FARMINGTON, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) to celebrate the social service agency’s 50th anniversary. Senator King delivered a keynote address, and in his remarks, thanked the staff, both past and current, for their half century of unwavering commitment to supporting the health and happiness of communities in western Maine. Senator King also recognized WMCA Director Fen Fowler, who is retiring after 40 years at the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement today after voting to advance cyber-security legislation: “I am disappointed that the Senate lost an opportunity to advance cyber-security legislation less than a week after one of the most significant cyber-breaches in our nation’s history. While I would have preferred that we move the cyber legislation forward separate of the National Defense... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today introduced legislation to restore trade with Cuba. The Cuba Trade Act of 2015 would grant the private sector the freedom to export U.S. goods and services to Cuba while protecting U.S. taxpayers from any risk or exposure associated with such trade. “For far too long, the Cuban people and American businesses have suffered at the hands of an antiquated trade embargo,” Senator King said.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) sent letters to the heads of two separate Senate Subcommittees urging them to help stop the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from conducting unnecessary inspections on Maine’s sea cucumber and sea urchin processors. “I am deeply troubled by the Service’s recent decision to inspect and collect related fees on the import and export of certain seafood – including sea urchins and sea cucumbers,” Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today continued his fight to reform the flawed federal contracting process that resulted in Acadia Corp. losing its bid for a renewed concessions contract at Acadia National Park to an out-of-state contractor. Until last year, Acadia Corp. – a small, local concession provider – had, for more than eighty years, helped feed the millions of people who visited Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor every year. During an Energy and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has awarded The University of New England $33,859 in grant funding. The money will be used to support the school’s nurse anesthetist program. “The education and training opportunities offered by the University of New England provide students in the medical field with access to top-tier instructors and facilities,” said Senators Collins... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released a new letter to the Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government calling for the Senate to drop the budget gimmick in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act that relies on funding from an emergency war account to exceed the budget caps established by the Budget Control Act, and instead, lift... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King welcomed a group of 43 middle school students from Woolwich Central School to the Capitol. Collins and King met with the students in the atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building. “It was a pleasure to welcome these impressive Woolwich students to Washington today,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “The future of our state depends on an engaged and informed generation of young people,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a hearing today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) said the United States must better prepare the electricity grid for cyber-attacks, particularly in the wake of last week’s announcement about a cyber-breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. “We are going to have a serious cyber-attack. The next Pearl Harbor is going to be cyber. […] We’ve got to do something,” Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he has joined with Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) to lead a bipartisan effort to ensure the federal government prioritizes high-speed broadband access for rural Americans. In a letter signed by a total of 13 Senators, King and his colleagues pressed Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Co-Chairs of the Broadband Opportunity Council, for a detailed... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Knox County Regional Airport and DeWitt Field, Old Town Municipal Field more than $3.5 million in grant funding. “Maine's large geographic area makes air travel an important transportation option to connect towns and cities across the state,”... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Pleasant Point Reservation Housing Authority $410,710 to support the protection of the waste water treatment plant at the Passamaquoddy Tribe Pleasant Point Reservation. This funding will support the protection of the waste water treatment plant at... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s act, a bill that would ensure that patients and their families have the information they need to combat this difficult disease. King’s announcement comes during Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. “When Alzheimer’s strikes one person, it creates very difficult challenges for their entire family,”... Continue Reading »
AUGUSTA, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that he has joined the Senate National Institutes of Health (NIH) Caucus, an informal group of his Senate colleagues who work to promote the significance of NIH while maintaining the United States’ place as global leader in the field of medical research. As a member of the bipartisan group, Senator King will continue to advocate for national health and research investments as a means to save lives and money across... Continue Reading »
BAR HARBOR, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Tourism Caucus, attended the 17th Annual Cruise Canada New England Symposium where he welcomed the crowd of more than 120 participants, including representatives from the cruise ship industry and Canadian officials working to promote trade and tourism in the region. In his remarks, King highlighted the substantial economic activity that cruise ships generate in Maine. “Tourism is crucial to... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he, along with several of his colleagues, has sent a letter to President Obama urging him to begin the process for putting a woman on the twenty dollar bill. “We write today to urge you to begin the process for selecting a woman whose likeness will be placed on the $20 bill. We have introduced legislation, the Women on the Twenty Act, which would task the Treasury Secretary with appointing a new citizens panel... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the text of a letter he and a bipartisan group of his Senate and House colleagues sent yesterday to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan urging him to use his authority to move to a simpler income tax verification process for students filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when applying to college or university. Specifically the letter urged the Secretary to allow the use of data from... Continue Reading »
Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Labor is awarding Coastal Counties Workforce Inc. (CCWI) a $500,000 grant to bolster pre-release employment programs for Maine inmates, providing them with constructive opportunities as they transition back into the workforce. With this grant funding, CCWI will establish an American Job Center at the Cumberland County Jail, the largest jail in the state, in order to provide pre-release employment... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Following the news of a cyber breach at the Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released the following statement: “This cyber intrusion is yet another example of the serious threats our country faces,” Senator King said. “Cyber hackers and criminals will only continue to probe our systems for weaknesses – and we know full well the next target could be our electric grid, our... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is releasing the final $444,989 in funding for Maine through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This brings total funding for Maine to $39,180,816 for fiscal year (FY) 2015. “For years, LIHEAP has helped keep Maine’s seniors and low-income families warm during our harsh winters,” said Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
