Latest news with #GaryPeters
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Got a gripe? Here's how to reach your Michigan members of Congress
Got a question or a gripe for someone in Congress, or Michigan? Here's how you can get in touch with someone. Just in case you've forgotten your high school civics lessons (or maybe never had them), here's the lowdown: Every person living in any state has effectively three people representing him or her in Congress, two in the U.S. Senate, who represent everyone in that state and are elected to staggered six-year terms, and one member of the U.S. House of Representatives, who represents a smaller geographical area in each state and is elected to two-year terms. In Michigan, you're represented in Congress by U.S. Sens. Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin and one of 13 members of the U.S. House of Representatives (who are often referred to as congressmen or congresswomen, even though Congress really encompasses both the Senate and the House). The easiest way is online. For Peters, go here and there's a link for "contact" at the top. From there you can link to forms to get help with a federal agency or to share your thoughts with the senator's staff. The latter also includes additional links to sign up to tour a federal building in Washington like the Capitol or the White House. There is also a link to try to schedule a meeting with the senator. Make sure to note if you want a response from the senator's staff and hit submit. For Slotkin, it's pretty much the same, just start here and go to "contact" at the top. She also has links from there not just for help with an agency or questions but for whistleblowers (people who spot potential wrongdoing by federal agencies) to file complaints. Both senators also have addresses and phone numbers for their offices around Michigan and in Washington at the bottom of their websites and contact pages. If you want to go the old school way, you can call Peters' office in Detroit at (313) 226-6020 or toll-free at (844) 506-7420 or his office in Washington at (202) 224-6221. You can also send him correspondence at the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building, 477 Michigan Ave., Suite 1837, Detroit, MI 48226 or at the Hart Senate Office Building, Suite 724, Washington, D.C. 20510. For Slotkin, the Detroit-area phone is (313) 961-4330 and the Washington line is (202) 224-4822. Her address in Detroit is 719 Griswold Street, Suite 700, Detroit, MI 48226 and in Washington it's 291 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. By the way, if you want a list of all the senators nationwide and their contact information, you can find it at and follow the links from there. It's a little more complicated since there are currently 13 U.S. House districts (or seats) representing Michigan and you first have to figure out who your House member is. That's still pretty easy online, if you go here and type in your ZIP code. For instance, type in 49862 for Munising, and you get U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman. Type in 48650 for Pinconning and it might be either Bergman or U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (it will ask for your street address to determine which one). From there, you can follow the links to contact your member of Congress, make a tour request, etc. More: Trump signs measure to block California car standards, says it will 'rescue' automakers If you're not online, it's a little more difficult finding out who your member of Congress is, though you can always call your local city or township clerk's office, or drop in and ask. And while we can't give you a specific answer as to who represents you (since it's based on where you live and we don't know that), here's a rough outline of each of the state's 13 U.S. House districts, who currently represents each and the address, email and phone for a couple of their main offices: U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman Traverse City: 1396 Douglas Drive, Suite 22B, Traverse City, MI 49696 T: (231) 944-7633 Washington: 566 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-4735 U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar Caledonia: 8980 North Rodgers Court, Suite H, Caledonia, MI 49316 T: (616) 528-7100 Washington: 246 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-3561 U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten Grand Rapids: 110 Michigan St. NW, Suite 460, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 T: (616) 451-8383 Washington: 1317 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-3831 More: Trump has kind words for Slotkin, UAW's Fain, though without mentioning them by name U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga Holland: 170 College Ave., Suite 160, Holland, MI 49423 T: (616) 251-6741 Washington: 2232 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-4401 U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg Jackson: 401 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson, MI 49201 T: (517) 780-9075 Washington: 2266 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 T: (202) 225-6276 U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell Ann Arbor: 2006 Hogback Rd., Suite 7, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 T: (734) 481-1100 Washington: 102 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-4071 U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett Lansing: 328 W Ottawa St., Suite A, Lansing, MI 48933 T: (517) 993-0510 Washington: 1232 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-4872 U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet Flint: 601 Saginaw St., Suite 403, Flint, MI 48502 T: (810) 238-8627 Washington: 1408 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-3611 U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain Lake Orion: 30 N Broadway St., Lake Orion, MI 48362 T: (586) 697-9300 Washington: 562 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-2106 U.S. Rep. John James Warren: 30500 Van Dyke Ave., Suite 306, Warren, MI 48093 T: (586) 498-7122 Washington: 1519 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-4961 U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens Farmington Hills: 30500 Northwestern Hwy, Suite 525, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 T: (734) 853-3040 Washington: 2411 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-8171 U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib Detroit: 7800 W. Outer Dr., Detroit, MI 48235 T: (313) 463-6220 Washington: 2438 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-5126 U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar Detroit: 400 Monroe St., Suite 420, Detroit, MI 48226 T: (313) 880-2400 Washington: 154 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 T: (202) 225-5802 Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@ Follow him on X @tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How to reach your Michigan members of Congress
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Peters offers optimistic outlook for Michigan Dems in 2026 Senate Race
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) at the Mackinac Policy Conference, May 30, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols Following the conclusion of his term in 2027, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) said he plans to remain active in public policy. Earlier this year, Peters, who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2015, announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, to the shock of many. While sitting down with the Michigan Advance at last month's Mackinac Policy Conference, Peters said his post-Washington plans are still up in the air, but stressed that he's not retiring. 'I'll have a lot more control over my life when I'm not in the Senate, because it gives me a lot more flexibility to do a variety of things. But I'm going to stay active,' Peters said. With a year and a half left in the Senate, Peters said he remains focused on the Great Lakes, specifically on securing funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and additional appropriations for the U.S. National Guard's Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise in Sault Ste. Marie, which he helped establish. Alongside serving in the U.S. Senate, Peters also chaired the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2021 through 2025, with U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) taking over the role for the 2026 campaign cycle. While Peter's decision not to run for reelection created uncertainty for Democrats' pathway back to a majority in the Senate, Peters said he's confident his party will retain the seat. 'Actually, that was part of my decision, because I want to make sure that the seat continues to be Democratic,' he said, pointing to two key factors that he said give the Democrats good odds. First, 2026 will be a good year to be a Democrat, Peters said, with the party out of power typically performing better during midterm elections. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'You have that historical precedent. Plus just the increased chaos we're seeing out of the Trump administration will mean that people are going to be voting Democratic, and next year, I think you're going to see that similar to what we saw in the last Trump administration,' Peters said, referencing the 2018 mid-term election where Democrats were able to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives. In another benefit, Democrats also have a deep bench of candidates, Peters said, noting that while others may declare for candidacy, the four Democratic candidates that have already jumped into the race 'are all very talented people.' The Democratic slate is currently made up of U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed. Former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) is currently the only Republican candidate, however reports say U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland) is also weighing a run, though he has yet to make a formal announcement. That said, Democrats can't take anything for granted as Michigan is set to be a top battleground state, Peters said. 'The challenge for a race – Senate race in particular – when you have a primary is that you don't get your nominee till fairly late into August. And this race, it'll go from zero to 100 miles an hour within hours of the election,' Peters said. However, the 2024 election illustrated a clear divide in the Democratic Party between its moderate members and the more progressive wing, best illustrated by the party's split over Israel and Gaza. When looking for a pathway forward, Peters said Democrats need to remain focused on economic issues like affordable health care, job opportunities and voters' ability to save for and live a dignified retirement. 'All those issues are the most powerful. And you should always be focused on those. And that's not going to change,' Peters said. When you think about the previous presidential election – where former Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Trump by just over 80,000 votes – a presidential loss would typically bring a Senate election loss with it, Peters said. However, that didn't happen in Michigan. 'We won here in Michigan. And if you look at Elissa Slotkin's campaign, it was focused on those bread and butter economic issues. We won Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin, and Nevada and Arizona and all of those Senate candidates, that's what they focused on. They outperformed the top of the ticket and they won,' Peters said. Democrats still have to work to excite their base and cannot ignore them, but those economic issues are just as important to Democratic voters as they are to independents, Peters said. As President Donald Trump works to radically reshape the federal government, congressional Democrats are tasked with both resisting the president and the Republican majority, and delivering results for their constituents. While bringing home results for constituents is difficult, the Democratic minority has to use its position to call out Republicans' actions and paint a contrast in the minds of voters, Peters said, emphasizing elections are all about contrast. Trump has violated pretty much every major norm of democracy, alongside several laws, Peters said, and while the judicial system has repeatedly been a check on the president, Democrats need to be aggressive in calling that out. 'I think we definitely have to be extremely aggressive in calling out just the blatant corruption we're seeing from the Trump administration,' Peters said, pointing to his decision to accept a $400 million jet as a gift from Qatar as well as his meeting with investors in his cryptocurrency business. 'We can't normalize that in any way, not just for the short term of getting rid of President Trump, but we can't normalize it for future administrations as well. The United States needs to be the place where corruption is never tolerated,' Peters said. However, Democrats still need to walk and chew gum by retaining their focus on the economic issues, Peters said. 'I think those issues too are going to play out as we look at tariffs, which will increase costs. When people start paying more for the everyday goods that they have, they're going to realize that Donald Trump's promise that he was going to lower inflation on day one is not the case,' Peters said. He also pointed to Republican's tax and spending bill, warning the plan would increase the nation's deficit by trillions of dollars, prompting higher interest rates. 'So you pay more for your car, you're going to pay more for your mortgage, your credit card, all those costs as a result of what I believe is completely irresponsible fiscal policy from the Republicans right now,' Peters said. As some Democrats have called on their officials to do more to resist the president, arguing they could do more to be a thorn in Trump's side, Peters said Democratic lawmakers are using the tools they have. While they've been able to use procedures to delay votes on legislation, those efforts are only delays, Peters said. 'We currently live, and I hope we always live, in a democracy and that means the majority rules in a democracy, yep. And if, if the majority have the votes, you can't stop it,' Peters said, noting that Republicans were in a similar position during the first half of former President Joe Biden's term. This is where elections have consequences, Peters said, prompting Democrats to put their energy into next year's election. Given the current political circumstances, Peters predicts Democrats will take back control of the U.S. House in 2026. The chamber is currently split 220-212, with three open seats. 'When you take back the House, then the dynamic changes dramatically in Washington. And Donald Trump, we'll be able to stop him, because he won't be able to pass things through the House,' Peters said. While retaking the Senate would prove more challenging, it's not something Democrats can write off, Peters said. The chamber is currently split 53-45 with two independents Senators, Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Angus King (D-Maine), caucusing with Democrats. While he understands the frustration among activists, Peters reiterated Democrats' limited options. 'You can slow down the majority, but eventually majority wins,' he said.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lakes a priority for Sen. Peters before retirement
MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — Now in his final term in the U.S. Senate and even in increasingly difficult circumstances in Washington, Gary Peters says he has things he would like to do before he leaves office. One priority is the environment. 'I'll still be working to get more Great Lakes legislation done. We have to do more work in that area. We've got to have more Great Lakes restoration funding. That's under challenge right now,' Sen. Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said. 'I want to keep that as strong as possible for years to come cause it's essential to keep … all the places across our great state clean and vibrant for future generations.' Sen. Gary Peters says successor should 'find common ground' Peters announced in January that he would not seek a third term in the Senate. The election to fill his seat is more than a year away, in November 2026. A number of Democrats including state Sen. Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak, former public health official Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and former state House Speaker Joe Tate of Detroit, have announced they will seek their party's nomination. On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who lost in a tight election against Sen. Elissa Slotkin last year, is running again. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The Independent
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Housing migrants at Guantanamo Bay costs $100,000 per day per inmate, senator says
Housing migrants at Guantanamo Bay costs as much as $100,000 per inmate, per day, a U.S. senator has claimed, describing the set-up as 'outrageous.' The astonishing figure may mean that President Donald Trump 's use of the naval base in Cuba costs almost 1,000 times more than housing people in U.S. immigration facilities – which is $165. The claims were made by Senator Gary Peters of Michigan during a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday, in which he and other members grilled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Peters, the top Democrat on the committee, decried the use of the facility as a prime example of wasteful government spending, highlighting that the Trump administration's irrational shuttling of prisoners back and forth had also been at U.S. taxpayer expense. "We're spending $100,000 a day to keep someone at Guantanamo," Peters complained. "We keep them there awhile, then we fly them back to the United States, or we could keep them here for $165 a day. I think that's kind of outrageous." It comes after the White House requested a huge increase in funding for immigration enforcement as it continues its attempt to further Trump's goal of mass deportations. Earlier this month the administration asked Congress to boost the Department of Homeland Security budget by nearly $44 billion for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins on October 1. Noem, who appeared before the committee on Tuesday to defend the budget request, said she did not know the daily cost to house migrants at Guantanamo Bay. At another point during Tuesday's hearing, Noem stunned members of the committee by appearing not to understand the fundamental American right of habeas corpus – which the White House is threatening to suspend. Habeas corpus allows people to challenge the legality of their detention, and has been a constitutional right in the United States since 1789. Noem claimed the opposite, saying that habeas corpus 'is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.' New Hampshire Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, who had asked Noem to define the concept, responded flatly: 'That is incorrect.' She added: 'Habeas corpus is the legal principle that requires that the government provide a public reason for detaining and imprisoning people ... [it] separates free societies like American from police states like North Korea.' Roughly 70 migrants are currently detained at the infamous Cuban facility at Guantanamo Bay, according to a U.S. official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, The Guantanamo Bay detention camp, established in 2002 at the US Naval Station in Cuba, was created to detain terrorism suspects and "illegal enemy combatants" as part of the post-9/11 "war on terror." The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in March to prevent 10 migrants from being transferred to the base. In the suit, ACLU alleged that migrants at Guantanamo had been held in windowless rooms for at least 23 hours per day, subjected to invasive strip searches, and unable to contact family members.
Globe and Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Trump migrant detentions at Guantanamo Bay cost $100,000 per person daily, senator says
President Donald Trump's use of the Guantanamo Bay naval base to house migrants appears to cost $100,000 per day for each detainee, U.S. Senator Gary Peters said during a hearing on Tuesday, decrying what he described as a prime example of wasteful government spending. Peters, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the high cost, far more than the $165 per day in U.S. immigration detention facilities. Peters also asked why detainees have been sent to the American naval base in Cuba but then shuttled back to the United States at taxpayer expense. 'We're spending $100,000 a day to keep someone at Guantanamo,' Peters said. 'We keep them there awhile, then we fly them back to the United States, or we could keep them here for $165 a day. I think that's kind of outrageous.' The White House has requested a huge increase in funding for immigration enforcement as it tries to achieve Trump's goal of mass deportations. The administration asked Congress this month for an additional $44-billion for the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2026, which begins on Oct. 1. Noem, appearing before the committee to defend the budget request, said she did not know the daily cost to house migrants at Guantanamo Bay. Her department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were roughly 70 migrants currently detained there. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit in March to prevent 10 migrants from being transferred to the base. In the suit, ACLU alleged that migrants at Guantanamo had been held in windowless rooms for at least 23 hours per day, subjected to invasive strip searches, and unable to contact family members. Some had attempted suicide, the ACLU said. Senator Rand Paul, the Republican chairman of the committee, also raised concerns with spending for additional barriers at the U.S.-Mexico border since the number of migrants caught crossing illegally has plummeted since Trump took office. A sweeping U.S. House of Representatives budget plan would devote $46.5-billion to the border wall alone. 'I'm not saying no new money is needed,' Paul said. 'I think you need more Border Patrol, and you're going to need more money for that, but I think it should be within reason.'
