BRUNSWICK, ME – In a bipartisan letter today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and several of his colleagues urged leaders of the Senate and House education committees to maintain strong education technology provisions as they begin conference proceedings for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This bicameral and bipartisan letter, which was addressed to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the... Continue Reading »
BATH, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivered remarks at the Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) christening ceremony at Bath Iron Works. “As I think about this day, I think about an apparent conflict, but one which I believe is not so. We are here in the presence of a great weapon of war, but we are really creating an instrument of peace,” Senator King said. “Civilization takes work. Conflict is inherent. Throughout... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Climate Action Task Force, participated in a Climate Business Roundtable hosted by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The roundtable, which Senator King video-conferenced into from Washington, included local business leaders and energy experts and focused on the opportunities and challenges that climate change presents to businesses in Maine. “The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the announcement from the Obama Administration that it intends to introduce U.S Special Operations Forces into Syria, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement today: “For far too long, Congress has stood by while U.S. forces have conducted operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria – and today’s announcement will very likely put... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), the Senate early this morning passed a two-year budget agreement that avoids a default on government debt and lifts sequestration for defense and non-defense domestic spending, a move which Senator King has long advocated. Following the vote, Senator King released the following statement: “No budget is ever perfect, and this one certainly... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Angus King, and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) have sent a letter to Robert McDonald, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, urging him to provide support for the crucial Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) program for veterans who live in rural communities. In the letter, the senators stated, “ARCH provides medical care for veterans living in rural areas or for those who are burdened with long wait... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, led a bipartisan letter, along with Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Robert Casey (D-PA), and Rob Portman (R-OH), to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Harry Reid urging them to take up and pass legislation to extend the Perkins Loan Program. The letter was cosigned by Senator Angus King and a majority of the Senate. This critical lifeline for many... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today after the Senate passed the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015: “Today, the Senate took a significant step forward in bolstering our country’s cyber-defenses and giving businesses the tools they need to better protect themselves against cyber-attacks,” Senator King said. “Every day, thousands of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today announced that fourteen Maine businesses will receive federal grants totaling more than $1.6 million to support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the state. The funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Energy for America (REAP) program. “More and more Maine businesses are turning to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) today announced the formation of the bipartisan Senate Regulations Caucus to address regulatory reform at the federal level. With many legislative efforts currently underway to address over-regulation, the goal of the Senate Regulations Caucus is to unify and lead these efforts to advance meaningful regulatory reform in Congress. “With thousands of new... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to reports that a two-year budget deal has been reached, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement: “For far too long, the economy has stared down the threat of a budget calamity with sequestration and teetered under the weight of crises manufactured by Congress. The American people deserve better. They deserve an economy... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today applauded an announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation that it has awarded $20 million in Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding to the Maine Railways Project. The funding will be used to help rehabilitate approximately 380 miles of track throughout Maine. “Maine’s railways are economic lifelines, helping to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), along with several of his Senate and House colleagues, today sent a letter to the Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration Carolyn W. Colvin and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch urging them to ensure that the Supreme Court’s landmark marriage decisions are implemented and that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is treating marriages equally. The letter urges SSA not to penalize married same-sex couples who... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Maine will receive $34,847,767 in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assistance. The funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will help low-income households and seniors with their energy bills. “The long, cold Maine winter can present low-income families and seniors with the impossible choice between paying for heat and paying for other necessities like... Continue Reading »
SOUTH PARIS, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) toured precision manufacturer Maine Machine Products Company in South Paris where he surveyed newly-completed energy efficiency upgrades that are expected to save the company approximately $100,000 per year. In remarks delivered at the event, Senator King emphasized how energy conservation projects, like that at Maine Machine, can help Maine businesses reduce energy consumption, protect the environment, and save money in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today passed the Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that would help address the alarming rise of opioid abuse among pregnant women and its effect on newborn babies. “Maine’s opioid epidemic doesn’t just affect those struggling with addiction. It hurts parents, siblings, friends, and even newborn babies,” Senator King said. “By developing an improved... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) testified before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in support of Maine’s supercalendered paper industry and outlined the damaging impact that unfair Canadian trade subsidies have had on Maine businesses such as Madison Paper. “The mill workers in Madison are talented, dedicated, open to challenges, and innovative; in short, they are part of a proud paper-making community and tradition in Maine. The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution cosponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King honoring the lives of the 33 lost crew members of the El Faro, four of whom were from Maine and had graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) in Castine along with another crew member who had also attended MMA. The resolution also recognizes the tireless search efforts conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and Airforce, and offers condolences to the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks delivered on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, highlighted the growing financial toll that cyber-attacks and data breaches are inflicting on Maine businesses. Senator King’s remarks come as Congress begins consideration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA), legislation which seeks to strengthen U.S. cyber-defenses and protect businesses by... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in advance of President Obama’s expected announcement today of a series of public and private efforts aimed at addressing the prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic: “In Maine, we’ve lost too many friends and loved ones to opioid abuse, and today, too many people still continue to suffer under the grip of addiction – most of them in silence, not knowing where to... Continue Reading »
