U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship on Monday, June 9, given to the members of Congress who work with their opposite party to craft legislation.
Upton, Peters and 28 other members of Congress were given the award. The Chamber gave Upton a 97 percent bipartisanship score and Peters a 91 percent bipartisanship score.
Upton is a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House, which is comprised of 25 House Republicans and 25 House Democrats. The caucus meets weekly, and often introduces legislation as a group.
In a statement, Upton credited bipartisanship as being the solution to many of the nation’s issues.
“When the two parties work together in Washington, the result is solutions that win for the American people. That’s why it is such an honor to receive the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship along with a number of my colleagues,” he said. “To continue moving our country forward, we need to come together – Democrats and Republicans alike.
“I’ve long said that folks here in southwest Michigan don’t care if you have an ‘R’ or a ‘D’ next to your name – they just want you to work in the best interest of their families and communities. That’s what I have always done and always will do.”
Peters, a Democrat in the Senate, echoed Upton, saying bipartisanship is a driving force behind many of the nation’s solutions.
“There is no question that the only way to solve problems and deliver results for Michigan is through working in a bipartisan manner,” Peters said. “I’m humbled to receive the Jefferson-Hamilton Award for Bipartisanship and will continue finding common ground in order to address issues that matter to families all across our state, including to support small businesses, manufacturing, apprenticeship and skills training programs and our Great Lakes.”