WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that two community projects in Maine will receive grant funding totaling $53,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture. The Shaw Public Library Association in Greenville will receive $50,000 to build a connector building between the Shaw Library and Annex. Tri-Town Ambulance and Emergency Rescue Services, Inc. based in West Paris will receive $3,000 to purchase a more reliable ambulance. “We are... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today unanimously passed a resolution authored by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that designates August 7th, 2014 as “National Lighthouse and Lighthouse Preservation Day”. Senators King, Collins, and Schumer introduced the legislation in advance of August 7th, which marks the 225th anniversary of President George Washington’s signing of the Lighthouse Act of 1789. That legislation... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Obama Administration considers shifting existing financial resources to help address the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the southern border, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today urged the Secretaries of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security as well as the Attorney General not to redirect critical funding away from vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking populations in states like Maine that are already struggling under limited resources and large court... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act (H.R. 1528) – originally introduced by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Angus King (I-Maine) – which would allow veterinarians to carry and dispense controlled substances to protect the health and welfare of the nation’s animals, ensure public safety, and safeguard the nation’s food supply. The legislation – introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Kurt... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Armed Services Committee, today applauded an announcement by Secretary of State John Kerry that former Coast Guard Commandant, retired Admiral Robert Papp, has been appointed to serve as Special Representative for the Arctic. “Admiral Papp is an outstanding choice to serve as Special Representative for the Arctic, and I commend the President and Secretary Kerry on his selection,” Senator King said.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today after voting to advance the Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act. The legislation, which was drafted in response to the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, would ensure that employers cannot deny certain required health benefits to their workers or other medical procedures, like vaccines and blood transfusions, when an employer has a religious objection. “I have... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today introduced a resolution that would designate August 7th, 2014 as “National Lighthouse and Lighthouse Preservation Day”. The Senators introduced the resolution in advance of August 7th, which will mark the 225th anniversary of President George Washington’s signing of the Lighthouse Act of 1789, which established the federal government’s role in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Fort Kent Fire Department will receive a federal grant in the amount of $2,850 and the Albion Fire Department will receive a federal grant in the amount of $50,160 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). The funding for Fort Kent will be used to help the department to train firefighters while the funding for Albion will help the department purchase 18 complete sets of turnout gear as... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) announced they will introduce today The Strong Families Act, legislation to incentivize employers to voluntarily provide employees with paid parental or medical leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 requires employers of 50 or more employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, which can be used for events like the birth or adoption of children, serious medical issues, or providing care to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today to the new Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, joined a bipartisan group of colleagues from the House and Senate in advocating for a reform to the federal budget and appropriations process that would convert it from an annual practice to a two-year cycle. Known as biennial budgeting, the reform would force Congress to become better stewards of taxpayer money... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement today in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) long-term budget outlook: “The CBO’s new outlook should be a wake-up call to my colleagues in both chambers,” Senator King said. “If we don’t take immediate action to gain a better hold of federal debt and put it on a sustainable path, we undeniably will face a fiscal... Continue Reading »
BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) vote today to begin modernizing the E-Rate program: “I applaud the FCC for moving another step closer to bringing high-speed broadband to every school and library across Maine and America,” Senator King said. “The Internet has changed dramatically since the creation of the E-Rate program in 1996, and as... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – As part of his ongoing effort to keep the people of Maine informed of his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King recapped this week’s events in the nation’s capital. In his weekly address, Senator King discussed: The Senate’s confirmation of Dr. William “Bro” Adams to be the next chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Adams previously served as the President of Colby College, a position he held since... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – In an interview this morning with CNN New Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) called for an end to the political blame-game and finger pointing surrounding the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexican border and called on Congress to engage in a substantive, thoughtful debate on the issue. “There’s too much shouting, too much finger pointing, too much squabbling….People need to take a deep breath, sit down, and look at the facts,” Senator King... Continue Reading »
Mr. President, a few years ago Tom Brokaw wrote a brilliant and important book called "The Greatest Generation,'' and he described our fathers and grandfathers and mothers and grandmothers and what they did for this country by coming through the searing fire of the Great Depression, fighting and winning World War II, and then rebuilding our economy in the 1950s. We owe that generation everything we have. That generation sacrificed--I have to repeat that word "sacrificed''--on our behalf. We are... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Highway Trust Fund faces a looming shortfall that could bring vital transportation projects across the country to a standstill, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today called on Congress to not only replenish the fund, but also to fulfill its obligation to the country by governing in a fiscally responsible manner. King, who spoke on the Senate floor, urged his colleagues to address the serious challenges that confront the country, like record debt and deficits as... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) urged Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to rethink a newly-proposed regulation that provides FDA with the authority to seize and destroy certain prescription drugs that patients purchased from outside the country. The letter, which was also signed by Senators David Vitter (R-La.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Dean Heller (R-Nev.), requests that the FDA modify the proposed rule to require... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today extolled the tremendous promise of advanced everyday technologies, like iPhones, in helping to detect, fight, and end cancer as well as other diseases and illnesses. Senator King, along with Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), spoke about the importance of supporting innovation in the field of health technology at a briefing entitled, “How Can Innovation Help End Cancer: A Briefing with Clinical Patient... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced the Senate’s confirmation of Dr. William “Bro” Adams to be the next chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Dr. Adams previously served as the President of Colby College. “Dr. Adams is a proven leader whose engagement and direction have enriched the State of Maine,” Senator Collins said. “A Vietnam War veteran, Fulbright Scholar, and Board Member for both... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act. A similar bill, authored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), passed the Senate in January. The bipartisan bill allows veterinarians to legally carry and dispense controlled substances to protect the health and welfare of animals across the country, ensure public safety, and safeguard the nation’s food supply. “Mobile veterinary services are... Continue Reading »
