August 2012 Newsletter
Issues Update
In recent weeks, Sen. Levin supported Senate passage of legislation that would prevent a tax increase on middle-class families; helped open an important new Michigan National Guard facility; supported a bill that would end tax breaks for companies that move U.S. jobs overseas; explained how the actions of a major global bank were a threat to U.S. national and economic security; and welcomed new funding that will help build important Michigan infrastructure.
Senate votes to preserve middle-class tax relief
"The Senate has taken an important step toward ensuring that middle-class families do not face a tax increase at the end of this year, and in the process, has dealt a blow to a failed policy that emphasized tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans as the cure for our economy. The Senate voted to approve legislation to prevent a tax increase on taxpayers making $250,000 a year or less. Some of my Senate colleagues had opposed this legislation, saying they would prevent it from coming to a vote unless we included the wealthiest 2 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $250,000. In the end, those senators ended their obstruction. The Senate rejected a plan that would have continued tax cuts for the wealthy and approved the bill I supported to prevent an end-of-the-year tax increase on middle-class families."
Read Sen. Levin's newspaper column on this important victory for the middle class »
Read Sen. Levin's Senate floor speech in support of the bill »
Sen. Levin visits National Guard, key environmental project
Sen. Levin crisscrossed the state in August. He helped to open an important Michigan National Guard maintenance facility at Fort Custer near Battle Creek; visited the site of an important milestone in the Boardman River Dam Removal Project near Traverse City; met with researchers helping to protect Michigan from damaging invasive species; honored history-making Marines who helped end racial segregation in the U.S. armed forces; and toured a facility that helps our wounded warriors fight traumatic brain injury.
View a slideshow of Sen. Levin's August travels across the state »
More news from Senator Levin
- Sen. Levin called for passage of Sen. Debbie Stabenow's Bring Jobs Home Act, which would end tax subsidies for companies that move jobs overseas and provide incentives to return production to the United States.
- Sen. Levin explained how poor money-laundering controls at global bank HSBC exposed the U.S. financial system to abuse by criminals and rogue regimes such as Iran.
- He and Sen. Stabenow welcomed Senate confirmation of Judge Gershwin Drain to a U.S. District Court vacancy in Detroit.
- He and Sen. Stabenow led a bipartisan group of senators in calling for greater funding for maintenance of the nation's harbors.
- He welcomed a number of funding announcements that will help improve transportation in Michigan, including grants to help replace aging buses across the state; to build a new train and bus station in East Lansing; to make important improvements at Pellston's airport; and to build the next phase of the Sleeping Bear HeritageTrail.
- He welcomed federal grants to battle homelessness in Southeast Michigan and in Kalamazoo.
- He called for renewal of the federal assault weapons ban in the wake of a tragic mass shooting in Colorado.