WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) said the United States must better prepare the electricity grid for cyber-attacks, particularly in the wake of last week’s announcement about a cyber-breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. “We are going to have a serious cyber-attack. The next Pearl Harbor is going to be cyber. […] We’ve got to do something,” Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he has joined with Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) to lead a bipartisan effort to ensure the federal government prioritizes high-speed broadband access for rural Americans. In a letter signed by a total of 13 Senators, King and his colleagues pressed Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Co-Chairs of the Broadband Opportunity Council, for a detailed... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Knox County Regional Airport and DeWitt Field, Old Town Municipal Field more than $3.5 million in grant funding. “Maine's large geographic area makes air travel an important transportation option to connect towns and cities across the state,”... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Pleasant Point Reservation Housing Authority $410,710 to support the protection of the waste water treatment plant at the Passamaquoddy Tribe Pleasant Point Reservation. This funding will support the protection of the waste water treatment plant at... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s act, a bill that would ensure that patients and their families have the information they need to combat this difficult disease. King’s announcement comes during Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. “When Alzheimer’s strikes one person, it creates very difficult challenges for their entire family,”... Continue Reading »
AUGUSTA, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that he has joined the Senate National Institutes of Health (NIH) Caucus, an informal group of his Senate colleagues who work to promote the significance of NIH while maintaining the United States’ place as global leader in the field of medical research. As a member of the bipartisan group, Senator King will continue to advocate for national health and research investments as a means to save lives and money across... Continue Reading »
BAR HARBOR, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Tourism Caucus, attended the 17th Annual Cruise Canada New England Symposium where he welcomed the crowd of more than 120 participants, including representatives from the cruise ship industry and Canadian officials working to promote trade and tourism in the region. In his remarks, King highlighted the substantial economic activity that cruise ships generate in Maine. “Tourism is crucial to... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he, along with several of his colleagues, has sent a letter to President Obama urging him to begin the process for putting a woman on the twenty dollar bill. “We write today to urge you to begin the process for selecting a woman whose likeness will be placed on the $20 bill. We have introduced legislation, the Women on the Twenty Act, which would task the Treasury Secretary with appointing a new citizens panel... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the text of a letter he and a bipartisan group of his Senate and House colleagues sent yesterday to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan urging him to use his authority to move to a simpler income tax verification process for students filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when applying to college or university. Specifically the letter urged the Secretary to allow the use of data from... Continue Reading »
Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Labor is awarding Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. (CCWI) a $500,000 grant to bolster pre-release employment programs for Maine inmates, providing them with constructive opportunities as they transition back into the workforce. With this grant funding, CCWI will establish an American Job Center at the Cumberland County Jail, the largest jail in the state, in order to provide pre-release employment... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Following the news of a cyber breach at the Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement: “This cyber intrusion is yet another example of the serious threats our country faces,” Senator King said. “Cyber hackers and criminals will only continue to probe our systems for weaknesses – and we know full well the next target could be our electric grid, our... 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 (DHHS) is releasing the final $444,989 in funding for Maine through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This brings total funding for Maine to $39,180,816 for fiscal year (FY) 2015. “For years, LIHEAP has helped keep Maine’s seniors and low-income families warm during our harsh winters,” said Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) introduced the Reinforcing American-Made Products Act. The bill seeks to make it easier for American manufacturers to use the “Made in USA” label without weakening the “Made in USA” standard. “Many products bearing the ‘Made in the USA’ label are manufactured by American workers in Maine and across our country. It is... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced an amendment to the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would create a two-year pilot program to expedite the burdensome process that the U.S. Army must go through to dispose of buildings and structures that are no longer needed. Under current law, the Army’s unwanted buildings must be offered to organizations that provide assistance to the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) called on Congress to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). The Ex-Im Bank, which is set to cease operations at the end of this month unless Congress renews its charter, is the nation’s official export credit agency and a key export tool that helps companies in Maine and across the country sell their products in international markets. “We are engaged... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) considers new rules to rein in predatory practices in payday and similar types of lending, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), along with 31 of his colleagues, today expressed support for the initial steps the agency has taken and urged the agency to issue the strongest possible rules to combat the “cascade of devastating financial consequences” that these high-priced loans often have on consumers. “We... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins announced that the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is awarding the Nature Conservancy $300,000 to implement an electronic monitoring system in the New England groundfishery that will help promote sustainability and improve catch share monitoring. The project will be a collaborative effort with the local fishing industry, and will equip up to 24 regional fishing vessels with electronic monitoring... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement today after voting in favor of final passage of the USA Freedom Act: “Although I would have preferred that the Senate strengthen the bill even further by adopting provisions to give our government greater confidence that the new program will be fully effective, allowing this program to lapse for longer or expire altogether would be... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that seven Maine airports have been awarded federal grants totaling more than $2 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to be used for general improvements and safety enhancements. “Maine's large geographic area makes air travel an important transportation option that connects towns and cities across the state,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “Maine's... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest more than three million dollars in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the Aroostook County Action Program. “This important investment will help the Aroostook County Action Program continue to provide comprehensive child development programs for children throughout the region,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint... Continue Reading »
