WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded $574,691 to the Maine Sea Grant College Program. The funds will be used to advance sustainable use and environmental conservation efforts along Maine’s coast led by the University of Maine. “Thousands of Mainers in our state’s coastal communities rely on fishing, lobstering, and other ocean-related... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 48 U.S. Senators in calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the Trump administration’s treatment of children coming across the Southern border. Following yesterday’s Executive Order, new questions have been raised about whether the children who have already been separated will be reunited with their families, and how children will be treated going forward. The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bipartisan amendment backed by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that protects the mission of the VA Inspector General (IG) was successfully added to the 2019 VA funding bill. The IG is the independent watchdog tasked with investigating misconduct and waste of taxpayer dollars at the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA), and this amendment would ensure it could investigate, audit, and conduct oversight of the nation’s largest health care system without... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King hailed a decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “formulate a revised approach” with regard to a regulation that would have required honey and maple products to include an “added sugar” label, despite being pure, single ingredient foods. 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... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, applauded the Senate passage of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes military spending for Fiscal Year 2019, with a number of provisions that he supported that will benefit Maine. The bill was passed last night by a vote of 85 to 10. “The programs authorized in this year’s NDAA will make important contributions to our... Continue Reading »
SOUTH PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) was joined by Maine people with pre-existing conditions, health care advocates and medical professionals in a conversation on protecting people with pre-existing conditions. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), people with pre-existing conditions are protected from either being denied health insurance or being priced out of the market, but a recent legal filing from the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it won’t... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a speech on the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King today criticized the Administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the border, which has resulted in more than 2,000 immigrant children being separated from their families in the last six weeks. In his remarks, Senator King pushed back against justifications that have been used in support of the policy, including that it serves as a deterrent, is morally justified by... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County (HCC) a grant of $100,000. The Department’s Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) will provide the funding through its Rural Health Network Planning Grant Program, which promotes the planning and development of health care networks in order to... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined Portland City officials, neighborhood organizers, and social service leaders to tour the Portland Bayside neighborhood. In Bayside, Senator King visited the Portland Family Shelter, the Oxford Street Shelter, walked the neighborhood, and met with neighborhood residents to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the area, community concerns about the opioid epidemic, and ways to help Maine people struggling with... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its fiscal year 2018 work plan, which includes important dredging and maintenance projects in Maine totaling $11,780,000. The budget for the Army Corps of Engineers is overseen by the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Senator Collins is a senior member. “We are pleased that the Army Corps of Engineers has advanced... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a video posted on his social media accounts today, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke out against the recent Department of Justice move to undermine the Affordable Care Act’s provisions protecting people with pre-existing conditions from discrimination by insurance companies. The full video can be watched HERE. “You may not have heard about this but tragically and amazingly in my mind, the Administration has gone to court to ask the courts to rule the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the floor of the Senate to urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exempt honey and maple products from a new regulation that would require them to include an “added sugar” label. The FDA states that the change is meant to help consumers be aware of the amount of sugar they are adding to their daily diet, but maple and honey producers worry this regulation could easily be mistaken by consumers to refer... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the Community Wood Energy Innovation Act of 2018, a bipartisan bill that would reauthorize the Community Wood Energy Program, which expires at the end of 2018. The legislation, which seeks to promote energy security and incentivize new uses for low-grade and low-value wood, was originally introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). “For generations, Maine people have... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In today’s hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pushed leaders of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ensure that any exports of liquid natural gas (LNG) would not hurt people or businesses across Maine by jeopardizing America’s competitive advantage and driving up energy prices. “I just want on the record, I’m gravely concerned that we don’t get into [liquid... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to top Administration officials raising concerns about China’s attempts to undermine democratic institutions in the United States, and American leadership and alliances abroad. In the letter, which is addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, Federal Bureau of... Continue Reading »
ELLSWORTH, ME – Today, U.S. Senator King visited the farm of Peter Cowin, the President of the Penobscot County Beekeeper’s Association who is also known as the ‘Bee Whisperer,’ to discuss a new regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would require honey and maple products to include “added sugar” on their nutrition label. The FDA states that the change is meant to help consumers be aware of the amount of sugar they are adding to their... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Eastport will receive a port visit during the city’s 2018 Fourth of July celebration. The U.S. Navy has committed to sending the guided missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG-74), which has a crew complement of approximately 280 sailors. “We are pleased that the U.S. Navy will honor our state with this port visit during Eastport’s popular Fourth of July Festival,” said Senators... Continue Reading »
HAMPDEN, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 31 of his colleagues have introduced the Keep Families Together Act, to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the border. “America cannot just live by its national values when convenient – it has to be a full-time commitment,” said Senator King. “The DHS policy that purposely separates children from their parents falls... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Bath Iron Works has been awarded a $49,817,723 contract for lead yard services for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class ships. The contract includes options that could bring the cumulative value to $304,843,466 over five years. “This contract reflects the Navy’s ongoing confidence in BIW to support and deliver high-quality ships that are essential to our national... Continue Reading »
HAMPDEN, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today convened a roundtable discussion of strategies to combat Alzheimer’s Disease at the Bangor Public Library in Bangor. With June marking Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness month, Senator King, joined Alzheimer’s researchers, advocates, and medical professionals to host a roundtable discussion and answer questions on state and national efforts to end Alzheimer’s. Joining Senator King for the discussion were... Continue Reading »
