About Debbie

The Muskegon Chronicle says Debbie Stabenow “has done good work for the people of Michigan, especially workers and middle-class folks.” The Detroit Free Press says she “works hard and is focused on the issues that matter to Michigan.” The Detroit News called her “a steadfast advocate for agriculture.” And the Flint Journal says “She understands issues important to Michigan.”

It's no wonder.  Because for our United States Senator, Debbie Stabenow, all that matters is continuing to stand up for Michigan families.

Born in Gladwin and raised in Clare, where her family ran the local Oldsmobile dealership and her mom was a nurse, Senator Stabenow is relentlessly focused on a stronger, more innovative future for Michigan’s economy.

Thanks to her efforts and partnership with our state's industry leaders, Michigan companies are building advanced batteries for the cars and trucks of the future. And Senator Stabenow coauthored legislation to cut taxes for businesses that produce alternative-energy products, like wind turbines and solar panels, right here in Michigan. 

This year, she rose to Chair the Senate Agriculture Committee -- the first leader from Michigan to chair that committee since 1889. She is using her new position to help expand Michigan agriculture, which already accounts for one out of every four Michigan jobs. She is focused on innovative new opportunities that bring together agriculture and manufacturing: assembling farm equipment, bio-based manufacturing, and developing the next-generation of biofuels.

A forceful voice for Michigan families, Senator Stabenow is leading the charge to crack down on China’s trade violations that steal Michigan jobs and to end tax breaks for American companies that ship our jobs overseas. She’s written legislation to ban the federal government from buying Chinese products until the Chinese government agrees to buy products from American companies. And she is leading the effort to crack down on China’s currency manipulation, which hurts American companies and costs us jobs.

Debbie Stabenow has deep roots in Michigan. She first got inspired to run for public office while working to save a local nursing home that was scheduled to close. She ran for the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, and was elected Chair of the commission just two years later. She served in the Michigan State House and State Senate before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. She made history in 2000 when she became the first woman from Michigan elected to the United States Senate.

The first bill she passed in the Senate was a ban on oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes. She is leading bipartisan efforts to stop the invasion of Asian carp into the Great Lakes and has called on the Obama administration to develop an action plan to permanently separate the Chicago waterways from Lake Michigan. She negotiated an historic agreement with the Government of Ontario to stop 40,000 trash trucks that were coming into Michigan every year, and she wrote a bill to increase inspection fees to stop the rest of the Canadian trash from being dumped in Michigan.

The daughter of a World War II veteran, Senator Stabenow has been a longtime advocate for the 700,000 veterans living in Michigan. She led the effort to open new veterans’ clinics in Mackinaw City, Cadillac, Alpena, and Clare, and authored legislation to protect funding for veterans’ health. She supported the 21st Century GI Bill, which provides education benefits for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and new programs to help those veterans with traumatic brain injuries or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

She was one of only a handful of Democrats to vote against the 2008 Wall Street bailout, and supported landmark financial reform legislation that bans future bailouts and imposes tough new rules on Wall Street banks. She believes that small businesses are the key to job growth, and helped pass the Small Business Jobs Bill, which cut taxes for small businesses and increased their access to capital. She wrote the law passed earlier this year cutting unnecessary regulation and red tape for 820,000 small businesses in Michigan.

Her accomplishments and strong constituent services are reflected in the diversity of those who support her. From traditional Democratic support among working men and women, to support from Michigan’s top business leaders, small business owners, agricultural producers, veterans and law enforcement, Senator Stabenow has earned the support of people and families across the state.

Senator Stabenow lives in Lansing and has two grown children, Todd and Michelle; a daughter-in-law, Sara; a son-in-law, Scott; and two grandchildren.