce Legislation to Help Flint Families
WASHINGTON, D.C.- U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) today announced new legislation to help Flint families. First, the legislation provides up to $400 million in new federal emergency funding to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help replace or fix the City of Flint's water supply infrastructure. Second, it establishes and funds a $200 million Center of Excellence on Lead Exposure to focus on the immediate and long-t… Continue Reading
01.27.16
Peters, Stabenow & Kildee to Introduce Public Notification Bill to Prevent Another Flint Water Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U. S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Kildee announced that they will be introducing legislation to clarify the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority to notify the public if there is a danger from lead in their water system. The bill would direct the EPA to notify residents and health departments if the amount of lead found in a public water system requires action in the absence of notification by the State. The legislation also … Continue Reading
01.25.16
Peters, Stabenow & Kildee Call For Expanded Head Start for Flint Kids
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Kildee announced they are sending a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urging that Head Start be made available for every eligible child in the City of Flint. Last year, Congress approved an additional $135 million to expand the Early Head Start program, and the Members asked that the City of Flint be included in the expansion and that HHS provide technical assistance to community… Continue Reading
01.22.16
Peters, Kildee Call for Extension of ACA Open Enrollment Period For Flint Residents
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters and Congressman Dan Kildee today urged Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Sylvia Burwell, to extend the open enrollment period to sign up for health insurance on the federal exchange for residents of Flint. They also called for the HHS to increase outreach in the City of Flint to better educate residents about available health care options. Quality healthcare is one factor that can help mitigate some of the adverse physical, cognitive and beha… Continue Reading
01.22.16
Peters, Stabenow, Kildee Urge Snyder to Request Small Business Administration Assistance for Flint
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) today sent a letter to Governor Snyder urging him to engage with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and request SBA disaster loans in response to the Flint water crisis. Depending on which type of SBA disaster declaration is requested by the Governor and issued by the President or SBA Administrator, eligible businesses, homeowners, renters and non-profit organizations im… Continue Reading
01.21.16
Peters Statement on Recent Developments in Flint Water Crisis
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Gary Peters issued the following statements regarding recent developments related to the water crisis in Flint. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it had issued a Safe Drinking Water Act emergency order for Flint. In its announcement, the EPA also outlined additional actions for the State of Michigan to comply with federal standards, as well as internal actions the agency is taking to improve its future response to similar situation… Continue Reading
01.20.16
Peters, Stabenow & Weaver Discuss Flint Water Crisis With Department of HHS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Flint Mayor Karen Weaver today met with Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to discuss the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The White House announced yesterday that Dr. Lurie has been designated to coordinate the federal response in Flint, and Dr. Lurie and her team are traveling to Michigan to work with state and local officials t… Continue Reading
