WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representative Jared Golden today urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to reverse its closure of the Bangor Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). In a letter to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, the Delegation shared the reality that the misguided decision — which went into effect yesterday — would leave Mainers with just two options to meet with the IRS in-person: Augusta or South Portland. “Some of Maine’s most disadvantaged... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced their nominees to the United States Military Service 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... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, the Chairman of the Senate National Parks subcommittee, are applauding the official designation of the Frances Perkins Homestead in Newcastle as a National Monument. The announcement was made today by President Biden, who signed a proclamation honoring the historic contributions of Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a Presidential Cabinet and the country’s longest-serving Secretary of Labor. Perkins served for 12 years... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Collins and Angus King designating Saturday, December 14, 2024 as “Wreaths Across America Day.” The annual event honors our nation’s fallen heroes with commemorative Maine-made balsam wreaths laid by millions of volunteers across the globe, including by a convoy that travels from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. “This annual Maine-led tradition unites volunteers to honor our... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have introduced legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) better understand the effect of repetitive low-level weapon blast injuries on veterans’ mental health. The bipartisan Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2024 would direct the VA and other research partners to comprehensively study the impact of these blasts and translate the findings into care... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the 16th interview of the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King spoke with U.S. Navy veteran Bob Miller of Millinocket, who turned 101 on December 7th. Miller served in the Navy during World War... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), today announced students at Southern Maine Community College, the University of Maine at Augusta and the University of Southern Maine are eligible to apply to the Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Service Academy (CSA). The CSA provides scholarships for students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity and related fields in exchange for service with the DoD or Intelligence Community cybersecurity... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Chairman of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, has joined his colleagues to lead the introduction of a bipartisan bill to preserve and manage America’s public lands. More specifically, the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act would reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and increase its funding to ensure that America’s public lands can be enjoyed for generations to come. The bill is cosponsored by... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following last week’s overwhelming passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Social Security Fairness Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senator Angus King, a co-sponsor of the legislation, is urging Senate leadership to follow suit and bring the legislation up for a vote as swiftly as possible. The bill would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These two provisions, which were added to the Social Security Act in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement following votes on three resolutions to restrict the sale of certain weapons systems to Israel: “It is easy to disagree with one’s adversaries, but difficult to disagree with a friend and ally. Today, I voted my conscience on three resolutions that seek to restrict the sale of certain American-made offensive weapons systems to Israel. Over the course of the last several months, I have grown increasingly... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, are announcing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant Office’s decision to award seven Maine projects with $1,941,692 in funding for the American Lobster Research Program. The grant program supports projects that address critical knowledge gaps about American lobster and its fishery in a dynamic and changing environment. “Maine’s lobstermen... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), is cosponsoring legislation to ensure military families have access to critical health care during pregnancy, rather than waiting until after childbirth to increase their coverage. The Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act would create a Department of Defense (DOD) pilot program to designate pregnancy as a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) under TRICARE, the uniformed... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee (ENR) and Chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee, welcomed the bipartisan passage out of the ENR Committee a legislative package as the 118th Congressional session winds down. The package includes King-backed provisions to expand access to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and the renaming of an Acadia Visitors Center to honor former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, as well... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is pressing Congressional appropriators to preserve funding for an advertising campaign promoting the paid family and medical leave (PMFL) tax credit. In a letter to Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations respectively, King writes in support of the $1 million approved in the FY 2025 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) appropriations bill for the Small... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Secretary Julie Su are expected to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 25), on top of the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year. “The release of over 64,000 additional H-2B visas is a welcome relief for small... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, is working with a group of bipartisan colleagues to streamline cybersecurity regulations across the federal government. The Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act would address the challenges associated with the current patchwork of inconsistent cybersecurity policies between agencies by establishing an interagency Harmonization Committee at the Office of the National Cyber Director... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement in observance of Veterans Day: “In 1919, one year after the conclusion of World War I, President Wilson proclaimed the first observance of Armistice Day on November 11, a day for our nation to remember and honor the over 9 million — including 116,000 American — lives lost during that bloody four-year conflict. Nearly a decade after the end of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden today released the following statement on the first anniversary of the Lewiston shooting that took place on October 25th, taking the lives of 18 innocent people: “One year ago, the unthinkable happened in Lewiston when a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and restaurant — shaking the community and Maine to its core,” said the Delegation. “For days, families sheltered in their... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), alongside a bipartisan group of their colleagues, have written to the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. H-2B visas fill needs for American small businesses when there are not enough able and willing American workers to fill the temporary, seasonal positions. As required by law, employers... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) today are recognizing the lifelong impact childhood literacy programs have on the success of Maine children and their communities. In a bipartisan resolution unanimously agreed to by the Senate, October 20th, 2024, has been designated as National Early Childhood Literacy Day. Senators Joe Manchin (I-W.V.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) are also co-sponsors of the resolution. “Fostering literacy in early... Continue Reading »
