WASHINGTON, D.C. – In his first major address on the floor of the United States Senate, Senator Angus S. King, Jr. today looked back across the storied history of America in appealing to his colleagues to rise above the partisan divide to find solutions to the nation’s most pressing problems. The first Independent from Maine elected to the United States Senate, Senator King called on his colleagues to abandon the gridlock and ideological entrenchment that has pervaded Congress in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King this evening attended the inaugural “Taste of Maine” reception hosted by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. The event, held in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room, attracted several Senators from other states including New York, Illinois, Mississippi, and Texas, staff from the Departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, the Food and Drug Administration, and Mainers living in... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) recently announced that the National Park Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $25,000 to Acadia National Park. The grant is part of the National Park Foundation’s America’s Best Idea program and, in partnership with the Schoodic Education and Research Center Institute and Friends of Acadia, will be used to support Acadia’s Schoodic Education Adventure (SEA) program. The... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is awarding $82,000 in matching grants to support artistic projects across Maine. The “Art Works” grants help support exemplary projects in thirteen artistic disciplines and fields, including: arts education, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, local arts agencies, media arts, museums, music, opera, presenting, theater and musical... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.– The Maine Congressional Delegation today applauded an announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that it intends to immediately resume student enrollment at Job Corps centers across the country, including Penobscot Job Corps in Bangor and Loring Job Corps in Limestone. The decision suspends a January 28th directive by the DOL to freeze enrollment at its 125 Job Corps centers throughout the country in order to reduce costs and save money. Senators Collins and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today applauded the official christening of the USNS Millinocket, the first naval vessel to be named in honor of the Towns of Millinocket and East Millinocket, Maine. According to the U.S. Navy, the USNS Millinocket will follow in the tradition of the USS Stephen W. Groves, which was decommissioned on February 24, 2012. Stephen Groves was a 25 year old Navy Ensign from East Millinocket who died in the Battle of Midway on June 4,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement today after Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev was taken into custody by authorities late last night: “I join not only with the people of Boston, but with all Americans, in commending local law enforcement and federal officials for their tireless work in apprehending Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the primary suspect in Monday’s terrorist attack on... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, along with 13 other senators, today sent a bipartisan letter to President Obama urging him to direct the Department of Defense to ensure that new service members are issued or provided athletic footwear made in the U.S.A. consistent with DOD’s procurement policies for other types of footwear. The Department of Defense purchases American-made combat boots, service shoes, and nearly every other uniform type in bulk for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –In a continued effort to keep Mainers informed of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) sat down yesterday to the recap this past week in the U.S. Senate. Senator King spoke about: This week’s shocking and senseless attacks at the Boston Marathon. The disappointing defeat of gun control measureson the Senate floor. The detrimental impacts of sequestration to our national security. Watch Senator King’s recap by... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine), yesterday met with a group of Maine paper mill employees and members of United Steelworkers (USW). The group represented five mills across the state including Sappi Fine Paper in Westbrook and Skowhegan, Verso Paper in Bucksport, and NewPage and Huhtamaki in Waterville. During their meeting with Senator King, the Maine members of United Steelworkers emphasized their growing concerns over Canadian government subsidies to the Port... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today sent a letter to Ray Mabus, the Secretary of the Navy, asking that the USS Portland, a new San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship named after the city of Portland, Oregon, also be named in honor of Portland, Maine, consistent with the long history and tradition of U.S. Navy ships bestowed with the name USS Portland. Below is the full text of the letter: Dear Secretary Mabus: On April 12, 2013, you announced... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) released the following statement today after the Senate voted on a series of amendments pertaining to gun control legislation: “America’s epidemic of gun violence is a problem that’s been at the forefront of my mind since that tragic day in December when a gunman senselessly took the lives of twenty children and six school staff members in Newtown, Connecticut. Last week I met with family members of the victims. It... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter sent today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) urge Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to use the flexibility afforded in recently signed legislation to further minimize the furloughs of Defense Department personnel or to avoid them altogether. As the Senators write in their letter, some military services or Defense Department components have identified cost-efficient and effective ways to avoid furloughs, yet the Pentagon is considering... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C– U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) today joined Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and 17 other colleagues in introducing legislation to significantly reduce the deficit, better protect seniors’ health care, and reduce Medicare Part D drug costs for taxpayers. The bill would save $141.2 billion, helping to responsibly reduce the deficit, and avoid reckless proposals to cut Medicare benefits. “The Medicare Drug Savings Act presents a responsible and common-sense... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King released the following statement today after two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon: “Like all Americans, we are shocked and deeply saddened by the deplorable and heinous act of violence that occurred at the Boston Marathon today. As we struggle to comprehend this senseless tragedy, and as we continue to gather more information, we hold the families and the loved ones of those lost firmly in our... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Angus King (I-ME) today announced that the U.S. Navy has informed them that it has identified the funds needed to continue forward with repairs to the USS MIAMI as planned. This announcement comes as the Navy is considering spending reductions to ship overhauls, maintenance and other programs as a result of sequestration. The FY 2013 Defense Appropriations bill included $150 million... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –In a continued effort to keep Mainers informed of his work in the nation’s capital, U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) sat down to recap the ongoing events of this past week in the U.S. Senate. Senator King specifically spoke about: His meeting with Admiral John Richardson, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, where he underscored the important role that Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Yard plays in securing and protecting American national security... Continue Reading »
By Angus King, Special to the Bangor Daily News Posted April 11, 2013, at 3:44 p.m. In the coming days, the U.S. Senate will take up gun control. In my short tenure, no issue has generated as much interest, public engagement or passion as this one. As the debate in the Senate begins, I think it is appropriate that I lay out my position as clearly as possible to the people of Maine. In thinking this through, I have sat with gun owners, hunters, long-time gun control advocates and citizens... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-Maine) this week joined 27 of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing the “Safe Chemicals Act” to protect Americans from dangerous toxic chemicals that are found in everyday products. The legislation reforms the Toxic Substances Control Act to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the tools it needs to collect health and safety information, screen chemicals for safety, and require risk management when chemicals cannot... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night the U.S. Senate passed a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the sinking of U.S.S. Thresher – a U.S. Navy submarine built and based at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The resolution was introduced by New England Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The resolution pays tribute to the U.S.S. Thresher’s naval and civilian crew who... Continue Reading »
