LANSING -Michigan Senate Republicans continued to push an out-of-touch agenda today, focusing on political posturing to block gubernatorial appointments, including ones to important boards and commissions on civil rights, child abuse, disability concerns and domestic violence.

LANSING -Michigan Senate Democrats called for action today from the United States Congress to pass federal legislation to extend emergency unemployment benefits to help the nearly 408,000 unemployed workers in Michigan, including nearly 90,000 whose benefits are set to run out this week. Republicans in Washington have been filibustering and blocking efforts to extend emergency unemployment benefits.

LANSING, Mich.–– State Senators Ray Basham and Glenn S. Anderson praised the announcement that yesterday the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved a 15-year, 75.26-acre Renaissance Zone designation in the city of Romulus where one of A123 Systems’ lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities will be located. The project is expected to create up to 370 jobs and generate $131 million in private investment.

LANSING -Yesterday Senator Deb Cherry (D-Burton) and Senator John J. Gleason (D-Flushing) continued to fight for local communities and Michigan workers by opposing the Senate Republicans’ budget proposals that cut 4% from local revenue sharing, $4.5 million from No Worker Left Behind, and $46.1 million from the 21st Century Jobs Fund in the General Government and Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) budgets. Gleason and Cherry also opposed the Senate Republicans’ Department of Transportation budget that cut specialized services for the elderly and disabled and other important public transportation programs.

LANSING -Senate Democrats stood up for Michigan workers, police officers and fire fighters today and voted against the Senate Republicans’ budget proposals that cut $4.5 million from No Worker Left Behind, $46.1 million from the 21st Century Jobs Fund and 4% from local revenue sharing as part of the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) and General Government budgets. Senate Democrats also opposed the Senate Republicans’ Department of Transportation budget that cuts public transportation and specialized services for the elderly and disabled.

LANSING – Michigan Senate Democrats questioned the priorities of Senator Mike Bishop and the Senate Republicans today as they again overlooked bills to help Michigan workers and their families to push their political agenda instead. For the second time in the last week, Senate Republicans made blocking Governor Granholm’s gubernatorial appointees their top priority while the real issues of the people of this state go unaddressed.

LANSING – Michigan Senate Democrats took Majority Leader Mike Bishop to task today for wasting legislative time on political tricks instead of addressing legislation to help Michigan workers and their families.

LANSING – Michigan Senate Democrats continued to combat the negative impact of home foreclosure on Michigan families today with their effort to lower property taxes for homeowners in communities hit hard by foreclosure. The amendment to Senate Bill 395 would have required tax collectors to consider foreclosed homes in a neighborhood when determining property values and taxes. The amendment was defeated by the Republican Majority on a party line vote.

LANSING- Detroit Senate Democrats joined with their colleagues today and voted to pass Senate Resolution 115, which they all co-sponsored, that will ensure that local Michigan businesses and local Michigan workers will be the primary beneficiaries of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds allotted to the state.