WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) released the following statement after the Supreme Court announced the adoption of a binding code of conduct: “It’s welcome news that the Supreme Court has taken the steps to draft and adopt its own code of conduct. The Court’s authority rests entirely upon its credibility and integrity and the American people want to know that there is a guidebook for occupying a seat on our nation’s highest court. This... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement in observance of Veterans Day: “In 1918, members of the Allied Forces and Central Powers laid down their arms to mark the end of the Great War (World War I). While victory came at a tremendous cost, it was a historic triumph of freedom over the forces of tyranny. Originally known as Armistice Day, November 11 became the date each year for us... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In honor of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the 12th interview of the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King sat down with Beth Parks of Corea, Maine. Parks is a U.S. Army veteran who served as a nurse during the Vietnam War and later... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are introducing legislation to protect the customer service process and experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Improving Veteran Experience Act of 2023 would establish into law the Veterans Experience Office (VEO), making it a permanent fixture to help meet the increased demand for services. Established in 2015, the VEO collects veterans’ feedback through surveys and uses that data to enhance... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are expected to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24), on top of the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year. “These additional H-2B visas are a welcome relief for small businesses throughout Maine that continue to face a shortage of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) joined Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and 21 of their colleagues in a letter to President Biden condemning the brutal terror attacks by Hamas, expressing support for immediate funding to replenish Israel’s defensive systems, and seeking information on two clear U.S. priorities: supporting an Israeli strategy that will effectively degrade and defeat the threat from Hamas... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have introduced legislation to help monitor mountain snowpack across Maine. The Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Act would establish a network of snow and water monitoring stations across Maine and the Northeast to better track mountain snow accumulation and precipitation rates – to help Maine’s communities and businesses adapt to changing dynamics. As climate change continues to disrupt weather patterns, expanded resources are... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have joined together on a bipartisan letter seeking expanded comment periods for temporary access visa programs used by Maine’s farmers and ranchers. In letters to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, the Senators request a 60-day public comment extension for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed rulemaking, “Modernizing H-2 Program Requirements, Oversight, and Worker... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King sent a letter to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Army, Lieutenant General Donna W. Martin, calling for a comprehensive review of the events surrounding the Lewiston shooting on October 25, 2023. “As we continue to grieve the needless loss of life that day, we must work to fully understand what happened—and what could have been done differently that might have prevented this tragedy—on the local, state, and federal... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), U.S. Senator Angus King expressed the urgent need for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to find pragmatic, workable solutions in order to keep VA facilities properly staffed, fully open, and industry-competitive. He questioned Tracey Therit, the Chief Human Capital Officer within the VA, about the direct effect that bureaucratic hiring processes and lack of staff can have on veterans seeking care. “We're... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that GrowSmart Maine has been awarded $304,636 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant program. This funding will support GrowSmart’s program training recipients in 10 Maine towns on land use planning processes that will address critical issues including farmland protection and farm viability, affordable housing, and climate change prevention and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), is joining 18 of his colleagues in calling for an expanded food allowance for servicemembers and their families to be included in the upcoming annual defense legislation. In a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the leadership of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, the Senators urged them to expand servicemember eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) in the Fiscal Year 2024... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden announced that Maine has been awarded more than $38 million in funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) in 2024. “Over 45,000 Maine households rely on LIHEAP to stay safe and warm during the winter,” said the Maine Delegation. “With home heating prices set to remain at near record levels in the coming months, it’s essential that this assistance continues... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), co-chairs of the Congressional Arctic Caucus, released the following statements after the Biden Administration released its detailed Implementation Plan for the U.S. National Strategy for the Arctic Region (NSAR). The NSAR Implementation Plan builds upon past efforts to increase security, environmental protection, sustainable economic development and international governance in the High North. “As an Arctic... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced legislation to promote healthy childhoods for children across the United States. The Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACE) Act would authorize grants to public health entities for the prevention of negative events during childhood like violence, abuse or neglect. The public health entities, like the Center for Disease Control (CDC), would use these grants for prevention activities or... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Janet Mills and the Maine Congressional Delegation issued the following joint statement today in response to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)’s release of its draft Wind Energy Area (WEA) for the Gulf of Maine: “We look forward to reviewing the proposal in detail, but we are encouraged that the Bureau has initially listened to our concerns and those of the fishing community by excluding Lobster Management Area 1 in its draft. We are opposed to any... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins’ (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) to designate today, October 20, 2023, as National Early Childhood Literacy Awareness Day. The resolution, which highlights the importance of access to high-quality early childhood education programs, is also co-sponsored by Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). "Fostering literacy in early childhood is crucial for preparing students... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King and 19 of his colleagues are pushing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve access to local media on streaming platforms, in a letter they sent to the Commission. Current law and Commission rules state that traditional cable and satellite networks must work directly with a local television station before broadcasting local news, sports, and other programming. However, linear streaming services over the internet are not required to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement following President Biden’s speech to the nation on the war between Hamas and Israel, and the global imperative to support democracy over tyranny and terrorism: “The causes of freedom, democracy, and self-defense are core American guiding beliefs. In fact, Thomas Jefferson, after writing the Declaration of Independence, swore eternal hostility... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, joined nearly all of their Senate colleagues in passing a bipartisan resolution in support of Israel. Senators Collins and King are co-sponsors of the resolution, which passed the Senate by a vote of 97-0. “The Senate stands with Israel as it defends itself, including Israeli efforts to... Continue Reading »
