Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), a member of the Senate Education Committee, and Angus King (I-ME) announced today that the Maine Department of Education (DOE) received $1,011,080 for the Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) Preschool Development Grant program. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families.“The Maine Department of Education works in partnership with educators, schools, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s address on immigration and the government shutdown:“I’m so tired of the false choice between ‘the wall or open borders’ – I don’t know a single member of Congress who supports open borders,” said Senator King. “I’m for border security; I’m just not for border security that doesn’t make economic or practical sense. And for all of the President’s efforts... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $828,415 to Maine’s state-level Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is awarded to a maternal and child health services program that works to protect the health of Maine’s mothers, women, and children – including children with special needs.“Maine families deserve access to quality, regular care and a... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Angus King today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded a $600,000 grant to VitaminSea LLC, a family-owned seaweed harvesting and processing company based in Buxton. The Phase II grant, which was awarded through the USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program, will fund real world market testing for larger scale commercialization of VitaminSea’s seaweed... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jack Reed (D-RI) in reintroducing the bipartisan Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act. The legislation would encourage states to enact laws giving law enforcement or family members the authority to prevent individuals posing a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms, while still providing due process protections.“Gun violence... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after being sworn in for his second term in the U.S. Senate:“Six years ago, the people of Maine placed their faith in me to go to the Senate and try to make their lives better; today, I’m humbled by the trust they’ve given me to continue the work we started together. Washington’s actions need to reflect Maine’s priorities – but as the ongoing shutdown shows, far too often our leaders miss the mark. Maine... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the December edition of his Inside Maine podcast. This month’s podcast features Maryalice Crofton, executive director of the Maine Commission for Community Service (MCCS) and Rick Dorian, executive director of the Maine Children’s Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville. Maryalice and Rick joined Senator King to discuss volunteerism in Maine and community service around the holiday season. “It doesn’t come as a surprise to me that... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in advance of this evening’s deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown:“We shouldn’t be in this situation. For months, Congress has worked on a bipartisan basis to craft spending bills that would attract support from both parties – including substantial funds for border security. Instead, the President has forced a partial government shutdown unless his demands for a wall on the southern border... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree announced today that the Navy is exercising its option under the fiscal years (FY) 2018-2022 multiyear procurement contract awarded in September to build an additional DDG-51 destroyer at Bath Iron Works (BIW) for $910,723,811. This FY 2019 option ship is in addition to four ships the Navy awarded the shipyard under the multiyear contract. U.S. Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer called... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement on the announcement that Secretary of Defense James Mattis would be leaving the Trump Administration at the end of February:“When I first considered General Mattis’s nomination to serve as Defense Secretary, I concluded that he was ‘an experienced leader’ who would ‘serve as a moderating voice within the Administration.’ After nearly two years of service, I can say with confidence that Secretary Mattis has... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, the U.S. Senate passed the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho). Both Senators are members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR). The legislation would defend the U.S. energy grid by partnering with industry to utilize engineering concepts to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the grid through... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C.– Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sent a letter to President Donald Trump expressing their concern regarding the consideration to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria.“If you decide to follow through with your decision to pull our troops out of Syria, any remnants of ISIS in Syria will surely renew and embolden their efforts in the region. However, ISIS... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined a group of his Senate colleagues to call on President Trump to condemn the recent decision in Texas v. United States which declared the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. If the decision stands, 20 million Americans could be left without health insurance and millions of families across the country could see healthcare costs rise.“It is not too late for you to condemn this decision by requesting a stay and taking steps to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) outlining its rules for a new rural broadband pilot program. The program, which includes several provisions supported by King, is offering up to $600 million in loans and grants to help build broadband infrastructure in rural America. Congress created and allocated the funding for the pilot program in the March 2018 omnibus appropriations bill. “In rural... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded $100,000 to the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township to fund a study for a potential hydrogen-powered Business/Internet/Data Center on the Passamaquoddy reservation. Results of this study will identify the resources necessary for sustainable operations—including workforce development, capital, business management, legal services, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the FIRST Step Act, a bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine), among others. The legislation, which passed by a vote of 87-12, would improve fairness in sentencing of federal crimes, promote public safety, and reduce recidivism. The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and combines prison reform proposals that overwhelmingly passed in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, spoke on the Senate floor to advocate for the Restore Our Parks Act, a bipartisan bill led by that would address the $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog at the National Park Service (NPS). Senator King is a lead sponsor of the bipartisan bill along with Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Lamar Alexander... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor to pay tribute to Kay Rand, his longtime chief of staff who will be leaving the Senator’s office in January. Rand, a native of Ashland, Maine, has served as Senator King’s chief of staff since he was sworn-in in 2013, and was King’s chief of staff during both of his terms as Maine’s governor. She also led both of Senator King’s gubernatorial campaigns and his 2012 Senate campaign. After six years of traveling... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his committee assignments for the 116th Congress, when Senator King will continue to serve on the Armed Services Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Rules & Administration Committee.“I ran for re-election for one simple reason: there’s more work to be done,” said Senator King. “I’ve spent six years working to keep Maine people safe by strengthening America’s national... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the co-chair of the Working Forest Caucus, led a bipartisan group of his colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture supporting an award program for educational institutes who explore new potential uses for mass timber. In the letter, which was also signed by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), the Senators point to the previous success of similar programs through... Continue Reading »
