Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Maine has received an additional $5,570,755 to reimburse the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) including KN95 surgical masks for frontline responders, as well as disposable non-sterile isolation gowns and disposable isolation suits. This funding was awarded to the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket nationwide, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today wrote to leaders of six major streaming services, requesting that the companies make content available free of charge to encourage Americans to stay home and slow the spread of the coronavirus during the holiday season. In his letter, addressed to leaders of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney +, Apple TV+, Hulu, and HBO Max, Senator King underlines Centers for Disease Control and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined nine of his Senate colleagues to urge Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield to ensure a fair and equitable vaccine distribution. The letter follows HHS Secretary Azar’s comments that states should decide who gets the first round of the federally approved COVID-19 vaccine, which could lead to an inconsistent patchwork of varying... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes several funding and policy priorities advocated for by Senator King to support military facilities and communities in Maine and advance the national defense. The legislation passed in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, 84 to 13 – a large enough margin to override a presidential veto if... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation authored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to address a current gap in care for veterans in Maine living with early-stage dementia. The State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act now awaits consideration by the House of Representatives.Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) has provided domiciliary care for veterans with early-stage dementia in its homes since 2004, but newly... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden wrote to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, urging HHS to prioritize transparent and timely communication with state partners regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Maine’s reported federal allocation of vaccines falls short of initial projections, leading to considerable public confusion. “The development and fair distribution of a safe and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after voting in support of resolutions to disapprove of the sale of arms to the United Arab Emirates, citing a rushed process and incomplete consultation with Congress:“The United Arab Emirates is one of America’s most important and longstanding security partners in the Middle East, providing support to US military operations and a vital counterweight to threats in the region -- and we have a vested... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced their nominees to the United States Military Academies. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress. Admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy, also a federal service academy, does not require a congressional nomination.“We are proud to have the honor to nominate such an impressive group of Maine... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), founding member of the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus and Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, cosponsored bipartisan legislation to support U.S. leadership in reducing carbon in the atmosphere by restoring and conserving forests, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats. Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) are also... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree voiced their support for the City of Saco formally expressing interest in entering into a Project Partnership Agreement with the USACE to address the ongoing beach erosion at Camp Ellis in Saco. A letter of support from the city was required before the USACE could move forward with a project to modify the jetty and renourish the beach.“We... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Aging Committee, and Angus King announced that two Health Centers in Maine have been awarded a total of $3,682,207 to address screening and testing needs, acquire medical supplies, and boost telehealth capacity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will benefit health centers in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, joined 10 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to Google urging the company to improve its advertising policies and combat election-related disinformation and voter suppression. Reports indicate that the company has profited from political ads that spread voting and election disinformation, and has not increased enforcement of bad actors online. In their letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, the senators... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced the introduction of the Improving Data Collection for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Act, a bill that would authorize $10 million annually over five years to support Centers for Disease Control (CDC) research and data collection efforts on the impact of childhood trauma on long-term health. This field of study is increasingly important, as existing research shows that certain negative events, circumstances, or... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act by voice vote. This bipartisan legislation will eliminate the five-month waiting period before ALS patients can receive the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits they earned by contributing into Social Security. Cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), this legislation will build on previous steps by Congress and the Social Security... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) introduced legislation to help lower energy expenses for consumers while also reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Air Source Heat Pump Act will allow consumers to receive a refundable federal tax credit for costs associated with installation of an eligible new heat pump. This credit will encourage the use of heat pumps—which can heat and cool homes more efficiently than fossil fuel based systems, standard central air... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of 49 lawmakers in calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent. Provisions from the Collins and King-sponsored CONNECT for Health Act that have allowed Medicare beneficiaries in all areas of the country to utilize telehealth services from their homes, as well as more types of health care providers to provide... Continue Reading »
Augusta, ME— Today, Governor Janet Mills and U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden convened a Zoom conference call to discuss COVID-19 and the Congressional Delegation’s work in Congress to support the State’s efforts.“We had a productive, in-depth discussion this morning regarding Maine’s response to the ongoing public health and economic crisis, including our joint efforts to increase testing availability, prepare for vaccine... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the House-Senate conference committee’s bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 includes several funding and policy priorities advocated for by Senator King to support Maine employers and national defense. Senator King served as a member of the conference committee, which was tasked with reconciling the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 14 of his Senate colleagues in a letter urging the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to prioritize efforts to study and understand the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of children and young adults. Recent reports have highlighted a substantial increase in anxiety and depression among children and young adults since the beginning of the pandemic—with one study finding that nearly one-third of high school students... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Co-Chairs of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission today welcomed the news that 26 of their recommendations for improving the United States’ cybersecurity posture have been incorporated into the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – representing the most comprehensive and forward-looking piece of national cybersecurity in the nation’s history. “The Cyberspace Solarium Commission started as a provision in the 2019 NDAA, and is pleased to see more than two dozen... Continue Reading »
