Press Releases from Senator Stabenow's office http://stabenow.senate.gov/ en-us Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:00:16 -0500 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:59:00 -0500 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.1) http://www.feedforall.com http://stabenow.senate.gov/images/dshead_2004.jpg http://stabenow.senate.gov/ 100 133 Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., today hailed the Senate’s passage of a bill including $87 million for seven projects in Michigan and funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate and House of Representatives must now reconcile their versions of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2010 before moving to final passage in both chambers. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/111709StabenowLevinHailSenatePassageofMillionsinVeteransandMilitaryCon.htm F62C88D1-3902-4B73-80E7-CA3872BB17EA Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:59:00 -0500 U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and U.S. Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) today announced the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act. The bi-partisan legislation will provide a tax credit to support solar manufacturing here at home. These tax incentives will encourage more U.S. companies to produce solar equipment, creating jobs and investing in the clean energy economy. Senator Stabenow joined fellow Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) to introduce the legislation this week in the Senate. Congressman Camp will be introducing companion legislation in the House later this month. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/111009StabenowCampAnnounceBi-PartisanSolarManufacturingJobsCreationAct.htm 9D2BFEAA-278A-488B-9D15-76DAFAE70432 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:07:24 -0500 U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. today introduced S. 2758, the Growing Safe Food Act, to help farmers and food processors ensure the safety of our nation’s food supply. The bill was introduced with six co-sponsors: Sens. Bingaman, Boxer, Gillibrand, Leahy, Merkley, and Sanders. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/111009StabenowWorkstoHelpMichiganFoodGrowerswithFoodSafety.htm F6373A91-7A46-4460-8B5A-15674D2BF262 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:07:04 -0500 WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today praised President Obama for signing the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2009 that she co-sponsored, into law. The new law will extend long-term unemployment benefits in Michigan by 20 weeks. It will also provide tax refunds to businesses that have been hit by the economic recession, and extends and expands the successful first-time homebuyer tax credit. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/110609ObamaSignsBilltoExtendUnemploymentInsuranceinMichigan.htm 5DDD9ED0-283D-4ABC-97C1-A338FF646C4C Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:00:40 -0500 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) today announced the inclusion of $5 million for Michigan projects in the FY2010 appropriations bill for Commerce, Justice and Science, which the Senate passed today. The bill includes a total of $5 million for 15 projects in Michigan. The bill also includes $1 million for an assessment of undersea threats that could greatly impact the Great Lakes. The bill still needs to be approved by a House-Senate conference committee before given final approval by Congress and being sent to President Obama for his signature. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/110609cjssenatepassage..htm 661A660B-648F-4056-93A5-7429094F552C Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:49:26 -0500 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced Senate passage of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act of 2009, which she co-sponsored. The legislation will extend long-term unemployment benefits in Michigan by 20 weeks. This bill also provides tax refunds to businesses that have been hit by the economic recession, and extends and expands the successful first-time homebuyer tax credit. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/110409StabenowLeadsEfforttoExtendUnemploymentInsuranceinMichigan.htm A98F16B5-3213-44D1-B7B1-754910E86389 Wed, 4 Nov 2009 17:58:47 -0500 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced her support for the Credit Card Rate Freeze Act of 2009, by signing on as a co-sponsor. This legislation will immediately freeze credit card interest rates on all existing balances for consumers. The bill serves as a supplement to the consumer protection measure, the Credit CARD Act, which passed earlier this year. Under that law, beginning February 2010, credit cards can no longer arbitrarly raise interest rates, fees and finance charges on a customer’s existing balance. Credit card companies are currently using the grace period as an opportunity to raise interest rates and fees before the Credit CARD Act goes into effect. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/110209StabenowCo-SponsorsLegislationtoProtectConsumersfromUnfairCreditCardCompanyPractices.htm 7B20E57B-1916-45D6-B7DD-802E7610A812 Mon, 2 Nov 2009 19:28:30 -0500 WASHINGTON – Michigan will receive $142.26 million and the Great Lakes will receive $476 million in the FY 2010 Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced today. The bill includes $475 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, $131 million to finance wastewater and drinking water projects in Michigan, $11,260,000 for 14 specific projects in Michigan, and $1 million for mass marking of hatchery fish in the Great Lakes. By a vote of 72-28, the Senate approved the Interior and Environment conference report, which the House passed earlier today. The legislation now goes to the president for his signature. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102909InteriorConference.htm 9E76F14C-535C-468A-9284-B2708BD3A22F Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:20:25 -0400 U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced today that three Michigan institutions will receive a total of $128 million in allocation authority under the U.S. Department of Treasury’s New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program. The NMTC Program encourages investment in economically depressed communities by giving tax credits to those who invest in organizations designed to boost low-income communities. These investments in Community Development Entities (CDEs) must be used to help finance community development projects, stimulate economic growth and create jobs. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102909StabenowLevinAnnounce128MforCommunityDevelopment.htm 319BA44F-7B5E-4536-AB3B-AB023F8E41E4 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:22:24 -0400 U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced that Tenneco Inc. will receive a $24 million conditional loan from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Incentive Program. The ATVM program is intended to help the automotive industry meet or exceed the Administration’s new fuel economy standards and help America regain its competitive edge in world markets. The loan will support the development of fuel efficient emission control components for advanced technology vehicles. Sen. Stabenow authored the language that created this program, and was included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 . http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102909SenStabenowAnnounces24MillionLoanforAdvancedVehicleTechnology.htm 0264EE1E-6CA3-456F-BE57-4829EB75D22A Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:22:41 -0400 Bill Would Reinstate “Super 301” Authority, Allowing U.S. Trade Rep. to Enforce Trade Laws that Promote Domestic Manufacturing, Jobs http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/NewBillWouldGiveFedsMoreAuthoritytoCrackDownonTradePracticesthatUndermineAmericanWorker.htm 3186AD91-7260-4A22-B191-17F5BE10B1BE Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:43:40 -0400 WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced that 26 Great Lakes steam and diesel vessels will be able to continue carrying cargo on the Great Lakes. She championed changes in the Senate to exempt existing steam ships from strict EPA emissions standards on Great Lakes vessels. Diesel vessels will be able to apply for a waiver from EPA regulations. Without both the exemption and the waiver, these vessels would likely be decommissioned due to the high costs of retrofitting each ship, reducing the Great Lakes fleet by 50%. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/StabenowChampionsSenateEfforttoSaveGreatLakesVessels.htm EFD0FAC1-F27F-4CEC-B418-0A92D79D1F30 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:43:23 -0400 U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today called for Senate passage of legislation to help seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, railroad retirees, and eligible public employees. The Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act, co-sponsored by Stabenow, will provide an additional one-time $250 ($500 for couples) payment to eligible beneficiaries. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provided one-time $250 payments earlier this year. She also praised President Obama for announcing his support. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101509StabenowUrgesSenatetoPassLegislationProvidingHelpforMichiganSeniors.htm EA850F5D-1204-41CD-A5EA-1789A89C856F Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:48:53 -0400 Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich, and Carl Levin, D-Mich.., announced today that Michigan and the Great Lakes will receive $88,606,000 in the FY 2010 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The funding includes more than $24 million for energy research, advanced technology development, and other energy projects, and more than $64 million in water infrastructure projects to improve Michigan’s navigational system, protect aquatic +ecosystems, upgrade wastewater systems, provide flood control, and help restore the Great Lakes ecosystem. The Senate approved the conference report for the energy and water development funding bill today by a vote of 80-17. The House passed the conference report on October 1, and it now goes to the president for his signature. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101509StabenowLevinAnnounceMoreThan88MillioninCriticalFunding.htm B3DFA944-52FE-48A1-B31D-9BE3AE71EE1D Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:48:26 -0400 Two Michigan companies will receive grants totaling $103,158,878 for projects designed to ease the nation’s transition to a smarter electrical system, U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., announced today. The Detroit Edison Company will receive $83,828,878 and the Whirlpool Corporation in Benton Harbor will receive $19,330,000. The funds were made available by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102709LevinStabenowPraiseMoreThan103MillioninSmartGridGrantsforMichigan.htm FB43ECBB-72F6-4CD4-A721-A6ADD0F0ADCB Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:18:55 -0400 Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, both D-Mich., announced today that Michigan researchers will receive more than $5 million for work on clean energy technologies for motor vehicles. The funding comes from the Department of Energy’s recently-formed Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). General Motors will receive $2,655,174 and Michigan State University will receive $2,540,631. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102709LevinStabenowAnnounceMoreThan5MillioninVehicleTechnologyGrants.htm 7BED12E5-C633-4A39-8446-B191565F0683 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:20:11 -0400 Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), George Voinovich (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and John Kerry (D-MA) announced the bi-partisan “ENHANCED Act” to establish national centers of excellence for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorders. These centers will create a national network to help diagnose people in need and improve access to evidence-based, quality care. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) is also a co-sponsor. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102309AnnounceBi-PartisanLegislationtoHelpTreatAmericansSufferingf.htm FF976713-ED37-4A0F-90EB-1E3C35FA24FA Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:21:37 -0400 U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced $750,000 in funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to support Central Michigan University’s public television stations. These Public Television Digital Transition Grants are to be used for the purchase of digital production equipment including cameras, editing, mixing and storage equipment. The coverage area of this grant includes three digital stations serving central and northern Michigan. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/102309Sens.StabenowLevinAnnounce750000forCMUPublicTelevisionDigitalTransition.htm 82E4B4E1-6723-4BE6-9E34-00E486787F5D Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:21:02 -0400 U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced $ $2,052,390 in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support the delivery of housing counseling services to Michigan homebuyers, homeowners, low- to moderate-income renters, and the homeless. The Housing Counseling Program grants are intended to improve financial literacy, expand homeownership opportunities, improve access to affordable housing and preserve homeownership. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101509SensStabenowLevinAnnounceover2MforHousingCounseling.htm 946A3A5E-EA4D-471A-B800-C690E5E00647 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:47:43 -0400 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) made the following statement regarding Senate Republican objections to legislation that she is co-sponsoring that will extend unemployment insurance benefits through the end of the year. It is estimated that w ithout this extension, over 90,000 people in Michigan, 1.5 million nationally, will have exhausted their unemployment insurance by the end of the year. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101609StabenowTimetoStopPlayingPoliticsandExtendUnemploymentInsuranceforMichiganWorkers.htm 9D3BD5D5-FFF2-4235-BC15-A31D686AC42B Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:47:04 -0400 Specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, nursery products and floriculture, are vital to Michigan’s agricultural economy. Michigan has the second largest crop diversity in the nation, after California. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101609StabenowAnnounces1MillioninSpecialtyCropGrants.htm E414004A-7801-4098-A3EC-72EBF2F2C8C2 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:46:23 -0400 The America's Healthy Future Act is a long-time coming. This process started over 100 years ago, when President Teddy Roosevelt first called for a national commitment to health care coverage for all Americans. Today, we are one step closer to achieving that goal. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101309StabenowClosingStatementonFinanceCommitteeHealthCareBill.htm E85BD3D8-E15A-4519-BDEE-0CEF607F57A7 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:30:45 -0400 Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, voted in favor of the health insurance industry reform proposal. It passed by a margin of 14 to 9. Senator Stabenow said, “ The America's Healthy Future Act is a long-time coming. This process started over 100 years ago, when President Teddy Roosevelt first called for a national commitment to health care coverage for all Americans. Today, we are one step closer to achieving that goal. This bill stops bad insurance company practices, begins to bring costs down, and closes the gaps in coverage that have left millions of Americans without the health care they need. From pre-natal care, to young-adulthood, through the working years, into retirement, this bill covers every stage of life with quality, affordable health care coverage.” http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/101309StabenowLeadsEfforttoImproveHealthInsuranceforAll.htm 39405F9A-76B2-4F5B-B345-3E06F33A8BCB Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:33:57 -0400 U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced the inclusion of $48,243,000 for 18 Michigan projects in the FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations conference report which passed the Senate yesterday. This appropriations bill provides funding for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, rural development programs, and related agencies. The bill will now be sent to President Obama for his signature. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/100909StabenowLevinSenateApprovesMoreThan48MillioninCriticalFundingforMichigan.htm F8CFA264-1DF9-4629-8B08-F643EDFB5B32 Fri, 9 Oct 2009 12:49:20 -0400 WASHINGTON – Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced the inclusion of millions of dollars that will benefit Michigan in the FY2010 appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies passed by the Senate today. The bill includes $400 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, $129 million to finance wastewater and drinking water projects in Michigan, and $5.5 million for six specifically-named projects in Michigan. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/092409interiorappropssenatepassaget.htm 0FD69349-A14D-4AC8-B911-24857C4B1E95 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:36:17 -0400 WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today urged the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to initiate an investigation as soon as possible regarding the filing of antidumping and countervailing duty petitions against certain paper imports from China and Indonesia. The petitions were filed by the United Steelworkers, Sappi Fine Paper North America, NewPage Corporation, and Appleton Coated LLC. Sappi Fine Paper North America announced the closure of its Muskegon plant in August. NewPage has a mill in Escanaba and is a major employer in the area. The petitioners state that 60,000 paper jobs have been lost since 2002 and 6,000 are at risk in the plants making the products covered by the case. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/StabenowInvestigateUnfairPaperImportsfromChinaandIndonesia.htm B85F4EF8-4B73-4EF1-8F8E-9003EA89B7A3 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:12:08 -0400 WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today made the following statement regarding GM’s decision to add a third shift at its Lansing Delta Township plant effective April 2010. GM also announced adding a third shift at it Fairfax, KS and Fort Wayne, IN plants as well. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/StabenowCARSProgramSuccessContinuesGMtoAddThirdShifttoLansingDeltaTownshipPlant.htm E90399A5-4396-4295-AB9D-F55901556E19 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:43:46 -0400 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced today that the Michigan Public Service Commission has been awarded $1,004,971 in funds to support the state’s transition to a smart electric grid. The funds are made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/StabenowLevinAnnounceMorethan1MforEnergyEfficiencyinMichigan.htm 548FEBAC-7055-4E30-A710-7D0EEB302BF8 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:24:05 -0400 WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) announced today that Lincoln Park, MI will receive $200,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfield Hazardous Substances Assessment Program grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This award will provide the city of Lincoln Park with stimulus funding to conduct assessments of potential brownfield sites potentially contaminated with hazardous substances. http://stabenow.senate.gov/press/2009/StabenowLevinAnnounce200000BrownfieldGrantforLincolnPark.htm 65373924-AFEA-4985-8F01-3B0644F3CAE8 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:12:01 -0400