WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) renewed his push to promote the economic and environmental benefits of biomass thermal energy today by filing the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2013 as an amendment to legislation pending before the Senate that would renew a series of tax relief measures. King originally introduced the legislation last year. “Thermal biomass energy systems, like wood pellet boilers, offer an efficient and affordable way to generate clean... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) welcomed an announcement from Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on the Senate Floor this morning that the Senate Judiciary Committee will soon hold a hearing on a proposed Constitutional amendment to limit political funding of campaigns: “I welcome the Majority Leader’s announcement today and hope we move quickly to vote on the amendment. The enormous tidal wave of money in politics must not drown out the voices of ordinary... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to an attempt to repeal the Medical Device Tax that helps fund the Affordable Care Act, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today filed an amendment that would allow the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to shed light on medical device prices in an effort to help hospitals negotiate better prices for critical medical equipment. “It’s common sense – if the Senate votes to repeal the medical device tax, then we will need to make it... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) today introduced legislation that would make it easier for service-disabled veterans to do business with the federal government by eliminating confusing differences between veterans contracting programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Small Business Administration. “America’s service-disabled veterans and their families have sacrificed to defend our country and safeguard the... Continue Reading »
This Week in Washington: Support for Libraries, Meeting with Award-Winners, Questioning Federal Reserve Chair, and Energy Efficiency Bill WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his ongoing effort to keep the people of Maine informed of his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King sat down to discuss this week’s events in the nation’s capital. In his weekly address Senator King discussed: The importance of public libraries and his participation in National Library Legislative... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $2,182,579 in competitive grant funding to Maine communities for local airport improvements. “Maine’s aviation infrastructure keeps its residents connected to the rest of the country and the world and plays a vital role in supporting local businesses, especially in the state's more rural regions,”... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, along with 20 of their colleagues, today urged President Obama to consider the impacts on American manufacturing and families that rely on natural gas for heat when looking to approve new natural gas export facilities. In a letter to the President, Collins, King, and their colleagues pointed out that families saw skyrocketing energy bills this winter in some parts of the country faced with short supplies of natural gas and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to a question from U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) during a Senate Budget Committee Hearing today, Chair of the Federal Reserve Board Janet Yellen announced her support for the nomination of a candidate with community bank experience to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. In a letter last month, King, along with a bipartisan group of his colleagues, had urged President Obama to nominate just such a candidate. “Chairwoman Yellen is absolutely right... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of the Senate Budget Committee Hearing today with Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen on the country’s fiscal and economic outlook, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of that committee, released the following statement: “Community banks are as American as George Bailey, Uncle Billy, and Clarence. They are the very foundation of our Main Streets and the cornerstones of our small towns. When big financial institutions crumbled during... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Bucksport Fire Department will receive a federal grant in the amount of $24,938 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). Specifically, the funding will come through AFG’s Operations and Firefighting Safety Program, which provides funding for training, equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to department facilities. “These grants are a critical resource for so many... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that the Maine Aqua Ventus I pilot offshore wind project, designed by a University of Maine-led consortium, has been selected as an alternate in the Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Project program and that the DOE will continue to invest in the project to help it achieve one hundred percent design completion. After the announcement, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released the following... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a bitterly-cold and expensive Maine winter, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today filed an amendment to the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act that would help curb rising heating costs for Mainers by making it easier to utilize Weatherization Assistance Program funding to replace outdated, costly and inefficient heating units with more efficient ones. “Maine is the most heating oil dependent state in the nation, so if Mainers are working... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today congratulated Ursula Hebert Johnson of Waterville and Kyle A. Hietala of West Bath on being named United States Presidential Scholars. Created in 1964, the United States Presidential Scholars program honors high school seniors for academic excellence, artistic accomplishments, and civic contributions. More than 3,000 students apply annually to this prestigious scholastic program. Applicants are subject to a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, issued the following statement today following the release of the White House’s updated National Climate Assessment: “The warnings in this report are clear: climate change is real, it’s happening right now, and it poses a serious threat to peoples' livelihoods and local economies across the country, including in Maine. If you love the outdoors and spend time outside,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his ongoing effort to keep the people of Maine informed of his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King sat down to discuss this week’s events in the nation’s capital. In his weekly address Senator King discussed: The Senate Rules Committee hearing he chaired on Wednesday about the negative influence of dark money in politics. The failed attempt in the Senate to move forward with legislation to raise the minimum wage. Justice Jon Levy’s... Continue Reading »
KITTERY, ME – As the Department of Defense continues to implement a comprehensive clean energy strategy for military installations across the country, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today toured renewable energy projects currently underway at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. “Portsmouth Naval Shipyard continues to be on the vanguard of the Defense Department’s innovative new strategy to embrace clean and renewable... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding a grant in the amount of $1,483,048 for the expansion and improvement of the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta. The grant will fund the construction of an administration building, committal service shelter, landscaping, irrigation, and other supporting infrastructure. The project will develop approximately 1.2 acres. “Preserving the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of U.S. Senator Angus King today announced the constituent outreach schedule for the month of May. Constituent outreach hours are part of Senator King’s “Your Government, Your Neighborhood” initiative and offer an opportunity for area residents to meet directly with a staff representative to discuss specific problems, legislative issues, or any concerns regarding federal government agencies. No appointment is necessary. For more... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – In response to the April jobs report released today by the U.S. Department of Labor, which revealed that the economy added 288,000 new jobs, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement calling on Congress to find middle ground on a minimum wage compromise: “Today’s job report is great news and once again shows that the economy is climbing out of the recession. But what it doesn’t reveal are the real world implications for the still... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – One day after his hearing to examine the influence of undisclosed or so-called “dark money” in U.S. elections, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) took to the floor of the U.S. Senate this evening to sound the alarm on the increasing amount of dark money flowing into campaigns and to underscore the importance of expanding disclosure requirements for campaign contributions. “When I first got into this subject last year, I thought it was bad. Well, what... Continue Reading »
