WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement today after voting in favor of a continuing resolution that funds the government through November 15th: “As Congress nears the end of this fiscal year without having passed a budget or any appropriations legislation and, and as a result, is now quickly approaching the possibility of a government shutdown in just four days, the Senate did the right thing today... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that the U.S. Army has awarded General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (GD-ATP), who recently consolidated under General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), a firm-fixed-price contract worth $255 million to procure additional M2A1 Quick Change Barrel (QCB)... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has awarded grants totaling $656,071 to four Maine police departments through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP). Funding from the CHP program is designed to help bolster the hiring of local law enforcement agencies. “These funds will greatly help to improve Maine's ability to address criminal justice and public... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today met with officials from the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counterterrorism Division to learn more about last week’s violent siege of the Westgate Premier Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya that left scores dead. Senator King requested the briefing in order to more fully understand who was responsible for the attack,... Continue Reading »
“I want to begin with a story – a story of two young men, both 29, both married with a couple of kids. Both contracted cancer the same day, malignant melanoma, the kind of cancer that comes from a mole, not uncommon unfortunately in our society. One of these young men had insurance. In fact, he had an insurance policy that provided preventive care, and under that policy they provided a free checkup – and indeed, his insurance covered him, his ability to go and have his checkup... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Drawing upon his story as a survivor of cancer, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) took to the floor of the Senate yesterday to defend the principles of the Affordable Care Act and its effort to more broadly extend health insurance to thousands of uninsured Americans while several Republicans launched new attempts to defund the law. “This is an economic issue, but it's also a moral issue. It's about trying to help people deal with the shadow of healthcare hanging over... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today met with Seamus Connolly of North Yarmouth who was awarded a prestigious 2013 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellowship. Mr. Connolly earned the fellowship for his accomplishments in traditional Irish fiddle music. He is visiting Washington, D.C. to attend this year’s awards ceremony at the Library of Congress and perform a concert at George Washington University’s Lisner... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today helped cut the ribbon on the new Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in Van Buren, Maine. The event marked the Senators’ first ever “virtual ribbon cutting,” as they connected in Washington, D.C. via video conference with federal, state and local officials located at the LPOE in Van Buren and the Boston offices of the General Services Administration (GSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Located... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya: "It appears that a terrorist group based in Somalia has claimed responsibility for the horrendous killings this weekend in Kenya. According to news reports, this group has made attempts over the past several years to recruit from Somali refugee communities around the world, including England, Sweden, Russia,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his weekly recap message, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) sharply criticized a minority of Republicans whose continued persistence to defund the Affordable Healthcare Act is pushing the United States closer to a government shutdown or a possible default on its credit. Just this morning the House of Representatives passed a short-term measure that hinges funding for the government on repealing the health care law. “As you know, a lot of the issue is revolving... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released this statement following the President’s nomination of Maine Supreme Court Justice Jon Levy to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. “During his long and distinguished career as both an attorney and a judge, Jon has had a significant impact on the Maine judicial system by virtue of his intelligence and tireless service to the court,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Maine three grants totaling $124,000 for rural development projects. “These USDA grants are critical to providing our rural communities with important resources and services that might otherwise have been unaffordable,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “This funding will help support our local economies, foster improved... Continue Reading »
Madam President, I rise to join my colleague from Rhode Island and talk about climate change, but I want to start with history that has nothing to do with climate change. The history I want to talk about is Europe, and England particularly, in the 1930s. In the 1930s, there was a looming threat from Germany to the peace of Europe and to the existence of England. That threat was real and there were multiple signs. There was data, but there were very few people who wanted to do anything about it... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today after General Dynamics Corporation announced a change of leadership at Bath Iron Works (BIW): “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Jeff Geiger for his steadfast leadership of Bath Iron Works over the past three years, and I wish him the very best of luck as he moves into his new position,” Senator King said. “I also want to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, DC – Maine’s congressional delegation announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will award more than $13 million in grants to Maine community colleges to improve access to training opportunities in information technology (IT) in order to meet the growing demand for skilled IT workers across a range of industries. The funding will go to a consortium made up of Maine’s seven community colleges in strategic partnership with employers, workforce... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today introduced legislation that would authorize a study of the York River, an important first step toward possibly attaining a special federal designation that could lead to federal investments to protect the economic and environmental value of the river. “The York River not only holds tremendous environmental value to the surrounding towns and communities, but it’s also an economic anchor for them with commercial fishermen,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) last night joined his colleague from Rhode Island, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, on the floor of the Senate to sound the warning on the danger of inaction surrounding climate change, laying out the long-term impact on Maine’s lobster industry. “Not heeding warnings has consequences, and we can always find reasons for nonaction – Churchill acknowledged this,” Senator King said. “The British had been through the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the University of Southern Maine (USM) has been awarded a $100,495 grant by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as part of the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. USM will use the funds to develop a one-hour, web-based workplace violence training program for home care assistants and workers in small, community-based nursing... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, the Ranking Member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King today announced that that the Department of Transportation has awarded Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport $1,557,090 in federal grant funding to begin construction of a new taxiway. “Small regional airports, such as the Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport, play an invaluable role in supporting Maine’s economy by providing... Continue Reading »
WASHIGNTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement today regarding the shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.: “My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost today, as well as with all those impacted by this terrible tragedy. I commend the heroism of the first responders who rushed to the scene, and am thankful for our law enforcement officers whose continued vigilance helps to keep us safe. There are few words that can... Continue Reading »
