By Victoria Mullen, WKTV

Stabenow, Peters, Bergman, Kildee Lead Bipartisan Push to Protect Thunder Bay Sanctuary

The lawmakers warn Trump Administration against shrinking sanctuary and circumventing ban on drilling in Great Lakes

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) and Representatives Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Dan Kildee (D-MI) are leading a bipartisan call on the Trump Administration to maintain the existing boundaries of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and warned against any attempt by the Administration to circumvent the ban on Great Lakes oil and gas drilling.

The Trump Administration recently ordered a review of National Marine Sanctuaries and National Marine Monuments, such as the Thunder Bay Sanctuary, that have been designated or expanded since 2007. The Thunder Bay Sanctuary is critical to tourism, the regional economy, and Michigan’s maritime heritage and has been protected from offshore oil and gas drilling since Stabenow authored a federal ban in 2005.

“We strongly urge you to maintain the expanded boundaries of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary,” wrote the lawmakers. “The decision to expand the Sanctuary in 2014 came after an extensive process that ensured thorough and transparent input from our constituents and all stakeholders. Michigan depends on its marine sanctuary to support the rural and coastal communities of northeast Michigan and preserve this unique area and cultural artifacts for future generations.”

Go here to read the letter.

Stabenow Announces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Post-9/11 G.I. Bill for Veterans

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow has announced bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ education benefits and enhance the post 9/11 G.I. Bill. The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 (S.1598), named for the architect of the original G.I. Bill, eliminates an arbitrary 15-year period within which veterans are required to use the benefits they have earned. This bill would allow service-members who enlist after January 1, 2018, to use their benefits at any point after their military service.

“After bravely serving our country, no veteran should have to worry about whether his or her G.I. benefits will expire,” said Senator Stabenow. “So many veterans in Michigan have used the G.I. Bill to continue their education and this bill ensures that even more will have that opportunity.”

The bill expands G.I. Bill eligibility for certain active-duty reservists and Purple Heart recipients who have not completed the full term of their military contract. The bill also restores tuition costs and housing stipends for student veterans whose schools have closed – such as those impacted by the recent closure of for-profit schools like ITT Technical Institute.

Huizenga Speaks, Votes in Favor of Repealing Anti-Consumer CFPB Rule

Congressman Bill Huizenga recently spoke on the House floor in support of repealing the anti-arbitration rule recently put forward by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Through the Congressional Review Act, the House voted to eliminate this onerous anti-consumer regulation by a vote of 231 to 190. This is the 16th time the House has utilized the Congressional Review Act to repeal a burdensome Obama-era regulation. Thus far, President Trump has signed 14 of these regulatory reforms into law, including one authored by Congressman Huizenga.

Huizenga Votes to Increase Sanctions on North Korea, Iran, and Russia

Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) recently released the following statement after voting to increase sanctions on North Korea, Russia, and Iran. H.R. 3364, the Countering Adversarial Nations through Sanctions Act, passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 419-3.

“This bipartisan legislation holds some of the world’s worst actors accountable for their actions,” said Congressman Huizenga. “North Korea and Iran have continued to develop hostile weapons capabilities that threaten our troops and allies despite diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region. Specifically to Russia, this bill expands sanctions due to hostile cyber activities as well as their intervention in the Ukraine. Additionally this legislation limits the ability of the Executive Branch to unilaterally provide sanction relief to Russia without congressional review.”

Gov. Rick Snyder: Michigan now more competitive for new jobs, diverse industries

It wasn’t the usual bill signing location for Gov. Rick Snyder — he wasn’t in the state Capitol or the Romney building in Lansing. On an available industrial property just off of M-59 in Oakland County, Gov. Snyder inked a three-bill package into law designed to diversify Michigan’s economy and attract new, large-scale employers, with a bipartisan group of legislators from across the state, along with economic development partners from every region and representatives of organized labor.

Senate Bills 242-244, sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas, Wayne Schmidt and Steve Bieda, respectively, will entice new and emerging businesses with sizable work forces, by allowing them to keep some or all of the state income tax paid by their employees if certain criteria are met. The incentives vary in amount and length of time according to the number of new jobs the qualifying businesses creates, and whether or not it can meet or exceed regional average wage requirements.

To qualify, applicants must create at least 250 new jobs, and pay salaries that are 125 percent or more of the prosperity region average wage. Businesses that meet the 500 or 3,000 (or more) job thresholds must pay wages at least equal to 100 percent of the prosperity region average wage. Qualifying 3,000 or more job and wage applicants are eligible to receive the maximum income tax capture for 10 years, the maximum length of time allowed under the legislation.

The new law also:

• Preserves the integrity of a performance-based incentive program – if an authorized business fails to satisfy and maintain the minimum number of new jobs, it would forfeit its withholding tax capture for that year;
• Requires transparency reporting to the state legislature, detailing employer information, along with the amount and duration of each tax capture;
• Caps the number of employer agreements at 15, which could roll over to future years if unused, and limits tax capture revenues to $200 million over the life of the program;
• Mandates approval of the Michigan Strategic Fund and a resolution from the local governing body; and
• Prevents new agreements from being signed after Dec. 31, 2019.

The bills were supported by a majority of Republicans and Democrats in both the state House and Senate.

For more information on this and other legislation, please visit www.legislature.mi.gov.

Gov. Rick Snyder returns legislation without signature, helping maintain state’s fiscal strength

Gov. Snyder has returned legislation without his signature due to concerns that the legislation is not fiscally prudent.

Senate Bills 94 and 95 would have accelerated the timeline originally agreed upon in 2013 for the phase-in of sales and use tax relief for those who trade in a vehicle when purchasing a new or used vehicle. The reductions were originally scheduled to phase in gradually to lessen the burden on the state’s general fund and School Aid Fund.

In his veto letter to the Legislature, Gov. Snyder said, “The bills would accelerate a gradual and agreed upon phase in of the sales and use tax relief to a degree that I believe is not fiscally prudent. With budget pressures from a number of areas in coming years, in particular dedication of funds to road funding, I do not believe it is appropriate to create additional financial strain by accelerating the tax relief agreed to in 2013.”

For more information on this and other legislation, visit www.legislature.mi.gov.