WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King pressed for action from President Obama to help bring down the soaring cost of prescription drugs for people in Maine and across the country. In a letter sent Tuesday morning, Senator King and a group of lawmakers called for more support in the President’s 2017 budget proposal to help address prescription drug prices and cut health care costs. “Prescription drug prices are soaring in the United States, driving up costs in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today praised an announcement by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) that the President’s upcoming budget will include $1 billion to fight the heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic in America. In a letter to the President this past December, Senator King called on the Administration to increase the federal government’s financial... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today congratulated Kathy Welch, a school counselor at York’s Coastal Ridge Elementary School, for being named Maine’s representative to the nationwide School Counselor of the Year Program held in Washington. The program, which is organized by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), honors counselors around the country who run high-quality, comprehensive school counseling programs at either the elementary,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today at a workforce event held in the Senate, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) renewed his call to bridge the digital divide for rural and low-income students so that the next generation of American workers has access to critical digital learning tools, both in the classroom and at home. “More and more students in America today don’t have reliable Internet access at home, and not only does that set them back as they pursue their education, it also puts our... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today in response to a new study that found that high school students in America last year did not claim up to $2.7 billion in federal financial aid. According to the study, the money, which averages out to nearly $2,000 per student, went unclaimed due in large part to incomplete or unsubmitted FAFSA applications, leaving students in greater debt when they... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have announced the award of $1.181 million for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The grant, which was awarded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, will help provide free immunizations to eligible low-income children under the age of 18. “Vaccines are essential for protecting children from a variety of serious infections... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) attended a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on heroin addiction and prescription drug abuse in the United States. Senator King, who is not a member of the Committee, sat in the audience for part of the hearing as the Committee considered the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, bipartisan legislation he has cosponsored that would encourage states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have announced the award of $388,466 to the Penobscot Indian Nation and the Houlton Band of Maliseets. The grant was awarded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Indian Housing Block Grant Program. The Penobscot Nation will receive $249,462, and the Houlton Band of Maliseets will receive $139,004. “These important investments in Maine’s tribal communities will help support... Continue Reading »
LISBON FALLS, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) celebrated the official opening of Blue Ox Malthouse, a 7,500 square foot facility in Lisbon Falls established by owner Joel Alex which will nearly double Maine and New England craft brewers’ access to locally sourced and produced malts. As a strong supporter of Maine’s craft brewing industry, Senator King welcomed the new facility and underscored how it will help strengthen local economies and communities. “With... Continue Reading »
AUGUSTA, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) presented Army veteran Joseph G. Hoerth of Westport Island with several medals he earned for his service during World War II but never received. During a ceremony held at his office in Augusta, Senator King presented Mr. Hoerth with the Bronze Star Medal, Prisoner of War Medal, and Combat Infantry Badge. “These medals are a testament to Joe’s extraordinary service to our nation, as he and millions of other brave... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on behalf of the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine requesting a bonus buy of Maine wild blueberries. Bonus buys help protect American farmers from unexpected market conditions by purchasing surplus goods and distributing them to food banks and other charitable institutions.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the University of Maine will receive a grant award of $11,902 for food research from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This investment, provided through the USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), will support a project titled, “Investigating Diversity as a Climate Resilience Strategy for Potato and Grain Systems Using DSSAT and Collaborative Modeling.”... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded $395,890 to the University of Maine at Augusta. The funding is provided through the agency’s Strengthening Institutions Program and aims to support low-income students, advance academic quality, and promote the fiscal stability of the University of Maine at Augusta. ... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously passed the Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016, a major piece of legislation that reauthorizes childhood nutrition programs and includes important provisions from two other bills that he introduced last year with Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). The included provisions from the Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act, which... 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 after opposing a procedural motion to advance legislation that would effectively end the refugee resettlement program from Syria and Iraq. Senator King voted in opposition to the bill after the failure to reach agreement on an amendment process. “Rather than take a vote that may look good in some thirty second TV ad, we owe it... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that key parts of legislation he introduced last year with Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) will be included in a new, major Senate bill to reauthorize childhood nutrition programs. The provisions, which are part of the Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act, aim to improve nutrition standards and benefit students while easing some regulatory mandates on whole grains and sodium to alleviate the unintended challenges facing... Continue Reading »
LEWISTON, ME – In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement: “Through his leadership and his example, Martin Luther King, Jr. imbued in this country lessons of hope, equality, and unity that we as a nation continue to learn from today. And though we have made great strides towards his dream of a more just America, there is still progress to be made. That’s why those of us who share Dr. King’s dream have a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement today in reaction to an announcement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran has taken all of the steps necessary under Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement – to trigger Implementation Day: “Today is a pivotal moment in the history of this agreement.... Continue Reading »
YORK, ME – During a press conference at York Hospital today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called on Congress to immediately pass an emergency funding bill that would help combat the opioid and heroin epidemic that is plaguing communities across Maine and New Hampshire. The legislation, introduced by Senator Shaheen and cosponsored by Senator King, would provide a total of $600 million in supplemental appropriations to programs at the U.S. Department of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address: “Tonight, I heard the President offer a powerful vision for the future of our country – one born out of optimism and driven by the strength, spirit, and resiliency of the American people. I also heard him call for a better politics, for civility, and for a reasoned debate that rises to meet the seriousness of the... Continue Reading »
