LEGISLATOR US Senator (D-MI)

IN OFFICE CONTACT

Up for re-election in 2020 Email Contact Form http://www.peters.senate. 1st Term gov/content/contact-gary Elected in 2014 Web www.peters.senate.gov SENIORITY RANK http://www.peters.senate. 89 gov

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DC Office 724 Hart Senate Office Building

BGOV BIOGRAPHY

By Jim Myers, Bloomberg News For Gary Peters, the economic well-being of his home state, including its key industry, has been a motivating force in his political career. Peters, who was co-chairman of the House Automotive Caucus in the 113th Congress, routinely promotes his support for the 2009 bail-out of the auto industry. “Today, the Big Three are roaring back, creating new jobs in , and driving our economic recovery,” according to his campaign website. Peters also touts the need to bolster . “We can’t have a great state of Michigan without a very strong and vibrant city of Detroit,” he said in his campaign announcement for the Senate. Peters decided to give up his House seat and try for the Senate when six-term incumbent announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2014. Peters describes Levin as a role model, and the incumbent, in turn, endorsed him. A former financial adviser with advanced degrees in philosophy, law and business, Peters is known as a policy wonk on Capitol Hill. He’s also been riding motorcycles since he was 11 and took his Harley-Davidson out for a spin at a motorcycle festival in Muskegon during his Senate campaign, according to MSNBC. Peters has been a member of the New Democrat Coalition, which bills itself as “the largest group of moderates in Congress.” In 2010, he issued a press release proudly pointing to the fact that National Journal had rated him the most moderate

© 2015 Bloomberg Finance L.P. All Rights Reserved In 2010, he issued a press release proudly pointing to the fact that National Journal had rated him the most moderate member of the Michigan House delegation. Peters has taken a conservative approach to his office expenses, which he says he had kept low enough to turn back nearly $500,000 to the government. He voted for the and defends the law as making health care more affordable and accessible for many. At the same time, Peters said the law needs to be amended to allow families to keep their existing plans. Delaying penalties for both individuals and businesses are among other needed fixes, he says. “America needs more than just a sick-care system,” his campaign website states. “We need to move towards a results- driven, sustainable, health care system that puts the well-being of our families first.” His other goals include a legislative response to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act and changes to the tax code to keep more jobs from being moved overseas. A supporter of organized labor, Peters opposed in 2011 free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia. Peters says he used his seat on the House Financial Services Committee to hold accountable the “bad actors” on he blames for the 2008 recession. In addition to leading the fight to recoup their “bailout bonuses” funded by taxpayer money, Peters says he was one of 10 House Democrats to serve on a Wall Street Reform Conference Committee that played a central role in shaping the Dodd Frank financial overhaul law. He joined with California Republican John Campbell on legislation that would require mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to implement a principal-reduction program to help people whose homes are now worth less than what they owe. Peters said Congress can deal with budget constraints without compromising important programs for middle-class families and seniors. Peters supports same-sex marriage and legislation to end job discrimination against gays. He was one of the sponsors of legislation that would bar for-profit firms with group plans from using religious beliefs to deny their employees coverage of health services required by federal law. The bill was in response to the Supreme Court decision in the Hobby Lobby case that closely held companies can refuse on religious grounds to offer birth-control coverage to their workers. He supports abortion rights and has belonged to the Pro-Choice Caucus in the House. Early Years Peters was raised in the Detroit suburb of Rochester, where his father was a teacher and his mother worked at a local nursing home and was a union organizer. He graduated from with a bachelor’s degree in political science and earned an MBA from the University of Detroit Mercy, a master’s in philosophy from Michigan State University and a law degree from Law School. For 22 years, Peters worked as an investment adviser. He joined the U.S. Navy Reserve in his 30s and attained the rank of lieutenant commander. Peters served in the Persian Gulf during Operation Southern Watch, which enforced a no-fly zone in following Desert Storm in 1991. He has taught courses at Wayne State, Oakland and Central Michigan universities. Political Path His political experience includes service on the Rochester Hills City Council in the early 1990s and in the Michigan state Senate from 1995 to 2002. Peters was appointed commissioner of the Michigan State Lottery Bureau, which, according to his House website, “generated a record amount of funding for our public schools.” He ran for state attorney general in 2002, losing narrowly. He was first elected to the House in 2008, when he defeated Republican incumbent . In 2012, after redistricting put his home in the district represented by fellow Democrat Sandy Levin, Peters elected to run in the neighboring 14th District. That put him up against freshman Representative in a five-candidate Democratic primary. Peters finished first, beating Clarke by more than 10,000 votes; in November’s general election, he breezed to victory with 82 percent of the vote in the strongly Democratic district.

© 2015 Bloomberg Finance L.P. All Rights Reserved Updated Oct. 9, 2014

BIO FROM REPRESENTATIVE'S WEBSITE

From the Senator's Website Gary C. Peters, a Senator and a former U.S. Representative from Michigan; born in Pontiac, Oakland County, Mich., December 1, 1958; B.A., Alma College, Alma, Mich., 1980; M.B.A., University of Detroit, Detroit, Mich., 1985; J.D., Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich., 1989; M.A., Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., 2007; Navy Reserve, 1993-2000, 2001-2005; investment banker; professor, , Rochester, Mich.; member, Rochester Hills, Mich., city council, 1991-1992; member of the Michigan State Senate, 1995-2002; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Eleventh and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2009-present).

PERSONAL PROFILE

COMMITTEES Birthdate 12/01/1958 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS Senate Committee on Homeland Education Security and Governmental Affairs Birthplace Pontiac, MI

Senate Committee on Small Political Party Democratic Party Michigan State University Business and Entrepreneurship Master's Degree 2007 Senate Committee on Commerce, Marital Status Married Science, and Transportation Alma College Spouse Colleen Ochoa Joint Economic Committee Bachelor's Degree 1980 Joint Congressional-Executive Family 3 children Commission on University of Detroit Mercy CAUCUSES Mba 1984 Senate Payments Innovation Caucus Wayne State University Senate New Democrat Coalition JD 1989

Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus Professor, Central Michigan University 1980 - 1989 Assistant Vice President, Lynch & CO Inc 1989 - 2003 Vice President, Ubs/Paine Webber 1991 - 1993 Council Member, City of Rochester Hills MI 1993 - 2005 Reserve 1995 - 2002 State Senator, (MI)Senate 2003 - 2007 Lottery Commissioner, State of Michigan 2003 Chief Administrative Officer, State of Michigan Bureau of Investments 01-03- 2009 - 01-03-2015 Representative:Michigan, (US)House of Representatives 01-03-2015 - Present Senator:Michigan, (US)Senate

© 2015 Bloomberg Finance L.P. All Rights Reserved