MEXICO, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) toured ND Paper in Rumford, which manufactures various types of pulp and paper products in Maine and other parts of the United States. Later, Senator King visited MedCare Ambulance Service in Mexico, which serves Oxford County and provides emergency transportation for the region twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

“Maine people are innovative and civic-minded, helping their communities thrive around the state,” Senator King said. “ND Paper creates jobs and invests in Maine’s storied forest industry, while the MedCare Ambulance Service provides top-quality care for the people of Oxford County. ND Paper and MedCare are vital to their communities – one in the private sector and one a collaborative effort between several rural towns, and Maine wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Senator King has been a strong supporter of Maine’s forest economy. In 2016, he called on the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT), which would work across agencies and sectors to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine’s rural communities. The creation of the EDAT and subsequent federal funding from the EDA and U.S. Forest Service established the 2018 FOR/Maine Initiative, an industry-led effort.

Additionally, Senator King has consistently advocated to help ensure that rural Americans have access to quality and affordable healthcare. This upcoming week, Senator King’s monthly Inside Maine podcast – focusing on rural healthcare, with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Cary Medical Center CEO Kris Doody – will air on WGAN radio on Saturday, June 29th at 10:00 a.m.

During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for healthcare in rural areas that is accessible and affordable. Last June, Senator King and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) applauded a draft proposal from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai that would significantly increase funding for the Universal Service Fund’s Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. In October 2018, Senator King applauded the Senate’s passage of legislation that reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for five years, in part because it included an amendment introduced by Senators King and Collins, to require that airport improvement plans take into account the role airports play in medical emergencies. During the 115th Congress, Senator King cosponsored legislation such as the Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act, the Preserve Access to Medicare Rural Home Health Service Act, and the Rural Hospital Access Act, all of which work to better healthcare services in Maine and the United States.

Photo 1: Senator King meets with MedCare Ambulance staff.

Photo 2: Senator King tours ND Paper

Photo 3: Senator King watches demonstration at ND Paper

Photo 4: Senator King with MedCare Ambulance staff in front of an ambulance