WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, is working with a group of bipartisan colleagues to streamline cybersecurity regulations across the federal government. The Streamlining Federal Cybersecurity Regulations Act would address the challenges associated with the current patchwork of inconsistent cybersecurity policies between agencies by establishing an interagency Harmonization Committee at the Office of the National Cyber Director... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Armed Services Committees, released the following statement in observance of Veterans Day: “In 1919, one year after the conclusion of World War I, President Wilson proclaimed the first observance of Armistice Day on November 11, a day for our nation to remember and honor the over 9 million — including 116,000 American — lives lost during that bloody four-year conflict. Nearly a decade after the end of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden today released the following statement on the first anniversary of the Lewiston shooting that took place on October 25th, taking the lives of 18 innocent people: “One year ago, the unthinkable happened in Lewiston when a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley and restaurant — shaking the community and Maine to its core,” said the Delegation. “For days, families sheltered in their... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), alongside a bipartisan group of their colleagues, have written to the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. H-2B visas fill needs for American small businesses when there are not enough able and willing American workers to fill the temporary, seasonal positions. As required by law, employers... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) today are recognizing the lifelong impact childhood literacy programs have on the success of Maine children and their communities. In a bipartisan resolution unanimously agreed to by the Senate, October 20th, 2024, has been designated as National Early Childhood Literacy Day. Senators Joe Manchin (I-W.V.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) are also co-sponsors of the resolution. “Fostering literacy in early... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), along with a number of Senate colleagues, is requesting the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) examine the impact of ageism on quality and equity of care, patient safety and health outcomes. Ageism in health care is associated with a decreased likelihood that older adults will receive care that meets medical guidelines, as well as an increased likelihood that they are not properly reimbursed for care, and exclusion from... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the cities of Portland and Lewiston have been awarded grant funding to help protect children from lead poisoning. The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) grant program awards, totaling $11,117,960, will help improve the health of Maine communities by fixing older housing and preserving affordable housing units that pose a lead hazard —... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), has written a letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro urging the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to begin work on a report that reviews suicide prevention matters of the reserve component of the Department of Defense (DOD). The Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires the GAO to conduct a review of suicide prevention and response policies for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, in response to Northern Light Health terminating its contract with Humana, have written a letter urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a special enrollment period for Humana Medicare Advantage beneficiaries impacted by this decision. On September 30, 2024 Northern Light Health terminated its contract with Humana, citing administrative issues. It... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Bob Casey (D-Penn), Chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, have introduced three bills to better support Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), the workforce responsible for providing homecare and assistance to seniors and people with disabilities who frequently rely on long-term service and support. The three bills would strengthen and support this workforce by creating new programs and modifying current federal funding to support home... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) have introduced legislation that helps cut costs for volunteers driving meals to older Maine people and Americans across the country. The Delivering Elderly Lunches and Increasing Volunteer Engagement and Reimbursement (DELIVER) Act would increase the charitable mileage tax deduction rate of 14 cents per mile to match the standard business rate of 67 cents per mile. By doing so, the legislation would bring equity and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Shelly Moore-Capito (R-WV) have introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing substance use disorder and the recovery efforts needed to overcome this disease. The challenges posed by substance use disorder have continued to wreak havoc across Maine and the nation. This has been exacerbated in recent years due to limited access to treatment programs and increased isolation. However, there have been positive trends with the Centers for... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today are celebrating Maine’s world renowned lobster industry after the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan resolution recognizing September 25, 2024 as “National Lobster Day.” The resolution recognizes the cultural, economic and environmental impacts and importance of the iconic crustacean. Since 2015, the senators have introduced and sponsored legislation in recognition of National Lobster Day. “There are hundreds of small... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, today cast his vote for Michael Sfraga — currently serving as U.S. Arctic Research Commission Chair — to become the country’s first Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs, in a Senate vote of 55-36. Until Sfraga’s confirmation, the U.S. has been the only Arctic Nation that did not have a high-level official to represent the county in Arctic negotiations. With America now having formal diplomatic... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to help college graduates reduce the burden of student loans through a tax-free employer contribution. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act would permanently extend a provision of the Internal Revenue Code allowing employees to exempt up to $5,250 from tax annually in student loan repayments that employers contribute on their behalf. The original provision was included in the bipartisan CARES Act and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify its approval process for pharmaceutical companies considering advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) — such as continuous manufacturing, a means of production that involves a more uninterrupted process. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, the senators encouraged the FDA to incentivize the pharmaceutical industry to invest in AMTs to help address... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Steve Daines (R-MT), chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on National Parks respectively, and John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, have introduced bipartisan legislation to help combat the housing shortage that the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service and other land management agency employees are facing across the country. The Land Manager Housing and Workforce... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chairs of the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, are introducing legislation to address a dog importation rule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that has made traveling worldwide more difficult for military and diplomatic families, and those with service animals, living abroad to bring their dog back to the United States. While the rule is intended to lessen the risk of the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) are introducing legislation to address the housing shortage and make it easier for rural workers to live in the communities they serve. The Farmhouse-to-Workforce Housing Act would expand the existing Housing Preservation Grants (HPG) program so rural home owners can create more housing on their property — such as an attached apartment unit or a small home nearby — to be available for rent. Currently, HPGs are underused... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, is urging the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) to take additional steps to help reduce veteran suicide. In a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough, King highlights the devasting veteran suicide rate by firearm and outlines his Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, a bill that would provide free firearm lockboxes at the request of any veteran and require VA providers to... Continue Reading »
