WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) have introduced a bill that would provide support to veterans in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) applying for their well-deserved benefits. The TAP Promotion Act would allow accredited representatives from Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), or other organizations, participate in TAP classes to help transitioning servicemembers file Benefits Delivery at... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Capitol Hill to speak with lawmakers: “For over a year and a half, Ukraine has bravely defended its freedom and its sovereignty from a bloody, unprovoked invasion by an autocratic dictator. Putin believed he would quickly defeat his neighbor, rebuild the Soviet Union, and divide the Free World, but on every count, he has failed. While this war has waged longer... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, is joining a group of bipartisan colleagues in calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to step up its protections for veterans against predatory scammers looking to cash in on their hard-earned benefits. In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, the lawmakers urge the department to enforce existing protections for veterans filing for disability benefits. They also request additional... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (Maine DHHS) will receive a total of $287,194 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) program. This funding is part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), and is in addition to the more than $4 million Maine DHHS will receive in Fiscal Year 2023 through the MHBG... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), have introduced bicameral legislation to protect at-risk marine life and ecosystems. The Help Our Kelp Act would invest federal resources towards state, local, and federal efforts to restore and protect kelp forests against climate change and other human-caused disruption. Kelp forest ecosystems in Maine and along the nation’s shores provide food and habitat for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during Suicide Prevention Month, U.S. Senator Angus King, discussed the importance of providing resources and support for veterans going through mental health challenges. In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, King questioned Dr. Matthew Miller, the Executive Director for Suicide Prevention with the Veterans Health Administration through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Gilly Cantor, the Director of Evaluation and Capacity Building at the... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that four Maine organizations will receive a combined total of $1,196,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service to help restore habitats for endangered Atlantic salmon in Maine. Maine is home to the only remaining populations of wild Atlantic salmon, a species listed as endangered since 2000 due to threats from dams, pollution, and historic overfishing. “The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King is calling on the Biden administration to continue working to seek ways to lower prescription drug costs for more Americans. In a letter with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Lloyd Doggett, King urges Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gina Raimondo and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to release its Interagency Working Group draft framework for public comment. In March of this year, DOC and HHS... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on National Voter Registration Day, U.S. Senator Angus King is introducing a resolution to recognize September as “National Voting Rights Month.” The resolution encourages voter registration in the month of September and pushes Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to preserve the right to vote. “In the face of state-level threats that undercut the fundamental right to vote for millions of Americans, we must act to protect our democracy,” said Senator King.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King spoke with an AI scientist about the need for regulation and liability of computer-generated or -altered content. In an open Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, King asked Dr. Yann LeCun – a New York University Professor of Computer Science and Data Science at New York University – about what is technologically feasible in terms of implementing watermarks (a small icon or caption) for users to discern between real and artificially created... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), Co-Chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), today released the following statement prior to their Capitol Hill event discussing the successes of CSC efforts since its implementation in April 2019 and what the commission hopes to accomplish in the near future. Since its launch, the commission has seen about 70 percent of its recommendations fully or partially implemented. Joining King and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden announced that $19 million in federal funding is now available to combat marine debris in coastal communities through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Sea Grant Program. This grant program, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will support healthy marine ecosystems nationwide. The funding opportunities are part of nearly $3 billion in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in advocating for American dairy farmers and calling out the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for letting non-dairy lab-grown products illegally label their products with dairy terms. The bipartisan group highlighted the proliferation of imitation products, specifically the new cell-based, lab-grown imitators that are using dairy terms like milk, cheese and yogurt. “For decades FDA has allowed... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans Affairs Committees, released the following statement in observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day. The day recognizes America’s servicemembers who have been Prisoners of War, those still Missing in Action, and their families. “On National Prisoners of War and Missing in Action Recognition Day, we join together to honor the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who have been... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) have introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen civics education resources for school children across the United States. Introduced ahead of Constitution Day on September 17, the Constitution education Is Valuable In Community Schools (CIVICS) Act would require higher education federal grant recipients to include Constitution education as a condition for the funding. The bill recognizes the importance... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Concerned over the “waning” of America’s military deterrence capabilities, Senator Angus King today pressed the nominee for Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti to reassess the fleet’s readiness and abilities. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senator King asked Admiral Franchetti about the Navy’s ability to deter foreign adversaries from threats and attacks against American interests and allies. King also discussed the need to invest in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) has introduced legislation to address the maintenance backlog at agricultural research facilities in Maine and across the country. The AuGmenting Research and Educational Sites to Ensure Agriculture Remains Cutting-edge and Helpful (AG RESEARCH) Act would address deferred maintenance at U.S. schools of agriculture, including agricultural research facilities at the University of Maine and USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) facilities.... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that The Jackson Laboratory is receiving $480,536 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will fund an innovative research project aimed at developing new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs). "The work being done at The Jackson Laboratory is making tremendous strides in addressing the challenges posed by cognitive decline,” said Senators Collins and King. "This investment... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, today questioned General David Allvin – nominee for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force – about the government’s financial responsibility to taxpayers. “I will give you a lot of assignments — the first is on availability. You and I have talked about the range of availability for Air Force airplanes in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King has introduced a bill to expand tax deductions for teachers that pay out-of-pocket for school supplies. The Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2023 would more than triple the amount educators can deduct from their taxes for out-of-pocket classroom expenses – from notebooks to pencils to paper products. The current deduction for teachers is $300 – far less than most teachers report spending out of their own pocket each year. The legislation... Continue Reading »
