GREENLAND – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), who is on a fact-finding mission in Greenland, released the following statement today in response to President Barack Obama’s designation of the North Woods and Waters National Monument: “Throughout the debate and discussion surrounding the national monument, I have always been concerned first and foremost with the economic wellbeing of the Katahdin Region. The question for me has been whether a designation would be a net benefit... Continue Reading »
GREENLAND – On the second day of his three day fact-finding mission, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today surveyed the growing iceberg array off the western shore of Greenland. The increasing number of icebergs is the result of warming temperatures and presents a substantial risk to maritime commercial interests that utilize the waterway. Senator King released the following video statement from aboard the Danish frigate HDMS Thetis: ***For additional pictures from the fact-finding... Continue Reading »
GREENLAND – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) arrived in Greenland for a three day fact-finding mission focused on examining the environmental and security implications of the warming Arctic climate. Upon arriving, Senator King, along with Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul F. Zukunft and Danish defense and meteorological officials, surveyed the Jacobshavn Glacier. Senator King released the following video statement from Greenland: ***For additional pictures from the trip, which... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and U.S. Representative Bruce Poliquin released the following joint statement today on the conclusion of the Economic Development Assessment Team’s (EDAT) three-day deployment to Maine: “As the Economic Development Assessment Team concludes its work on-the-ground in Maine today, we wish to express our thanks to the Commerce Department and to members of the multi-agency team for their efforts over the past three days.... Continue Reading »
ORONO, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined with members of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) and Maine’s forest products industry for a roundtable discussion focused on the top challenges facing the industry and opportunities to strengthen the forest economy in Maine. Following the roundtable, Senator King released the following statement: “I applaud the forest products industry... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Angus King, announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $1,014,117 to the Greenville Municipal Airport. The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program, will help construct a parallel taxiway. “Maine’s regional airports boost the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Bruce Poliquin announced today that the petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for the Cascades Auburn Fiber Mill has been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. “It is our hope that this announcement brings relief to the many hard-working men and women at the Auburn mill who, through no fault of their own, lost their jobs as a result of increased foreign competition,” said Senators... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a five-year grant to Jackson Laboratory that is expected to total $11,714,623 to create a new Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction. The center will study traits in mice that might predispose them to drug addiction, and use its findings to better understand and combat human addiction. “With the heroin and opioid crisis... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Bruce Poliquin announced that the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is awarding $1,996,186 to upgrade infrastructure and provide job training skills that will result in economic growth across Maine. “These projects will help spur development, grow our local economy, and support job creation in Northern, Western and Central Maine,” said Senators Collins, King and Representative... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representative Bruce Poliquin, attended and delivered remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Union River Center for Innovation and the groundbreaking ceremony for Jackson Laboratory’s Ellsworth Vivarium this afternoon. “The city of Ellsworth is truly the ‘The Gateway to Opportunity,’” said Senator Collins. “The Union River Center for Innovation will help to nurture... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to leaders of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King request that funding be retained in the final Fiscal Year 2017 federal funding bill to ensure the continuation of the State Health Insurance Assistance, or SHIP, program. SHIPs nationwide offer local, personalized counseling and assistance to people with Medicare and their families. The House Appropriations Committee... Continue Reading »
BAR HARBOR, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today on the passing of Seymour Papert, a mathematician and computer scientist at MIT who played a critical role in the creation of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI): “Almost twenty years ago, I had a conversation with Seymour that opened my eyes to the importance of empowering students with technology. At the time,... Continue Reading »
ORONO, ME – During a joint press conference at the University of Maine at Orono today, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins and Representative Bruce Poliquin announced that the Economic Development Assessment Team, known as an EDAT, will deploy to Maine from August 17th-19th. The multiagency EDAT, announced by the Department of Commerce earlier this summer, will be beginning its work with the forest products industry to create economic development... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to purchase an additional 3.8 million pounds of Maine wild blueberries to distribute to food banks and other charitable organizations across the country. Along with an earlier purchase made this year at the Delegation’s request, that would bring the total to 11.7 million pounds, amounting to an... Continue Reading »
BANGOR, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today convened a roundtable with nurse practitioners in Bangor that focused on the importance of working to expand medication-assisted treatment, also known as MAT, which can be a critical tool in helping people overcome opioid or heroin addiction. The discussion builds on reforms enacted by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which provides a community-based response to the addiction crisis facing America. The legislation... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the City of Portland will be awarded $1,568,592 in Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grant program funding and $246,275 in Healthy Homes Supplemental funding. The city will use the funding to help address lead hazards in 80 housing units, providing safer homes for low and very low-income families with... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released a letter he sent to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) calling on the agency to use its power to more aggressively combat the opioid epidemic ravaging communities from Maine and the nation. Under current law, the DEA is responsible for setting annual quotas for manufacturers’ production of schedule I and II controlled substances, including opioids, which means the DEA effectively serves as a gatekeeper for... Continue Reading »
FALMOUTH, ME – During a visit to the Stewart Adult Day Center in Falmouth today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the Credit for Caring Act, bipartisan legislation that would help make caring for an aging loved one easier and more affordable by providing up to a $3,000 nonrefundable tax credit to working family caregivers. Senator King announced his support for the bill during a tour of the Stewart Center, a facility that provides day care support services for... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the followings statement on Baton Rouge: “This is truly terrible news; awful for the families of those so senselessly slain and terrible for our country. There are too many families across this country, of all colors and of all backgrounds, whose hearts are filled with grief and pain. While none of us knows what the answer to this problem is, I think we do know that this pain will not healed by further violence. It... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a total of $1,644,596 in grant funding to four Maine school districts and a rural health care provider through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant program. The funding will help connect rural communities with medical and educational experts in other parts of the country, increasing access to health care, substance misuse treatment and advanced... Continue Reading »
