KITTERY, ME – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Angus King, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. The visit was Secretary Phelan’s first to a public shipyard since his confirmation as Secretary of the Navy by the U.S. Senate. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a key economic driver in the region, supporting thousands of jobs integral to America’s national security. “It was a great pleasure for us to welcome the new Secretary of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King released the below statement following the President’s Oval Office meeting with El Salvadorean President Nayib Bukele: “The recent actions of the Trump Administration in connection with the deportations to a prison in El Salvador, culminating in yesterday’s meeting in the Oval Office, should strike fear and outrage in every American. “Putting two and two together, the President now claims the power to deport anyone he feels might be guilty of a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Angus King, and a bipartisan group of 58 senators introduced legislation to expand telehealth access in Maine and across the country. The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act would permanently expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jim Risch (R-ID), co-chairs of the Senate Working Forests Caucus, are introducing bipartisan legislation to improve forest industry employment and participation through a grant program aimed at rural and underserved communities. The Jobs in the Woods Act would support developmental programs designed to better equip and train the forest products workforce for careers with the U.S. Forest Service and timber industries. Nationally, the forest... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource (ENR) Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) spoke with Dr. Preston Griffith, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Energy, and Dr. Dario Gil, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Energy for Science, about the need to prioritize energy storage technology as America works toward an “all of the above” energy future, making clear the value of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. During the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an open hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee (SSCI), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) grilled Joseph Kent, nominee to be Director of the National Counterterrorism Center in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, about whether it was appropriate to share highly detailed information about an imminent military strike in an unsecure Signal chain made up of top national security intelligence officials — and, inadvertently, editor-in-chief of The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, in a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Seapower, spoke with Matthew Sermon, the program manager of the Maritime Industry Base, about the importance of strengthening Department of Defense (DoD) operations by removing unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to help expand the defense industrial base. During the exchange, Senator King cited the “burdensome” and “slow” process that companies are currently forced to go through when trying to contract with the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Peter Welch (D-VT) are introducing legislation to help prevent dangerous and costly falls. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would establish a refundable tax credit for eligible home modifications designed to improve accessibility — saving both Americans with the highest risk of falling, as well as taxpayers, from the high medical costs associated with falls. “I often say, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden today announced that Maine Veterans’ Homes (MVH) has received full reimbursement due to them from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for domiciliary care provided to veterans since 2021. In 2020, Congress passed legislation authorizing the VA to cover the costs of nursing home care provided by state veterans’ homes for veterans with early-stage dementia after it abruptly... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with Brandon Williams, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, about the grave importance of keeping the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) staffed amid reckless cuts and buyouts inflicted upon the department by the White House at the urging of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). During the exchange, Senator King... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) sat down with Patrick Svitek of The Washington Post in an interview to discuss the unprecedented, unconstitutional overstep from President Trump’s Administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). During the interview — which comes during a surge of reckless federal layoffs and in the midst of a global trade war spurred by the Administration’s announcement of widespread tariffs — King made clear the dangers of Congress... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help international students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) remain in the United States. The Keep STEM Talent Act would streamline the bureaucratic process for international students to obtain legal status and bolster the United States’ STEM labor force. The legislation would ensure that American born participants in the STEM labor market receive preference in the hiring... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help international students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) remain in the United States. The Keep STEM Talent Act would streamline the bureaucratic process for international students to obtain legal status and bolster the United States’ STEM labor force. The legislation would ensure that American born participants in the STEM labor market receive preference in the hiring... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), released the following statement after news broke that General Timothy Haugh, the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and head of U.S. Cyber Command, was fired. General Haugh was reportedly released after far-right activist and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer accused the General of being disloyal to President Trump. “Right now, our country is under attack in cyberspace, and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), has introduced legislation banning energy exports to China and other foreign adversaries. Having long warned that America is “exporting our principal advantage in the world economy,” Senator King joined with colleagues to introduce the Protecting American Households From Rising Energy Costs Act. The legislation would ban the export of crude oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Intelligence Committees (SSCI) released the following statement after the Senate voted on two joint resolutions to block weapons sales to Israel: “While I have been sharply critical of Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza, and, in fact, voted in favor Senator Sanders’ prior resolution which would have restricted the supply of offensive weapons, I could not do so today. “My concern was that a... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Co-Chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned General Christopher Cavoli, Commander of the United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, about the United States’ position as an Arctic nation — and the importance of bolstering our nation’s presence in an emerging strategic hotspot amid rising tensions with Arctic adversaries. Senator King made the point that Russia and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a special hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) hosted by Ranking Member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), spoke with Shernice Mundell, a veteran and former Office of Personnel Management (OPM) employee, who was terminated during the mass federal layoffs implemented by the Trump Administration. During the exchange, Senator King asked Mundell about her probationary status and job performance at OPM; this probationary... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring a resolution designating April 2025 as “Preserving and Protecting Local News Month.” The resolution underscores the vital role of local journalism in American democracy, especially as the First Amendment faces mounting threats. “Local news is the key to better-informed communities, public interest journalism, and responsive governance – and the men and women who believe in reporting are feeling an unprecedented squeeze from... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement after the White House announced sweeping new tariffs, and the Senate voted on a resolution dissolving the national emergency at the northern border imposing tariffs placed on Canada in February. The bill passed the Senate in a 51-48 vote: “Today, the White House announced sweeping new tariffs that will upend our economy, increase the cost of consumer goods, and isolate the United States on the global stage. The... Continue Reading »