Sen. Levin returns from Ukraine and Iraq

WASHINGTON -- Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., has returned from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Erbil, Iraq, where he met with senior officials in the Ukrainian government and the Kurdistan regional government.

"The Ukrainian nation and the Ukrainian military have shown determination in taking on separatists armed and organized by the Putin regime," Levin said. "Now they face an even greater threat, as Russian armed forces have entered eastern Ukraine in significant numbers with heavy weapons."

Levin  further stated: "The Kurdish Peshmerga, a guerrilla force built to resist the oppressive Saddam Hussein regime, is now adapting itself to take on a new and different kind of enemy in the brutal Islamic State of Iraq and Syria."

"Both the Ukrainians and the Kurds have shown the will to fight in their own defense.  Both want and deserve our support," Levin stated. "I believe it is very much in our interest to provide them the weapons and assistance they need to defend themselves against the serious threats that they and we face."

In Kyiv, Senator Levin met with Foreign Minister Klimkin; Defense Minister Heletey; the head of the Ukrainian security services; and the acting head of the National Security and Defense Council.

In Erbil, Senator Levin met with Kurdish President Barzani; the head of the Kurdish National Security Council; the Director of the Kurdish Department of Foreign Relations; Deputy Prime Minister Talabani; and religious and civic leaders from Iraqi religious minority communities.

Levin, Stabenow hail final passage of bill to preserve Sleeping Bear wilderness land

Sleeping Bear Dunes. (File photo courtesy Sen. Carl Levin's office)

WASHINGTON, DC --  On March 4, 2014, Michigan Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow welcomed final House passage of a bill they introduced to protect more than 30,000 acres of wilderness at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan in Leelanau County and Benzie County.

The Dunes rise more than 400 feet above Lake Michigan. This National Lakeshore includes 65 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and numerous inland lakes and streams.

House passage of S.23, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act, which Levin and Stabenow introduced in 2013, sends the bill to President Obama for his signature. The Senate passed the bill in June 2013.

"Final passage of this legislation is good news for all of us who cherish the matchless beauty and the ecological importance of Sleeping Bear Dunes," Levin said. "The local community has worked long and hard to preserve this valuable wilderness while ensuring that visitors can access and appreciate it, and I am pleased that the House has followed the Senate to preserve this important part of Michigan’s heritage."

The legislation culminates 13 years of efforts by the local community, the National Park Service and Congress to update the lakeshore’s general management plan and protect the park’s unique natural habitat from harmful development while enabling public access to its beaches, trails and streams.

"I’m glad the House has joined us in recognizing the importance of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This designation will protect their breathtaking beauty for generations to come," Stabenow said. "The Dunes bring 1.2 million visitors a year to Michigan from across the country. By designating this wilderness land, we are helping promote one of our state's top Pure Michigan tourist attractions and protecting an integral part of our Great Lakes."

Sen. Levin comments on Great Lakes invasive species study

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, made the following statement today about the release of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study into the movement of invasive species into the Great Lakes:

"I welcome the arrival today of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Inter-basin Study prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The report provides a framework for stopping the movement of destructive invasive species, including Asian carp, between the two basins. With a $7 billion fishery at stake, it is urgent that we do everything we can to curb the threat of invasive species, and this report will help Congress determine how to provide the most effective protections for the Great Lakes. I look forward to working with my colleagues and other stakeholders in achieving that goal."

According to an Associated Press article posted and updated today, Jan. 6, 2014, the report includes "construction projects in Chicago waterways that could cost more than $18 billion and take 25 years to complete."*

* See "Army Corps proposes alternatives to protect lakes" on theitem.com.

Sen. Levin: statement on President Obama’s announcement on using military force against Syria

WASHINGTON –- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement today, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, after the president’s announcement that he will seek congressional support for the use of military force in response to the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons:

"The president made a strong case today, and wisely chose to seek congressional support, even though he believes he is not required by law to do so. A congressional vote to authorize the use of force would strengthen the president’s decision to take military action. It is important that the president is seeking support and participation from other countries, including Arab countries.

"I have again urged the president to use this time to help the Syrian people defend themselves by assisting vetted elements of the Syrian opposition in obtaining more effective weapons such as anti-tank weapons."

Sen. Levin's statement on consultations with Obama administration on Syria

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement on his consultations today with the Obama administration on the situation in Syria:

"I again expressed my view that the United States should not undertake a kinetic strike before the U.N. inspectors complete their work, and that the impact of such a strike would be weakened if it does not have the participation and support of a large number of nations, including Arab nations. I also urged the Administration to send a powerful message to the Assad regime by immediately getting lethal aid to vetted elements of the Syrian opposition. Doing so can change the balance militarily and also contribute to a political solution in Syria."

Levin, Kirk introduce bipartisan legislation to protect the Great Lakes; Levin comments on June 26 Supreme Court rulings

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Carl Levin was one of a group of Great Lakes senators who today introduced bipartisan legislation to authorize a comprehensive array of programs to protect the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Ecological and Economic Protection Act (GLEEPA) would address invasive species, speed cleanup of contaminated sediments, protect fragile Great Lakes habitat and improve water quality for the more than 40 million people who get their drinking water from the Great Lakes.

The lead sponsors of the bill are Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., co-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. Additional sponsors are Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.; Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

"The Great Lakes are essential to the health, safety and economic prospects of millions of people in Michigan and the entire region," Sen. Levin said. "But toxic contamination, invasive species such as Asian carp, fouled coastlines and compromised habitats present an enormous challenge that requires sustained, coordinated effective action -- action our legislation is designed to spur."

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill, joined Democratic senators sponsoring the bill.

"Protecting the Great Lakes means preventing the spread of invasive species, the dumping of harmful pollutants, and ensuring they remain a clean source of drinking water for 30 million Americans," said Sen. Kirk. "The Great Lakes economy supports over 1.5 million jobs, and I am proud to join Senator Levin in introducing this bill to improve the quality of the Great Lakes for future generations." *

Levin and Kirk introduced similar legislation in 2012.

GLEEPA would do the following:

• Formally authorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a multi-agency effort President Obama initiated in 2009 to focus on the most pressing challenges to the lakes, including invasive species, toxic contamination and run-off pollution;

• Reauthorize the Great Lakes Legacy Act program, which supports removal of contaminated sediments at more than 30 sites; and the Great Lakes Program Office of the Environmental Protection Agency; and

• Establish an interagency task force, supported by an advisory board, to ensure efficient coordination of federal programs, efficient use of taxpayer dollars and close coordination among local, state and federal governments in the United States and Canada.

* Editor's Note: Recently Sen. Kirk joined Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., in the Senate and Illinois U.S. Congressmen Daniel Lipinski, D-Western Springs, and Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield, to introduce the Great Lakes Water Protection Act, which would end sewage dumping, a primary contributing factor to beach closures, in the Great Lakes by 2033. The Great Lakes Water Protection Act increases fines to up to $100,000 a day per violation and provides communities 20 years to upgrade their sewage treatment facilities. Currently, fines are capped at $37,500 per day.

Levin statement on today’s Supreme Court Rulings

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., made the following statement today, June 26:

"Today’s Supreme Court rulings are victories for equality and for simple human dignity. I favored repeal of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) because it falls short of its ideal of equality under the law. The Supreme Court’s recognition of that truth is in keeping with our best traditions and will give millions of Americans the legal protections to which they are fully entitled under our Constitution. I’m hopeful that our nation’s centuries-long march toward equality will continue to move forward."

Update from Sen. Levin on letter received at Saginaw office

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., released the following statement today to update the public on the situation at his Saginaw office:

"Law enforcement officials are performing tests on the suspicious letter that was delivered to my Saginaw office. We do not expect to learn at least a preliminary result of those tests until late tonight or tomorrow. The staffer who discovered the letter is being kept overnight at a local hospital for precautionary reasons, but has no symptoms. We do not know yet if the letter has any connection to suspicious mail sent to other public officials. I want to repeat how grateful I am to local, state and federal authorities who reacted so quickly and professionally, and especially to my Saginaw staff for being so vigilant.

"As a precaution, my Saginaw office will remain closed until further notice. Residents who would ordinarily contact my Saginaw office should contact my office in Detroit at (313) 226-6020."

Energy Committee approves Levin-Stabenow bill to preserve 32,000 acres of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Michigan's Sleeping Bear Dunes. (Photo courtesy Sen. Carl Levin's office)

WASHINGTON -- Legislation authored by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and co-sponsored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., to preserve more than 32,000 acres of Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore as wilderness, while providing important access to the lakeshore’s recreational opportunities and cultural resources, achieved an important milestone recently with its unanimous approval by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Introduced in January, the legislation was referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee for action. Stabenow, a member of the committee, led the effort to get the committee to consider and pass the bill.

"The lakeshore celebrates nature’s wonders -- the magnificent sand dunes, sweeping vistas, fantastic beaches, and peaceful woodlands and pastures," Levin said. "This bill is vital for protecting natural areas while enabling important access to recreational and cultural resources. I am encouraged the Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved this legislation early this Congress and I hope for swift passage in the Senate."

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., participates in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, Aug. 12, 2011. (Photo courtesy Sen. Carl Levin's office)*

"Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is one of the most beautiful places in America, and we must ensure it stays that way," said Stabenow. "Every year, the park attracts 1.2 million hikers, hunters, fishermen, birdwatchers, and other visitors. With the designation of this wilderness land, we are preserving access to the sights, sounds and beauty of the Lakeshore while promoting one of our state's top tourist attractions."

The legislation culminated 13 years of efforts by the local community, the National Park Service and Congress to update the lakeshore’s general management plan and protect the park’s unique natural habitat from harmful development while enabling public access to its beaches, trails and streams. Most of these areas have been managed as wilderness since 1982 when Congress passed a law that required the National Park Service to manage them as such until Congress acts upon a new recommendation.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act was the product of an extensive public engagement process to redefine the areas managed as wilderness within the 71,000-acre lakeshore. The plan reflects a balanced approach to conservation, recreation, and historic preservation; and it has the support of community groups, local government agencies, the National Park Service and environmental and historical preservation groups.

Under the legislation, areas designated as wilderness are undeveloped and possess significant and valuable natural characteristics. Developed county roads and state highways, boat launches and many historical structures are excluded from the wilderness designation to maintain access and recreational opportunities and ensure preservation and interpretation of historical resources.  Hunting, fishing, trail use and camping would continue. Motor boats would still be allowed offshore of the dunes, and allowed to beach in areas adjacent to the wilderness area.

Similar legislation introduced by Levin and co-sponsored by Stabenow in 2011 passed the Senate in December 2012, but the House of Representatives did not take action on the bill.

* Click here to read about the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.

Sen. Levin on Fiscal Cliff agreement

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- U.S. Sen. Carl Levin issued this statement on the recent Fiscal Cliff agreement in Congress:

"It was essential that Congress avoid the highly damaging effects of going over the fiscal cliff. Inaction would have threatened to throw us back into a recession, and that was clearly unacceptable. So while I would have preferred an agreement that better addressed our historical shortfall in revenues, passing an imperfect agreement was far better than the alternative of returning to recession.

"But the harsh reality is that we have delayed only for two months the damaging automatic spending cuts called sequestration. As we seek in the coming months a more comprehensive approach to avoid sequestration, one that will require both prudent spending cuts and additional revenues, it is imperative that we focus on the hundreds of billions of dollars lost to tax avoidance schemes. Closing offshore tax loopholes and ending corporate tax avoidance gimmicks will help us avoid the harmful automatic cuts to important domestic and national security priorities and make the tax system fairer."

Sen. Levin: Republican budget cuts would hurt seniors on Medicare, Head Start and college students, funding for environmental protection, more ...

Sen. Carl Levin's Senate Floor Statement on Republican Budget Proposals
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Mr. President, our nation faces enormous and worrisome fiscal challenges. There is no question we must reduce our budget deficit in the medium-term and prepare for a longer-term future in which an aging population stresses Medicare and Social Security funds. And we face, at the beginning of January, the prospect of automatic, unprioritized, and unwise budget cuts that would do tremendous harm to just about every program in the government, from domestic programs to our military, and would in the process threaten our economic recovery.

The way to address those enormous challenges is by coming together to address the sources of our budget deficit. The solutions must include prudent, prioritized spending cuts. They will undoubtedly include reforms to entitlement programs to ensure their long-term viability. And, as just about any objective observer has repeatedly pointed out, the solutions must include restoration of revenues lost to the Treasury through unjustified tax cuts for the wealthiest and unjustified tax loopholes.... Click here to read the rest of Sen. Levin's statement today in the Senate.

Sen. Levin: Senate Floor Statement on the Paying a Fair Share Act

Posted April 16, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC -- Mr. President, one of the unfortunate characteristics of the American economy for the last few decades has been the rising gap between upper and middle-income Americans. Increasingly, those in the upper echelons of income and wealth have seen their fortunes rise, while the vast majority of Americans have coped with stagnant income and increasing insecurity. In recent decades, most families have had to cope with a reduced ability to afford the things middle-class Americans once took for granted -- a comfortable home, college educations for the kids, and a secure retirement. At the same time, incomes have risen remarkably for those at the very top of the income scale. Today, by some measures, income inequality is greater in our country than at any time since just before the Great Depression.

This should worry us all. It should worry us because a way of life has become endangered. That way of life -- one in which, if you work hard, play by the rules and plan for the future, you and your family will prosper -- came to be known as the "American way." But increasingly, the American way has been replaced by one in which the very wealthy do well while everyone else struggles. Instead of all boats rising together, it is the yachts that have risen -- good economy or bad -- while all the other boats have been stuck in place and taking on water.

Today we have a chance to begin the work of closing that income gap between the wealthiest Americans and the middle class. We can, by adopting this motion to proceed, begin the debate on how best to address the worrisome and growing gap. But that debate cannot begin unless our colleagues on the Republican side agree to allow it to begin....

Click here to read the rest of Sen. Levin's Senate Floor Statement.

Sen. Levin urges Senate to close loophole that gives Facebook a $3 billion tax break

WASHINGTON -- On the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., urged his colleagues to close a tax loophole that gives Facebook a $3 billion tax break. Levin has introduced a bill along with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., that would close the loophole. Here is an excerpt from Sen. Levin's speech, which is posted in its entirety on his Web site:

There has been a great deal of conversation recently about the need to close tax loopholes. This is a welcome development for those of us who have gone after these loopholes for years.

It is particularly timely as the public is focusing more and more on how tax loopholes distort economic incentives and often benefit the wealthiest among us at the expense of most U.S. taxpayers.

Last week, President Obama released a framework for business tax reform that took aim at many corporate tax loopholes. I look forward to working with the administration and with my colleagues in the Senate to make real reform a reality -- reform that brings greater fairness to the tax code, eliminates incentives for moving jobs and assets overseas, restores revenue lost to unjustified tax loopholes, and helps us reduce the deficit without damaging vital programs for education, transportation, health care and national security.

One recent and very public announcement illustrates dramatically our tax code’s distortions and the need for reform. At the center of this story is Facebook and its founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg....

Click here to read the rest of Sen. Levin's speech.