WASHINGTON, D.C. –In a continued effort to keep Mainers informed of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) sat down to recap the ongoing events of this past week in the U.S. Senate. Senator King specifically spoke about: His meeting with Admiral John Richardson, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, where he underscored the important role that Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Yard plays in securing and protecting American national security... Continue Reading »
By Angus King, Special to the Bangor Daily News Posted April 11, 2013, at 3:44 p.m. In the coming days, the U.S. Senate will take up gun control. In my short tenure, no issue has generated as much interest, public engagement or passion as this one. As the debate in the Senate begins, I think it is appropriate that I lay out my position as clearly as possible to the people of Maine. In thinking this through, I have sat with gun owners, hunters, long-time gun control advocates and citizens... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) this week joined 27 of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing the “Safe Chemicals Act” to protect Americans from dangerous toxic chemicals that are found in everyday products. The legislation reforms the Toxic Substances Control Act to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the tools it needs to collect health and safety information, screen chemicals for safety, and require risk management when chemicals cannot... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night the U.S. Senate passed a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the sinking of U.S.S. Thresher – a U.S. Navy submarine built and based at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The resolution was introduced by New England Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The resolution pays tribute to the U.S.S. Thresher’s naval and civilian crew who... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement today after the President released his Fiscal Year 2014 Budget: “It’s encouraging the President has offered a budget that demonstrates his seriousness and commitment to reaching a grand bargain. As we know, the Senate has produced a budget blueprint, which I helped craft, and the House has also produced its own dramatically different budget plan.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, yesterday met with a top Navy official, Sean J. Stackley, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition. Assistant Secretary Stackley is responsible for all matters relating to Navy acquisition policy and programs, like those critical to Bath Iron Works (BIW). Senator King and Assistant Secretary Stackley discussed at length Maine’s vast... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), today video conferenced via Cisco Jabber with students, faculty, and staff at Bucksport High School in Bucksport as part of his “Capitol Class with Angus” series. Over the next six years he hopes to connect with as many Maine high schools as possible in order to share with students his experiences as Maine’s new U.S. Senator and to answer their questions about major issues facing the country. Today’s 40... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met yesterday with AdmiralJohn Richardson, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, and a graduate of York High School in York, Maine. During the meeting, Senator King discussed the exceptional repair and overhaul work performed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) and underscored the important role that PNSY plays in securing and protecting American national security at... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement today in light of the March Employment Report from the U.S. Department of Labor, which showed that the U.S. economy gained 88,000 jobs while the unemployment rate dropped to 7.6 percent. “Today’s job report is further proof that we are in the midst of a fragile economic recovery which is significantly affected by the actions – or inactions... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Maine’s entire congressional delegation sent letters to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta expressing their strong opposition to the FAA’s possible elimination of the overnight shift at the Bangor International Airport (BGR) Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT). “Given the national significance of BGR to both civilian and military aviation, we strongly urge you... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that three Maine fire departments will receive grant awards: Cushing Fire Department will receive $68,096; Standish Fire and Emergency Medical Service will receive $42,750; and Gouldsboro Fire Department will receive $52,155. “These grants are a valuable source of funding for our fire and rescue personnel, and we have seen firsthand the dramatic difference they make, especially in small, rural... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), today toured the Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Augusta, Maine and congratulated Mr. Ryan S. Lilly on his official induction as the Center’s new Director. Lilly was appointed to the post in late August 2012. Senator King praised Mr. Lilly, our nation's veterans, and the work of Togus' dedicated staff: “It is all about the people. This facility is so important to Maine and so important to so many... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC –U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applaud the announcement today that the Department of Defense is working to minimize furloughs for civilian employees. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Senators Collins and King urged him to minimize furloughs by using the flexibility afforded to the Secretary in the Continuing Resolution that passed the Senate, with their support, last week. The Continuing Resolution included a full Fiscal Year 2013 Defense... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking applicants for its Youth Preparedness Council. The Youth Preparedness Council provides an opportunity for young leaders to serve as a member of a national council, to complete a youth preparedness project of their choosing, to learn about youth disaster preparedness from leadership at FEMA and other national organizations, and to participate in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) last week welcomed to the nation’s capital students from Cape Elizabeth High School. Senator King greeted the AP Government students and their teacher, Ted Jordan, in the Lyndon B. Johnson Room of the U.S. Capitol where he spoke about his work in Washington and the current business before the Senate. “I was delighted to welcome the students and am pleased they had the opportunity to witness firsthand what... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee who contributed to the development of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Resolution, praised its passage today out of the Senate. Several provisions championed by Senator King, including the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Actand an amendment to increase funding for low-income weatherization efforts, garnered broad, bipartisan support in the Senate. The broad support indicates that similar... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –As the Senate turns to the consideration of its first budget resolution in four years, U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, joined a bipartisan effort led by Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to reform Congress’ budget process by converting the annual spending practice to a two-year budget cycle. Senator King signed on as a cosponsor to S.554, the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act, which... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shortly after releasing their initial statement below, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) learned from the U.S. Department of Defense that it will delay the release of furlough notices by approximately two weeks in order to allow the Pentagon time to analyze the impact of the Continuing Resolution which was passed yesterday. The Continuing Resolution, which Senators Collins and King voted for yesterday in the Senate, passed the House of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) today released this joint statement in response to sequestration cuts that will likely result in furloughs of civilian employees, including those at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery. “It is simply unacceptable that Congress and the President have yet to reach a deal that would replace these mindless, across-the-board cuts, known as “sequestration,” with a responsible, long-term deficit... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) announced today that the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will receive more than $9 million in excise tax revenues to fund fish and wildlife conservation and recreation projects. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is distributing $5,761,219 through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration program and $3,598,719 through Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration program. Revenues come from... Continue Reading »
