WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) have introduced the Mental and Behavioral Health Connectivity Act, legislation to allow Medicare beneficiaries to continue to access mental and behavior health services through telehealth in the near term and after the coronavirus pandemic subsides. Currently, authorizations included in the CARES Act create additional flexibility which allows the use of telehealth for mental and behavioral healthcare; however, these... Continue Reading »
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency has been awarded a total of $931,880 to combat the opioid abuse crisis throughout the state. This funding was awarded through the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) Program.“While we continue our efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we must not relent in our efforts to address the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 41 Senate colleagues to urge Congressional leaders to include additional federal funding to help students safely return to the classroom in upcoming coronavirus relief legislation. The Senators note that without swift, comprehensive Congressional action, it will be difficult for America’s 100,000 K-12 public schools – which are already facing severe budget cuts – to prepare to protect students, teachers, staff, families, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement in response to a Presidential Memorandum that calls on USTR and USDA to provide the lobster industry with the same form of financial assistance that has already been extended to farmers suffering as a result of China’s retaliatory tariffs. Today’s move comes after the full Maine delegation wrote a letter to the President urging him... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of Senators in introducing legislation that would designate Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Currently, Juneteenth is celebrated by 47 states, including Maine.“Since the first celebration of Juneteenth Independence Day in 1865, communities throughout the country have continued to commemorate the end of slavery and the conclusion of a dark chapter in our nation’s history,” said Senator Collins. ... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pressed Peter Thomson, nominee to serve as Inspector General (IG) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on the need for IGs to serve as watchdogs for the American people, following the facts and the law even at the risk of telling the Administration difficult truths. During his questioning, Senator King urged Thomson to be strongly independent from any interference from the Administration. “I think the IG position is one of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after the Senate voted 55 to 45 to not advance to debate on police reform legislation:“The bill I voted to start consideration of today does not enact nearly enough change to address the magnitude of the deep-seated problems of racial injustice facing our nation – but it was the only option before us to debate, and hopefully, come to a bipartisan resolution on this vitally important issue.” Said Senator... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been awarded a total of $3,023,728 to help provide free immunizations to eligible low-income children throughout our state. This funding was awarded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Immunization and Vaccines for Children Program (VFC).“Vaccines are essential for protecting children from a variety of serious infections and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 38 Senate colleagues in urging House and Senate leaders to ensure that any upcoming coronavirus relief bill include strong provisions to expand access to quality and affordable health care coverage in the wake of this public health crisis. In their letter, the Senators called for a bipartisan effort to increase the federal government’s share of Medicaid dollars as well as reduce premiums for individuals who are eligible for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following last week’s historic Supreme Court ruling rejecting the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 46 of his Senate colleagues in a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to immediately take up the bipartisan House-passed American Dream and Promise Act, which would establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants with Temporary Protected... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amid nationwide protests against police violence against African-Americans and widespread calls for systemic changes, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) are urging Senate leaders to find a bipartisan path forward and enact meaningful police reform. Specifically, the Senators are calling for hearings in the Judiciary Committee on both the Justice in Policing Act, introduced by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and the JUSTICE Act,... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden announced today that Native Maine Produce & Specialty Foods, a Westbrook distribution company, was awarded $1.35 million to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The Farmers to Families Food Box Program, a component of USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program that was established through the Families First... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) participated in a teleconference with Maine United Way leadership representatives, as part of his continuous effort to stay connected to Maine people throughout the coronavirus pandemic. During the call Senator King received updates from the United Way on the impacts of the coronavirus on Maine communities, and highlighted the importance of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC), and Medicaid expansion to help... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) introduced legislation to protect patients receiving care through telehealth services by shielding certain rural health clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in underserved communities from impending Medicare payments that could hinder their ability to care and treat patients in the middle of a pandemic. The Improving Telehealth for Underserved Communities Act would provide payment parity... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) shared the following insights to commemorate Juneteenth. In the video, Senator King reflects upon the date’s significance in our national history, emphasizes the continued failings in America’s approach to ensuring racial justice, and challenges Americans to “live our creed,” fight for equality and to listen to one another. Senator King's video can be downloaded HERE.“On June 19th, 1865, a Union General arrived in Galveston Texas... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), bipartisan legislation championed by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that will support national parks and public lands across our nation. The GAOA includes the Restore Our Parks Act, legislation introduced by Senators King to address the existing $12 billion maintenance backlog in our national parks – including an estimated $65 million in needed repairs at Acadia National Park. In addition, the GAOA... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of 30 Senators in calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent. Cosponsored by Senators Collins and King, provisions of the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act were included in COVID-19 relief legislation. These provisions, which expand coverage of telehealth services for Medicare... Continue Reading »
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine State Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded a total of $1,477,750 to support mental health and substance abuse programs throughout the state. This funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). “No community is immune from these heartbreaking disorders that have taken a toll on... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of 44 senators in urging Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Jovita Carranza to ease paperwork requirements for small businesses seeking loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In the letter, Senator King and his colleagues specifically request that the loan forgiveness application for loans under $250,000 be limited to one page in length.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC – As the U.S. Senate considers bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) to support America’s national parks, a new National Park Service (NPS) study shows that in 2019, visitor spending in communities near national parks contributed $41.7 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 340,500 jobs. This study comes on the heels of an another NPS study, which shows Senator King’s bipartisan Restore Our Parks would support an average of 40,300... Continue Reading »
