MOUNT VERNON, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King attended an event to celebrate the dedication of land to the Kennebec Land Trust in honor of Ezra Smith, a dedicated outdoorsman and lifetime resident of Maine who passed away in 2014. The 125 acres of land will be called the Ezra Smith Wildlife Conservation Area, and will be preserved for current and future generations to discover Maine’s vibrant and unique ecosystem through a variety of outdoor activities. “Ezra was a... Continue Reading »
SCARBOROUGH, ME –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to fix an issue impacting people who qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies and have been recently approved as eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The SSDI determination process can take up to several years, and when the determination is finalized, the agency issues a retroactive lump-sum payment dating as far back as the initial request; the IRS considers this lump-sum... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to the Senate Majority and Minority Leaders requesting a permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) before its expiration on September 30, 2018. “The LWCF is one of the country’s best conservation programs, preserving public lands and ensuring access to outdoor recreation in rural and urban areas,” the Senators... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King joined a group of his colleagues in urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma to restore funding for the Navigator program that helps millions of Americans purchase health insurance. The Navigator program funds nonprofit entities and health care organizations to assist consumers in navigating, shopping and enrolling in health insurance coverage. CMS... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined a bipartisan group of 14 Senators in sending a letter to the Attorney General and Secretaries of the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Health and Human Services (HHS) requesting more information about migrant family reunification at the border. On July 19, a letter co-led by Senator Collins and co-signed by Senator King was sent to President Trump stating that the default position of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing today in the Senate Intelligence Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned social media experts on the ongoing foreign influence operations to impact American society, and ways that Americans can defend themselves. The witnesses before the committee today were Todd Helmus, Senior Behavioral Scientist at the RAND Corporation; Renee DiResta, Director of Research at New Knowledge; John Kelly, Founder and CEO at Graphika; Laura Rosenberger,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expressing concern regarding the Treasury Department’s reported proposal to allow capital gains to be indexed to inflation – an action that would occur without Congressional input, and would amount to approximately $100 billion in tax cuts that would primarily benefit the wealthiest Americans. The proposal would also add more than $100 billion to the deficit over 10... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor to recognize the importance of Medicare and Medicaid in providing essential health coverage to Maine people – especially Maine seniors. Senator King’s speech comes one day after the 53rd anniversary of the programs being signed into law. “53 years ago this week, President Johnson signed the Medicare bill -- I believe one of the most important pieces of legislation signed in the last 100 years,” said Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) to designate September 25, 2018, as “National Lobster Day” unanimously passed the Senate. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) also sponsored the resolution, which recognizes the historic and economic importance of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, announced his support for the Spotlight Act, a bill that would reverse the Treasury Department’s decision that allows non-profit organizations that engage in political activity to avoid disclosing certain donor information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition to requiring the organizations to disclose these names to the IRS, the Spotlight Act would... Continue Reading »
SCARBOROUGH, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, a bill that would prohibit pharmaceutical companies from using tax deductions related to “direct-to-consumer” advertising of prescription drugs. The United States is one of only two countries that allows “direct-to-consumer” pharmaceutical advertising. The announcement came at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging in Scarborough, where... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined a bipartisan group of 18 Senators in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to work with TRIO grantees to allow the use of FAFSA as documentation of a student’s income or family’s income to determine eligibility for TRIO programs. TRIO programs provide low-income, first-generation, and disabled students the support, financial resources, and guidance they need to successfully graduate... Continue Reading »
BIDDEFORD, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King joined Maine National Guard Major General Doug Farnham and Rear Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, to tour the recently refurbished Wood Island Life Saving Station in Kittery. Owned by the town of Kittery, the project is being undertaken by a local nonprofit working with civic groups, state and federal agencies, and private donors to create a public facility memorializing the earliest days of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) awarded a total of $2,900,000 to address eight infrastructure projects throughout Aroostook, Somerset, and Knox counties. “The Northern Border Regional Commission’s continued support for rural Maine is welcome news for people across our state,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “These investments... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that Saint Joseph’s College in Standish has received $102,997 in funding from the National Science Foundation to support a scholarship program that seeks to encourage students to study and pursue careers in science education, as well as help connect graduates with high-need school districts in Maine. “A 21st century workforce requires workers with 21st century skills, and Maine... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), joined 30 of his colleagues to send a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz calling for an investigation into DOJ’s role in the creation and implementation of the administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General are conducting... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor to discuss efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act, and highlight the impacts on Maine people. Senator King’s floor speech comes after his visit to Leavitt’s Mill Free Health Center on Monday, where he spoke with clinic volunteers and patients who are already feeling the effects of the administration’s continued efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. “I rise genuinely... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine), both members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues to introduce a resolution honoring the courage and dedication of the men and women of the U.S. intelligence community by designating July 26, 2018 as “United States Intelligence Professionals Day.” The resolution was cosponsored by every member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced a resolution that would designate September 25, 2018, as “National Lobster Day.” Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) also sponsored the resolution, which recognizes the historic and economic importance of lobster in the United... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that their proposed $12 billion in aid to farmers affected by retaliatory tariffs would not extend to the lobster industry: “Maine’s lobster industry is a vital piece of our state’s economy, and is inseparable from our state’s identity. I recently spent two days in Stonington, the lobster-landing capital of our state,... Continue Reading »
