News
Senators Stabenow, Peters Announce over $1.5 Million in Great Lakes Funding for Grand Traverse Bay
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today announced $1,589,664 in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding for three projects in Grand Traverse Bay to protect against invasive species and improve water quality. GLRI is critical to cleaning up our Great Lakes, beaches, and waterways for swimming, boating, and fishing; fighting invasive species like Asian carp; and protecting our Michigan way of life. The Nature Conservancy will receive a $550,070 grant to rem… Continue Reading
10.26.17
Stabenow, Brown, Wyden, Cardin, Casey Call on Republican Leaders to Protect Retirement Savings Accounts in Tax Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following recent reports that congressional Republicans are considering cuts to 401(k)s and other retirement plans in their upcoming tax bill, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Bob Casey (D-PA) today called on Republican leaders not to reduce or eliminate incentives for retirement savings. In their letter, the Senators expressed their strong support for President… Continue Reading
10.25.17
Stabenow Calls on President to Allow Government to Negotiate Lower Prices for Naloxone, a Life-Saving Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug
As the White House finalizes its emergency declaration on opioid abuse, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) called on President Trump to follow the recommendations of his Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and allow the government to negotiate lower prices for naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 and access to naloxone is critical given the magnitude of the opioid epidemic. Stabenow… Continue Reading
10.23.17
Stabenow, Peters 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
- 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 Joe Donnelly (D-IN… Continue Reading
10.19.17
Stabenow Statement on Vote against Senate Budget Resolution
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released the following statement on her vote against the 2018 Senate Budget Resolution: "We need to be working together in a bipartisan way on tax reform that helps middle class families and small businesses and creates jobs in Michigan. I strongly oppose this push to jam through tax breaks for the wealthy while also making massive cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. We need a budget that reflects Michigan's priorities and this budget falls short." Senato… Continue Reading
10.18.17
Stabenow Statement Following Meeting at White House on Republican Tax Proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released the following statement after meeting with President Trump and other members of the Senate Finance Committee to discuss the Republican tax proposal: "I support tax reform that simplifies our tax code, puts more money back into the pockets of hardworking families and small business owners, and spurs job creation in Michigan. During today's meeting, I expressed concerns that the Republican tax proposal would give 80% of the benef… Continue Reading
10.17.17
Senator Stabenow Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Protect Michigan Land and Water in the 2018 Farm Bill
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry joined her Agriculture Committee colleague U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to strengthen the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) - an innovative approach to conservation authored by Senator Stabenow in the 2014 Farm Bill. The bipartisan Regional Conservation Partnership Program Improvement Act will provide more resources for partners to expand the reach of conservat… Continue Reading
10.16.17
Senator Stabenow Applauds New $1.4 Million Investment in MSU Agricultural Research
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announcement of $1.4 million for three Michigan State University (MSU) agricultural research projects. This new investment, which comes from USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), will help MSU researchers protect animal health on Michigan pork and dairy farms. "Michigan State is a national leader in a… Continue Reading
10.16.17
Senator Stabenow Announces Support to Expand Ypsilanti Farmers Markets, Open Year-Round Marketplace
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced $231,000 to expand Ypsilanti's popular farmers markets and complete a new indoor-outdoor market that will be open year-round. The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), which helps increase access to farmers markets in communities and develops new opportunities for farmers to sell their goods locally. "We all know buying l… Continue Reading
10.11.17
Senator Stabenow Tours Small Businesses in Detroit and Pontiac
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow met with business owners in Detroit and Pontiac as part of her small business tour across the state. Stabenow met with business owners at La Feria, Textures By Nefertiti, and Source Booksellers in Detroit before traveling to Pontiac to visit Slows Bar BQ, Unity Barber Shop & Beauty Salon, Buckner's A Dessert Café, and Fillmore 13 Brewery. During her visit to Pontiac, Stabenow was joined by Mayor Deirdre Waterman, City Council President Patrice Waterman, Co… Continue Reading
10.11.17
Following Equifax Hack, Stabenow Announces New Legislation to Protect Michigan Families from Credit Breaches
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today announced new legislation to help protect Michigan families from credit breaches such as the Equifax hack, which compromised the personal data of 143 million Americans and 4.4 million people in Michigan. Stabenow's legislation, the Freedom from Equifax Exploitation (FREE) Act, holds credit reporting agencies accountable and provides Michigan families with more control over their credit information and more options to protect themselves when their data i… Continue Reading
10.05.17
Senator Stabenow Announces Over $1.8 Million to Support Michigan Fruit and Vegetable Growers
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced over $1.8 million to support Michigan specialty crop growers who produce fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery plants, and flowers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program will award $1,805,339 million to support 19 projects throughout the state. "Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables are not only a source of great pride … Continue Reading
10.04.17
Stabenow Opening Statement on Republican Budget at Committee Markup
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) delivered opening remarks at a Senate Budget Committee markup of the 2018 Republican budget resolution. The 2018 budget resolution sets the groundwork for Republicans to move forward on their tax reform proposal. Senator Stabenow's remarks, as prepared for delivery, may be found below: "Thank you, Mr. Chairman: "We need tax reform that helps small businesses, closes tax loopholes to create jobs here at home, and puts more money in the pockets of middle-cl… Continue Reading
10.04.17
Following Finance Committee Vote, Stabenow Calls on Congress to Immediately Extend Funding for Children’s Health Insurance
Following a vote this morning in the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) called on Congress to extend funding immediately for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Funding for CHIP, which serves close to nine million children across the country and about 100,000 children in Michigan through MIChild, expired on September 30th. "It is unacceptable that Congress failed to meet the deadline to extend critical funding for children's health insurance," said Se… Continue Reading
10.03.17
Stabenow, Blunt, Lance, Matsui Announce Bill to Expand Funding for Community-Based Mental Health and Addiction Services
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Representatives Leonard Lance (NJ-07) and Doris Matsui (CA-06) today announced a bill to significantly expand the program they championed to improve community mental health and addiction services across the country. The bill will ensure that all eight states awarded funding through an initiative based on their Excellence in Mental Health Act can be funded for another year and will expand the program to 11 more states that already appl… Continue Reading
09.29.17
Stabenow, Blunt Introduce Bill to Reauthorize Critical Funding for Community Health Centers
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) and Roy Blunt (Mo.) yesterday introduced the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence (CHIME) Act, which would reauthorize the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) and the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) for five years. In addition, the bipartisan bill provides four percent increases for the CHCF and NHSC every year beginning in FY2019. "Michigan families rely on the health care they receive at over 260 community health center sites… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Senators Stabenow, Peters Introduce Small Business Access to Capital Act
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) 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 private fi… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Peters, Stabenow Announce Over $4.3 Million for Bishop International Airport
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 this funding, th… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Senator Stabenow Introduces Former Rep. Hoekstra at Senate Foreign Relations Committee Confirmation Hearing
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) yesterday introduced former Representative Pete Hoekstra at his confirmation hearing to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. President Trump nominated Hoekstra, who was born in the Netherlands, to be the next U.S. Ambassador on July 24, 2017. Following consideration by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Hoekstra's nomination will be voted on by the full Senate. "As former Michigan Senator Arthur Vandenberg famously said: 'Politics stop a… Continue Reading
09.27.17
Stabenow Statement on Republican Tax Proposal
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released a statement on the Republican tax proposal: "Our tax code shouldn't be so complicated that you need to buy a computer program or hire an accountant to file your taxes. I support reform that simplifies our tax code, puts more money back into the pockets of hardworking families, helps small businesses, and spurs job creation in Michigan. I am concerned that today's proposal would give most of the be… Continue Reading