Category: US Senate

Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

02.23.22

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan bill authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to encourage innovation in contracting and expand opportunities for small businesses to work with the federal government has been signed into law. Federal contracts can provide significant opportunities for small businesses, but some agencies have been reluctant to utilize the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) contracting programs. The Promoting Rigorous and Innovative Cost Efficiencies for Federal Procurement and Acquisitions (PRICE) Act will resolve this issue by requiring the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to work with federal acquisition administrators to share innovative best practices that will help modernize contracting procedures, realize cost savings for taxpayers, and ensure the doors of federal contracting are open to as many small businesses as possible to expand our industrial base.

“Every small business in Michigan and across the nation should have an equal opportunity to help serve the American people. That is why it is essential that these businesses – which are the foundation of our economy – have a fair opportunity to win federal contracts,” said Senator Peters. “I’m grateful to President Biden for signing this important legislation into law so that disadvantaged small businesses can compete on a level playing field when it comes to the federal contracting process.”

Small businesses that want to compete in the federal marketplace often face hurdles to participating in government procurement. This is especially true for women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, and other disadvantaged small businesses. The PRICE Act will ensure that small businesses are front and center in the acquisition process by encouraging government entities to adopt new and innovative practices, increase small business participation in government contracting, modernize the federal acquisition process, and report on how to improve mission outcomes and save taxpayer money.

The law is supported by a broad coalition of groups including Small Business Majority, Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC), GovEvolve, HUBZone Contractors National Council, Women Veterans Business Coalition, and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

“The HUBZone Contractors National Council commends Senator Peters for leading the PRICE Act. Small business participation in the federal marketplace is key to ensuring a strong industrial base, however, small businesses find that agencies continue to be reluctant to utilize these programs,” said Michelle Burnett, Executive Director. HUBZone Contractors National Council. “The PRICE Act provides increased opportunities for HUBZone companies by encouraging the acquisition workforce to share innovative best practices to increase small business participation across the federal government.”

“Small IT companies are at the forefront of innovation, but often face barriers when selling to the federal government,” said Eminence Griffin, Executive Director, GovEvolve. “The PRICE Act addresses the need for modernizing the federal acquisition system and will be transformative for small business IT contractors around the country. GovEvolve is thrilled to support the PRICE Act and thanks Senators Peters and Ernst for championing this important issue.”

“APTAC is proud to support the PRICE Act. APTAC believes in sharing best practices and the difference it can make for all concerned,” said Terri Williams, President, APTAC. “APTAC members frequently share their own best practices with each other, which lends itself to invaluable information gained from the experience of others.  APTAC and its members applaud actions taken for the betterment of Government contracting—for our Government and the private sector.”

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Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

02.23.22

Center of Expertise, Enacted into Law and Headquartered in Michigan Thanks to Peters-led Efforts, Will Study Impacts of Oil Spills in Freshwater Environments

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) called on the Biden Administration to include $3.4 million for the United States Coast Guard Great Lakes Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response, which was created and headquartered in Michigan thanks to Peters-led efforts, in their Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request. Peters previously secured $4.5 million to establish the Center of Expertise. This new level of funding would help support the Center of Expertise as it formally begins its operations in Michigan this summer.

To maximize research and operational capabilities, in October, the Center of Expertise formalized a partnership between Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, which will serve as the hub of the Center of Expertise and home to its supervisor, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, and the Coast Guard. The Center of Expertise will examine the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and help develop effective responses. This work will be critical in protecting the Great Lakes, as current oil spill response technologies are primarily designed for saltwater environments.

“As you finalize your budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year 2023, I respectfully urge you to include not less than $3.4 million in funding for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response,” wrote Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “This funding will be used to support the Center, which is set to open its doors this summer, as it undertakes the critical work of advancing research, development, and testing of freshwater oil spill response efforts.”

“The Great Lakes are more than just an economic engine and ecological treasure – they are simply in the DNA of Michiganders. An oil spill in the Great Lakes would be catastrophic for Michigan and the country,” Senator Peters continued. “We need to be doing everything we can to protect them for future generations and to prevent a disaster from happening – including assessing how we can effectively respond to any potential future spill.”

The full text of Senator Peters’ letter is available here.

In 2017, the then-Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard told Peters at a hearing that the agency was not prepared for an oil spill in the Great Lakes, saying that more science and research was needed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coast Guard was forced to delay a decision on site location and formal establishment of the Center of Expertise. However, a location was able to be determined in Michigan as a direct result of significant support from Peters.

Peters has made protecting the Great Lakes one of his top priorities in the U.S. Senate. In 2019, Peters secured a bipartisan provision that was signed into law as part of the year-end funding bill to provide the first increase in GLRI funding since the program was established a decade ago. To build on that progress, Peters helped pass the bipartisan infrastructure law, which included $1 billion for the GLRI – the single-largest-ever investment to protect the Great Lakes. Peters’ bipartisan bill to update the Environmental Sensitivity Maps for the Great Lakes was signed into law last year. These new maps will provide more accurate assessments of coastal resources that are at risk of severe damage or a natural disaster, including endangered and threatened species, sensitive shoreline habitats, and widely used community resources such as beaches, parks and boat ramps.

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Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353
February 21, 2022 

Cotton Responds to President Biden’s Russia Sanctions 

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) issued the following statement after Vladimir Putin ordered troops to move into Ukrainian territory:

“President Biden’s timid sanctions tonight are wholly unequal to this moment. Russia is invading Ukraine now. The time has come for the ‘swift and severe’ sanctions that Joe Biden has long threatened but refused to impose. There is not a minute to lose.”

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Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

RED OAK, Iowa—As Putin further invades Ukraine, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is supporting an effort to reduce global dependence on Russia and unleash American energy. The bill, the Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act (ESCAPE Act), would supplement European energy needs with American liquid natural gas, removing a lever of Russian influence.
“The Biden administration has made us more reliant on Russia for our energy needs, and their appeasement of our adversaries has led to Putin’s continued aggression towards Ukraine. This bill will unleash the American energy sector and help reduce our NATO allies’ dependence on adversaries, and in turn boost our economic interests and protect our national security,” said Senator Ernst.
The Energy Security Cooperation with Allied Partners in Europe Act or the “ESCAPE Act”:
Directs the U.S. permanent representative to NATO to work with NATO member states to address energy security for the organization’s members and partners in Europe and Eurasia.
Calls for a comprehensive U.S. government transatlantic energy strategy that focuses on increasing the energy security of our NATO allies and partners and increasing American energy exports to those countries.
Requires the Secretary of Energy to expedite approvals of natural gas exports to NATO allies, Japan and any other foreign country where exports of natural gas would promote the national security interests of the United States.
Authorizes mandatory U.S. sanctions on the development of Russian energy pipeline projects, such as Nord Stream 2.
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Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

Denver – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today encouraged Coloradans to file their taxes to claim their expanded Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) to help cover the cost of child care. In Colorado, the average child care cost for a 4-year-old is $12,390 per year.  

“Families in Colorado and across our nation are facing rising costs, and one of the biggest expenses families have is child care,” said Bennet. “I’m glad we expanded the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit through the American Rescue Plan Act, which will help low- and middle-income families cover the cost of child care to reduce that financial burden and allow parents to stay at work.”

Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act, the value of the CDCTC is dramatically expanded for this tax year – up to $4,000 per child. It is also now fully refundable, meaning many low-income families can now receive it for the first time, and middle-income families can get a larger refund than ever before. Families can use the CDCTC for out-of-pocket expenses such as center-based care, summer school, or babysitters. Colorado families can claim the expanded CDCTC on their tax return. More information on the CDCTC is available here. 

Most Americans can file taxes for free through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Free File Program. Additionally, if a family’s income falls below $58,000, they can receive help filing taxes through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. Coloradans who qualify for help filing their taxes can visit Colorado VITA for assistance.  

The American Rescue Pan Act also expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). More information on eligibility for the CTC and EITC and how to claim the credits is available here.

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

February 23, 2022

Charleston, WV – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) led sixty-three bipartisan Senators in urging the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to continue supporting the Medicare Advantage program, which provides quality healthcare to more than 27 million seniors and individuals with disabilities. Approximately 43% of Medicare beneficiaries in West Virginia rely on Medicare Advantage plans for their healthcare.

The Senators said in part, “The Medicare Advantage program enables plans to take a holistic approach to care, including by addressing social determinants of health to meet seniors’ needs and improving health equity. Enrollees in the program benefit from out-of-pocket cost limits and plan options that can include access to telehealth services, in-home care, nutrition services, and transportation benefits to meet seniors’ individual needs. In fact, over 95 percent of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have access to meal services, telehealth, transportation, dental, fitness, vision, and hearing benefits. Access to these benefits and care provided under the Medicare Advantage program have helped enrollees stay healthy and safe throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure:

We write to express bipartisan support for the Medicare Advantage program and the high-quality, affordable care it provides to over 27 million older adults and people with disabilities. We appreciate the Administration’s ongoing commitment to preserve and strengthen the program, as demonstrated in the proposed CMS 2023 Medicare Advantage and Part D Advance Notice. As you consider annual updates for plan year 2023, we ask you to ensure that payment or policy changes allow Medicare Advantage plans to continue to provide the patient-centered care that 43 percent of Medicare-eligible Americans rely on every day.

The Medicare Advantage program enables plans to take a holistic approach to care, including by addressing social determinants of health to meet seniors’ needs and improving health equity. Enrollees in the program benefit from out-of-pocket cost limits and plan options that can include access to telehealth services, in-home care, nutrition services, and transportation benefits to meet seniors’ individual needs. In fact, over 95 percent of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have access to meal services, telehealth, transportation, dental, fitness, vision, and hearing benefits. Access to these benefits and care provided under the Medicare Advantage program have helped enrollees stay healthy and safe throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Medicare Advantage also consistently delivers high-quality care and value that provides beneficiaries with more coordinated access to enhanced benefits, innovative clinical care models, and greater financial protections. Currently, 90 percent of enrollees are in Medicare Advantage plans rated 4 or more Stars. Additionally, the program supports an increasingly diverse population with varied health and socioeconomic backgrounds. For 2022, 65 percent of MA enrollees are in zero- premium plans and the average monthly Medicare Advantage premiums will reach historically low premiums, even while the availability of supplemental benefits continue to increase.

For plan year 2023, we urge the Administration maintain stability within Medicare Advantage, including advancing flexible in-plan benefit offerings and promoting care coordination. We are committed to ensuring that our constituents who rely on Medicare Advantage enjoy the same access to affordable benefits in order to get the care they need, particularly as they navigate the persistent challenges of the pandemic. We look forward to partnering with you and working on behalf of the tens of millions of older adults and people with disabilities whose health and economic security are protected under this program.