WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded an announcement from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on an updated approach to food labeling which exempts pure, single-ingredient foods like honey and maple sugar products from labels that confusingly claim “added sugar”. The FDA had stated the change was meant to help consumers be aware of the amount of sugar they are consuming, but maple and honey producers expressed concerns that the new... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a total of $266,199 to three Maine snowmobile clubs through its Rural Business Development Grant program. This funding will support Maine’s snowmobile industry and help to promote the development of small and emerging businesses in rural areas. “Maine’s snowmobile industry brings thousands of visitors to our state each year, supporting small... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing today in the Senate Intelligence Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned Jack Dorsey, Chief Executive Officer of Twitter, and Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, about their companies’ response to foreign influence operations on social media platforms, and how Americans can best defend themselves against future interference attempts. In addition to Dorsey and Sandberg, leadership from Google was invited to testify at today’s... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Bowdoin College will receive $468,990 in funding through the U.S. Department of Education’s Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound helps low-income, first-generation, and other students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursue higher education. “Upward Bound and other TRIO programs are vital for students across our state, where we have a large number of first-generation college... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that Saint Joseph’s College will receive a $182,845 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the College’s “Chemistry for the Community” initiative. Through the initiative, Saint Joseph’s College will create a service-learning chemistry curriculum that will partner Saint Joseph’s students with high school students in the Windham/Raymond school district. The partnership will enhance the... Continue Reading »
BOOTHBAY, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of his colleagues to introduce legislation that would overturn the administration’s final “junk insurance” plan rule, which would expand the number of insurance plans that are not required to provide health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. The rule has been overwhelmingly opposed by healthcare groups, including patient and consumer advocates, physician groups, nursing associations, hospital groups, medical... Continue Reading »
BOOTHBAY, MAINE – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 44 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary DeVos urging her to abandon her reported plans to allow states and school districts to use federal funds to purchase firearms and firearm trainings for teachers and other school staff. The grants Secretary DeVos is considering using were created in the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and are intended to keep students safe and healthy, provide a well-rounded... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and Representative Bruce Poliquin applauded the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) final injury determination in regards to a tariff that was imposed on Canadian uncoated groundwood paper – better known as “newsprint”—that was levied by the Department of Commerce in January on behalf of a single domestic paper mill. The unanimous ruling ends import taxes once as high as 32 percent on newsprint, which... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the State of Maine a total of $23,531,000 from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program to finance community-based water infrastructure projects, such as upgrades to municipal sewage plants and public drinking water systems. “The success of our economy in Maine depends upon the protection of clean, safe waterways,” said Senators... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the Music Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill which will ensure songwriters are paid fair value for their songs. The Music Modernization Act would set up a new simplified licensing entity to make it easier for digital music companies to obtain a license and play songs. The entity will also ensure songwriters are paid the royalties they are owed. The bill would also change the law to help songwriters be... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) hosted a discussion at Mercy Hospital in Portland with Maine parents and children on the impact of insurance protections for those with pre-existing conditions on Maine families. The Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) protections for people with pre-existing conditions are currently being challenged in court, and the Department of Justice has announced that it does not intend to defend the law; if the protections are removed, Maine children with... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C.– Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement from Senator King on the passing of U.S. Senator John McCain: “John McCain was a sailor, a Senator, and a great public servant. He was a leader in every sense of the word, the very definition of a patriot, and absolutely embodied love of country. He was irrepressible, acerbic, courageous and, often, he was a force of nature. John McCain was an American hero, and he was my mentor and friend... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the detrimental public health, climate and economic impacts of the administration’s proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan (CPP). According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s own analysis, this proposal would increase carbon emissions and toxic air pollution, and would also cause more childhood asthma attacks... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Maine Office of the Attorney General will receive a total of $14,098,282 from the U.S. Department of Justice to fund local victim assistance programs and to help compensate victims for crime-related losses.“For those who have been the target of a crime, the last thing they should have to worry about is how they will afford the costs resulting from being victimized,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of his colleagues in a letter urging the administration not to weaken the Military Lending Act (MLA), which provides protections for servicemembers and their families from abusive financial practices. The letter comes after a New York Times report that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is “planning to suspend routine examinations of lenders for violations of the Military Lending Act, which was devised to protect... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Caucus, announced that six town fire departments, as well as the Maine Firefighting Academy in Brunswick, will receive funding from the latest round of grants to support firefighting training practices, protective gear, and technology through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. “Maine’s... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today,U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the VA MedicinalCannabis Research Act of 2018, bipartisan legislation to authorize theDepartment of Veterans Affairs (VA) to advance scientific and medical researchinto the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis usage by veterans withdiagnoses such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain. “Our veterans have madeimmense sacrifices to protect our nation’s security. Tragically,... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Community Living (ACL) has awarded $840,000 to Healthy Living for ME, a partnership between three Area Agencies on Aging – Spectrum Generations, SeniorsPlus, and Aroostook Agency on Aging – to support chronic disease self-management education programs. “Healthy Living for ME provides Maine seniors with a... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Winter Harbor will receive $1.3 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Rural Development to upgrade the community’s wastewater treatment system. The funds will be allocated as a $390,000 grant and a $910,000 loan. “Maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure is vital to ensuring the economic and environmental health of the community,” said Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $830,000 to Rockland for repairs to the city’s commercial fish pier. “This welcome infrastructure investment is expected to help save 86 jobs in the Rockland region,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “Repairing Rockland’s commercial fish pier will improve... Continue Reading »
