WASHINGTON, D.C.— In a hearing of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee focused on America’s space defense systems, Chairman Senator Angus King asked Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, Frank Cavelli, and General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations, about the importance of both collaborating with allies and prioritizing deterrence as a cornerstone of America’s national defense. The hearing comes as the Space Force submitted its Defense budget... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that a total of $33 million in federal brownfields funding has been awarded for the assessment and cleanup for 13 sites in Maine. The federal grants, awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will assist local communities as they work to redevelop these contaminated sites to improve and promote future economic development. A brownfield site is a property that contains a hazardous substance, pollutant,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has joined bipartisan legislation to protect Americans from sexually-explicit “deepfake” forgeries of their image or likeness. The bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) would allow victims to sue perpetrators for up to $150,000. This focuses on fake visual depictions created through the use of software, machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI), or any other computer-generated or... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to a recent report from the VA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), all members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), are pressing the VA to improve oversight of its Community Care Network contracts to ensure veterans have timely access to providers in the community. In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, the Senators urge the VA to take immediate steps to remedy the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined 74 of their Senate colleagues in cosponsoring a resolution—which has been recognized by the Senate each year since 2013 and honors officers fallen in the line of duty— designating the week of May 12-18, 2024, as “National Police Week.” “National Police Week is a time to thank members of law enforcement and reflect upon the sacrifices they make every day to keep our communities safe,” said Senators Collins and King. “During this... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, Chairman of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, have joined a bipartisan resolution to empower young people and their families to get outdoors and promote healthy outdoor recreation. The “Kids to Park Day” resolution designates this Saturday, May 18th as National Kids to Parks Day. The resolution passed the Senate this week unanimously. Starting in 2011 with the National Park Trust, the fourteenth annual Kids to Parks Day kicks... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill, cosponsored by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, to collectively award a group of Vietnam War veterans known as “Dustoff” crews with the Congressional Gold Medal. The legislation honoring the helicopter-borne medical evacuation teams now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. If this bill becomes law, two Maine residents would be recipients of this Congressional Gold Medal. “Dustoff... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange, click here for part 1 and here for part 2 WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King today questioned the Honorable Carlos Del Toro, the Secretary of the Navy, on the current status of the partnership between Maine employers, like Bath Iron Works (BIW), and the Navy – receiving assurances from the Secretary that stability for the BIW workforce would be maintained. Later in the hearing also asked the Secretary about what the Navy needs to protect America’s... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing, U.S. Senator Angus King pressed Dr. Peter Kaboli, the Executive Director of the Office of Rural Health in the Veterans Health Administration, and Wade Vlosich, the Director of the VA Oklahoma City Heath Care System, about the recent Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) FY2025 budget proposal that would cut 10,0000 full-time employees (FTEs), despite data showing the VA needs to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an open hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee (SSCI), U.S. Senator Angus King pressed Jen Easterly, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), about the current threat landscape six months out from the 2024 elections. In the exchange, King also urged Director Easterly to ramp up efforts combatting election disruptions and threats to state election infrastructure. Senator King began the exchange by stressing that adversaries, like... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Chairman of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, today led a Subcommittee hearing with National Park Service (NPS) Associate Director of Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands, Michael Caldwell, to discuss a range of challenges and opportunities facing America’s iconic public recreation areas. During the hearing, Chairman King pressed Caldwell on the importance of improving access to Katahdin Woods... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.?—?U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has joined his colleagues in urging the Appropriations Committee to support organic farming investments in the FY2025 spending bill. In a letter to Chairman Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Ranking Member John Hoeven (R-ND), the members urged the leaders to prioritize organic-specific programs across the country and to consider congressionally appropriated grant funding for research, technical support and regulatory oversight to help the organic... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is calling on the leaders of the Appropriations Committee to prioritize funding for traumatic brain injury (TBI) research in the FY2025 spending bill. In a letter to Defense Subcommittee Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME), the Senator led a bipartisan group of his colleagues to urge the Appropriations leadership to support the strongest possible funding for the Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to continue providing affordable internet access for people across Maine and further address the digital divide. The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 would provide $7 billion in additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to continue the program and ensure that nearly 100,000 households in Maine can stay connected to the Internet. The ACP was passed in 2021 as a part... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King have joined bipartisan legislation to counter the rising antisemitic attacks against Jewish Americans that are unfolding across the United States. This bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act would take comprehensive action to strengthen efforts to combat antisemitism in America, including by establishing a first-ever National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism who would oversee federal efforts to counter domestic antisemitism and lead... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King, Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, questioned Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space and Missile Defense John Hill on the Department of Defense (DoD) FY25 missile-defense budget request. Throughout the hearing, King emphatically stressed that the requested budget is far short of the necessary research and development funding needed to maintain readiness against the threat... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, the Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation designed to bolster the cybersecurity workforce. The Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Expansion Act would authorize the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to establish a cybersecurity training pilot program for veterans and active duty servicemembers transitioning to civilian life. The growing danger presented by cyber-attacks,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is introducing bipartisan legislation with several of his colleagues aiming to protect children from the harmful effects of social media. The Kids Off Social Media Act would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prevent social media companies from feeding algorithmically-targeted content to users under the age of 17. Joining Senator King as original sponsors of the legislation are Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ted Cruz (R-TX),... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) has named U.S. Senator Angus King as a “Fiscal Hero” of the 118th Congress, to recognize his extensive work to improve the nation's fiscal stability and fix the budget process. Fiscal Heroes earn this designation by leading bipartisan efforts to work through policy options to fix the debt and the budget process, taking responsible votes, participating in fiscally-focused events, delivering floor speeches to raise awareness... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation designed to protect children and teens online. The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) strengthens and modernizes provisions in the original Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by updating privacy laws, cracking down on harmful data collection and holding Big Tech companies accountable for harm and manipulation of children online. In 1998, the original Children’s Online... Continue Reading »
