WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 1: Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR), Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Energy Subcommittee Ranking Member Fred Upton (R-MI), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) today sent letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)   more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release on June 1: Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR), Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Energy Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Upton (R-MI), Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) sent letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) an  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced membership of the Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB), an EPA federal advisory committee, at Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Resource Institute with U.S. Congressmen Bill Huizenga (MI-02) and Fred Upton (MI-06). Administrator Wheeler re-established the GLAB in December 2018 to provide advice and recommendations on ma  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: The Fish and Wildlife Service announced the next step in the rulemaking process for the management of double-crested cormorants. "Since coming to Congress, establishing new cormorant management orders has been a top natural resource priority for me. Communities in Michigan's First District dealing with increased cormorant populations have struggled to maintain their fisheries, businesses, and natural resour  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) released the following statement after the Trump Administration waived bedrock environmental laws including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act. "At a time when our country is calling for an end to practices of systemic injustice, this move by the Administration will only further hurt communities of color and exacerbate existing d  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) participated in a virtual hearing with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. "Challenging times demand decisive and compassionate leaders--Governor Whitmer is such a leader," said Dingell. "Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers are devastating. And Michigan has been hit harder than mos  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Fred Upton (R-MI), along with leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asked questions about safety concerns and non-compliance of the Edenville Dam before it breached and caused catastrophic damage throughout downstream communities. Dingell and Upton wrote to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which revoked Boyce Hydro Power's license in   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. S. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, issued the following news release: Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, yesterday led a virtual hearing on how different states are responding to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The hearing focused on the need to expand coronavirus testing capabilities in order to reopen safely and swiftly. The subcommittee heard from Arkansas Governor   more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Debra Haaland, D-New Mexico, issued the following joint statement in response to the death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and calls for an end to systematic racism in the U.S.: The statement was co-authored by Reps. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, Brenda L. Lawrence, D-Michigan, Jackie Speier, D-California and Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. "As the leaders of the Democratic Women's Caucus, we stand in solidarity with the peaceful protesters mourning the murd  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) sent a letter to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer raising concerns over Michigan's response to the unemployment crisis stemming from her decisions to forcibly close down Michigan's economy. In the letter, Huizenga asks pointed questions about the State of Michigan's decision to automatically enroll state employees into the unemployment system while residents in West Mich  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, applauded the passage of the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act in the U.S. Senate, following passage in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill provides further relief to Michigan small businesses and workers by improving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through increased flexibility to use the lo  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: "The U.S. military fights America's enemies. The American people are not the enemy. Using the military to put down peaceful protests happens in dictatorships, not democracies. "The overwhelming majority of Americans who have taken to the streets have been non-violent. Millions of Americans are exercising their First Amendment rights and peacefully speaking out against injustices in our society, including t  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Daniel Kildee, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on June 3: Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) Chief Deputy Whip of the Democratic Caucus, called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to immediately take up The Heroes Act, which would provide critical aid to Michiganders, including extending federal unemployment insurance benefits set to run out at the end of July without action. During the House Budget Committee's first-ever virtual hearing in the U.S. H  more

WASHINGTON, June 1 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: On May 22, Congressmen Andy Levin and John Moolenaar sent a letter to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia signed by a bipartisan coalition of Michigan U.S. House and Senate members detailing the need for swift approval of the State of Michigan's application for a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant (NDWG). Last week, The U.S. Department of Labor announced four Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) totaling   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following on June 4 regarding the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre: "Today marks 31 years since I witnessed the violent suppression of pro-democracy protests in Chengdu, China, which was part of a national crack-down forever immortalized by unforgettable images from Tiananmen Square. This anniversary comes at perhaps the most troubling time for human rights in China in the intervening decades. An estimated one milli  more

WASHINGTON, May 29 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following statement the Child Care is Essential Act: "I've heard from childcare centers and superintendents with early childhood programs across Macomb and Oakland County who are struggling, both in terms of facilities shuttered and those remaining open for essential workers. All are facing tremendous costs, whether to remain open safely or to reopen, and all are suffering declines in revenue and enrollment. "The Child Care is Essen  more

WASHINGTON, May 28 -- Rep. Andy Levin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), vice chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, pressed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Loren Sweatt during a virtual hearing on the agency's refusal to proactively protect workers from COVID-19. "Every day, I get calls from workers who are terrified that they will become sick in their workplaces," Rep. Le  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, issued the following joint statement condemning the death of George Floyd and calling for an end to systematic racism in U.S.: The statement was co-authored by Reps. Brenda Lawrence, D-Michigan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, Lee Zeldin, R-New York and Will Hurd, R-Texas. "The Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations unequivocally condemns all forms of racism and violence towards the Black community. "The death of George Floyd is n  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. David McKinley, R-West Virginia, issued the following news release: At the House Subcommittee Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigation hearing on how governors are battling the COVID-1 pandemic, U.S. Representative David B. McKinley P.E. (R-W.Va.) questioned Michigan Governor Whitmer on the state's response to the Coronavirus. "Governor Whitmer you have been openly critical in the news and media of the Trump Administration's response to the pandemic. According  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Michigan, issued the following statement: "America is going through one of the most tumultuous and divisive times we've experienced in recent history. Many of us are watching the news and are discouraged by what we see - from coverage of the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered our economy and taken thousands of lives, to the unjust killing of George Floyd and protests over racial inequalities in our society. As Americans and Michiganders, we must  more

WASHINGTON, May 29 -- Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: FEMA Regional Administrator James K. Joseph called Congressman John Moolenaar to let him know that Gladwin County has been added to the federal emergency declaration approved by President Donald Trump last week. Congressman Moolenaar has been in contact with FEMA throughout the week following Regional Administrator Joseph's visit to mid Michigan this past Saturday, and he has been advocating for Gladwin C  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, issued the following statement in response to President Trump's announcement threatening to deploy active-duty forces across the country to quell protests against police brutality: "As the wife of a 30-year Army officer, step-mom to Army officers, and someone who has worked alongside the U.S. military in a combat zone, what I have heard from the President on the use of the U.S. military in our cities -- with the support of the Secretary of   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) lauded the passage into law of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which will make important changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), in line with specific concerns cited by Michigan businesses. Slotkin is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation, which the President signed into law today, after it passed with near-unanimous support in the House and   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) lauded the Senate's passage of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which will make important changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), in line with specific concerns cited by Michigan businesses. Slotkin is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation, which passed the House last week and passed the Senate last night with unanimous support. It now awaits   more

DETROIT, Michigan, June 4 -- Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Michigan, issued the following statement on the protests after George Floyd death: "We must listen to folks on the ground expressing pain and anger. Black folks in our country continue to be harmed and killed by those within institutions rooted in and built upon racism and white supremacist systems. "We must respond with meaningful action. Not tear gas. Not handcuffs. And for damn sure not military action. Dissent and freedom of speech must   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, issued a statement after the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump. Upton was an original cosponsor of the legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week by a vote of 417 - 1. This bipartisan legislation extends loan forgiveness beyond the original 8-week timeline, eliminate restrictions l  more

KALAMAZOO, Michigan, June 3 -- Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, issued the following statement. "We know that Kalamazoo and the people of this extraordinary community have a proud, wonderful history of diversity in every respect, which I've always viewed as a strength. We should heed the advice of George Floyd's brother to end the chaos and to respond to this latest case of police brutality in a constructive way. Accountability  more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, announced the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau will be awarding a $351,175 grant to Lakeland Regional Health system to support telehealth services, including telemedicine carts, tablets, telehealth and remote monitoring equipment, and telehealth software licenses, and to expand telehealth infrastructure to allow all 350 health care providers to see patients virtually. The   more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: During a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing, Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) questioned Governor Whitmer about her executive order making Michigan nursing homes accept COVID-19 patients from hospitals and why it took so long to change this harmful policy. He also asked why all the federal assistance directed to the state of Michigan has yet to be spent, which the Governor did not provide an answ  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Justin Amash, I-Michigan, issued the following news release: Reps. Justin Amash (L-Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) introduced the Ending Qualified Immunity Act to eliminate qualified immunity and restore Americans' ability to obtain relief when state and local officials, including police officers, violate their legal and constitutionally secured rights. They were joined by Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-Ill.), Earl Bl  more

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Representatives Fred Upton (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI), along with leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asked questions about safety concerns and non-compliance of the Edenville Dam before it breached and caused catastrophic damage throughout downstream communities. Dingell and Upton wrote to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which revoked Boyce Hydro Power's license  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement on June 4 with Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy, and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change, on the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed rule entitled "Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Benefits and Costs in the Cl  more

WASHINGTON, June 3 -- Rep. Greg Walden, R-Oregon, ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following joint statement on June 1 with Rep. Fred Upton, R-Michigan, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy, and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change on the Environmental Protection Agency's announcement of a final rule on Sec. 401 of the Clean Water Act: "We applaud the EPA for today's announceme  more

DETROIT, Michigan, June 2 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued the following statement: The unconscionable death of George Floyd and after speaking with Michigan community and faith leaders and law enforcement officials. * * * "In the aftermath of George Floyd's death -- something that never should have happened -- it is the responsibility of each of us to acknowledge that too many Americans -- especially African Americans -- are dying senselessly, and we must come together to stop it. "M  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, issued the following news release on June 4: Today, U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will introduce the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which will break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart   more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, issued the following news release on June 5: Today, a group of ten Senators led by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, raised questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. "As you know, CO  more

WASHINGTON, June 6 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, requested a briefing for committee members from the Department of Homeland Security on recent warnings that violent opportunists are attempting to exploit the protests acro  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI), Ranking Member and Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, requested a briefing for committee members from the Department of Homeland Security on recent warnings that violent opportunists are attempting to exploit the protests across the country following the death of George Floyd. Others, including foreign adversaries and   more

WASHINGTON, June 4 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing the City of Battle Creek a $4 million grant and the Harbor Transit Multi-Modal Transportation System in Ottawa County a $1.79 million grant. Peters and Stabenow helped secure this funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds will help en  more

DETROIT, Michigan, June 6 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) called on Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to reverse her final Title IX ruling on policies related to reporting and investigating sexual harassment and assault cases. In a letter to the Secretary, Peters and Stabenow joined their colleagues in underscoring for the Secretary that her decision will weaken protections for student surviv  more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) announced Senate passage of H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, which will give small businesses in Michigan more time and flexibility to use the forgivable loans they have received due to the COVID-19 crisis. Stabenow and Peters are co-authors of the bipartisan Senate companion legislation, which was introduced last month. The Paycheck   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI) announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is providing the City of Battle Creek a $4 million grant and the Harbor Transit Multi-Modal Transportation System in Ottawa County a $1.79 million grant. Stabenow and Peters helped secure this funding as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds will help   more

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI) announced Senate passage of H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, which will give small businesses in Michigan more time and flexibility to use the forgivable loans they have received due to the COVID-19 crisis. Stabenow and Peters are co-authors of the bipartisan Senate companion legislation, which was introduced last month. The Paych  more