WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Bucksport Fire Department will receive a federal grant in the amount of $24,938 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). Specifically, the funding will come through AFG’s Operations and Firefighting Safety Program, which provides funding for training, equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to department facilities. “These grants are a critical resource for so many... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that the Maine Aqua Ventus I pilot offshore wind project, designed by a University of Maine-led consortium, has been selected as an alternate in the Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Project program and that the DOE will continue to invest in the project to help it achieve one hundred percent design completion. After the announcement, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released the following... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a bitterly-cold and expensive Maine winter, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today filed an amendment to the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act that would help curb rising heating costs for Mainers by making it easier to utilize Weatherization Assistance Program funding to replace outdated, costly and inefficient heating units with more efficient ones. “Maine is the most heating oil dependent state in the nation, so if Mainers are working... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today congratulated Ursula Hebert Johnson of Waterville and Kyle A. Hietala of West Bath on being named United States Presidential Scholars. Created in 1964, the United States Presidential Scholars program honors high school seniors for academic excellence, artistic accomplishments, and civic contributions. More than 3,000 students apply annually to this prestigious scholastic program. Applicants are subject to a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, issued the following statement today following the release of the White House’s updated National Climate Assessment: “The warnings in this report are clear: climate change is real, it’s happening right now, and it poses a serious threat to peoples' livelihoods and local economies across the country, including in Maine. If you love the outdoors and spend time outside,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his ongoing effort to keep the people of Maine informed of his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King sat down to discuss this week’s events in the nation’s capital. In his weekly address Senator King discussed: The Senate Rules Committee hearing he chaired on Wednesday about the negative influence of dark money in politics. The failed attempt in the Senate to move forward with legislation to raise the minimum wage. Justice Jon Levy’s... Continue Reading »
KITTERY, ME – As the Department of Defense continues to implement a comprehensive clean energy strategy for military installations across the country, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today toured renewable energy projects currently underway at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. “Portsmouth Naval Shipyard continues to be on the vanguard of the Defense Department’s innovative new strategy to embrace clean and renewable... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding a grant in the amount of $1,483,048 for the expansion and improvement of the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Augusta. The grant will fund the construction of an administration building, committal service shelter, landscaping, irrigation, and other supporting infrastructure. The project will develop approximately 1.2 acres. “Preserving the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of U.S. Senator Angus King today announced the constituent outreach schedule for the month of May. Constituent outreach hours are part of Senator King’s “Your Government, Your Neighborhood” initiative and offer an opportunity for area residents to meet directly with a staff representative to discuss specific problems, legislative issues, or any concerns regarding federal government agencies. No appointment is necessary. For more... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – In response to the April jobs report released today by the U.S. Department of Labor, which revealed that the economy added 288,000 new jobs, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement calling on Congress to find middle ground on a minimum wage compromise: “Today’s job report is great news and once again shows that the economy is climbing out of the recession. But what it doesn’t reveal are the real world implications for the still... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – One day after his hearing to examine the influence of undisclosed or so-called “dark money” in U.S. elections, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) took to the floor of the U.S. Senate this evening to sound the alarm on the increasing amount of dark money flowing into campaigns and to underscore the importance of expanding disclosure requirements for campaign contributions. “When I first got into this subject last year, I thought it was bad. Well, what... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today applauded the Senate’s confirmation of Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Jon Levy to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine by a vote of 75-20. “Justice Levy has had a long career as an attorney and a judge in Maine, and his experience makes him well qualified for Maine’s federal district court,” said Senator Collins. “Justice Levy’s contributions to the Maine legal... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced several grants totaling $280,000 from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) that will support the development and implementation of comprehensive economic development strategies (CEDS). The CEDS will bring together public and private sectors in the creation of an economic development roadmap to diversify and strengthen regional economies. “These grants are welcome news for Maine. By leveraging... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the Senate’s failure to advance legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pledged to work across the aisle to find a compromise and urged his colleagues to do the same. Senator King said: “It’s a core American principle: if you work hard, then you deserve a fair shot at making a good living – but it seems like we’re moving further and further away from what used to be such a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the release of a staggering report that shows significant spending of undisclosed money in Congressional races, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today chaired a Senate Rules Committee Hearing to examine the influence of so-called dark money on U.S. elections and underscored the urgency of expanding disclosure requirements for campaign contributions in the wake of the Supreme Court decision McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission. To read Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) will hold “Capitol Class” with students from Noble High School tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30th at 1:00 p.m. Capitol Class is Senator King’s effort to video conference with as many high schools across Maine as possible while he is in Washington, D.C. Media is welcome to attend the event at Noble High School. ... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens will testify at the Senate Rules Committee Hearing he is holding on Wednesday, April 30th to examine the influence of undisclosed money on U.S. elections following the Supreme Court decision McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission. King’s hearing, “Dollars and Sense: How Undisclosed Money and Post-McCutcheon Campaign Finance Will Affect the 2014 Election... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Department of Defense (DOD) will require new recruits to use their footwear allowance to purchase athletic footwear that is compliant with the Berry Amendment, such as athletic shoes made by New Balance, once they are available in the marketplace. For several years, Maine’s Senators have urged the Pentagon to buy footwear made in the USA rather than circumventing the Berry Amendment, which... Continue Reading »
SEDONA, AZ – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, announced that he will participate in this weekend’s 2014 Sedona Forum hosted by the McCain Institute for International Leadership in Sedona, Arizona. The annual forum will focus on “Crisis in the Middle East: Values, Strategy and Options,” and will also include sessions on Russia and Ukraine and on combating human trafficking. The Sedona Forum is the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King issued the following statement today regarding a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement that the administration will issue revised proposals for the handling of “spent grains” produced by brewers during the beer making process and used by farmers for livestock feed. “We are glad to see FDA's announcement that it has heard the very practical concerns raised by small brewers and others over the... Continue Reading »
