WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement today following the passage of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act: “The flood mapping process is usually long and very complicated, and as a consequence, can often result in inaccurate maps that improperly impact insurance holders’ premiums. It is imperative that FEMA’s flood maps accurately reflect the actual, scientific flood risk to homes and communities along Maine’s coast.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday held a video conference with over 200 students from Somerset Career & Technical Center in Skowhegan as part of his ongoing “Capitol Class with Angus” series. During their Skype, the students asked Senator King questions about this week’s State of the Union address, how he balances his time between Maine and D.C., the future of Maine’s outdoor industry, and what can be done to reduce poverty in rural... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today announced his support for the PRO Sports Act, sponsored by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), which would amend the tax code to prohibit professional sports organizations with annual revenues of more than $10 million from enjoying the same tax-exempt, 501(c)(6) status as industry trade associations and public interest groups. “Most Americans would be shocked to learn of all the tax loopholes that companies and organizations are able to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address: “The President delivered an eloquent State of the Union address tonight that I believe properly identified many of the central issues that continue to ail our nation and our economy, chief among them, a struggling middle class. “It is well-known that the middle class is, as it has been for generations, the mainstay of the U.S.... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Carl M. Levin (D-MI) penned the following New York Times op-ed urging their colleagues not to seek further sanctions on Iran while negotiations proceed to ensure the country can’t develop nuclear weapons: +++ “There are only two ways to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon: negotiations or military action. “Amazingly, after 34 years of mostly diplomatic silence between Iran and the United... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former long-time Bangor resident and Bronze Star-decorated Vietnam veteran Wayne Hanson will attend President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union address on Tuesday night as the guest of U.S. Senator Angus King. Senator King first met Wayne last December during a Maine State Society and Wreaths Across America event they both attended to lay a wreath in front of the U.S. Capitol. Hanson, who grew up in Bangor and graduated from the University of Maine in 1967,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today welcomed the release of three rail safety recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that are a result of an investigation into the tragic July 6, 2013 train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec. NTSB recommended to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that railroads expand their hazardous material route planning to increase avoidance of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King announced today that he has joined the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. The Caucus was established in 1987 to educate members of Congress about fire and emergency services and to help forge a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who would work together to improve the readiness of first responders and jointly recognize their valor and dedication. “Firefighters across Maine, many of whom are volunteers, selflessly and courageously protect our... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter today, U.S. Senator Angus King urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to adopt a thorough and transparent approach to the upcoming appeal process for recently-issued flood maps in southern Maine and to openly welcome data provided by municipalities in order to establish maps that accurately reflect flood risk. “Considering the complexity of mapping flood zones along the Maine coast, the history of adjustments to flood zone maps in Region... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King last week joined Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) to introduce a bipartisan bill to jumpstart our nation’s capability to build and repair roads, bridges, highways, ports, schools, and other infrastructure projects. Without spending overstretched federal dollars, the Partnership to Build America Act will help put people back to work building projects across the country, while helping to improve U.S. competitiveness in the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King released the following statement honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in advance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday: “Today we proudly honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose enduring faith, hope, and commitment to justice continues to capture the collective conscience of our nation. His message was simple – that love will always conquer hate – and with the power of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a speech this morning at the U.S. Department of Justice, President Obama proposed reforms to the government’s surveillance programs, including some that correspond with legislation authored by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME). Senator King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement following the President’s address: “As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I have participated in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Climate change is a very real and dangerous threat, U.S. Senator Angus King said this week at a press conference with twelve of his Senate colleagues. Citing the impact on Maine’s lobster industry as an example, he spoke of the urgent need for Congress to take action. According to statistics from the Maine Department of Marine Resources, lobstermen in Maine landed more than 125 million pounds of lobster in 2012 with an estimated value exceeding $340 million. The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his ongoing effort to keep the people of Maine up to date with his work in Washington, U.S. Senator Angus King sat down to discuss this week’s event in the nation’s capital. In his weekly address Senator King discussed: His disappointment over the Senate’s failure to advance legislation that would have extended the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program to millions of Americans, including over 3,000 in Maine, who have been out of work... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the support of U.S. Senator Angus King, the Senate this evening passed by a vote of 72-26 a $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that funds the federal government through Fiscal Year 2014, cuts the federal deficit by more than one-half from the 2010 level, and continues progress toward fiscal stability. Its passage tonight also avoids another government shutdown and ends a years-long pattern of governing-by-crisis. Senator King was a member of the Senate Budget... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Senate Judiciary Committee reported Justice Jon Levy, nominee to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, out of committee. Justice Levy's nomination now awaits a vote before the full Senate. "As we testified before the Judiciary Committee in December, Justice Levy's extensive experience as a state judge and in private practice makes him extremely well qualified for Maine's federal... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance for the approximately 200 workers displaced from Lincoln Paper and Tissue has been approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez delivered the news in a phone call with Senator Collins. Displaced workers will be eligible for employment training in another job or career, income support, job search allowances, and relocation services for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King has filed an amendment to the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act that would make communities eligible for reimbursement from the government for the costs of successfully appealing inaccurate flood maps. As current law stands, when FEMA locates a home incorrectly on a flood map, a homeowner can appeal the error in order to avoid paying the associated higher premium, and if successful, is then eligible for reimbursement by the government... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today applauded news that American Airlines, which is currently merging with US Airways, will continue to provide direct service to Washington, D.C. from Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport at the conclusion of its merger. Senator King was an early and vocal supporter of continued air service between Washington, D.C. and Maine. “I am pleased these important flights from Maine to our nation’s capital... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Intelligence Committee, of which U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is a member, issued a declassified report today on the September 11-12, 2012, terrorist attacks against U.S. personnel at the Temporary Mission Facility and CIA Annex in Benghazi, Libya. The committee found the attacks were preventable, based on extensive intelligence reporting on the terrorist activity in Libya – including prior threats and attacks against Western targets – and given... Continue Reading »
