WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate Floor in support of the Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act, which would permanently authorize nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders. Though this legislation is not a part of the Senate opioid package that is expected to be taken up today, it was included in the House of Representatives’ version, and Senator King is hopeful it will be... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a panel featuring veterans’ healthcare experts and caregivers at the Portland Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). The panel included: Russell Armstead, Assistant Medical Center Director at the VA Maine Healthcare System; Tracy Charette, Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Togus VA Medical Center; David Richmond, Interim Director at Bureau of Veterans’ Services; Greg Marley, Clinical Director & Senior Trainer at Maine Chapter... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a founder and co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to allocate funding towards investing in broadband access for Maine’s underserved and rural areas by submitting a letter during RUS’s comment period. The RUS’s funding was included in the March 2018 omnibus, which was supported by Senator King in large part because Congress funded a $600 million broadband pilot... Continue Reading »
KENNEBUNK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) visited The Center for Seniors in Kennebunk to meet with members and discuss a number of issues facing Maine seniors. Throughout the conversation, Senator King touched on topics including Medicare, the high costs of prescription drugs, and the importance of finding solutions that help Maine people age in place. “I think all of us need to be concerned in this country about how much healthcare costs. We can talk about policy and... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced a total of $1,117,794 for Next Step Domestic Violence Project in Ellsworth and Caring Unlimited Corporation in Sanford. The funding was awarded through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program and Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program. “Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence should have access to every resource available to ensure their safety,” said... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – After their bipartisan amendment to require disclosure of prescription drug prices in television ads was removed from the Fiscal Year 2019 Defense-Labor-HHS-Education appropriations “minibus” bill in a last-minute, back room deal, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged their fellow members of Congress to stop caving to the wishes of Big Pharma. Durbin, Grassley, and... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded Congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to fund the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Defense (DoD). The package includes full funding for the VA Mission Act, a bipartisan effort that seeks to improve the availability and quality of care through the VA. The legislation, which passed the Senate last night and the House of Representatives this evening, now heads to the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his opposition to the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court. Senator King’s decision comes after careful deliberation, including reviewing Judge Kavanagh’s public opinions, statements and legal scholarship, attending much of his hearing before the Judiciary Committee despite not serving on the Committee, studying the documents the Judiciary Committee made available only to Members of the Senate, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that nine rural Maine businesses will receive a total of $431,725 in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to purchase, construct and install solar panels or mechanisms to convert wood into pellets. REAP’s grant program, entitled Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Loans and Grants, provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and... Continue Reading »
AUBURN, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) visited the Good Shepherd Food Bank, where he met with staff members to discuss the challenges facing Maine people who are struggling with the lack consistent access to heathy food due to lack of financial resources, often referred to as “food insecurity.” During the visit, Senator King also highlighted the important provisions for Maine in the Senate Farm Bill, which would boost Maine agriculture and protect important nutrition programs like... Continue Reading »
LEWISTON, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in honor of the 17th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks: “On this day seventeen years ago, Americans watched together in horror as terrorist attacks against our country claimed almost 3,000 innocent lives. In the days and weeks following the terror, our nation came together to grieve and honor those we had lost, and we were united by our sense of what it means to be an American... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – A new round of tariffs recently proposed by the Trump Administration to crack down on Chinese intellectual property theft could inadvertently cause significant financial harm to Hussey Seating Company, a family-owned business in North Berwick that manufactures bleachers and auditorium seating for distribution across the globe. On behalf of the company and the 300 people it employs, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) attended and gave remarks at the Rally 4 Recovery at Deering Oaks Park in Portland. The event, which was sponsored by Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC) and Young People in Recovery (YPR), celebrated those who are recovering from substance use disorders, as well as their friends, families, and support systems. The event also featured brief remarks by USM President Glenn Cummings, Maine people in recovery, recovery allies, and other... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 19 senators in calling on the White House to make Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s complete White House record available to the Senate and the public. “Access to a Supreme Court nominee’s full record is necessary for the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty to advise and consent,” the senators wrote in part. “More important, it is essential for the American people to have confidence in our confirmation... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded an announcement from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on an updated approach to food labeling which exempts pure, single-ingredient foods like honey and maple sugar products from labels that confusingly claim “added sugar”. The FDA had stated the change was meant to help consumers be aware of the amount of sugar they are consuming, but maple and honey producers expressed concerns that the new... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a total of $266,199 to three Maine snowmobile clubs through its Rural Business Development Grant program. This funding will support Maine’s snowmobile industry and help to promote the development of small and emerging businesses in rural areas. “Maine’s snowmobile industry brings thousands of visitors to our state each year, supporting small... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing today in the Senate Intelligence Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned Jack Dorsey, Chief Executive Officer of Twitter, and Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, about their companies’ response to foreign influence operations on social media platforms, and how Americans can best defend themselves against future interference attempts. In addition to Dorsey and Sandberg, leadership from Google was invited to testify at today’s... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Bowdoin College will receive $468,990 in funding through the U.S. Department of Education’s Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound helps low-income, first-generation, and other students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursue higher education. “Upward Bound and other TRIO programs are vital for students across our state, where we have a large number of first-generation college... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that Saint Joseph’s College will receive a $182,845 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the College’s “Chemistry for the Community” initiative. Through the initiative, Saint Joseph’s College will create a service-learning chemistry curriculum that will partner Saint Joseph’s students with high school students in the Windham/Raymond school district. The partnership will enhance the... Continue Reading »
BOOTHBAY, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of his colleagues to introduce legislation that would overturn the administration’s final “junk insurance” plan rule, which would expand the number of insurance plans that are not required to provide health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. The rule has been overwhelmingly opposed by healthcare groups, including patient and consumer advocates, physician groups, nursing associations, hospital groups, medical... Continue Reading »
