Debbie Stabenow

Senate Appropriations Bill Would Direct Nearly $87 Million to Seven Projects

November 17, 2009 --
WASHINGTON — Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, 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.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator 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.

The Senate is currently considering food safety reform proposals that would increase FDA food inspections and improve our food safety system. This bill will provide small and medium sized farmers, food processors, and wholesalers technical assistance and education to effectively implement these new reforms.    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – 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.    » read more »

November 6, 2009 -- 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.    » read more »

Legislation also provides tax refunds to struggling Michigan businesses, extends and expands homebuyer tax credit

November 04, 2009 -- 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.    » read more »

November 2, 2009 -- 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.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senator 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 .    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — 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.

“Michigan has always been a leader in manufacturing and the auto industry, and these grants will keep this cutting-edge work happening in our state,” Levin said. “Achieving energy independence is critical to our economic and environmental interests.”    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — 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.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON — 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). The General Motors Company in Warren will receive $2,655,174 and Michigan State University in East Lansing will receive $2,540,631.

“Michigan has always been a leader in manufacturing and the auto industry, and these grants will keep this cutting-edge work happening in our state,” Levin said. “Achieving energy independence is critical to our economic and environmental interests.”    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $1,230,431 to be used by 25 specialty crop projects throughout the state of Michigan.

The program improves competitiveness of the specialty crops industry through grants that support marketing, research, agri-tourism, food access, and sustainability. This program allows states to accept applications and determine their own specialty crop priorities. USDA approved projects based on their support for local and rural agriculture interests, the opportunity to increase the competitiveness of small producers, or to promote or create direct marketing opportunities for specialty crop producers.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senators 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.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senators Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Debbie Stabenow, 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.    » read more »

Insurance Industry Reforms Help Families, Small Businesses, Seniors

October 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON- 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.    » read more »

October 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – 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.    » read more »