WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the second public meeting of the Budget Conference Committee today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) offered his colleagues a preliminary proposal to mitigate the impact of sequestration and to promote economic growth. “As members of the Budget Conference Committee, we not only have a tremendous opportunity, but an obligation, to work together to reach a budget agreement that sets our country on a path to fiscal stability. For far too long, Congress has acted... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a letter, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King today urged the heads of American Airlines and US Airways to consider the potential impact that any reduction in service caused by the airlines’ proposed merger might have on small- and medium-sized airports in Maine and on the economies of local communities. “Maintaining direct access between small- and medium-sized communities... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King is recommending the website TheHealthSherpa.com as a temporary alternative for those experiencing difficulties with Healthcare.gov. The site, created by George Kalogeropoulos, Ning Liang and Michael Wasser of San Francisco, California, allows users to quickly and easily compare healthcare plans covered under the Affordable Care Act in the 34 states without existing marketplace websites, including Maine. Plans cannot be purchased through the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In observance of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Angus King today released the following statement thanking the brave men and women of our armed forces, and those who served before them, for their exceptional service to our country. Veterans Day was first proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson on November 11, 1919. It is an official federal holiday that honors all of America’s veterans for their selfless courage in the face of danger and unwavering commitment to the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a continuing effort to keep Mainers informed of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss the events of this past week in Washington. In his weekly recap, Senator King addressed: The bi-partisan passage of The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill that prevents workplace discrimination on the basis of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. An amendment he authored with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL),... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.--U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel intends to visit Bath Iron Works during his trip to the Halifax Security Conference scheduled for November 22-24. Both Senators extended invitations to Secretary Hagel to visit defense facilities in Maine, including BIW, during his confirmation process... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King pressed the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to provide answers concerning NPS’s recent decision to select a new, out-of-state concessioner at Acadia National Park. Maine-based The Acadia Corporation (Acadia Corp.) has for the past 80 years provided concessions within the park. “We are writing regarding the announcement by the National Park Service (‘NPS’) that a new... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday held a video conference with students and teachers at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham. The video conference was part of Senator King’s “Capitol Class with Angus” outreach series, a program through which he hopes to connect with as many Maine high schools as possible over the course of his term in Washington. During their 40-minute session, Senator King spoke briefly about issues he is currently working on and answered... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today praised the bipartisan passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The legislation will provide all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, with basic protections against workplace discrimination. It passed by a vote of 64-32. “The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is the next step in this country’s long movement toward ensuring basic civil rights protections for all of its... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Maine $993,125 in federal funding under the Affordable Care act to support two new healthcare centers. Katahdin Valley Health Center in Patten was awarded $301,458 and Penobscot Community Health Center in Bangor was awarded $691,997. It is estimated that the grants will help these two facilities serve an additional 4,410 patients in the surrounding... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today urged his colleagues to break through the gridlock and political stalemate that is preventing Congress from performing its most basic functions, including passing a budget. “This is not a speech about subject matter, it's not about global climate change or employment or the minimum wage or healthcare, but it's about whether or not this institution can function in order to confront any of those problems,” said Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence yesterday voted to approve an amendment authored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) that would require an independent alternative analysis, commonly referred to as a “red-team analysis,” be conducted if the government is considering the legality or the use of targeted lethal force against a known U.S. person located outside the U.S. who is involved in international terrorism. The provision,... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has released an initial $33.7 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds. Last week, in an effort to help millions of Americans who are struggling with their energy bills as winter approaches, Senators Collins and King were among a bipartisan group of 40 Senators who wrote to the Administration requesting the immediate release of these... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In an ongoing effort to keep folks at home up to date with his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King took a few minutes to discuss the events of this past week in the nation’s capital. In his weekly recap, Senator King shared his impressions from the first public meeting of the Budget Conference Committee. He hopes that the opening statements provided by committee members during this initial gathering laid the foundation for a deal to partially replace the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today passed several amendments authored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) that will increase oversight and accountability within our nation’s Intelligence community. Senators Collins and King are the only two Senators on the Intelligence Committee whose amendments were adopted during the Committee’s markup of legislation reforming the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The first... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence today passed by a vote of 11-4 the FISA Improvements Act, which includes a bipartisan provision authored by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and cosponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) that would require the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to designate outside “Amicus Curiae” or “Friends of the Court” to provide independent perspectives and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday held a video conference with students from Hall-Dale Middle & High School as part of his ongoing “Capitol Class with Angus” series. Over the course of his term in Congress, Senator King hopes to connect with as many Maine high schools as possible in order to share his experiences representing Maine in the U.S. Senate and answer their questions about today’s most pressing issues. “I was delighted to have the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that Maine's first responders can apply for Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program funds from Monday, November 4, 2013 at 8:00 AM until Friday, December 6, 2013 at 5:00 PM. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency administers the grants. These grants help fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations meet their firefighting and emergency response needs. The AFG... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The joint Senate and House Budget Conference Committee, of which U.S Senator Angus King (I-ME) is a member, held its first public meeting today to offer opening statements and chart a path towards a bipartisan budget agreement. Following the meeting, Senator King released the following statement: “This morning’s meeting laid the foundation for a deal that could partially replace the sequester and avoid another painful and unnecessary government shutdown in... Continue Reading »
“Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and the administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves.’ Those are the words of Abraham Lincoln in a message to Congress on December 1st, 1862, almost exactly 150 years ago. “I want to emphasize, and think the comments this morning have been wonderful, and put them together and you've got the essence of a solution, but I want to emphasize that this is a historic opportunity and responsibility. The other... Continue Reading »
