WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Senator Angus King today questioned U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel Paparo, Jr., the nominee to be the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). On the heels of his Wednesday night floor speech urging Congress to continue supporting aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia’s invasion, King asked Admiral Paparo about the possible ramifications on U.S. deterrence efforts against China if funds were to be... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), U.S. Senator Angus King questioned how long it is taking Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) officials to improve transportation reimbursements for veterans receiving care at vet centers – urging them to accelerate their approval process for these services. Senator King also stressed that counseling and other resources at local veterans centers are vital for the well-being and mental health of our... Continue Reading »
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), tonight spoke on the Senate floor as his colleagues negotiate a bipartisan supplemental appropriations bill to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, while also instituting a number of policies to secure America’s border with Mexico. Senator King was granted time on the Senate floor, rose, and shared the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring a bipartisan bill removing the green card cap for graduates with certain science and technology advanced degrees and a job offer in the United States. The Keep Stem Talent Act of 2023 would provide graduates that have completed advanced Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees from U.S. educational institutions and American job offers with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status, exempting them from the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, are following up with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and urging a crack down on illegal Chinese-owned marijuana operations in Maine. In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Delegation highlights the increasing number of illegal growing operations that are detrimental to Maine businesses that comply with state laws. “We write to follow-up to our August 23, 2023,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) have introduced legislation that makes it easier for businesses to offer paid family and medical leave (PFML) plans to employees. The Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act would provide certainty to businesses by making the paid family leave tax credit permanent and would provide additional options for financing paid leave such as through PFML insurance. Importantly, the bill also... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the January episode of his “Inside Maine” podcast, in which he discussed the close economic partnership between the United States and Canada. During the podcast, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) joined Senator King to discuss the American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, which they launched as Senate Co-Chairs in 2023 along with Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) and Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas). Later... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has joined bipartisan legislation to reclassify 9-1-1 dispatchers, who are often the first point of contact during emergencies, as first responders. The Enhancing First Response Act would direct the Office of Management and Budget to reclassify dispatchers as first responders, when it comes to how federal agencies set salaries and establish training programs. Currently the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System — a statistical... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today shared the following response to the administration’s announcement it will take a comprehensive review of the potential domestic and global ramifications of a major increase in liquid natural gas (LNG) export capacity before granting approval for more facilities. The White House announcement comes after years of King warning against “subsidizing Chinese manufacturing” by... Continue Reading »
AUGUSTA, ME — U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans‘ Affairs Committee, today held a field hearing at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) to discuss the current state of veterans care and resources, along with proposals to address workforce shortages within the long term care industry at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and in the community. The hearing provided a unique opportunity for the Committee to better understand the challenges facing the VA and veterans... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Maine’s Congressional Delegation wrote to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in support of Governor Janet Mills’ request that they treat the devastating January 10th and January 13th storms as a single disaster event for purposes of damage assessment and reporting consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. “The damages are still being assessed, but they appear to be record-setting with catastrophic damage to Maine’s coastline and economy, including... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King, Chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, questioned Dr. Aprille J. Ericsson, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology, and Dr. Douglas C. Schmidt, nominee for Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, about the need for “urgency” in research and development of American hypersonic missile capabilities to deter adversaries like China and Russia. Russia... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have joined a bipartisan resolution recognizing January 2024 as “National Mentoring Month” to celebrate the positive influence mentors can have on children and young adults. The resolution underscores the mentoring gap that exists in the United States, where only one in three young people grow up with a mentor, and highlights the need for more adults to invest their time in the success of young adults. “Mentors provide leadership... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King has joined his colleagues urging federal banking regulators to continue supporting new requirements proposed by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). In a letter to Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr, FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg, and Acting Comptroller Michael Hsu, the Senators expressed their support for the new capital rules proposed by the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has introduced bipartisan legislation to help the United States reduce its supply chain dependence on China for key minerals used in military technologies and consumer goods. The Critical Minerals Security Act would counter Chinese industry dominance by directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to evaluate the global supply and ownership of critical minerals, establish a process for assisting U.S. companies seeking to divest critical minerals... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced a $639,449 federal grant for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). The Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG), awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will help fund MOFGA’s project to strengthen consumer and institutional demand for local organic dairy products produced in the Northeast U.S. The project is expected to benefit more than 286... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, are welcoming the news of a $1 million grant to help install rooftop solar panels and twelve electrical vehicle charging stations at the McFarland Hill headquarters campus in Bar Harbor. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program. AFFECT provides... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee joined dozens of his Senate and House colleagues urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) to strengthen and finalize its proposed transmission planning and cost allocation rule, as it maps out how the historical Inflation Reduction Act clean energy projects are rolled out. In a bicameral letter, the Senators and Representatives stress to FERC Chairman Willie Phillips that improved and... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.— Maine’s Congressional Delegation wrote to President Biden today in support of Governor Janet Mills’ request for a Major Disaster Declaration to help address the extreme winter storm damage across ten Maine counties that occurred in December. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden asked the President to fully grant the Governor's requests to make available federal assistance for Androscoggin, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to urge a global crackdown on the transport of Iranian oil which is in violation of U.S. sanctions. In a letter to the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), King and his colleagues ask the Panamanian government to investigate the 189 Panamanian-flagged vessels of concern suspected of transporting Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. The U.S. imposed sanctions on Iranian oil in 2018 and 2019 were... Continue Reading »
