WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, United States Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Senate appropriators urging them to include funding in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill for programs within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to strengthen global health security, particularly with respect to emerging zoonotic epidemic threats (diseases transmitted from animals to humans). Congress has a long... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of aquaculture farmers’ eligibility for direct relief from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).“Maine’s aquaculture industry has undergone significant growth and diversification in recent years, creating new jobs and economic opportunities in our... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 46 Senators in calling on the U.S. Department of Treasury to revise its flawed interpretation of Coronavirus Relief Fund guidelines so that the funds can support states’ work to provide essential public services amidst the coronavirus global pandemic. Under existing guidance, the Coronavirus Relief Funds may be utilized by states and local governments to help with urgent needs and cope with the public health and economic impact... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – All four members of Maine’s Congressional Delegation joined a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers representing Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York in a letter to Congressional leadership calling for the inclusion of dedicated funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) in upcoming COVID-19 relief legislation.The letter, signed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden,... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 21 of his Senate colleagues wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza, calling on the Administration to develop strong supervisory mechanisms to identify instances of unjust enrichment and ensure that Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds reach struggling small businesses that truly need the money. Recent reports indicate that the initial distribution of the $350... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Maine hospitals and other health care providers will receive an immediate infusion of $42,042,864 to bolster their efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The funding distributed represents the second tranche of funding allocated through the $100 billion for medical providers that was included in the CARES Act that Senators Collins and King voted for. Earlier this month, Senators Collins... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined twenty-six of his colleagues in calling on President Trump to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to waive all cost-share requirements for states responding to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The senators’ letter comes as states across the nation are facing severe budgetary limitations due to reduced revenue, and growing costs associated with the public health and economic responses to support citizens in the face of... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that he has cosponsored legislation that would repeal a massive tax break for a small group of wealthy taxpayers that was included in the coronavirus relief bill. The legislation would do away with provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates will reduce government revenue by $195 billion over ten years, and that would... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Angus King (I-Maine) announced the five tribal communities in Maine have received $500,000 from the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration to support substance treatment use and mental illness care efforts. The funding is awarded to the Wabanaki Health and Wellness (WHW) organization, and will specifically benefit the following tribes: Aroostook Band of Micmac; Houlton... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of 74 senators in a letter urging Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Russell Vought to support local radio broadcasters, television broadcasters, and newspapers during the coronavirus pandemic. The letter comes as the widespread impact of the pandemic – including plummeting advertising revenue – could decimate regional and local news outlets even as communities have become... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of 13 other Senators in a push to provide the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) with $80 million to support critical suicide prevention activities amid a public health crisis that is upending the social and financial stability of countless Americans. The letter, which was addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, comes as Congress is opening discussions on... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) participated in a tele-town hall hosted by the Maine League of Women Voters to discuss the importance of proactively preparing to adjust electoral processes to ensure that states and localities can hold elections without putting voters or poll workers at risk of exposure to coronavirus. In addition to Senator King, today’s conversation (which can be viewed here) included Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo, and representatives from the Maine... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Maine received a total of $2,485,050 to support rural hospitals and increase access to telehealth to help medical providers reach patients in underserved areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will also be used to help reduce poisonings related to an increase in disinfectant and cleaner use. This investment, authorized by the CARES Act Senators Collins and King voted for, was awarded through the... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 23 of his colleagues in a letter urging Senate leadership to include critical workforce development and career and technical education (CTE) funding in the next coronavirus relief bill. In their letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the senators echoed the concerns of 38 labor and education advocacy groups calling for immediate assistance from Congress, and requested a minimum workforce... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), along with 22 of his Senate colleagues, urged the Department of Treasury to increase its efforts to make Economic Impact Payments available to the most vulnerable populations—including those without access to the internet who cannot file a tax return electronically. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, King and his colleagues highlighted that at least 21 million Americans are without high-speed internet access and they face a... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), joined a group of his Senate colleagues to introduce legislation to protect U.S. workers from coronavirus in response to widespread reports of unsafe workplaces leading to preventable illnesses and deaths. The COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard that establishes a legal obligation for all workplaces to implement comprehensive... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $160,000 to the Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission (SMPDC). The funding will support SMPDC’s development of an economic resiliency strategy to mitigate the effects of recent and future natural disasters in York County.“Natural disasters have the potential to disrupt the way of life in Southern Maine... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after the Senate approved a bipartisan agreement that would provide an additional $484 billion in funding to support America’s small businesses and hospitals hit hard by the economic impacts of coronavirus, as well as increasing federal funds to support coronavirus testing:“This agreement isn’t perfect, but it is progress, and will make a real difference for several sectors of our society which are being... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after the Senate Intelligence Committee released a new report, titled “Review of the Intelligence Community Assessment.” The report examines the sources, tradecraft, and analytic work behind the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that determined Russia conducted an unprecedented, multi-faceted campaign to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The installment builds upon the... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and 35 of his colleagues urged Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump Administration to ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply and protect essential workers in the food supply chain. The letter comes after numerous reports of essential workers in meatpacking plants, processing facilities, farms, grocery stores, and markets falling ill from COVID-19. In their letter, the Senators urged the White House and federal... Continue Reading »
