Peters Secures Funding to Strengthen Educational Opportunities, Improve Health Outcomes for Michiganders in Senate Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped the Senate pass the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Peters secured funding in the bill that will support high-impact, local public projects across Michigan, including to support economic and workforce development initiatives, expand access to quality health care, and improve access to safe drinking water for Michigan families.

"This bipartisan, commonsense bill will advance critical health initiatives and improve health care access across Michigan," said Senator Peters. "I was also proud to secure provisions in the bill that support Michigan workforce training programs to help Michiganders obtain good-paying jobs, boost our state's economy, and support long-term growth."

The bill includes measures led and supported by Peters, including:

Expanding Workforce Development and Educational Opportunities

Strengthening Aerospace Education in Detroit: The bill includes $1 million for the Detroit Public Schools Community District to make technology upgrades at its Davis Aerospace Technical High School. This project would help the school increase enrollment and improve the workforce pipeline of skilled students.

Increasing Access to Aviation Training in Jackson County: Peters secured $500,000 in the bill for the Jackson County Airport. The funding will be used to bolster enrollment in its aviation technician training program, which is open to current high school students and recent graduates.

Developing Educational Opportunities for Veterans and Underserved Students: The bill includes $500,000 to help Grand Valley State University develop and expand educational opportunities for veterans and underserved students living in rural areas of Michigan.

Bolstering Lake Huron Research at Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU): Peters secured $1.5 million for SVSU. The funding will support equipment and technology upgrades for its Lake Huron Environmental Sciences Research Station, which will serve as the headquarters of the Saginaw Bay Environmental Sciences Institute, the Science and Sustainability Education Center, and the Mobile Sciences Laboratory. The equipment will advance research efforts including state-of-the-art beach bacteria monitoring and the formation of the first coordinated, long-term water quality program in the Saginaw Bay Watershed.

Expanding Access to Career Technical Education in Grand Rapids: Peters secured $750,000 for the Kent Intermediate School District's Career Tech Center. Funding will be used to increase enrollees at the Kent Career Tech Center (KCTC) and ensure all students have access to courses that prepare them for high-demand careers in fields such as health care, manufacturing, information technology, and skilled trades.

Bolstering Aviation Workforce Training at Western Michigan University (WMU): Peters secured $819,000 for WMU to purchase training equipment necessary to prepare qualified graduates for the aviation industry.

Training Washtenaw County Students for In-Demand Aviation Careers: Peters secured $985,000 in the bill to help expand Eastern Michigan University's aviation program, which will help boost enrollment and train the next generation of aviation professionals.

Improving Cybersecurity Education in the Upper Peninsula: Peters secured $606,000 for Northern Michigan University to construct an advanced cybersecurity classroom and laboratory. The project will upgrade the school's auto and truck cybersecurity educational program and add a mobile cybersecurity lab that can be brought to K-12 students.

Expanding Health Care Education and Job Training in Rural Communities: The bill includes $1,226,000 secured by Peters to help Central Michigan University increase opportunities for students in rural areas to gain education in the health care field using both in-person instruction and distanced educational technologies.

Improving Student Success at Macomb Community College: Peters secured $230,000 for Macomb Community College to support its Student Success Center. This funding will help further implement and scale up student tutoring and academic support to reduce achievement gaps and improve student success rates.

Strengthening Emergency Responder Workforce in Wayne County: The bill includes $750,000 to help the Downriver Community Conference train, upskill, and recruit new emergency response personnel in Wayne County.

Supporting Shiawassee County Career Readiness Center: Peters secured $267,000 for the Shiawassee Regional Education Service District. This funding will help upgrade equipment used in its Career and Technical Education training programs, helping to ensure students are prepared to fill good-paying, in-demand jobs with regional employers.

Bolstering Masonry Workforce Training in Wayne County: Peters secured $2 million for the Schoolcraft Community College District. The funding will be used in partnership with the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers to create a collaborative learning model to prepare students for a skilled trades career while earning college credit.

Improving Public Health and Access to Health Care, Strengthening Community Support Programs

Supporting Flint Families Impacted by Lead Contamination: The bill includes $5 million for the CDC's Lead Exposure Registry. This nationwide program supports the Flint Registry, which has helped deliver comprehensive health and support services to Genesee County residents impacted by lead contamination. Peters was a key champion and author of the Flint agreement which established the Flint Lead Registry in 2016. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Peters has consistently requested and advocated for robust federal funding for the registry through his role on the committee.

Addressing PFAS Exposure in Michigan Communities: Peters helped secure language in the bill expressing his concerns on the risks of PFAS exposure in communities across Michigan and the United States, and calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to continue to support mitigation efforts.

Combating Youth Opioid Addiction: Peters secured $3 million for the Youth Prevention and Recovery Initiative, a substance abuse program at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) that expands access to medication treatment for adolescents suffering from opioid addiction. Peters helped establish the program in 2018 and has introduced legislation that would reauthorize this critical program.

Supporting Michigan's Rural Hospitals: Peters secured a provision in the bill that will assist Michigan's rural hospitals hoping to enroll in the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) 340B Drug Pricing Program, which helps provide rural hospitals and health clinics with discounted prescription drugs. Certain 340B financial rules deem Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) ineligible for the program. To address this issue, Peters secured language that directs HHS to brief the committee on recommendations that can help hospitals better anticipate DSH program changes.

Protecting Heating Assistance for Michigan Families: The bill rejects the Trump Administration's calls to eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and funds the program at $4 billion. The program provides critical assistance to help families with young children, people with disabilities, and seniors pay their energy bills.

Improving Health Care Education in Mecosta County: Peters helped secure $1,950,000 in the bill for Ferris State University's Allied Health Science Facility. The funding will be used to upgrade the program's clinical and educational spaces, which will help improve health care outcomes in rural areas.

Strengthening Mental Health Support in Calhoun County: Peters secured $750,000 in the bill for the Calhoun County Community Mental Health Authority, which provides community-based mental health support for youth and families.

Supporting Local Educational Institutions Following Traumatic Events: The bill includes up to $6 million to support Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV), a Department of Education program that supports schools across the country in the aftermath of violent or traumatic events that impact students. Project SERV provided $707,600 to the Oxford Area Community School District following the horrific school shooting in November 2022.

Promoting Medical Nutrition Therapy: The bill includes language secured by Peters that seeks to develop and provide proper access to medical foods and nutrition that helps manage disease and improve health outcomes. The provision specifically requests that the Department of Health and Human Services develops a national action plan to raise awareness of Medical Nutrition Therapy, which has proven successful for improving disease management.

Expanding Access to Child Care in Montcalm County: The bill includes $50,000 to support Tri County Area Schools' Early Childhood Center Revitalization Project. The funding would help expand access to critically needed pre-school and early childhood special education in the community.

Reducing Preventable Injury: The bill includes $11 million for the CDC's Injury Control Research Center (ICRC). The University of Michigan hosts one of eleven ICRC's across the country, which help develop policy and programs aimed at reducing preventable injury at the local, state, and federal level.

Improving Workplace Compliance and Labor Standards: Peters secured $260 million in funding for the Department of Labor's Office of Wage and Hour Division, which aims to enhance the welfare of the nation's workforce and achieve compliance with safe labor standards.

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet