WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), and Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, are cosponsoring a bipartisan bill to better protect service members from the physical and cognitive dangers of shockwaves produced by explosive weapons used both in combat and in training. The Blast Overpressure Safety Act would direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to enact a range of measures to... Continue Reading »
U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced $3 million in Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) funding for infrastructure improvements at DiMillo’s Marina in Portland and Peaks Island Marina. Funding for BIG is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and was reauthorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Collins, King, and Pingree helped pass. “Marinas are an important part of supporting... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), U.S. Senator Angus King heard testimony from Julie Howell, the Associate Legislative Director of Paralyzed Veterans of America, about how the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) can better reach out to and care for women veterans who experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST) during their military service. Today’s hearing was designed to examine the structural and... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King questioned Christopher Maier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, about the need for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Intelligence Community to stay focused on counterterrorism efforts from non-affiliated extremist cells while also keeping an eye on growing threats from nation-state actors like Russia and China. The hearing comes just... Continue Reading »
To watch or download the exchange click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), U.S. Senator Angus King questioned Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin about a recent munitions transfer from the United States to Israel. The hearing comes on the heels of a mistaken airstrike that resulted in the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers in Gaza. King stressed that while Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas terrorists, it... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has announced that Educate Maine been awarded $525,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to establish and develop its Teach Maine Center, which will help to better connect Maine educators in all sixteen counties. The center will also work to implement the Teach Maine Plan — a framework designed to support educators as well as inspire and expand the future educator workforce. Right now,... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) has announced key provisions he supported in the bipartisan $460 billion Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations package, which passed the Senate in an overwhelming 72-24 vote and has been signed into law by President Joe Biden. In addition to the $454 million in Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) investments secured by King and the Maine delegation, the annual spending bill will support jobs, invest in national security and improve the quality of... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today announced the opening of his Fiscal Year 2025 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) online portal that will allow Maine nonprofit entities, state and local to apply for consideration to receive direct federal funding for eligible projects that will have significant, measurable impacts across the state. Authorized in 2021 on a bipartisan basis, CDS funding is included in annual federal appropriations legislation at the request of one or... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), both members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, have introduced legislation to expand veterans’ access to exams that are often required for the disability claims process. This bill would make permanent a pilot program that was created by Congress in 2020 to permanently allow licensed medical professionals to provide medical disability examinations across state lines for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded the Penobscot Indian Nation $199,998 to increase the tribe’s involvement and support of energy, climate change and ocean-related issues. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and dispersed via NOAA’s Regional Ocean Partnerships Program, this award will help bolster research projects, survey submerged... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has announced that The Northern Lighthouse has been awarded $510,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to bolster and support its efforts to serve homeless youth. The funding will allow The Northern Lighthouse — which runs the only youth emergency shelter and transitional living program in Aroostook County — to bring on more staff and serve more youth. Additionally, the funding will be... Continue Reading »
To listen to the latest Inside Maine Podcast click here WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today released the March episode of his “Inside Maine” podcast, in which he discussed the newly-formed Maine Defense Industry Alliance (MDIA) and the need for training programs that minimize workforce shortages. During the podcast, President of Maine Community College System, Dave Daigler, joined Senator King to discuss how Maine community colleges are working to align training... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On this Vietnam War Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the 13th interview of the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King sat down with Ed Stanhope, an Auburn native, who served as an Army helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War and went on to... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King announced the City of Bath has been awarded $1,673,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to upgrade aging wastewater infrastructure on Commercial Street. The funding will be used to upgrade a 50-year old pump system under the Sagadahoc Bridge, replace the main sewer under Commercial Street at the waterfront and improve overall wastewater capacity. The funding is part of the $454... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has announced that MaineHealth has been awarded $119,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to purchase a refrigerated van to support its medicine and food insecurity programs in the Portland area. A refrigerated van will allow MaineHealth to develop a Food-as-Medicine program to serve those with substance abuse disorders and other chronic diseases, as well as better support the Food... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has announced that Kennebec Behavioral Health has been awarded $750,000 through the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) appropriations package to bolster and expand its mental health and substance use disorder services. The funding will be used to better tailor treatment for individuals, provide assistance to patients seeking health care referrals and getting covered by MaineCare. Kennebec Behavioral Health serves the... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is introducing bipartisan legislation to help cut red tape for commercial truck drivers and other transportation workers. The Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act harmonizes the process of applying for and renewing Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security credentials used by transportation workers nationwide. Applicants often have to apply for more than one security credential program which require duplicative... Continue Reading »
Download an Excel spreadsheet of the 185 projects HERE or view a map of the investments HERE WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today celebrated final Congressional approval of 185 Maine projects that will be receiving $454,101,043 from his Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) requests included in the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 Omnibus Appropriations Package. The funding secured by the entire Maine delegation will be used by a broad range of state, local, and nonprofit... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King has introduced legislation with six Senate colleagues to improve public safety and bolster coordination between state and federal governments to ensure violent undocumented persons are kept in custody and not released back into the community. The Improving Public Safety Through Immigration Warrant Issuance Act —would allow for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain a judicially authorized warrant for an undocumented person who has been... Continue Reading »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden today released a statement following the Biden Administration’s approval of the State of Maine’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the January 10 and 13 coastal storms. This declaration will release federal funds to help individuals and communities impacted by the storms in Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Washington, and York Counties recover. In... Continue Reading »
