WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks from the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today criticized the Senate for rejecting an amendment that would have provided $600 million in emergency funding to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic, calling it “a missed opportunity.” The amendment, which was offered by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and supported by Senator King, would have appropriated money to support the various grant programs authorized by the Comprehensive... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate considers legislation to combat the opioid and heroin epidemic, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) this morning spoke from the Senate floor to share with the nation the heartbreaking story of Garrett Brown, a young man from central Maine who struggled with drug addiction. Garrett, whose story was recently chronicled by Erin Rhoda in the Bangor Daily News, long fought drug addiction before ultimately losing his life to a heroin overdose in November 2015.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a total of $1,875,470 to Bucksport Regional Health Center. “People across Maine rely on rural health care providers like Bucksport Regional Health Center for critical health services to help them stay healthy and happy,” Senator King said. “This funding will help the Bucksport facility continue in its decades-long mission to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applauded York-based company RTI Wave Power for being selected as one of nine finalists in a national wave energy competition held by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Wave Energy Prize is a 20-month design-build-test competition that aims to double the energy harnessed by ocean waves. “Tidal energy is an important part of Maine’s energy future, and with innovative efforts like those at RTI Wave Power and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the debate over the government’s ability to access encrypted devices continues, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) took to the Senate floor today to call for a comprehensive review of data encryption, security, privacy, and innovation that could both protect the privacy of Americans and ensure that the government is able to effectively fight terrorism. Senator King specifically spoke in support of bipartisan legislation he introduced yesterday with several... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and Angus King (I-Maine) congratulated the workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) on receiving environmental awards for the fifth year in a row. PNSY received two Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Environmental Awards for Natural Resources Conservation and Environmental Restoration for fiscal year 2015 on February 22, 2016. “The workers at PNSY continue to perform their... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine), members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, have cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced late last night that would establish an independent National Commission on Security and Technology Challenges. The digital security Commission will bring together all stakeholders, including tech leaders, law enforcement, the intelligence community, privacy and civil liberties advocates, computer... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate this week prepares to begin debate on legislation to combat opioid and heroin abuse, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) today introduced legislation to expand access to treatment for those who are currently not receiving the addiction care they need. The Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion (Medicaid CARE) Act would modify the Medicaid Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) Exclusion policy – a decades-old... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $1,950,034 grant to the University of Maine to support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in rural Maine. The grant will support 22 fellowships for recent STEM graduates or current STEM professionals to further their knowledge base and become certified STEM teachers in rural, high-need Maine schools. “In today’s... Continue Reading »
“As I talk to Guard Members and businesses in Maine, the concern is that the Reserve and Guard have become much more of an active duty force called upon repeatedly for repeated deployments, and it’s making it harder to maintain the support of the employer community and [draw] potential recruits,” said Senator King during today’s hearing. “As we are declining in force levels, it seems to me inevitable that there will be greater demands on the Guard and Reserve... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement today in response to the Obama Administration’s proposal to close the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay: “After considering this issue carefully, having numerous conversations with military and intelligence community officials, and visiting the facility myself, I am convinced that closing the Guantanamo Bay... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined several of his colleagues in urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require the implementation of risk management strategies for all prescription opioids to reduce the possibility of addiction. Currently, the FDA only requires certain opioids to implement a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to help ensure patients who are prescribed the drug do not experience adverse side effects such as... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) toured the Milestone Foundation addiction treatment facility in Portland as part of his ongoing effort to learn about and address the heroin and opioid epidemic confronting Maine and much of the country. During his visit, Senator King also discussed new legislation he plans to introduce that would help more people access critical treatment services by raising an arbitrary limit on the number of patient beds allowed in many... Continue Reading »
BANGOR, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) this morning capped off his two-day security tour by convening a roundtable at the Bangor Fire Department that brought together federal law enforcement officers with state and local public safety officials to discuss coordinated efforts to combat terrorism here at home and keep Maine residents safe. Today’s discussion followed a similar one held yesterday at the Portland Police Department with officials from across southern... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Joined by federal law enforcement officials and local emergency first responders from across Maine, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today convened a security roundtable at the Portland Police Department to discuss coordination between local and federal law enforcement to combat terrorism at home. During the discussion, Senator King also announced his support for Congressional efforts to help state and local officials keep Americans safe by providing them with... Continue Reading »
ANCHORAGE, AK – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today calling on the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional obligation to consider any nominee put forward by the President for the Supreme Court: “The Framers were perfectly clear on two points: the President's term is four years, not three years and one month, and the President ‘shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint … Judges of the Supreme... Continue Reading »
BETHEL, AK – Almost exactly one year after U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) first urged federal officials to modernize the way national park passes are sold, the National Park Service (NPS) today officially launched a pilot program that will make entrance passes at Acadia National Park available for sale online. Senator King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, praised the announcement: “With the launch of this pilot program at Acadia, the national... Continue Reading »
BETHEL, AK – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) yesterday participated in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Field Hearing in Bethel, Alaska where he advocated for the development and deployment of innovative renewable energy technologies to help power rural and remote communities in Maine and across the country. The hearing followed a visit to Oscarville, Alaska, a small community on the Kuskowin River just outside of Bethel whose residents have to shoulder the burden of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced a $4.6 million investment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will support conservation efforts in Maine’s Western Mountains. The Senators, along with Congressman Bruce Poliquin, wrote a letter in support of the project which will help private landowner efforts to bolster fish and wildlife habitats in western Maine between the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Moosehead Lake. “Our... Continue Reading »
BANGOR, ME – During an opioid roundtable discussion at Hope House in Bangor today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his intention to introduce legislation that would update an obsolete federal limit on the number of beds at many drug treatment and recovery facilities. The sixteen bed limit, which was established in law more than 50 years ago, arbitrarily restricts the number of people struggling with drug addiction who are able to access vital treatment. The bill that... Continue Reading »
