WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today congratulated Nancie Atwell, founder of the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb, for winning the first ever Global Teacher Prize, a $1 Million award described as the “Nobel Prize for teaching.” “We are thrilled for Nancie and for everyone at the Center for Teaching and Learning,” said Senators Collins and King. “Nancie has dedicated her life to enriching the lives of others, and this... Continue Reading »
PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced the start of a special Affordable Care Act enrollment period for individuals and families who did not have health coverage in 2014 and are subject to the fee or “shared responsibility payment” when they file their 2014 taxes in states which use the Federally-Facilitated Marketplace (FFM). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the creation of this special enrollment period on February... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Leon Rodriguez and U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Assistant Secretary Portia Wu to resume the processing of H-2B visas. Earlier this month, H-2B visa application processing was suspended in response to a judgment from a U.S. District court in Florida against USDOL. H-2B visas, which certify immigrants to work temporarily in the United... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today welcomed the announcement that President Obama has signed a major disaster declaration for Androscoggin, Cumberland, and York Counties following severe winter storms and flooding. This action triggers the release of federal funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will help affected communities recover by assisting emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. “The release of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today hailed the Committee’s passage of the Cyber Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA). The Committee approved the legislation by a strong bipartisan vote of 14 to 1. “From Anthem, Sony, and Target to CENTCOM and the Department of State, over the past couple of years we have witnessed a bow-wave of cyber-attacks targeting U.S businesses, government agencies, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today spoke on the Senate floor about a local project in Maine that provides Maine veterans with personalized wooden canes that have bald eagle heads carved into the handle. George and Donna Gunning, together with Burt Truman, have made 2,474 eagle canes – and counting – free of charge for any Maine veteran who asks for one. “The bald eagle is a national symbol of freedom and independence, but with these canes, it has... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following an event last month at Mt. Abram Ski Resort in Greenwood to highlight the economic and environmental benefits of biomass, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today fulfilled his pledge to reintroduce the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2015, legislation that incentivizes the development of biomass as an affordable, clean, and home-grown source of energy. ... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King and Susan Collins announced today that they, along with a bipartisan group of their colleagues, have reintroduced legislation that would allow local brick-and-mortar retailers to compete on a level playing field with out-of-state sellers. The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2015 would give states the option to require out-of-state businesses, such as those selling online or through catalogs, to collect sales and use taxes already owed under State law... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), along with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), today reintroduced the Regulatory Improvement Act, legislation that would create a Regulatory Improvement Commission to review outdated regulations with the goal of modifying, consolidating, or repealing regulations in order to reduce compliance costs, encourage growth and innovation, and improve competitiveness. “This Commission is a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a total of $5,510,057 in grant funding to support operations at health care centers across the state. “In a rural state like Maine, access to local, high-quality healthcare can often be a challenge,” Senator King said. “That’s why funding like this is vitally important. By supporting the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) urged the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to reverse course on a directive that could detrimentally impact Maine businesses. OSHA recently issued guidance that tightens restrictions on the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), which would retroactively disqualify Maine businesses that are currently participating in the program. “I ask the Department to seriously... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today with top Navy officials, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) expressed concern regarding the impact that sequestration would have on the country’s shipbuilding industrial base, including Bath Iron Works, and the result that would have on the quality and size of the Navy’s fleet in the future. “It strikes me that one of the issues that isn’t really talked about…is the industrial base. You... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks delivered on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, underscored the importance of allowing the current negotiations between the United States and its P5+1 partners and Iran to proceed unencumbered by partisanship and to judge any potential deal on its merits: “The grave issue that faces this country and the entire world is the possibility of a regime such as that in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of the President’s announcement today that he will take executive action to improve the student loan repayment process, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-author of legislation to simplify borrower repayment options, released the following statement: “The complicated maze of loan repayment programs is confusing to students and their families, and can often result in students falling behind on their payments – or, in the worst case... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) – a program that offers critical support to workers who lose their jobs to foreign trade – scheduled to expire this coming September, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support today for legislation that would not only extend, but also expand the vital program. Introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and cosponsored by Senator King, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act would reauthorize the program... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today renewed his support for the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act, legislation that strives to curb youth homelessness in Maine and across the country. “It’s nearly impossible to think about your future when you’re just trying to figure out if you can find a safe place to sleep,” Senator King said. “That’s not right, and it’s just one of the many stark challenges that... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) continued to underscore the growing importance of the Arctic to Maine and the United States, and emphasized the need for increased U.S. leadership in the region. “As the climate changes and the Arctic continues to open, the strategic significance of the region will only grow more important, both for Maine and for the rest of United States,” Senator King said... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today announced they are forming the United States Senate Arctic Caucus in order to spotlight this region and open up a wider conversation about the nation’s future in the region as America prepares to accede to the Chair of the Arctic Council. “As the climate changes and Arctic continues to open, the strategic significance of the region will only grow more important,” said Senator King, a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced its support for the Regulatory Improvement Act, legislation authored by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) that would create a Regulatory Improvement Commission to review outdated regulations with the goal of modifying, consolidating, or repealing regulations in order to reduce compliance costs, encourage growth and innovation, and improve competitiveness. “American businesses expend a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement today after voting to sustain the President’s veto of legislation directly approving the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline: “When it comes to the future of this country’s energy policy, the Keystone XL pipeline is looking in the wrong direction,” Senator King said. “We should support policies that will... Continue Reading »
