WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today applauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s official announcement that 18 community health centers will receive $40,964,875 in funding provided by the American Rescue Plan to support their tireless efforts against the largest health threat to face the U.S. in a century. Senator King strongly supported the inclusion of this funding in the American Rescue Plan, and voted... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care and Downeast Community Partners a total of $2,804,308 for their Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.“Head Start programs are instrumental in helping children to cultivate new skills and receive educational opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of success,” said Senators Collins and King in a... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for bipartisan legislation that would revise federal mandatory drug sentencing policies to allow for judicial discretion. By allowing flexibility in the courtrooms, the Smarter Sentencing Act gives federal judges the authority to conduct individualized reviews to determine the appropriate sentences for certain nonviolent drug offenses.“When nonviolent offenders spend decades in prison, we’re wasting valuable time and... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 6 of his Senate colleagues in calling on President Joe Biden to bring in new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) leadership to address the growing opioid epidemic that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. makes up only 4.6% of the world population, but consumes 80% of the world’s opioids. The amount of prescription opioids sold in the US has nearly quadrupled since 1999. At the same time, overdose deaths involving opioids... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C.—Members of the Maine and Alaska Delegations wrote to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough, urging him to quickly implement the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act. The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Representatives Don Young (R-AK), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), and Jared Golden (D-ME), who co-authored this new law to address a current gap in care for veterans... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, today released the March edition of his Inside Maine podcast, focusing on the importance of broadband to Maine people during the coronavirus pandemic, and the importance of confronting the widening digital divide. During the discussion, Senator King highlighted provisions included in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to expand broadband access throughout the country – including an... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) led a bipartisan letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm voicing their support for the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) and urging the Department to maintain CESER’s current leadership structure. Presently, CESER is led by an assistant secretary, underscoring the importance of a strong... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) led their colleagues in introducing a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to reinstate key regulations of methane emissions from the oil and gas industry—the largest source of this powerful greenhouse gas in the United States. Despite data showing large increases in dangerous methane emissions from oil and gas production in recent years, last year... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, questioned General Paul Nakasone, Commander of the United States Cyber Command on current policies in place to focus on “defending forward” through cyberdeterrence strategies that aim to prevent attacks by imposing a clear cost to adversaries. In response, General Nakasone agreed with Senator King and laid out the importance of preventive measures by implementing a cyberstrategy to alter... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 41 of his Senate colleagues in a letter to the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee urging them to provide at least $185 million in funding for the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NeighborWorks America) in order to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, which has grown worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the letter, the Senators state... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) emphasized the anti-democratic impacts of gerrymandering on American elections during a hearing of the Rules and Administration Committee earlier today, which was convened to consider S.1, the For the People Act, a package of legislative reforms co-sponsored by Senator King, aiming to strengthen voting rights and enact federal standards to increase transparency in federal elections. After discussing the dangers of gerrymandering with Michael... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) have introduced bipartisan legislation to digitize public land mapping records to enable greater outdoor recreation and improve hunting and fishing access for sportsmen and women. The Modernizing Access to our Public Land (MAPLand) Act will enhance access to the nation’s outdoor recreational opportunities by digitizing and standardizing mapping information like access points and permissible uses on federal public... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) cosponsored the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure legal cannabis businesses can access the same banking services utilized by all other legal businesses. The bill would solve a key logistical and public safety problem in states like Maine that recently have legalized medicinal or recreational cannabis. Senator King also cosponsored the SAFE Banking Act during the 116th... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, pressed U.S. Navy Admiral John Aquilino, nominee to be Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, on the importance of cyberpreparedness as foreign adversaries continue hacking U.S. networks and critical infrastructure. In response to Senator King’s questioning during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Admiral Aquilino acknowledged that he shares Senator King’s urgency and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today introduced legislation aiming to lower energy expenses for consumers while also reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Air Source Heat Pump Act will allow consumers to receive a refundable federal tax credit for costs associated with installation of an eligible new heat pump. This credit will encourage the use of heat pumps—which can heat and cool homes more efficiently than fossil... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) have joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues to introduce the Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act. This legislation would better support today’s students by making high-quality, shorter-term education and training programs eligible for federal Pell Grants. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skills gap so... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he has cosponsored the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. This legislation would encourage more physical activity in the United States and incentivize healthier living by allowing Americans to use a portion of the money saved in their pre-tax health savings account (HSA) and/or flexible spending account (FSA) toward qualified sports and fitness purchases – such as gym memberships, fitness equipment, and... Continue Reading »
BRUNSWICK, ME –– U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) in urging President Joe Biden to rescind former-President Donald Trump’s ban on seasonal, employer-sponsored, and cultural exchange visas under Proclamation 10052. In June 2020, former President Trump instituted Proclamation 10052, halting the processing of non-immigrant H-1B, L-1, H-2B, and J-1 visas, based on alleged potential... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During Sunshine Week, a national effort to strengthen an open government agenda, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) has renewed his support for two legislative pushes that aim to address the influence of money on our political system. Senator King, a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, has reintroduced the Real Time Transparency Act, which would require that all political contributions of $1,000 or more be filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC)... Continue Reading »
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that ASP2 Rural LLC has been awarded a loan of $7,739,000 to develop three solar energy facilities across the state. This financing was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program. “Investing in renewable energy is key to effectively reducing pollution and protecting our environment,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint... Continue Reading »
