WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in the U.S. Capitol today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of congressional leaders from the Senate and House to honor the men and woman who served in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The OSS was an intelligence agency formed during World War II and is the predecessor to the CIA. “I’m especially honored to be here... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing on worldwide threats before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Robert Ashley on global threats and critical issues facing U.S. national security. Citing a report on worldwide threats from DNI Coats, Senator King underscored the significance climate change may have on U.S. national security and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today joined a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues to introduce the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018, legislation that funds school security improvements and invests in early intervention and prevention programs to stop school violence before it happens. “It is essential that we take steps to secure our schools so that... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) continued his push for a national policy of cyber deterrence in two Senate hearings. He first spoke during a nomination hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee, and directed his comments toward Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone, the nominee for Director of the National Security Agency and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command. Senator King then continued his push during a hearing in the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned top national intelligence officials on the lack of a national doctrine to deter cyber attacks. “I am sick and tired of going to these hearings, which I have been going to for five years, where everybody talks of cyber attacks, and our country still does not have a policy or a doctrine or a strategy for dealing with them,” said Senator King. “…We are trying to fight a global battle with our hands... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works (BIW) a $23,902,104 contract modification. The funding will be used to continue lead yard services for Arleigh Burke-class ships. “This funding is critical to ensuring that the highly skilled men and women of Bath Iron Works have the necessary resources to continue building the best, most advanced destroyers in the world,” Senators Collins and King said... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today underscored the importance of diplomatic efforts to support and strengthen United States national security interests during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The hearing was held to receive testimony from outside experts on recommendations for a future National Defense Strategy. “Defending the national security of the United States involves a continuum, it seems to me, that goes from diplomacy to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the U.S. Senate approved the conference committee’s bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018, which included key victories for Maine. Senator King served on the conference committee that reconciled the differences between the Senate’s version, which passed by a vote of 89-8, and the version advanced by the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the House-Senate conference committee’s bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 included key victories for Maine. Senator King served on the conference committee that reconciled the differences between the Senate’s version, which passed by a vote of 89-8, and version advanced by the House of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that the U.S Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted 12-3 to approve the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, which will extend the sunset of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Act to December 31, 2025. Included in the reauthorization is an amendment Senator King introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that addresses the procedures by which U.S. intelligence agencies query data incidentally... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned officials from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation during a Senate Armed Services Committee focused on the nation’s cyber defenses. In his questioning, Senator King emphasized the importance of establishing a national doctrine for deterring adversaries in cyberspace. “I think [the need for a doctrine is] one of the key issues here,” said... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced today that the U.S. Navy awarded contracts to Bath Iron Works to build two new DDG-51 destroyers. The first ship will be in the Flight IIA configuration, and the second will be in the Flight III configuration. The Flight III ship will incorporate the SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and upgrade the electrical power and cooling capacity plus... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today announced that the U.S. Senate passed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last night with key victories for Maine. The bill, passed by the Senate with a vote of 89-8, now heads to conference committee to reconcile differences with the NDAA passed by the House of Representatives. “The men and women in our Armed Forces and in defense related industries... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today announced his opposition to a proposed amendment in the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act that would create a revised Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process beginning in 2021. “With heightened tensions around the world, our country’s national security must be a top priority, and a base closure round at this time is not in our national security interests. As we saw with the decisions to close Brunswick Naval... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Navy has awarded Stantec Consulting Services $4,914,828 for architect-engineering services for the dry dock number one superflood basin at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery. “This announcement is welcome news for the hardworking men and women of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This design contract will help prepare... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced today that he successfully secured several provisions in the Committee’s markup of the Fiscal Year 2018 Intelligence Authorization Act. The amendments are a continuation of Senator King’s efforts to increase security for the nation’s energy grid, protect government agencies and U.S. businesses from cyber-attacks, and increase transparency and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to introduce a resolution honoring the Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Forrestal, an aircraft carrier stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. On July 29, 1967, an inadvertent rocket sparked a fire that the servicemembers on board – including now- U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) – fought for 18 hours. The fire claimed the lives of 134 servicemembers and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This afternoon, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) met with Christopher Wray, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He released the following statement after the meeting: “I had a productive conversation with Mr. Wray this afternoon, which covered a wide range of topics about the responsibilities that come with leading the FBI,” Senator King said. “We spoke about U.S. national security... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded the men and women of the Maine Army National Guard for their work in preparing the nation of Montenegro to enter the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “First, we all on this side of the dais, I assert, often are prone to bragging about our own states. But, in this case, I cannot fail to... Continue Reading »
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 »