Press Releases
Peters Introduces Bipartisan Bill Supporting Small Distilleries
Legislation Would Reduce Excise Tax on First 100,000 Gallons of Distilled Spirits Produced WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) today introduced bipartisan legislation to support small distilleries in Michigan and across the country. The Distillery Excise Tax Reform Act would reduce the federal excise tax rate on distilled spirits from $13.50 per proof gallon to $2.70 per proof gallon on the first 100,000 gallons produced pe… Continue Reading
05.21.15
Peters, Stabenow Call for Permanent Administrator to Lead Pipeline Safety Agency
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow (MI) joined eight of their Senate colleagues to send a letter urging the White House to nominate a permanent administrator to lead the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), which plays a vital role in protecting communities across Michigan from spills and accidents while ensuring the safe flow of energy products. The most recent permanent PHMSA administrator left the position in October, more than 220 days a… Continue Reading
05.21.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Support for Graafschap Fire Department
WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced $30,859 for the Graafschap Fire Department in Allegan County. This grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Fire Prevention and Safety Program. “Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day to keep our families, homes, and communities safe,” said Stabenow. “These new resources will help the Graafschap Fire Department buy the equipment… Continue Reading
05.21.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Announce Support for Sherman Township Volunteer Fire Department
WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced $24,848 for the Sherman Township Volunteer Fire Department in Keweenaw County. This grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Fire Prevention and Safety Program. “Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day to keep our families, homes, and communities safe,” said Stabenow. “These new resources will help the Sherman Township Fire Depar… Continue Reading
05.20.15
Peters Introduces Amendment Requiring Report on Adherence to International Trade Rules
Fair Trade Index Report Would Rank Countries Based on Trade Violations WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today announced that he introduced an amendment to the Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation currently being debated in the Senate to require the U.S. Trade Representative to report to Congress on how foreign trading partners adhere to fair trade rules, and provide Congress with a ranking of countries based on their unfair trade practices. … Continue Reading
05.20.15
Peters, Stabenow, Alexander Introduce Vehicle Innovation Act
Legislation Will Spur Investments in Clean Vehicle Technologies and Support American Advanced Manufacturing WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), along with Lamar Alexander (R-TN), today introduced the bipartisan Vehicle Innovation Act (VIA) to promote investments in research and development of clean vehicle technologies that will create more fuel efficient vehicles, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and support American auto manufactur… Continue Reading
05.20.15
Peters Presses for Missile Defense System in Fort Custer
Peters Letter to Missile Defense Agency Highlights Fort Custer’s Advantages WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) sent a letter to the Director of the Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) urging MDA to select Fort Custer as the next location to host a new ground-based missile defense system. Fort Custer is undergoing environmental review and is among four locations nationwide under consideration to host the MDA’s next missile defense system. If selected, the pro… Continue Reading
05.19.15
Peters, Stabenow & Dingell Announce $100,000 for Ypsilanti Small Business
Ecovia Renewables LLC Receives Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Small Business Innovation Research Program WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell today announced that Ecovia Renewables LLC has been awarded $100,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The funding will go towards engineering microbial systems that convert the byproducts of industri… Continue Reading
05.19.15
Peters Appointed to Merchant Marine Academy Board
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) announced today that he has been appointed by the Vice President to serve on the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Congressional Board of Visitors, the Academy’s official oversight board, for the 114th Congress. “I’m honored to serve on the board of the Merchant Marine Academy, an indispensable institution training men and women to transport troops, supplies and equipment overseas and through our waterways - in peace and in war,” sai… Continue Reading
05.19.15
Peters Applauds House Passage of Anti-Human Trafficking Measures
Cassidy-Peters Legislation Heads to President’s Desk to be Signed into Law WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today applauded the passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill he introduced with Sen. Bill Cassidy (LA) to train health care professionals to recognize the signs of human trafficking in their patients. The Trafficking Awareness Training for Health Care Act of 2015 passed the House as part of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act on a bipartisan vote. … Continue Reading
05.18.15
Peters Leads Colleagues in Stressing Need for Scientific Expertise in Crafting Forensic Standards and Policies
Letter Follows Reports of Flawed Analysis in the FBI Laboratory’s Microscopic Hair Comparison Unit WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) led five of his colleagues in sending a letter to the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) stressing the need for scientific expertise in crafting standards and policies across forensic disciplines. DOJ acknowledged last month that over more than two decades before 2… Continue Reading
05.18.15
In The News: Peters Introduces FAIR Student Credit Act
Last week, Senator Peters introduced the Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act, a bipartisan bill to help private student loan borrowers rehabilitate defaulted loans. The legislation would enable a borrower who has successfully completed a series of on-time payments to remove the student loan default from their credit report. WILX Lansing (VIDEO): Bill Would Give Students Second Chance After Loan Default “Pew Research shows 69 percent of college grads in 2012 h… Continue Reading
05.18.15
Peters Calls For National Commission to Review Criminal Justice System
Peters Introduced Legislation to Conduct Top-To-Bottom Review and Make Recommendations to Improve Criminal Justice System DETROIT, MI -Today, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) spoke at Wayne State University Law School to call for the creation of a National Criminal Justice Commission to review the criminal justice system from top to bottom and propose reforms to address the most pressing issues facing the nation’s criminal justice system. Recent incidents, like the traffic stop of Floyd Den… Continue Reading
05.14.15
Peters Applauds $1 Billion Investment in Historic Warren Technical Center
WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today released the following statement on the announcement by General Motors to invest $1 billion in its National Historic Landmark Warren Technical Center campus: “Today’s announcement by General Motors is a promising step to ensure that we are developing, designing and manufacturing the vehicles of the future right here in Michigan. This important investment will help bring 2,600 new middle class jobs to southeast Michigan and support developmen… Continue Reading
05.13.15
Peters Joins Colleagues to Introduce Bill to Aid Families of Fallen, Severely Injured Police Officers
WASHINGTON, DC - As the United States marks National Police Week, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, today joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) to introduce the bipartisan Fairness for Fallen Officers Act of 2015 to close an unintended loophole in the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) program and ensure families of fallen and permanently disabled officers receive the benefits they deserve. Families of … Continue Reading
05.12.15
Peters, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Student Loan Rehabilitation Bill
Rep. Carney Plans to Introduce Companion Legislation in House of Representatives Legislation Would Allow Private Student Loan Borrowers to Remove Default from Credit History after Series of Payments WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Shelley Moore Capito (WV) today introduced a bipartisan bill to help private student loan borrowers rehabilitate defaulted loans. The Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act would enable a borrower who has successfully c… Continue Reading
05.11.15
Peters Honors Law Enforcement During National Police Week
WASHINGTON, DC - As part of National Police Week, U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, honored Michigan's law enforcement officers and the work they do to keep our communities safe. Last year, Michigan lost two officers in the line of duty. "Law enforcement officers in Michigan and across the country put their lives on the line each and every day to make our neighborhoods and communities safer places to grow up in and raise a family," said Senator Peters… Continue Reading
05.11.15
Peters Announces Bipartisan Student Loan Rehabilitation Bill at Michigan State University
Legislation Would Allow Private Student Loan Borrowers to Remove Default after Series of Payments LANSING, MI - U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) announced today at Michigan State University that he will be introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV) to help private student loan borrowers rehabilitate defaulted loans. The Federal Adjustment in Reporting (FAIR) Student Credit Act would enable a borrower who has successfully completed a series of on-time payments… Continue Reading
05.11.15
Peters, Stabenow Voice Concerns to USTR Froman on Labor Practices in TPP
Letter Calls for Including and Enforcing Strong Labor Standards to Protect Workers’ Rights Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow announced today that they sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and U.S Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez calling for the inclusion of strong labor standards in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and urging the complete implementation of those standards by all TPP countries before the trade agreement enters into force… Continue Reading
05.11.15
Senators Peters, Stabenow Applaud Senate Passage of Measure to Free Amir Hekmati
Senate Resolution Calls on Iran to Immediately Release Imprisoned U.S. Marine Veteran WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today applauded the Senate passage of a bipartisan measure calling on Iran to immediately release Amir Hekmati, an imprisoned former U.S. Marine. Hekmati has been held captive by the Iranian government since 2011. Iran had originally accused Hekmati of espionage and sentenced him to death, but the Iranian Supreme Court threw out that char… Continue Reading
