Congresswoman Debbie Stabenow is challenging incumbent Sen. Spencer Abraham in the 2000 race for U.S. Senate. While serving in the Michigan legislature and in Congress, Stabenow has been on the side of working men and women, voting for strong workplace safety measures, fair wages and benefits, unemployment compensation protections, and the right to organize and bargain collectively. Her brother is a member of Teamsters Local 580.

By Congresswoman Debbie Stabenow
Candidate for U.S. Senate

There is a lot at stake in this election and Michigan's working families deserve someone who will fight on their side in the United States Senate.

I will fight for targeted tax cuts that benefit working families, not wealthy special interests. I have a track record that has made a real difference for families - sponsoring Michigan's largest property tax cut; working to ensure that families, small business people and family farmers benefited from the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; and most recently, voting for elimination of the marriage tax penalty.

As a strong advocate for patient protections and a real Patients Bill of Rights, I am co-sponsoring legislation so that doctors, not insurance companies, make medical decisions affecting you and your family. It would eliminate insurance company "gag rules" which prohibit doctors from openly discussing treatment options with their patients.

One of my top priorities is fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs by providing a prescription drug benefit through Medicare.

I believe we must put first things first in the budget debate. That means using the budget surplus to protect Social Security and Medicare and getting our fiscal house in order by paying down the national debt.

Our children deserve to learn in safe, quality schools. I strongly support efforts to hire 100,000 new elementary school teachers to reduce class sizes. The HOPE scholarships and the Lifetime Learning Credits which I helped pass are now making college more affordable for Michigan families.

As Michigan's Senator, I will be fighting on your side every day.

I intend to take the kind of grassroots campaign I have run in the past across the State of Michigan - a campaign based on hard work, enthusiasm and the involvement of people from all walks of life. I ask for your support and involvement.

It will be my great honor to serve you in the United States Senate.