WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), is pressing the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) for confirmation that whistleblowers will remain protected from retribution. In a committee hearing, King secured agreement from Michael Tierney, Nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP), that whistleblower protections will be left intact at the VA... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), is cosponsoring legislation to crack down on fraudulent activity that attempts to exploit veterans’ hard-earned benefits. The Stopping Abuse, Fraud, and Exploitation by Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (SAFEGUARD) Veterans Act would clarify that only accredited individuals can assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit claims, reinstating... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), questioned an administration nominee on his independence and integrity – stressing that the nation’s most significant national security mistakes occur when “biased” information is given to leaders. In a SSCI open hearing on the nomination of Mr. Michael Vance to be Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research (I&R), Vance first stated that he would act... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After urging the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to initiate a probe into the Free File program, a current partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and private tax preparation companies, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR), secured confirmation from GAO Acting Managing Director David Pownerthat it will launch a new investigation into the problematic program. The probe comes amidst the Trump administration’s... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has ignited a national conversation over a simple and common-sense way to prevent household injuries for older Americans while also saving taxpayers billions of dollars. In fact, his proposal advocating for bathmats is approaching nearly 10 million views across several social media platforms and garnering significant media discussion. In a special hearing of the Senate Committee on Aging focused on falls prevention last week, Senator King used the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King spoke with retired U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Leo J. Deon, Jr. of Industry, Maine. Deon served at various military posts in Massachusetts, Florida, Ohio, Guam, and New... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on Memorial Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Veterans’ Affairs Committees (SVAC) released the following statement in remembrance of Maine’s – and all of America’s – fallen servicemembers: “One of our most solemn and important holidays in this country is Memorial Day. Sometimes we think of it as an opportunity to have a barbecue with our friends at the beginning of summer, but really it’s a time to remember... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange, click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) raised concerns over the “dangerous precedent” being set by a partisan Department of Defense (DoD) budget that suggests bypassing the normal appropriations process. King argued that defense budgets should not circumvent congressional authority, since the defense budget request has been split into a bipartisan bill and a separate one... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) joined his colleagues in seeking answers on the special-edition, politicization of the official U.S. passport. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, King and his colleagues asked for information on the State Department’s reported plans to issue 25,000 special passports featuring President Trump’s portrait in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. “We write to express our deep concern regarding the State... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) raised concerns over the possibility that the Navy is considering manufacturing ships outside of the United States. In a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing including Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, King advocated for maintaining America’s domestic shipbuilding industry and resisted any efforts to build vessels outside of the country. The hearing comes after former Secretary of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), is cosponsoring legislation to ensure veterans benefits are adjusted to reflect the increasing cost of living. The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2026 would increase certain veteran’s benefits – including disability compensation, clothing allowances, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children – to reflect rising everyday costs.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), questioned a top military general on the reduction of non-military power in Africa and the impact that has had on the expansion of global terrorism. In his exchange with United States Air Force General Dagvin Anderson, Commander of United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) in a hearing centered on the Department’s Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027, King argued... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) raised concerns after the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) recently directed the Togus VA Medical Center in Maine to make cuts to vacant positions. Among those cut were vacant police officer positions, which the medical center had been prevented from filling while the positions underwent reclassification reviews by the VA. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), King asked VA Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) raised concerns over the Administration’s proposed cuts to forest research, partnerships with state and tribal authorities, and maintenance of public lands. In a Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) committee hearing, King pressed Chief of the United States Forest Service (USFS) Tom Schultz on the rationale behind cutting vital forest services, drawing a contrast with the President’s White House... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) and Ranking Member of the National Parks Subcommittee, criticized the Administration for drastic cuts to the National Park Service’s budget. In an ENR committee hearing this week, King questioned Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on the rationale behind cutting the chronically-underfunded park service funding by a third when there is a history of a deferred maintenance... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today raised concerns regarding the administration’s decision to abandon Ukraine by zeroing out military and humanitarian support in this year’s Department of Defense (DoD) budget despite widespread American support for continued financial and military assistance. In the annual SASC committee hearing on the DoD’s fiscal year 2027 budget, King pressed the Under Secretary of Defense and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), both members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, are introducing bipartisan legislation that would require the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to develop a long-term workforce strategy to improve outcomes at the VA. The Optimizing the VA Workforce for Veterans Act would direct the VA to develop, maintain, and provide Congress with a strategic plan that aligns staffing levels with current and projected... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), today argued that current—and rising—oil and gas prices due to the war in Iran are demonstrating the economic value of a more diverse energy strategy that includes renewables. In a committee hearing, King pressed Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on the importance of expanding American energy resilience by... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Maine’s Congressional Delegation is calling on the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to immediately resolve its payment issue with a Maine contractor that serves island communities. In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden condemned USPS for failing to pay the Rockland-based Penobscot Island Air (PIA) more than $349,000 for mail-delivery service and demanded answers about why... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is joining 33 of his senate colleagues to raise concerns about harmful workforce reductions at the United States Forest Service (USFS). In a to USFS Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, the Senators expressed their disapproval of the announced reorganization of the USFS which would amount to cuts for forestry research and public and private forest management. “We write with strong... Continue Reading »
