{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/photos-peters-highlights-bipartisan-law-to-expand-financial-assistance-for-maritime-cadets-at-northwestern-michigan-colleges-great-lakes-maritime-academy", "PHOTOS: Peters Highlights Bipartisan Law to Expand Financial Assistance for Maritime Cadets at Northwestern Michigan College\u2019s Great Lakes Maritime Academy", "2023-08-01", "2023", "2023-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "MI", "Gary C. Peters", "P000595", "www.peters.senate.gov", "garypeters", "https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "TRAVERSE CITY, MI \u2013 U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, spoke today at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Northwestern Michigan College to spotlight his bipartisan legislation recently signed into law by President Biden. Peters\u2019 Changing Age-Determined Eligibility to Student Incentive Payments (CADETS) Act expands the Student Incentive Payment Program eligibility age for financial assistance to cadets who attended one of the six State Maritime Academies and commit to a post-graduation service obligation to include any qualified student who will meet the age requirements for enlistment in the U.S. Navy Reserve at their time of graduation. In return for their commitment to serve, cadets can now receive up to $32,000 in this incentive payment funding over four years to help offset the cost of tuition, uniforms, books, and living costs as a result of Peters\u2019 legislation. The Great Lakes Maritime Academy \u2013 one of the six national academies \u2013 is based at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City.\n\nDuring his visit, Peters was joined by Northwestern Michigan College President Dr. Nick Nissley and Superintendent of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy Rear Admiral Gerard Achenbach, Ed.D.\n\n\u201cMore maritime cadets, like those at our Great Lakes Maritime Academy, will be able to receive a quality, affordable education now that the CADETS Act is law\u201d said Senator Peters. \u201cThe CADETS Act will not only incentivize these cadets to serve after graduation but will strengthen our national security and economy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe CADETS Act will go a long way to making education more accessible and meeting workforce needs,\u201d said Dr. Nick Nissley, President of Northwestern Michigan College. \u201cWe appreciate the hard work of our lawmakers to advocate for this important change.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf not for Senator Peters\u2019 leadership, the CADETS Act would not have been passed. Thanks to Senator Peters\u2019 dedication, many more of Michigan\u2019s non-traditional students and military veterans will be able to attend the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and go on to serve their nation as Commissioned Officers in the Navy\u2019s Strategic Sealift Officers\u2019 Program, as well as licensed officers in the U.S. Merchant Marine,\u201d said Rear Admiral Gerard Achenbach, Ed.D, Superintendent of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. \u201cThe passage enactment of this Senator Peters\u2019 CADETS Act not only makes the Great Lakes Maritime Academy an affordable option for a greater number of Michigan residents, it also addresses the current U.S. mariner shortage. In the short period of time that has elapsed since President Biden signed the CADETS Act, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy has already identified several two cadets who will benefit from this legislation.\u201d\n\nPreviously, Student Incentive Payment Program age requirements prohibit cadets older than 25 from participating in the program. State Maritime Academies have programs to recruit former military veterans and service members, but most of these cadets are too old to qualify for this funding. As a result, older students\u2014many of whom are veterans\u2014therefore do not qualify for this program due to their age. Peters\u2019 CADETS Act expands the eligibility age to include any qualified student who will meet the age requirements for enlistment in the U.S. Navy Reserve at their time of graduation, and ensure that high-performing, non-traditional cadets can receive this funding.\n\nThe U.S. maritime industry contributes $2.8 billion annually to the Michigan economy and employs more than 12,000 Michiganders.\n\nIn the U.S. Senate, Peters has been a strong advocate for the United States\u2019 maritime military institutions as well as the maritime sector. Peters is Chairman of the Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Peters was recognized by the Navy Supply Corps Foundation Board of Directors as the 60th Navy Supply Corps Foundation Distinguished Alumnus. In 2018, Peters\u2019 legislation to reauthorize the Maritime Administration \u2013 the federal agency responsible for promoting and maintaining a strong U.S. commercial maritime industry \u2013 was signed into law. The legislation required a competitiveness study to make recommendations for improving the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway system\u2014one of the most heavily traveled waterways in the United States\u2014and increased training opportunities for United States Merchant Marine Academy cadets.\n\nTo download photos from the visit, click here or on the images below. Images are courtesy of Senator Peters\u2019 office.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:30:18Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.peters.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/photos-peters-highlights-bipartisan-law-to-expand-financial-assistance-for-maritime-cadets-at-northwestern-michigan-colleges-great-lakes-maritime-academy"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0186219587922096, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}