LEWISTON, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) toured Baxter Brewing Co. in Lewiston where he applauded the small business’ success and highlighted legislation he has cosponsored, the Small BREW Act of 2015, that would support small breweries across Maine and America as they grow and create jobs. “Baxter Brewing and its dedicated staff is a true Maine success story. With nothing but an idea and the passion to brew great-tasting beer, Luke put together a first-rate team... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Following a roundtable lunch this afternoon at Presumpscot Elementary School in Portland, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his intention to introduce legislation that will provide Maine with a pathway to reduce the number of federally-mandated standardized tests students must take to be in compliance with No Child Left Behind. “It’s important that we test our kids every year – students, parents, and educators benefit from those benchmarks and can... Continue Reading »
BANGOR, ME – During a tour of the Maine Veterans Home (MVH) in Bangor this morning, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) called on Congress to maintain funding for construction grants to improve infrastructure at veterans homes across the country. The President’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget would reduce that funding – which is provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and supports states as they seek to expand care through new or improved facilities – by $10... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded funding for the construction of one Arleigh Burke class destroyer (DDG 51) at Bath Iron Works (BIW). This $620 million award is part of the multiyear procurement contract from 2013-2017. “This announcement is welcome news for the hardworking men and women of Bath Iron Works,” said Senators Collins and King. “The dedicated workforce of BIW deliver the highest... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Sea Grant Program at the University of Maine will receive $798,312 in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to support its research, education, and outreach efforts done on behalf of Maine’s coastal communities. “Maine’s coastal communities are a vital part of our economy,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.... Continue Reading »
King Celebrates Legacy of Senator Ted Kennedy at Public Dedication for Edward M. Kennedy Institute BOSTON, MA – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) attended the dedication of the Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Institute for the United States Senate, a dynamic new center of learning and engagement that aims to educate the public about American government and inspire the next generation of public servants. For the ceremony, Senators in attendance were paired with a student from their... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after the Senate early this morning passed its 2016 Budget Resolution: “Rather than taking a balanced approach to governing, this budget locks in sequestration for another year, adopts steep cuts to important programs, and undercuts the type of investments that we need to make in areas like infrastructure and education that are going to spur economic growth... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in reintroducing the Ruth Moore Act of 2015, legislation named after U.S. Navy veteran Ruth Moore of Milbridge, Maine, which would ease the burden of proof standards for victims of military sexual assault to qualify for VA benefits. Under the Ruth Moore Act, sexual assault victims would only have to show a medical diagnosis of a mental health condition and a link between an... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Senate passed an amendment offered by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) that would allow for the simplification of income-driven student loan repayment options. The amendment, which passed by voice vote during the Senate’s consideration of the budget, is similar to The Repay Act, which Senators King and Burr reintroduced earlier this year. “Right now the student loan repayment system is a mess. There are so... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a push from U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that it will make a critical change in the way eligibility is determined for the Veterans Choice Card Program. Specifically, this change will adjust the way the distance requirement is calculated under the 40-mile rule, roughly doubling the number of eligible veterans nationwide who can receive care in their communities. In a joint statement,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Congressman Bruce Poliquin sent a letter to United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, urging FDA to withdraw the “Electronic Distribution of Prescribing Information for Human Prescription Drugs, Including Biological Products” proposed rule. The proposed rule by the FDA would allow pharmaceutical companies to substitute electronic prescription information... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded the Obama Administration for launching a Broadband Opportunity Council. The Council will be tasked with bringing together federal agencies to survey and report back on existing programs that currently support or could be modified to support broadband competition, deployment or adoption. “Access to high-speed broadband drives economic growth and opens new doors of opportunity. And in a rural state like Maine,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Congressman Bruce Poliquin announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has opened an investigation into the ongoing, unfair subsidies received by the Port Hawkesbury paper mill in Canada. The subsidies led Madison Paper Industries to curtail production and temporarily lay-off most non-salaried employees for two weeks this past January. “For too long, these unfair subsidies have put Maine’s paper mills at... Continue Reading »
FALMOUTH, ME – This morning, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Climate Action Task Force, joined with officials from the Maine Audubon Society at its headquarters in Falmouth to help unveil a new solar panel system that will help reduce energy costs, curb reliance on oil, and limit carbon emissions. The project is the largest array of solar panels installed by a conservation organization in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will resume processing of H-2B visas. Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) filed a motion to stay the order which led to the suspended processing of H-2B visas earlier this month. That stay has been granted. On March 17, 2015 DHS announced it would process applications for which they already had USDOL labor certifications. With this... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced proposed changes to existing regulations to allow single trap lobster fishing to continue around several islands in Maine, a move requested by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) in a letter to the agency last year. “Maine’s lobster industry is an economic powerhouse, bringing in millions of dollars every year and supporting the livelihoods of fishermen from York to Lubec,” Senator... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $1,316,619 in grant funding for the York County Community Action Corporation. “Healthcare services are a critical building block for any community,” Senator King said. “For almost fifty years, York County Community Action has delivered support services – including healthcare,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as Senate Republicans unveiled a budget containing deep spending cuts, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, challenged his colleagues to pursue a compromise budget that appropriately balances spending reductions with revenue increases and works to curb rising healthcare costs. “We can’t get out of the hole with one answer. There is no silver bullet. Cuts, by themselves, are not the way we’re going to get... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee hearing this morning, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pressed the Navy’s top acquisition officer to fulfil the terms of a 2002 memorandum of understanding among the Navy, Bath Iron Works, and Huntington Ingalls Shipyard (formerly Northrop Grumman Ship Systems), which states that an additional award of an LPD-17 class ship would trigger the award of a DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer or equivalent workload to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has filed a motion to stay the order which led to the suspended processing of H-2B visas. The visa application process was put on hold following a judgment from a U.S. District court in Florida against USDOL earlier this month. “We are encouraged that the Department of Labor understands that this is truly an emergency situation,” said Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
