U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow made history in 2000 when she became the first woman from Michigan elected to the United States Senate. She is known for her ability to build coalitions to get things done for Michigan and our nation.
As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Budget Committee, and a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, she has a powerful and unique role to play in shaping our nation’s health care, manufacturing, infrastructure, environment, and agriculture policies.
Senator Stabenow believes that quality healthcare is a basic human right. As a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and Ranking Member of the Health Subcommittee, she has led efforts in Congress to make health care more affordable. She secured provisions in the Affordable Care Act to lower the cost of medicine and authored legislation to allow the importation of safe prescription medicines from Canada. She has championed legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to lower the cost of drugs for seniors and people with disabilities.
Senator Stabenow is a leading advocate of community health centers, which provide affordable, high-quality care in over 180 communities in Michigan. As part of the Affordable Care Act, she ensured that these health centers would get immediate assistance to expand their operations and provide primary care services to up to 26 million Americans in need. She has since led the successful bipartisan push for Congress to reauthorize critical funding for community health centers.
Senator Stabenow has been a life-long advocate for quality mental health and addiction services. As Chair of the Michigan House Mental Health Committee while serving in the state legislature, she led the passage of major legislation to strengthen Michigan’s Mental Health Code, including authoring the Children’s Mental Health Act and the nationally recognized Family Support Subsidy Act. She authored the provision in the Affordable Care Act requiring all plans in states’ new health insurance marketplaces to offer mental health and substance abuse services at the same level as other health services. Her Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act is transforming the way we treat mental illness by closing the gap between physical and behavioral health care in communities around the country.
Senator Stabenow has also led efforts to protect health care for our children and seniors. She has championed funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which serves close to nine million children across the country and about 100,000 children in Michigan through MIChild. Her bipartisan School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act extends funding for school-based health centers, which help provide basic health services for thousands of students in Michigan who have limited access to medical care outside of school. Moreover, she remains committed to making sure that Social Security and Medicare are protected now and in the future, and has opposed attempts to turn Medicare into a voucher system.
As Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Health Subcommittee, Senator Stabenow recently grilled the CEOs of the seven leading pharmaceutical companies on the skyrocketing cost of lifesaving prescription drugs. American taxpayers contributed more than $200 billion in research funding from 2010-2016 alone that helped Big Pharma develop new medications. Senator Stabenow believes it is outrageous that, in return, Americans get the highest drug prices in the world.
Pharmaceutical and health product lobbying reached $282 million in 2018, more than any other industry. These seven companies spent $79.16 billion on selling, marketing, and administrative expenses last year – $22 billion more than what they spent on research and development. The Republican tax bill also gave pharmaceutical companies a huge tax giveaway but these companies are still not lowering prices for families. The seven CEOs who testified made over $100 million in compensation in 2017.
Read more about her plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs here.
In 2014, Senator Stabenow passed the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO). This law is one of the most significant steps forward in community mental health and addiction treatment in decades. It closes the gap in funding between physical and behavioral health care in communities around the country and sets high-quality standards of care.
The law established a new provider type in Medicaid called Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), which are transforming the way mental health and addiction treatment services are delivered in Michigan and across the country. These clinics provide a comprehensive set of services including 24/7/365 crisis services and immediate screenings, risk assessments, and diagnoses. They provide outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services, as well as coordination of care and partnerships with emergency rooms, law enforcement, and veterans groups. Because of Senator Stabenow’s leadership, Michigan has expanded or is currently expanding services in clinics in Kalamazoo, Ludington, Muskegon, Auburn Hills, Lansing, Novi, Southgate, St. Clair County, and Washtenaw County. These clinics are funded with $34 million in federal appropriations secured through Stabenow’s leadership.
Stabenow’s 2014 Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act created a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center pilot program that provided a competitive process for funding for eight states. Stabenow’s Expansion Act increases the number of eligible states from eight to 19 and gives the eight participating states two years of additional funding through Medicaid. Under the expansion, Michigan will have the opportunity to apply for funding for additional clinics and more comprehensive services for people across the state.
Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and more than 16 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s. In Michigan, there were more than 4,400 deaths from Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, and more than 517,000 people provided 589 million hours of unpaid care to Alzheimer’s patients.
Senator Stabenow’s bipartisan legislation, the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act, requires Medicare to pay for an individual care plan for newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients. This new benefit encourages doctors to give a clear diagnosis to patients with Alzheimer’s disease, including information about treatment options and what medical and community services are available. Thanks to a successful bipartisan push led by Senator Stabenow, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in November 2016 that Medicare would begin covering new care plans in 2017, effectively implementing the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act.
We must make sure that individuals and their families have access to the care and services that can improve their quality of life today. In 2017, less than 1% of seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease received the care planning benefit created by the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act. That’s why Stabenow introduced the Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, which requires the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct outreach to make more health care providers aware of this important benefit and to report back on rates of utilization and barriers to access.
Senator Debbie Stabenow is the Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force and is one of our greatest champions for protecting our Great Lakes and environment. As someone who has lived in Michigan her whole life, Stabenow understands that our Great Lakes and waterways are vital to our economy and our way of life—supporting more than 800,000 Michigan jobs. In fact, the very first piece of legislation Senator Stabenow passed in the Senate banned oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes.
Stabenow authored the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in 2010 as a member of the Senate Budget Committee. This initiative has been successful in cleaning up our lakes, waterways, and beaches so Michigan families can enjoy swimming, boating and fishing. When the Trump Administration gutted funding for the Great Lakes, Stabenow led a bipartisan coalition to get every penny restored.
Read more about her new bipartisan legislation to expand funding here.
As Chairwoman and later Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Stabenow authored the 2014 Farm Bill and co-authored the 2018 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill continues to be one of the most significant investments in the conservation of our land, water, and Michigan way of life. Through targeted conservation efforts, the Farm Bill protects our Great Lakes and our water quality throughout Michigan, while preserving wildlife habitat to support hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation.
Senator Stabenow has been a leader in the fight to stop Asian carp, which pose a grave threat to the Great Lakes’ $7 billion fishery and $36 billion recreational boating industry. She authored and passed the Stop Invasive Species Act that required the federal government to take quicker action to stop the spread of Asian carp. Thanks to her leadership, the Army Corps of Engineers released the final comprehensive plan to stop Asian carp at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam — a critical choke point not far from Lake Michigan. Congress can now authorize funding for this critical project and finally advance a long-term solution. Read more about her efforts to combat invasive species here.
Senator Stabenow also wrote and passed legislation that successfully banned personal care products that contain tiny plastic particles that can get through water treatment facilities and harm fish and wildlife. This ban went into effect in 2018.
Senator Stabenow knows that climate change is real and is having a serious impact on Michigan. Our lakes are getting warmer, which is bad for our cold-water fish populations but great for invasive species like Asian carp. Our weather is also getting more intense— leading to catastrophic storms and flooding. Stabenow understands we can and must take real action now to do something about the carbon pollution and other greenhouse gases that are causing climate change.
That’s why as Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and a senior member of Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee and Finance Committee, she has championed polices and initiatives that dramatically reduce carbon emissions, create jobs in renewable energy and clean manufacturing sectors and promote sustainable agriculture. Her bipartisan Farm Bill includes the most ambitious climate-smart agriculture and forestry policies to date. She has also authored multiple bipartisan bills that will ensure that the United States—not China—is the global leader on advanced transportation technologies like electric and hydrogen vehicles.
Senator Stabenow has been a tireless advocate for public health and the environment in Michigan and across the country. She is making sure every family has access to clean air and clean water and has fought efforts to gut environmental protections.
When the Flint water crisis happened, Senator Stabenow led the passage of a law to provide $170 million for Flint and other communities to repair and replace pipes and provide health care and nutritious food to children and families affected by lead contamination.
Stabenow is deeply concerned about the number of Michigan families and service members who have been exposed to per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS). She has fought hard to secure funding to clean up contaminated sites, study the health impacts of PFAS exposure, and connect homes to safe drinking water supplies. She has also called on the Environmental Protection Agency to establish federal drinking water standards for PFAS.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow believes our veterans should not stand at the back of any line. Whether it’s health care, education, a chance at a good job, or the military recognitions they earned in service, our nation must keep its promises to our heroes who have served. She learned this respect for service from her own family – her father served in World War II.
Senator Stabenow is dedicated to ensuring that our veterans receive the military honors they have earned defending our country. She authored and passed legislation paving the way for Michigan veteran James C. McCloughan to be awarded the Medal of Honor. She is a champion for our national cemeteries, memorials, and other efforts to honor those who serve.
Health Care for Veterans
One of the biggest ways in which Senator Stabenow has made a difference for Michigan veterans is in the opening of new health clinics. Thanks to her work, Michigan veterans are being served by new and expanded clinics in Alpena, Bad Axe, Cadillac, Cheboygan County, Clare, Gaylord, Grayling, Oscoda, Traverse City, and Wyoming.
Whether it’s championing new and expanded VA health clinics, or improving mental health services, Senator Stabenow is committed to bringing veterans the care they need close to home. After she heard from veterans across the state about problems with the Veterans Choice program, Senator Stabenow authored and passed legislation to improve VA care.
The VA Mission Act, which was signed into law in 2018, included her legislation to require the VA to pay providers within 30 days of receiving an electronic claim or 45 days of receiving a paper claim. This will ensure that rural hospitals and providers are reimbursed for services and can continue to see patients. The VA Mission Act also expands caregiver benefits and establishes one community care program that allows veterans and their doctors to choose where to get health care.
Senator Stabenow is also making sure that veterans and their families harmed by PFAS chemicals will be eligible for treatment and benefits from the VA. Her Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act (VET PFAS Act) would require the VA to cover treatment for any health condition found to be associated with exposure to PFAS. Under this bill, illnesses connected to PFAS exposure will also be considered a service-connected disability, making veterans exposed to PFAS eligible for disability payments and medical treatment from the VA.
Thanks to Senator Stabenow’s bipartisan work to support Alzheimer’s patients and their families, both Medicare and the veterans’ TRICARE system now cover Alzheimer’s care planning visits to provide patients and caregivers vital information on treatment options and services.
Mental Health Services
Senator Stabenow understands that many people who have served in our military have battle wounds that can’t necessarily be seen, which is why she is leading efforts to improve mental health care. Her Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act closed the gap in funding between physical and behavioral health care in communities around the country and set high-quality standards of care. The law requires certified community behavioral health clinics to provide intensive, community-based mental health care for members of the armed forces and veterans, particularly those who live in rural areas. And it requires care coordination across settings, including VA medical centers and outpatient clinics.
Senator Stabenow sponsored the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act and the Female Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, which were both signed into law.
Veterans Transition Assistance
As Senator Stabenow has met with Michigan veterans, commanders, and service providers across our state, one of the top concerns they have raised is the difficulty veterans have in transitioning from a life in the military to civilian life. Community resources are available for transitioning veterans, but many veterans don’t know about them. Meanwhile, many organizations that offer assistance aren’t aware of people in their community who could use help.
In response, Senator Stabenow introduced the bipartisan IMPROVE Transition for Servicemembers Act, which was signed into law as part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. It would allow servicemembers to opt into a system that will send their contact information to their State Veterans Affairs Agency. This system will ensure that they and their families are connected to local community groups – including veterans service organizations – that provide employment, health care, and other services.
The legislation also directs the Department of Defense to ensure that servicemembers receive regular information about professional development and education opportunities such as Military Tuition Assistance. And it creates greater accountability by requiring the Defense Department to ask veterans about their transition experience on a regular basis.
Education and Job Opportunities
Senator Stabenow sponsored the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and follow-up legislation to make it work better for veterans pursuing additional education. She has long championed better job opportunities for our veterans.
Senator Stabenow’s Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act would provide businesses with a tax cut up to $5,000 for each new employee enrolled in a federal- or state-registered apprenticeship program. Apprenticeship program credit could be given for previous military training, meaning that veterans would be able to get into skilled jobs that match their military experience sooner.
Careers in Agriculture
As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Stabenow championed initiatives in the bipartisan 2014 Farm Bill, which she authored, to help veterans start careers in agriculture, creating a Veteran Liaison at the Agriculture Department and providing veterans more training and financing.
To build on this progress, Senator Stabenow authored provisions that help expand support for farmer veterans in the 2018 Farm Bill. The provisions make risk management tools like crop insurance more affordable, improve access to land and capital, and prioritize training to help veterans succeed in agriculture.
As Sen. Stabenow travels the state, she frequently meets with business owners who express a critical need for more skilled workers. She also meets with labor leaders who offer opportunities for training and apprenticeships for good-paying jobs in the skilled trades. And she hears from parents frustrated with the lack of opportunities for their children who are not college-bound as well as educators who are innovating to meet these needs. Last summer, she brought all of these leaders together in communities across the state to discuss how we can partner to meet the needs of employers and provide job opportunities for all Michigan workers and students. Now she is introducing her New Skills for New Jobs Agenda to help every young person get the skills they need for a good-paying job.
Strengthening Employer Training Partnerships
By 2025, over 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled. Yet due to the skills gap, 2 million of those jobs will go unfilled, according to a report by Deloitte, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Manufacturing Institute.
New Skills for New Jobs - A Michigan Success Story
Sen. Stabenow’s New Skills for New Jobs Act (S.2442) builds on a successful effort already under way in Michigan, the Michigan New Jobs Training Program, to help community colleges partner with local businesses to provide training for new jobs. Right now, an employer chooses who they want to hire for a new job and then partners with a community college to provide the necessary training. The college takes on the upfront cost of the training and then captures the state income tax withholding for the new employee until the cost is fully recouped. These efforts have a proven track record of success: in Michigan, 174 local partnerships have been established to train nearly 20,000 workers for these high-skill jobs.
The New Skills for New Jobs Act would provide a federal match to increase the number of workers and businesses that can participate in the program. The federal government will provide reimbursement to the community college every quarter. By matching the state contribution generated from the new worker’s income tax payments, the federal initiative will repay the community college more quickly and dramatically increase the number of eligible companies and workers that can participate.
Promoting Existing Business-Skilled Trade Union Partnerships
Not enough students and parents know there are state-of-the-art skilled trades centers sponsored and paid for jointly by unions and their employers where you can get on-the-job training and start earning wages right away. Apprentices who complete these programs receive a nationally recognized credential, learn professional skills to get placed in a good-paying job and graduate virtually debt free. Sen. Stabenow is committed to promoting awareness of these outstanding programs, which train professionals in high-demand jobs such as carpentry, electrical, plumbing, bricklaying, roofing, iron working, pipefitting, operating engineering, painting and more.
Partnering on Career and Technical Education
Sen. Stabenow’s bipartisan Perkins Fund for Equity and Excellence Act (S.1004) would provide new incentives for local school districts, employers and higher education institutions to create partnerships that focus on career and technical education in high schools.
These local partnerships would be able to apply for federal funding to redesign the high school experience for students as schools develop curriculum, assess student performance and teach workplace skills through job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships.
Connecting Students with Career and Job Opportunities
Hiring more Career Counselors
Fewer than 3 in 10 Americans would encourage their children to pursue a manufacturing career, despite the number of good-paying jobs available in professional and skilled trades. School counselors play an important role in exposing students and parents to a full range of career and postsecondary options. Unfortunately, many communities across the country lack the resources to adequately staff schools with experienced counselors who can help students reach their full potential. Michigan has the third-worst student-to-counselor ratio in the country at 729 to 1. The recommended average is 250 to 1.
Sen. Stabenow’s bipartisan Careers Act (S. 2443) would give local school districts resources to hire additional school counselors. Funding would also help local school districts design comprehensive counseling plans for students starting in 6th grade. These plans would be designed with community stakeholders and not only include a focus on college preparation but also information on a wide range of career and technical education opportunities that would be made available for students and parents. States would apply for grants from the Department of Education on behalf of local communities. States receiving funding would provide a 20 percent match.
Creating Flexibility for Pell Grants
Sen. Stabenow has heard from many community colleges and businesses across Michigan that would like to design shorter-term job training programs to get workers trained as soon as possible. But under current law, students can only use Pell Grants for programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length. Sen. Stabenow’s Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act (S.206) would expand Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in short-term (at least eight weeks) job training programs that result in industry-based credentials, and ultimately, employment in a high-demand career.
Expanding Job and Skill Training Opportunities for Young People
To expand the number of job and apprenticeship opportunities for young people, Sen. Stabenow’s Employ Young Americans Now Act (S.1590) would provide $4 billion to state and local governments to support youth summer and year-round employment. States would apply for grants from the Department of Labor. This legislation would also provide an additional $1.5 billion to local communities that connect youth to paid internships, on-the-job training, and registered apprenticeship programs.
Investing in Job Training Opportunities for Workers
Michigan is fortunate to have so many successful job training opportunities in food and hospitality, health information technology, and many more. Sen. Stabenow’s Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act (S.1352) would provide businesses with a tax cut up to $5,000 for each new employee enrolled in a federal or state-registered apprenticeship program. It would also help veterans get into skilled jobs that match their military experience sooner by allowing apprenticeship program credit for previous military training.
Senator Stabenow is laser-focused on creating jobs here in America. Her American Jobs Agenda will ensure we are making products in America, closing loopholes that send jobs overseas, and holding countries like China accountable for unfair trade practices.
Make It In America Act
During her small business tour across Michigan, Senator Stabenow visited Grand Haven in August 2016 and met with the CEO of R.A. Miller Industries (RAMI), a manufacturer of high-tech products for our military. RAMI’s CEO expressed concern that our Buy American policies, meant to give priority to American companies when the federal government purchases goods, weren’t working.
Senator Stabenow investigated and found that RAMI was right. From 2012 to 2016, the federal government awarded over $70 billion in contracts to foreign companies that do not manufacture products here in the United States. In response, Senator Stabenow got to work and went back to RAMI to announce her Make It In America Act to create
more opportunities for Michigan businesses and Michigan jobs.
Putting American-Made Goods First
It’s just common sense that American tax dollars should be used to purchase products made in America, not overseas. However, Buy American requirements can be waived in certain instances, without a lot of public accountability.
The Make It In America Act would create stricter guidelines to make it harder for federal agencies to use waivers to get around Buy American requirements. This will level the playing field for American companies, and especially help our small businesses and start-ups compete for federal contracts. Stabenow’s bill requires the government to consider the impacts on U.S. employment when awarding contracts. It also increases transparency by requiring agencies to report to Congress on the amount of taxpayer dollars spent on foreign made goods, which would help us hold agencies accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars.
Bring Jobs Home Act
Our tax code currently allows companies that close up shop and move jobs overseas to write off all of the costs of the move on their taxes. Not only does that mean workers and communities lose their jobs, but their tax dollars are used to help the company move to another country!
Ends Tax Breaks for Companies that Move Overseas
The Bring Jobs Home Act closes a tax loophole that currently rewards companies for moving jobs abroad. By exploiting a loophole in section 162 of the Tax Code, companies can deduct the cost of moving their businesses to other countries when filing their taxes. This bill would change the law so that companies moving jobs overseas cannot deduct their expenses for doing so, effectively ending a subsidy for companies that export jobs.
Creates a New Tax Cut
The bill would provide a tax credit for companies that move jobs and business activities from another country back to America. By allowing companies to qualify for a tax credit equal to 20 percent of the cost associated with bringing jobs and business activities to the U.S., the Bring Jobs Home Act provides a large incentive for companies to move back home.
The Bring Jobs Home Act will grow the economy and bring jobs home to Michigan. Senator Stabenow first introduced this legislation in 2012, and in every Congress since then. Senate Republicans have repeatedly blocked it from passing.
Stronger Trade Enforcement
Senator Stabenow is leading the effort to strengthen enforcement against countries that manipulate their currency, which hurts our businesses and workers and has cost our country as many as five million jobs. As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Manufacturing Caucus, she partnered with Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio in authoring legislation that required strong, enforceable measures to address currency manipulation in any new trade agreement.
Senator Stabenow also led the successful effort to make permanent a new trade enforcement center to monitor and enforce our trade laws. The center is responsible for cracking down on countries that are breaking the rules so our businesses and workers can fairly compete. She will continue to lead efforts to make sure trade enforcement has the staff and resources they need to be effective.
Given the importance of manufacturing to Michigan’s economy, Stabenow is also the sponsor of an effort to create a Chief Manufacturing Negotiator to make sure Michigan manufacturers have a seat at the table and are part of all trade negotiations.
Urging President Trump to Keep His Promises on Trade
Senator Stabenow has called on President Trump to keep his promises on trade by making sure all our trade deals benefit American workers. This means taking meaningful steps so that countries like China stop dumping aluminum and steel in our markets, holding countries accountable when they manipulate their currency, and strongly enforcing our intellectual property laws and making sure other countries are not stealing our trade secrets.
Senator Debbie Stabenow is a champion for Michigan agriculture and rural communities. As Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, she wrote the bipartisan 2014 Farm Bill, which streamlined more than 100 programs while making historic investments in land and water conservation, local food systems, and specialty crops. As the current Chairwoman of the Committee, she built on that progress by co-authoring the historic 2018 Farm Bill, which passed on a strong bipartisan Senate vote of 87-13 – the most votes in favor of a Farm Bill in history.
The bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill strengthens Michigan’s agricultural economy, which is the state’s second-largest industry, supporting one in four jobs. The bill also has a major impact in protecting Michigan’s Great Lakes, investing in our small towns and rural communities, promoting Michigan forestry, growing local food economies, and providing healthy food for families.
Providing Certainty for Michigan Farmers
From bad weather to volatile markets, farming is one of the riskiest businesses out there – which is why farmers need a strong safety net. The 2018 Farm Bill equips Michigan farmers with risk management tools that help them stay afloat during unexpected disasters, while also allowing them to tap into new markets to boost their bottom line.
Senator Stabenow expanded crop insurance to improve access for veterans, beginning farmers, and Michigan’s fruit and vegetable growers. Additionally, she spearheaded dramatic improvements for dairy farmers by creating a new dairy safety net offering flexible and affordable coverage options. The bill also includes continued support for specialty crop growers – which Senator Stabenow first authored in a new title in the 2008 Farm Bill – that will strengthen Michigan’s diverse fruit and vegetable industry, increase productivity, and drive demand for the food they grow.
Growing Michigan’s Local Food Economy
The strength of the Michigan agricultural economy is rooted in its diversity. The 2018 Farm Bill recognizes the importance of supporting all farms of all sizes – no matter what they grow or where they grow it.
Senator Stabenow secured permanent support for farmers markets and local food systems to help Michigan farmers sell their products to their neighbors, while making healthy, locally-grown food more accessible to Michigan families. The bill also recognizes urban agriculture for the first time and creates a new Office of Urban Agriculture at the USDA to serve as a resource and advocate for Michigan’s urban farmers. To strengthen Michigan’s fast-growing organic industry, the bill permanently invests in organic research and helps farmers transition into organic production. The bill also recognizes the future of Michigan agriculture by creating permanent training and outreach resources for beginning farmers, which will help Michigan’s minority, veteran, and new farmers start careers on the farm.
Protecting the Great Lakes and Promoting Outdoor Recreation
As co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Caucus, Senator Stabenow is passionate about protecting Michigan’s Great Lakes, streams, and rivers. The bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill makes significant investments in the conservation of land, water, and wildlife habitat to support hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. Through targeted conservation efforts, the Farm Bill protects these precious natural resources and preserves our Michigan way of life.
The bill strengthens successful regional conservation partnerships, which will leverage nearly $3 billion in private investment over the next decade for projects that will help farmers improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff into the rivers and streams that feed into Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay. The bill additionally supports Michigan’s outdoor recreation economy by expanding acres in the Conservation Reserve Program and creating additional public access on private land for hunting and fishing.
Strengthening Michigan’s Small Towns and Rural Communities
Michigan’s small towns and rural communities need resources to thrive in the 21st Century. The bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill has made critical investments to spur economic development and improve quality of life for families.
Investment in rural water infrastructure will help address harmful contaminants like PFAS and ensure Michigan households and businesses have clean drinking water. Senator Stabenow led the effort to expand high-speed internet access in order to help connect nearly 1 million people in rural Michigan who lack access. The bill provides resources to fight the opioid epidemic and will expand telemedicine and treatment facilities in rural Michigan communities. Also, the bill continues investments to promote renewable energy, which has helped thousands of farmers, ranchers, and rural business owners install energy efficient systems.
Improving Food Access for Families
Just as the Farm Bill provides a safety net for Michigan farmers, it also includes a safety net for families. Building on the 2014 Farm Bill, the bipartisan 2018 Farm Bill strengthens the integrity of food assistance, while preserving food access for families. The bill makes permanent investments in “Double Up” bucks that will help SNAP families purchase Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables and establishes a new produce prescription program to strengthen the relationship between food and health care. The bill reduces the paperwork burden on seniors needing food assistance and improves nutrition education for families and children. The bill also provides new job training opportunities that will help SNAP participants find and keep good-paying jobs, while strengthening oversight of nutrition assistance programs to ensure every dollar goes to families in need.
Our United States Senator, Debbie Stabenow, believes our veterans should not stand at the back of any line. Whether it’s health care, education, the chance at a good job, or the military recognitions they earned in service, our nation must keep its promises to our heroes who have served.
Senator Stabenow has held 13 roundtables across our state over the last year with Michigan veterans, commanders, and service providers. A number of concerns were raised during those discussions. Senator Stabenow heard those concerns and in response is announcing actions to improve services for our veterans in four areas: transition assistance, housing for student veterans, health care, and support for farmer veterans.
Veterans Transition Assistance
One of the top concerns raised was the difficulty veterans have in transitioning from a life in the military to civilian life. There are a number of community resources available for transitioning veterans, but many veterans don’t know about them. At the same time, many organizations that offer assistance aren’t aware of people in their community who could use help. That’s why Senator Stabenow has introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) to reform the Transition Assistance Program, which is responsible for providing counseling, training and assistance to service members.
More Information and Community Connections
Senator Stabenow’s IMPROVE Transition for Servicemembers Act allows service members to give permission to be contacted by local community groups – including veteran service organizations – as they transition into civilian life. It would also require the Department of Defense to start the transition process for service members earlier – one year before leaving the military – so that service members are better able to plan. In addition, transitioning veterans would receive more thorough and timely information on training and education opportunities.
Greater Accountability at the Department of Defense
The Department of Defense would be required to have an adequate number of counselors to assist transitioning service members, to assess the needs of separating service members, to establish a single database to track how veterans are moving through the transition process, and to assess the leadership of commanders in supporting the successful transition of service members. Finally, the legislation would require the Government Accountability Office to study how the transition assistance program works at small, remote bases.
Housing for Student Veterans
Because the VA cannot pay housing benefits in between academic semesters, for some student veterans, the end of the semester can mean the loss of housing benefits. Senator Stabenow’s common-sense Student Veterans Housing Act will ensure that student veterans don’t have to reach into their own pockets to pay for a benefit they have earned.
Health Care for Veterans
Whether it’s been championing new and expanded VA health clinics or improving mental health services, Senator Stabenow is committed to bringing veterans the care they need close to home. She heard from veterans across the state about problems with the Veterans Choice program and passed legislation to improve VA care.
VA Mission Act
The VA Mission Act – recently signed into law – included legislation authored by Senator Stabenow to require the VA to pay providers within 30 days of receiving an electronic claim or 45 days of receiving a paper claim. This will ensure that rural hospitals and providers are reimbursed for services and can continue to see patients.
The VA Mission Act also strengthens VA health care and expands caregiver benefits. And it establishes one community care program that allows veterans and their doctors to choose where to get health care.
Support for Farmer Veterans
Agriculture is Michigan’s second-largest industry, supporting one in four jobs, including job opportunities and rewarding careers for veterans. As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Stabenow championed initiatives in the 2014 Farm Bill to help veterans start careers in agriculture, creating a Veteran Liaison at the Agriculture Department and providing veterans more training and financing.
To build on this progress, Senator Stabenow authored provisions that help expand support for farmer veterans in the 2018 Senate Farm Bill, which passed the Senate on a historic vote of 86-11. The provisions would make risk management tools more affordable, improve access to land and capital, and prioritize training to help veterans in agriculture be successful.
Debbie Stabenow believes healthcare is a basic human right and everyone should be able to afford the medications he or she needs. Drug companies treat prescription drugs as a commodity to be priced at whatever the market will bear, even if patients can’t afford critical life-saving medicine. In fact, the price for the most popular brand-name drugs has risen 208% from 2008-2016. Meanwhile, the median salary of a pharmaceutical CEO was $14.5 million in 2015, according to AARP. Now, since getting a huge tax giveaway, Big Pharma has spent $50 billion buying back its own stocks to help CEOs and big investors instead of lowering the costs of prescription drug prices.
Pharmaceutical and health product lobbying reached $279 million last year, more than any other industry. These lobbyists have been able to block Medicare from negotiating the lowest price for seniors and to stop families from buying safe, affordable medicine just across the bridge in Canada. They are even powerful enough to block your pharmacist from telling customers they could be paying less for their prescriptions. Senator Stabenow is not afraid to take on the drug lobbyists and special interests and has a plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs for Michigan families.
Knowing the Lowest Price at the Pharmacy
Many customers have no idea that they could pay less for their prescription if they pay out of pocket rather than using their insurance at the pharmacy counter. That’s because many pharmacists are prohibited from telling their customers that a prescription to treat diabetes or high blood pressure may cost only $8 out of pocket instead of $20 through insurance coverage. One 2018 report found that customers overpaid for prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter 23% of the time. And many pharmacists are frustrated that they can’t help their customers save money.
Senator Stabenow’s bipartisan Know the Lowest Price Act (S.2553) cracks down on this practice by prohibiting an insurer or pharmacy benefit manager from restricting a pharmacy’s ability to provide drug price information when there is a difference between the cost of the drug under the plan and the cost of the drug when purchased without insurance.
Negotiating Better Prices through Medicare
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, which created the Medicare Part D program, included a provision banning the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from negotiating prices with pharmaceutical companies. This effectively prevents Medicare from harnessing the bargaining power of nearly 41 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D. Senator Stabenow’s Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act (S.1688) would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to directly negotiate with drug companies for price discounts of their drugs. The bill eliminates the “non-interference” clause that bans Medicare from negotiating the best possible prices for seniors.
Importing Safe, Affordable Medicine
For years, Michigan families have had to pay high costs for prescription drugs when the same safe drugs are available at a lower price just over the bridge in Canada. Americans pay – by far – the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and spend about 40 percent more on prescriptions per person than Canadians do. Under current law, any prescription drug importation for personal use into the United States from Canada or other foreign countries is technically prohibited. Senator Stabenow’s Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act (S. 469) authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue regulations permitting wholesalers, licensed U.S. pharmacies, and individuals to import drugs from licensed Canadian sellers that are manufactured at facilities inspected by the Food and Drug Administration. Within two years, the Secretary could expand rules allowing importation from other advanced countries.
As someone who has lived in Michigan all her life, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow understands how important the Great Lakes are to the health of Michigan residents, to the future of our state’s economy and to our Michigan way of life. Yet our lakes face constant threats, from Canadian nuclear waste to Asian carp, from algae blooms to microbeads.
That is why Senator Stabenow is working to address these threats in a number of roles – as Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force, as a leader of Michigan’s Congressional delegation and as Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She is bringing together community leaders and stakeholders to find solutions to the difficult challenges facing our Great Lakes. She believes that our only chance to protect the Great Lakes for the next generation will be for this generation to work together and rally behind the most effective, commonsense strategies.
Pipeline Safety: Five years after a spill from the rupture of an oil pipeline devastated the Kalamazoo River, Senator Stabenow is focused on preventing a similar disaster from occurring in northern Michigan, where a 90-mile Line 5 pipeline crosses 11 tributaries and runs under the Straits of Mackinac. She believes more must be done to raise awareness about the serious risks of this aging pipeline and she is working to improve oversight of the existing pipeline and to make sure our first responders are prepared in the event of a catastrophic spill.
Canadian Trash: In 2003, the City of Toronto closed its landfill and started shipping all its trash to Michigan, and many other Ontario municipalities soon followed suit. Michigan citizens were outraged that our great State had become Canada's dumping ground. This trash poses serious health, safety, and security threats to Michigan families and communities. In 2006, Senators Stabenow and Levin entered into a groundbreaking agreement with Ontario officials to phase out and stop the dumping of 1.5 million tons of Ontario's municipally-managed trash in Michigan. This agreement was a success. Ontario officials report that as of December 31, 2010, Toronto and three other Ontario municipalities ceased shipping their waste to Michigan. This equates to over 40,000 truckloads of trash that would have been dumped in Michigan each year without this agreement.
Microbeads: The water in our Great Lakes is especially vulnerable to the microbeads commonly used in cleaning and cosmetic products. These synthetic beads are small enough to get through water treatment facilities, and when they end up in the Great Lakes they accumulate as plastic pollution and are often mistaken for food by fish. Senator Stabenow is a cosponsor of the Microbeads Free Waters Act (S. 1424) that would ban the sale of products that contain microbeads.
Building Conservation Partnerships: The recent discovery of toxic algae blooms on the Western Lake Erie Basin and the August 2014 crisis that left families in Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio without clean drinking water for several days is an important reminder that we can’t take the quality of our Great Lakes waters for granted.
In writing the 2014 Farm Bill, Senator Stabenow created the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which creates unique partnerships between businesses, conservationists, university researchers, state agencies and nonprofits to improve water quality in the Great Lakes. In February five Michigan projects were awarded a total of $40 million for improving Great Lakes water quality through this program, which will be matched with an additional $40 million from partner organizations. It represents one of the largest commitments ever made to water quality in the Great Lakes.
In addition to RCPP, over $37 million has been obligated toward conservation practices that improve water quality in Michigan. The majority of those funds will flow through programs reauthorized through the 2014 Farm Bill, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program.
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: After years of hard work, last year the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) helped bring about the historic delisting of two EPA Areas of Concern, in White Lake and Deer Lake. To build on that success, Senator Stabenow is fighting for additional funding for GLRI in this fiscal year – she is pushing for passage of the Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act (GLEEPA) that calls for an increase in GLRI funding to $475 million.
Stopping Invasive Species: Senator Stabenow knows that the vitality of our Great Lakes fishing industry is critical not only to our tourism industry but to the sports and recreation we enjoy as Michigan residents. Unfortunately, Our Great Lakes ecosystem has been threatened by more than 180 invasive and non-native species. Over the years, Senator Stabenow has worked to defend against these threats, supporting several Federal programs focused on depopulating hostile species such as zebra mussels and sea lamprey and blocking the spread of new species.
One of the most recent and serious threats is from Asian carp. Once Asian carp become established in an ecosystem they are nearly impossible to eradicate. So in February of 2015 Senator Stabenow introduced a bipartisan bill, the Defending our Great Lakes Act (S.589), which gives the Army Corps of Engineers the broad authority needed to stop the spread of invasive species in the short-term and to develop a permanent solution to prevent the spread of Asian carp throughout the Great Lakes.
Harbor Maintenance: Maintaining our ports, harbors and waterways is essential to the continued growth of Michigan’s economy. During the 2014 negotiation of the Water Resources Development Act, Senator Stabenow fought for the Great Lakes to be treated as a single navigation system, a status that increases funding for harbor maintenance projects, such as dredging, to ensure that shipping vessels can safely get to port. As part of that same effort, Senator Stabenow pushed for planning to ensure that the fees collected by the federal government for harbor maintenance were actually spent for that specific purpose, which has not always been the case.
Replacing Aging Soo Locks: When it comes to maritime shipping in Michigan and across the Great Lakes, there may be no infrastructure more important than the Soo Locks, where some 10,000 vessels and 80 million tons of cargo pass every year. Currently, only two of the four parallel locks are open for traffic, and only one – the Poe Lock – is big enough to allow passage of the largest vessels, which carry 70 percent of all cargo through this critical passageway. An unscheduled outage of the Poe Lock would result in an estimated $160 million in economic losses. The recent closure of two locks for mechanical failures has significantly slowed shipping traffic through Sault Ste. Marie. In June of 2015 Senator Stabenow joined with Senator Peters to urge Office of Management and Budget Director Sean Donovan to approve the Army Corps of Engineers’ request to replace two of the smaller locks with those similar in size to the Poe Lock, as a way to increase efficiency and guard against the economic damage inflicted by an outage of the Poe Lock.
North Country Trail: The North Country Trail spans 4,600 miles from North Dakota to New York, including through the lower and upper peninsulas in Michigan, attracting over a million visitors annually. A longtime champion for expanding and completing the trail, Senator Stabenow fought for approval in the Senate Energy Committee of the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act (S.403). The bill adds 400 miles of federally protected scenic trails to the North Country Trail and extends it into Vermont to connect with the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
National Marine Sanctuaries: Since Thunder Bay was designated in 2000 as the nation’s only freshwater sanctuary, it has drawn tens of thousands of annual visitors and added millions to Michigan’s economy. This month Senator Stabenow joined with Senator Peters to introduce the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Assessment Act, which would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to consider designating other areas of the Great Lakes as National Marine Sanctuaries. This national treasure would provide educational opportunities and promote economic development.
Preserving Historic Lighthouses: For decades, Michigan lighthouses not only helped guide marine vessels to our shores but helped attract thousands of visitors to the state every year. That is why Senator Stabenow worked to enact the Michigan Lighthouse and Maritime Heritage Act in 2006. The bill directed the National Park Service to recommend the best actions to promote and protect our lighthouses and maritime resources. This law has helped preserve Michigan’s 130 lighthouses for future generations.
Asian carp are a real and immediate threat to Michigan's economy and our way of life. In August of 2013, an 82-pound carp was found in a river not far from Lake Michigan. If those fish are able to establish breeding populations in the Great Lakes, it will be devastating for our $7 billion fishing industry and our $16 billion boating industry.
Sen. Stabenow, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force, has been leading the effort in Congress to stop the spread of Asian carp and other invasive species. In 2012, Sen. Stabenow's bipartisan Stop Invasive Species Act was signed into law. This law required the Army Corps of Engineers to submit an action plan to Congress outlining ways to stop the spread of Asian carp and other invasive species. The Army Corps of Engineers has proposed several options, including the construction of an engineered channel at the Chicago waterway to put control technologies in place to keep carp out of the Great Lakes.
New Legislation to Stop Asian Carp and Invasive Species
Senator Stabenow has introduced bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Senate that authorizes immediate action to stop Asian carp. The Defending our Great Lakes Act (S.589) gives the Army Corps of Engineers the broad authority needed to stop the spread of invasive species in the short-term and to develop a permanent solution to prevent the spread of Asian carp through the Chicago waterway. Congresswoman Candice Miller (R-MI) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House.
About 25 miles south of Chicago, the Brandon Road Lock and Dam is a critical point in the Chicago waterway system. It is also an 82-year-old structure that is slated for significant modernization. As they are rebuilding that structure, this bill requires the Army Corps to equip the lock and dam with proven technology to stop the spread of Asian carp. This legislation also requires the Army Corps to use the Brandon Road complex as a testing ground for other technologies that can monitor Asian carp and stop them from reaching the Great Lakes.
The Defending Our Great Lakes Act instructs the Army Corps to work closely with the City of Chicago, Great Lakes governors, businesses and environmental groups to address how to stop invasive species while protecting shipping and local commerce, preventing flooding, and improving water quality.
Support for the Defending Our Great Lakes Act
The legislation is supported by the National Wildlife Federation, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Freshwater Future, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ohio Environmental Council, Prairie Rivers Network, Save the River-Upper St. Lawrence Riverkeeper, Sierra Club-Great Lakes, and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.
Today's business leaders are combining the two largest sectors of our economy - manufacturing and agriculture. Across our state, entrepreneurs are using new technologies to make things in Michigan with Michigan-grown products. Senator Stabenow is committed to supporting these Michigan innovators to spur new job growth. "When we grow things and make things in Michigan, we create jobs in Michigan." -U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
"When we grow things and make things in Michigan, we create jobs in Michigan." -U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow
One of the foremost agriculture pioneers in Michigan was none other than Henry Ford, who grew up on a farm and experimented with ways that soy-based products could be used in automobiles. Thanks to Ford, farmers in Michigan started planting more soybeans to keep up with his demand and by the 1940's, there were two bushels of soybeans in every single Ford car- from the paint to the plastic gas pedals.
Fast forward to today and business leaders are once again building off the work of Henry Ford, uniting the two largest sectors of our economy-manufacturing and agriculture. Across our state, entrepreneurs are using new technologies to make things in Michigan with Michigan-grown products.
These innovators are substituting agriculture crops like soybeans and corn wheat for use in manufactured goods as alternatives to petroleum, reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Soybeans are in new electric cars rolling down the assembly line today. These bio-based products are not just for cars though. They are also cleaning products, soaps, insulation, plastics, and fabrics-products Americans buy every day.
Senator Stabenow is committed to supporting these Michigan innovators to spur new job growth.
Senator Stabenow's Grow It Here, Make It Here Initiative
Creates a new tax cut for Michigan companies that invest in new facilities or purchase equipment to manufacture bio-based products. Specifically, her initiative will allow companies to qualify for up to a 30% tax credit to help finance investments in new, expanded, or re-equipped bio-based manufacturing, creating new jobs. Only companies that manufacture these products in America will be eligible for this incentive.
Increases access to capital for bio-based manufacturers by expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Biorefinery Loan Guarantee Program, so bio-based manufacturers have access to loans to help finance new operations or expand existing ones.
Strengthens the Biopreferred Program, which certifies and labels products so consumers can choose to purchase goods made of agriculture materials, and provides a preference for these products for government purchases. Her initiative also calls for greater accountability in the initiative, including auditing and compliance activities to ensure the integrity of the certified label. USDA's Biopreferred Program offers over 8,900 bio-based products, including 540 products made by 90 Michigan companies.
Spurs the commercialization of new agricultural innovations by streamlining and focusing resources to help new bio-based projects move from the development to the commercialization phase, also known as the "valley of death" since far too many good ideas do not make it out of this phase. Her initiative focuses the USDA's Biomass Research and Development Initiative on the commercialization of bio-based products-bridging this gap to help accelerate the bio-based industry.
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow believes that when hard-working students graduate college, they should get their fair shot at the American dream. Instead, many are saddled with crushing debt. Total student loan debt has now reached $1.3 trillion, and in Michigan the average student graduates with nearly $30,000 in debt. This makes it harder for them to make a down payment on a home or buy a car. Senator Stabenow wants to put Michigan students on a path for debt-free college, and the first step is to pass the Reducing Educational Debt (RED) Act.
Allow Borrowers to Refinance High-Interest Loans
For those just entering the job market at entry level positions, it can be nearly impossible to earn a salary high enough to keep pace with loan payments – especially when those loans have high interest rates. The RED Act would allow borrowers to refinance their student loans at lower rates offered to new borrowers in the 2013-2014 school year. That means rates of 3.86 percent for undergraduates, 5.4 percent for graduate students and 6.4 percent for parents. In addition, those who refinance their private loans will have access to the benefits and protections of the federal student loan program. At a time when interest rates are at near-historic lows, those with student loan debt should have the same ability to save as other kinds of borrowers. By refinancing under the In The Red Act, 24.2 million borrowers would be able to save an average of nearly $2,000.
Two Years of Free Community College
A community college degree opens the door to a lifetime of higher earnings, and so it is a tragedy when people who want to enroll cannot do so, purely because they can’t afford to pay the cost of tuition. The RED Act will make it possible to waive tuition fees for two years of community and technical college programs for eligible students. Every $1 invested by States to achieve this goal will be matched by $3 in federal funds. If every state participated in the program, some 9 million students would enjoy the benefits of free community college.
Increase Pell Grant Awards
The Pell Grant is one of the hallmarks of the American dream, making it possible for students from low- and moderate-income families to go to college, build a career and, eventually, achieve a standard of living that is better than their parents. In 2015 alone, Pell Grants put 8.2 million students on this track. But the majority of Pell Grant recipients still take out loans to pay the balance of the costs of their schooling. The In The Red Act will tie future Pell Grant increases to inflation, increasing the maximum award based on the Consumer Price Index. In 10 years, the maximum Pell Grant Award to a Michigan student would be $1300 larger than under current law.
Excellence in Mental Health Act
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has been a life-long advocate for quality mental health services. As Chairwoman of the State House Mental Health Committee in the 1980’s, she led the effort to strengthen our Michigan Mental Health Code, including authoring the Children’s Mental Health Act and the landmark Family Support Subsidy Act. Senator Stabenow has continued her advocacy in Congress, and as Michigan’s U.S. Senator, championed legislation to de-stigmatize mental health and ensure Americans get the care they need.
Expanding Community Mental Health Services
Senator Stabenow secured passage of a new law based on her bill, the Excellence in Mental Health Act, to expand funding for community mental health services and strengthen the quality of care provided for those living with mental illness. This achievement is one of the most significant steps forward in mental health funding in decades, providing hope – and help – for individuals and families.
The new law establishes an eight-state demonstration program to increase funding for community mental health centers and improve the quality of care at those centers. Specifically, state agencies will work with interested community mental health centers, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, VA clinics, and other mental health organizations to design a state proposal for participation while individual clinics will work to be designated as a Certified Behavioral Health Clinic. These new clinics will be reimbursed for services at higher, more competitive rates than currently received by community mental health centers, bringing us closer to finally achieving funding parity for physical and mental health services. This new designation will require increased services such as:
Next Steps for Michigan
In October of 2015, Michigan moved one step closer to being chosen as part of the eight-state demonstration program. Michigan won a nearly $1 million award to develop a plan that will create or expand services to meet the designation of Certified Behavioral Health Clinic. Senator Stabenow is fully committed to working with local communities, advocates, and consumers across Michigan to submit a strong application to ensure Michigan is poised to be selected as one of the eight states for a demonstration project.
The Impact of Alzheimer’s
More than 5 million Americans, including 185,000 people in Michigan, are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and more than 15 million people serve as their caregivers. Alzheimer’s disease is both heartbreaking and deadly. It is the sixth leading cause of death in America, and sadly, one in three seniors will die with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
Alzheimer’s not only devastates families, but it could devastate our economy as well. Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in America. The cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is estimated to total $226 billion in 2015. Nearly one in every five Medicare dollars is spent on someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act
Fewer than half of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s say they were told the diagnosis, according to a 2015 Alzheimer’s Association report, while more than 90 percent of people with the four most common cancers (breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate) say they were told their diagnosis.
Sen. Stabenow has introduced bipartisan legislation, the Health Outcomes, Planning and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act (S.857), to combat Alzheimer’s disease and support those suffering or caring for a family member with this devastating illness. The legislation will provide Alzheimer’s patients and their families with much-needed information about the disease and possible treatment options, as well as how to care for their loved one and plan for the future. The bill does this by creating a new care management, planning session for newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients under Medicare. The bill is sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). The legislation has been endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association.
We must make sure that individuals and their families have access to the care and services that can improve their quality of life today. The HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act takes a critical step toward helping millions of Americans by encouraging diagnosis of Alzheimer’s so it can be treated effectively and compassionately.
Support for Medical Research and Caregivers
While the challenges posed by Alzheimer’s are significant, continued breakthroughs in science and therapy could help us prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Sen. Stabenow is working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to call for additional funding for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health. Sen. Stabenow is also committed to supporting initiatives at the Administration for Community Living, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which help support family caregivers with much-needed community services like caregiver training.
As part of the recently-passed Health and Education Reconciliation Act, Congress made a number of important changes to the Student Loan Program to help save students and families money and reduce wasteful government spending. Here are some frequently-asked questions about the changes:
Q. What changes have been made to the student loan program?
A. Congress recently made several major changes to the federal student loan program. Most importantly, we have ended the wasteful subsidies that taxpayers had been providing to banks. By removing the middlemen, American taxpayers will save more than $60 billion over the next 10 years. With these savings, we are making critical investments in Pell Grants, and community colleges.
Of the $60 billion we saved, approximately $40 billion will be invested in Pell Grants, meaning that over 20,000 more people in Michigan will now qualify for Pell Grants. Additionally, starting in 2013, the Pell Grant will automatically increase with inflation, raising the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,975.
In 2014, a new system will come into place to help graduates repay their student loans. New borrowers will be able to cap their loan payments at 10% of their income, and if they pay their bills on time, their remaining debt will be forgiven after 20 years. For students who choose to work in public service-such as police officers, firefighters, EMTs, teachers, social workers, nurses, people with military service public defenders and prosecutors-their student loan debt will be forgiven after 10 years if they make all their payments on time.
Q. How can people apply for Pell Grants?
A. To apply for financial aid, including Pell Grants, you need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is online at www.fafsa.gov. The Department of Education will award the new Pell Grants automatically based on your FAFSA and there is no additional burden on the student to provide more information. Each school has its own deadlines for when your FAFSA information must be submitted, and I recommend contacting the financial aid office of the schools you are interested in to find out their deadlines. Many schools recommend that you have your FAFSA information submitted as soon after January 1 as possible.
Q. I am currently in college and have already taken out student loans. How will this change affect me?
A. If you are already attending a public university in Michigan, you will continue to get Direct Loans as you have in the past. If you are currently attending a private university or community college in Michigan that was not part of the Direct Loan program, you will very likely begin saving money right away because your loans will be guaranteed by the Department of Education and will have a fixed low interest rate. You will no longer have to rely solely on private lending institutions to finance your education. You may also notice some small changes to your yearly financial aid request (such as needing to submit a new promissory note). Generally, students should not notice a major change in terms of forms or other required information.
Q. I am currently enrolled in college and I am not currently eligible for Pell Grants. How will I know if I am eligible next year?
A. As the changes to Pell Grants begin to roll out, more and more people will become eligible. If you are eligible to receive a Pell Grant, you will receive the grant automatically if you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. If you have questions about your eligibility or believe you should receive a Pell Grant, get in touch with your school's financial aid office. They have staff on hand who are experts in the financial aid system and should be able to answer any questions you have. You can also visit the Department of Education's website at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html to read more about eligibility requirements for the Pell Grant Program.
Q. How are graduate students affected by the changes to the student loan program?
A. They should not be affected any differently than undergraduate students. After they institute this new program, if you are currently attending a university that offers loans other than Direct Loans, the interest rate on any subsequent Graduate/Professional PLUS loans will be reduced from 8.5% to 7.9%.
Q. Will this limit the amount of other loans I can take out to pay for school, beyond Pell Grants and Direct Loans?
A. Not at all. This legislation does not stop private lenders from providing students with loans. It simply removes them as the middlemen in federal student loans. Private lenders will continue to be able provide loans that will make up the difference required to pay for school.
Q. How will this change help community colleges?
A. Community colleges will receive an additional $2 billion over four years. This is a critical investment to community colleges, which have been overburdened in recent years. This money will allow community colleges to increase the number of students they serve and improve the job training and retraining programs they provide to workers who have lost their jobs.
Q. I recently graduated from college and am working in public service. I'm working to pay down my debt. How will this legislation affect me?
A. Unfortunately, the changes to loan repayments and loan forgiveness will only affect students who take out loans after July 1, 2014.