News
Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Funding for University of Michigan Program to Study Great Lakes Ecosystem
Sens. Debbie Stabenow, vice chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, and Carl Levin, chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, announced today a $101,000 grant for the Lake Michigan & Lake Huron Long-term Ecological Research Program through the University of Michigan's Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research. The University of Michigan received this award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and will use it to stu… Continue Reading
08.07.14
Senator Stabenow Applauds U.S. Victory Against Chinas Illegal Restrictions on Rare Earth Elements
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, today applauded the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body ruling against China's illegal restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals. Rare earth materials are important components in many American made-products, including hybrid car batteries, wind turbines, energy efficient lighting, and automobiles. Senator Stabenow was amon… Continue Reading
08.06.14
Chairwoman Stabenow Announces Nearly $7 Million for Michigan State University to Support Fruit and Vegetable Pollination Research
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced that Michigan State University will receive a $6.9 million grant to address the decline in honeybees and its impact on crops. Michigan's fruit and vegetable crop production depends on honeybees for pollination, but bee populations have been in decline for years. The grant was funded through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. "Tod… Continue Reading
08.06.14
Stabenow, Levin Announce Grant for Gaines Township Fire Department
The Gaines Township Fire Department will receive a federal grant to help improve their operations and boost safety in their community, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today. Gaines Township Fire Department will receive $66,491 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "Today's announcement is great news for Gaines Township Fire Department and families in Genesee County," Stab… Continue Reading
08.06.14
Stabenow, Levin Announce Grants for Two U.P. Fire Departments
Two Upper Peninsula fire departments will receive federal grants to purchase new firefighting vehicles, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today. Sugar Island Township Fire Department will receive $208,696 and Norway Volunteer Fire Department will receive $237,500 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "Today's announcement is great news for Sugar Island Township Volunteer Fi… Continue Reading
08.06.14
Stabenow, Levin Announce Grant for East Jordan Fire Department
The East Jordan Fire Department will receive a federal grant to help improve their operations and boost safety in their community, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today. East Jordan Fire Department will receive $76,568 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "Today's announcement is great news for City of East Jordan Fire Department and families in Charlevoix County," Stabe… Continue Reading
08.01.14
Chairwoman Stabenow Announces that Every Michigan Project Will be Considered for National Conservation Funding
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced that all nine Michigan projects that submitted pre-proposals will move on to the next step to be considered for funding though the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Sen. Stabenow and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited Bay City in May to launch the national initiative, created in the 2014 Farm Bill, which will protect our Great Lakes and invest in wa… Continue Reading
08.01.14
Agriculture Chairwoman Stabenow Announces Grant for Grand Valley State University to Support Rural Entrepreneurship Training in Isabella and Bay Counties
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced support for Grand Valley State University to lead two Rural-Focused Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship training programs in Bay and Isabella Counties. This support, made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program, will be used to help bring entrepreneurship workshops to rural communities. "Today's announcement is gr… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Senate Passes Bipartisan Veterans Affairs Reform Legislation
The Senate today passed a bipartisan compromise to restore accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs and reduce wait times at VA facilities so veterans can get the health care they deserve. The Veterans' Access to Care Through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 brings immediate accountability to the VA that will strengthen the Department's ability to fire senior managers and officials responsible for poor performance at VA health facilities. It also takes steps to r… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Stabenow, Levin Announce Grant for Ford Airport
Ford Airport in Dickinson County will receive a federal grant of $867,427 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to purchase snow removal equipment and take other steps that will help improve the airport's ability to keep the runways and taxiways clear during bad weather, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today. "Making sure residents, tourists, and business travelers are able to easily travel to and from the Upper Peninsula is vital to the region," Stabenow said. "This sup… Continue Reading
07.31.14
Stabenow, Levin Lead Great Lakes Senators Urging Action on Asian Carp Threat
Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow, vice chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, and Carl Levin, chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, along with Great Lakes U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Dan Coats (R-IN), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Al Franken (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to White House Council on Environmental Quality Asian Carp Director Joh… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Support for Detroit Fire Department and Richmond-Lenox EMS Ambulance Authority
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today announced support for the Detroit Fire Department to improve fire prevention and the Richmond-Lenox EMS Ambulance Authority for operations and safety. These grants come through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Fire Prevention and Safety Program. "Today's announcement is great news for the Detroit Fire Department, Richmond-Lenox EMS Ambulance Authority, and families in Southeast Michigan… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Support for Hudson Township Fire and Rescue
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today announced support for Hudson Township Fire and Rescue to improve operations and safety. This $68,875 grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. "Today's announcement is great news for Hudson Township Fire and Rescue and families in Otsego County," said Stabenow. "Our first responders risk their lives to keep our families safe, and they rely on these resources to do their jobs safely.… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Fire Prevention Grant for the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today announced support for the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan to help increase public safety through fire prevention and preparedness. This $48,719 grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Program. "Today's announcement is great news families in Kent County," said Stabenow. "Organizations like the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan play a critical role in fir… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Senators Stabenow, Levin Announce Support for Leslie Fire Department to Buy New Vehicle
U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today announced support for the Leslie Fire Department to acquire a new vehicle. This $812,250 grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. "Today's announcement is great news for the Leslie Fire Department and families in Ingham County," said Stabenow. "Our first responders risk their lives to keep our families safe, and they rely on these resources to do their jobs safely." "Our firefighte… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Stabenow Applauds Announcement Advancing Detroit-Windsor Bridge Project
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today applauded the announcement of an International Authority to oversee construction of the Detroit-Windsor bridge project. The joint bilateral commission will be tasked with solving issues needed to be addressed prior to breaking ground on the New International Trade Crossing. The International Authority will also oversee construction and operation of the bridge in conjunction with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, which will handle day to day decisions. Senat… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Senate Republicans Block Legislation to Bring Jobs Back to America, End Tax Giveaway to Corporations Shipping Jobs Overseas
Senate Republicans today blocked a final vote on the Bring Jobs Home Act, legislation co-authored by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow to stop rewarding companies that move jobs overseas and instead create new incentives to bring jobs home. Her legislation would end a tax loophole that currently pays for companies to move jobs overseas, while maintaining the deduction for those bringing jobs home. In addition, it would also provide a 20 percent tax credit to help companies with the cost of bringing j… Continue Reading
07.30.14
Stabenow Statement on Passage of Temporary Highway Funding Measure
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow made the following statement today after the Senate passed a measure to temporarily fund highway, transit and road safety programs. Senator Stabenow said: "Unlike Republicans in Lansing who adjourned for the summer without addressing Michigan's crumbling roads, Democrats and Republicans in Congress were able to come together to pass a short-term road funding bill. While we need to do much more to fix our nation's crumbling infrastructure and provide a long-term sou… Continue Reading
07.29.14
Chairwoman Stabenow Holds Hearing on Successes, Shortcomings of U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, today considered lessons learned during the first two years of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. Stabenow led a Subcommittee hearing in order to examine how our Free Trade Agreement with Korea has expanded opportunities for U.S. businesses, farmers, and workers, while also identifying some of the key obstacles that have prevented others from … Continue Reading
07.28.14
Agriculture Chairwoman Stabenow Applauds Selection of Michigan Members to National Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded the selection of Diane Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Apple Committee, and Helen Dietrich of Ridgeview Orchards, to USDA's Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. Overseen by the Agricultural Marketing Service, the Committee is comprised of 25 members and meets twice a year to develop recommendations for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on issues aff… Continue Reading