WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced today the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which he is a member, has approved the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a number of provisions that he supported that will benefit Maine. “Maine has long played a vital role in protecting our nation and this legislation demonstrates that we will continue to far into the future as well,”... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned foreign policy experts on the best practices to defend the United States against Russian meddling in our elections. The hearing, which focused on Russia’s active measures and information operations campaigns in Europe, provided an overview of Russia’s attempts to exert influence and interfere in other countries’ elections, particularly in Eastern Europe.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have signed onto a bipartisan letter led by Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly urging him to use the authority provided by Congress to lift the cap on seasonal H-2B visas that employers rely on to fill summer jobs. In the letter, the senators expressed their concern about reports that visas may not be approved in time for peak tourist... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Cianbro Corp. of Pittsfield will be awarded $23,098,000 from the U.S. Navy for improvements to dry dock number one at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery. “The work done at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has a direct impact on our national security, and this contract for Cianbro will help make sure that the shipyard is well-equipped to continue its important mission,” said Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s score of the Senate health care bill: “This score is further proof that this bill will do more harm than good,” Senator King said. “This bill will drastically increase the cost of coverage for older, working-class Maine people; put health insurance out of reach... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the June edition of his podcast, Inside Maine. In this month’s podcast, Senator King interviews Carolann Ouellette, Executive Director of Maine Huts and Trails, and Lindsay Downing, owner of Mt. Chase Lodge on Shin Pond in Patten. The June edition of Inside Maine highlights Maine’s great outdoors, and the many recreational opportunities available to travelers looking to experience the Maine woods in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that he has hired Presque Isle native Jordyn Madore as a Constituent Service Representative in his Presque Isle office. In her role as a Constituent Service Representative, Madore will work with Senator King and constituents in Aroostook County to answer questions, locate resources, and address problems relating to federal government agencies. “I am thrilled to welcome Jordyn to our team,” Senator King said.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), the Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Angus King (I-ME), announced today that the Fryeburg and Chelsea Fire Departments have been awarded a total of $249,911 in grant funding through the latest round of grants awarded under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The Fryeburg Fire Department will receive $230,101 for firefighter protective turnout gear, firefighter breathing apparatus, and training. The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission will be able to resume its meetings after September 1st and can now begin communicating accordingly. The announcement follows their letter urging Secretary Zinke to take action. “We welcome this decision and are pleased that the uncertainty regarding the future of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a video posted on his Facebook page today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) reacted to the release of the Senate’s health care bill, calling it “a really cruel bill” that will have “devastating” economic effects on Maine. “All this week we’ve been hunting around here for the Republican health care bill. This morning we found it, and I’m kind of sorry we did because it’s pretty bad,” Senator King said in his... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today pressed top officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize the protection of state and local election systems in the wake of Russia’s attempt to hack into them last year. “I would urge you to put some urgency on this. We’ve got another election coming in eighteen months, and if we are talking about systems and registration... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, in a video posted to his Facebook page this morning, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) criticized the secret, closed-door talks by a small handful of senators to write a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, saying that the Senate “can do better” for the American people. Senator King also criticized the reported substance of the bill as being terrible for Maine, hurting rural hospitals and rural communities; skyrocketing the price of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke in support of the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Senator King’s comments to Secretary Zinke come after the Department of the Interior earlier this year suspended meetings of all national park advisory commissions across the country – including the Acadia Commission in Maine – while the National... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — Bipartisan legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) that will help reform the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been signed into law. The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act will allow the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to dismiss bad employees and ensure appropriate due process protections for whistleblowers. “Our nation's veterans deserve access to the high-quality... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke urging him to reconsider the suspension of the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission. In their letter, the Senators expressed support for the Acadia Commission’s work to help build bridges between the park and the communities it surrounds. “The Acadia Commission, established in the 1986 Permanent Boundary Act of Acadia National Park (Acadia), is... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) led a group of senators in requesting at least $5 million in federal funding to support maple syrup producers in Maine and across the country. In a letter to Chairman John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, the Senators highlighted... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will award a total of $856,300 in grant funding to arts programs throughout Maine to encourage artistic creativity and foster innovation in Maine communities. The grants will support a wide range of programs that support public art, museums, and performances. “Maine has a long and storied tradition of gifted artists and dedicated patrons of the arts, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today urged the leaders of a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to increase funding to the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), a joint state-federal economic development effort that has helped some of the most economically distressed counties in Maine. In his letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water, Senator King asked that the Subcommittee provide $15 million in funding and recommended... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the stories of rural, working Maine people in hand, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) took to the Senate floor today to criticize the misnamed American Health Care Act (AHCA) as a bill that “could not be more tailored to harm people in Maine.” “It’s a terrible blow to millions – literally millions – of people across this country, and thousands in my state of... Continue Reading »
The Katahdin region can thrive alongside the monument — if we allow it By Angus King, Special to the BDN Posted June 13, 2017, at 12:21 p.m. “Here is your country,” President Theodore Roosevelt once told us. “Cherish these natural wonders. Cherish the natural resources. Cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage — for your children and your children’s children.” Roosevelt, the father of American conservation, knew the beauty... Continue Reading »
