{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"RI\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-us-embassy-attack-in-iraq", "Reed Statement on U.S. Embassy Attack in Iraq", "2019-12-31", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/31/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Today, after an attack by Shiite militia on the United States Embassy compound in Iraq, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:\r\nPresident Trump's disjointed, chaotic, ad hoc approach to foreign policy and failure to closely coordinate with our allies comes at a real cost.\r\nI'm thankful that no Americans were harmed today at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Since the Bush Presidency, U.S. personnel are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi Government and Iraq must do more to ensure their safety.\r\nOur relationship with Iraq is at a critical moment. Iraqi political leadership is in a state of turmoil with the recent resignation of the Prime Minister, and Iran will seek to capitalize on the instability to further its own goals. U.S. air strikes earlier this week were roundly criticized by the Iraqi Government and seem to have reignited the strong nationalistic tendencies that have been directed at the U.S. in the past.\r\nThe Trump Administration appears to be losing political leverage in Iraq which could complicate our continued military presence there  presence which is key to our counterterrorism efforts in Iraq, Syria, and the broader region. Unfortunately, this is an entirely predictable byproduct of the President's decision to dismiss the advice of senior military and diplomatic professionals and unilaterally withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, thereby isolating the U.S. from our European allies and complicating our relationships with regional partners, including Iraq.\r\nNo recent U.S. President has exhibited such disdain for our career military, diplomatic, and intelligence professionals. The continued turmoil and lack of continuity within the Trump Administration is making America less safe.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline%E2%80%99s-christmas-troops-delegation-makes-final-stop-qatar", "Cicillines Christmas with the Troops Delegation Makes Final Stop in Qatar", "2019-12-26", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cicilline's Christmas with the Troops Delegation Makes Final Stop in Qatar\nRhode Island Congressman concludes three-country trip to thank American servicemembers, set to return to United States\nDOHA  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline's (RI-01) bipartisan delegation to the Middle East concluded earlier today after the Rhode Island Congressman and his colleagues spent Christmas Day meeting with servicemembers on deployment in Qatar. The Congressional delegation thanked the troops and served them Christmas breakfast and dinner.\n\nI'm thankful that we had the opportunity to spend the Christmas holiday with the troops, said Cicilline. This visit was an opportunity to thank these brave men and women for all they've given our country. I'm very grateful that so many members of both parties joined me in this effort. \n\nWhile in Qatar, Cicilline and his colleagues visited Al Udeid Air Base where they met with constituents on active duty, including Henry Camacho of Woonsocket [PHOTO ATTACHED].\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-delegation-spends-christmas-eve-servicemembers-bahrain", "Cicilline Delegation Spends Christmas Eve with Servicemembers in Bahrain", "2019-12-25", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cicilline Delegation Spends Christmas Eve with Servicemembers in Bahrain\n\nMANAMA  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) left Bahrain earlier today after meeting with U.S. military personnel and State Department officials on deployment in the Middle East. The U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Headquarters (NAVCENT) in Manama, Bahrain was the second stop for the bipartisan Congressional delegation that Cicilline is leading to spend Christmas with the troops. Members also spent part of the day serving Christmas lunch to servicemembers stationed at NAVCENT.\n\nThis holiday season, all of us should give thanks for the thousands of American troops that are spending the holidays halfway around the world from their own families, said Cicilline. It was a privilege to meet with some of these great men and women today. I am honored to serve on their behalf and especially for the chance to spend Christmas Eve with them. \n\nThe members of Congress, all of whom serve on committees responsible for national security or veterans affairs, met with officials from the Department of State for extensive briefings on the American military presence in Bahrain. The delegation was also joined by the U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain for a meeting with Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. They also received briefings from American military leadership before dining with troops who have been deployed to Bahrain's capital city.\n\nCicilline met with servicemembers from across America during the visit and thanked them for serving overseas during the holiday season. The other members of the delegation also met with constituents from the states they serve. The delegation departed early this morning for location that is being withheld for security purposes.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-leading-surprise-bipartisan-congressional-delegation-spend-christmas-troops", "Cicilline Leading Surprise Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Spend Christmas with The Troops", "2019-12-24", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cicilline Leading Surprise Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Spend Christmas with The Troops\nRhode Island Congressman also met with his office's Veterans Affairs Advocate, Max Silva, who is currently on active duty\n\nKUWAIT CITY  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, left Camp Arifjan, a key military base that supports operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, moments ago after spending the day with American servicemembers who are serving in Kuwait. Cicilline is leading a bipartisan delegation of eight Members of Congress who are visiting troops in the Middle East to thank them for their service, receive classified briefing from military leaders, and meeting with diplomatic and economic personnel in the region.\n\nThe men and women of the United States Armed Forces are heroes. I'm honored to lead this bipartisan delegation to the Middle East to thank them for their service, said Cicilline. We owe our servicemembers and veterans an enormous debt of gratitude. It's on all of us who serve in public office to honor their service with the resources and benefits they have earned.\n\nThe visit held special importance for Cicilline, who also met with Rhode Island Air National Guard Staff Sergeant Max Silva, a Pawtucket resident who has been deployed overseas since July. Silva works as Cicilline's Veterans Affairs Advocate in his Pawtucket office. The Congressman brought gifts from Silva's family, including his young daughter, who are celebrating the holidays without him. Cicilline was also able to meet with and deliver care packages to other Rhode Islanders stationed in Kuwait, including:\n\n Steven Dearborn, Providence\nSamuel DeAlmeida, Pawtucket\nEdwin Gaviria-Mejia, Pawtucket\nLloyd Ashong, North Smithfield\nDavid Gallego, Burrillville\n \nAlso on the trip with Cicilline are:\n\n REP Lee Zeldin (R-NY-01), Foreign Affairs\nREP Max Rose (D-NY-11), Homeland Security\nREP Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Foreign Affairs\nREP Susan Wild (D-PA-07), Foreign Affairs\nREP Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Foreign Affairs\nREP Gil Cisneros (D-CA-39), Armed Services\nREP Aumua Amata Radewagon (R-AS-AL), Veterans' Affairs\n \nThe delegation departed Andrews Air Force Base Sunday morning. While in Kuwait, they met with staff at the American embassy and received briefings on American foreign policy in the country. They will spend the next few days visiting additional countries in the region. The locations of those visits are being withheld for security purposes.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-warren-brown-call-on-government-watchdog-to-probe-coal-tax-credit-program-exploited-by-wall-street-", "Whitehouse, Warren, Brown Call on Government Watchdog to Probe Coal Tax Credit Program Exploited by Wall Street", "2019-12-23", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Warren, Brown Call on Government Watchdog to Probe Coal Tax Credit Program Exploited by Wall Street  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Senators ask GAO to review IRS program that report shows fails to cut pollution - despite leading to billions in tax benefits for major financial firms\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC  Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) called on the top congressional watchdog, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), to audit the IRS's coal production tax credit, which has permitted coal refiners  many of them big Wall Street financial services companies  to claim roughly $1 billion annually in tax write-offs based on questionable pollution reduction data.\r\nIn June, the senators called on the IRS to justify its award of tax credits following the release of a report by the group Resources for the Future (RFF) that found under real world conditions emission reductions achieved with refined coal fell far short of those necessary to obtain the tax credit. The finding casts serious doubt on whether combusting refined coal at power plants generates emissions reductions required by law.\r\nWe ought to know if Wall Street-backed corporations are bilking the U.S. Treasury for massive sums of money based on a phony premise, the senators said in a statement today. The data from private labs hired by these refiners to justify the use of these tax credits looks like it fails to measure dangerous pollutants from real-world burning of so-called refined' coal. \r\nRefined coal tax credits have become a big business for large financial services firms including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Capital One Financial, Fidelity Investments, and Arthur J. Gallagher. Some of these companies have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in refined coal tax credits and boast of a staggering return on investment of several hundred percent.\r\nRFF's June study suggests that real-world combustion of refined coal produces roughly half the required emissions reductions for nitrogen oxides and mercury, and next to no reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions.\r\nText of the senators' letter to the Comptroller General is below. A PDF is available here.\r\nThe senators' June 10 request to the IRS is available here.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Gene L. Dodaro\r\nComptroller General\r\nU.S. Government Accountability Office\r\n441 G Street, N.W.\r\nWashington, D.C. 20548\r\n\r\n\r\nDear Mr. Dodaro,\r\nWe write to request that the Government Accountability Office evaluate the implementation of the refined coal production tax credit established by Section 45 of the Internal Revenue Code. In order to claim this tax credit, refiners must demonstrate that their refined coal reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 20 percent and emissions of either sulfur dioxide or mercury by 40 percent per unit of thermal energy compared to unrefined coal. In recent years, media reports suggest that refiners claimed approximately a billion dollars in tax credits annually using the refined coal production tax credit.\r\nCurrent Internal Revenue Service guidance allows refiners to demonstrate that they have achieved the required reductions through laboratory analysis rather than measuring the actual emissions generated from the refined coal combusted at the power plant. However, a recent report analyzing other emissions data raises questions about the extent to which the use of refined coal is actually achieving the emissions reductions required to claim the refined coal production tax credit.[1]\r\nGiven the questions raised by the report and the cost of the tax credit, we request that the Government Accountability Office respond to the following questions:\r\n \r\nOver the last decade, to what extent have refiners claimed the refined coal production tax credit?\r\nWhat is known about the extent to which refiners have achieved the emissions reductions required to claim the refined coal production tax credit?\r\nWhat processes and controls are in place to ensure that refiners are meeting the requirements to claim the refined coal production tax credit?\r\n \r\n\r\nThank you for your assistance with this request.\r\n###\r\n  \r\n\r\n[1] Brian Prest and Alan Krupnick. How Clean is Refined Coal? An Empirical Assessment of a Billion-Dollar Tax Credit (Washington, D.C.: Resources for the Future, November 2019)\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/defense-bill-signed-into-law-tonight-with-key-victories-for-us-troops-and-military-families-ri-workers_ris-liberian-community", "Defense Bill Signed into Law Tonight with Key Victories for U.S. Troops & Military Families, RI Workers & RI\u2019s Liberian Community", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/20/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Tonight at 7:30 p.m., President Trump is scheduled to sign the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.\r\nThe FY 2020 NDAA defense policy bill authorizes $658.4 billion for the Department of Defense and for national security programs of the U.S. Department of Energy, $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $5.3 billion in emergency funding to restore installations that were damaged by extreme weather and natural disasters.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), worked on the bill with SASC Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), and U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committees (HASC).\r\nSenator Reed, who co-authored and backed a number of key provisions in the bill to enhance national security, support our service members, and improve military training and readiness, stated:\r\nThe NDAA enhances national security and supports job creation here in Rhode Island. It will help create an estimated 1,500 jobs at Electric Boat in Rhode Island over the next five years building the next generation of submarines, said Senator Reed. I am proud we finally repealed the widow's tax and included major reforms to improve military housing. And after twenty plus years of working to help our Liberian friends and neighbors who contribute so much to Rhode Island, I am thrilled it lifts a heavy burden from them, taking away the constant threat of deportation and instead offering a path to citizenship for eligible Liberians who have lived here, paid taxes here, and put down roots here. America is their home and they have earned the opportunity to become citizens.\r\nKey provisions in the bill include:\r\nSupports the Two Virginia-Class Submarine Build Rate: The bill fully supports the two submarine build rate for the Virginia-class submarine program and the Virginia Payload Module, an 80-foot section with four large-diameter payload tubes in the center of the Virginia-class submarines. The bill authorizes $8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year $22 billion contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month, which is expected to help create 1,500 jobs at Electric Boat in Rhode Island over the next several years. Senator Reed also led the effort to include $8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\nProvides Pay Raise for U.S. Troops: The bill authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for our troops, the largest in a decade.\r\nExpands Paid Family Leave to Millions of Workers: The NDAA provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees for birth, adoption, or fostering a child. Currently, the U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not have paid parental leave.\r\nSenator Reed, a cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act that would create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program, who has long advocated for expanding paid family leave for all employees, stated: Including paid family leave is a victory for all workers because it will help push more employers in the right direction and ensure more workers get paid family leave. Expanding access to paid family leave helps the health and economic well-being of individuals who have it and strengthens the ability of employers to retain their workers.\r\nImproves Privatized Military Housing and Increasing Oversight and Accountability: At the behest of Senators Reed and Inhofe, the bill also implements the most substantial overhaul of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative since the program's creation in 1996. It requires the services to establish a Tenant Bill of Rights for service members living in on-base housing that sets minimum acceptable livability standards, demands better communication, and creates greater transparency. It bans private housing operators from using nondisclosure agreements in their leases, and requires DoD to set up new standardized assessments to monitor private on-base housing developments for health hazards like mold and lead, and enhances protections against reprisal for families who bring issues to light.\r\nThese needed reforms are essential to protecting the health and safety of military families. Each and every day, our service members go above and beyond to defend our nation. And while our troops are out defending our nation, we have a solemn obligation to support and protect their families. This bill is a step in the right direction. But we must continue to press this issue to hold contractors and the military accountable, said Reed, who has met with military families from across the country to hear directly about their experiences with military housing and convened a series of bipartisan hearings with Chairman Inhofe.\r\nRepeals the Widow's Tax: The bill repeals a law that for decades has unfairly shortchanged our nation's Gold Star families by preventing them from receiving the full survivor benefits they have earned and paid for. Since 1972, military widows and widowers who qualify for the VA's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) have been forced to take a dollar-for-dollar offset from the Survivors Benefits Plan (SBP) benefit, even though their spouses elected to pay into the program. The NDAA repeal, which will be phased in over three years, will ensure our service members' families receive the benefits they have paid for and earned. Currently, about 62,000 Gold Star families are impacted by the widow's tax.'\r\nStrengthens Cyber Defenses and Oversight: The NDAA strengthens congressional oversight of cyber operations and enhances the Department of Defense's cybersecurity strategy and cyber warfare capabilities. It directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a consistent, comprehensive framework to enhance the cybersecurity of the U.S. defense industrial base and requires development of metrics for the assessment of the readiness of the Cyber Mission Forces.\r\nAccelerates Defense Innovation: The NDAA establishes inclusive pathways for the most promising small businesses to commercialize their innovations for the DOD market. The NDAA increases DOD's engagement with innovation hubs across the country by establishing a Joint Reserve Detachment at Defense Innovation Unit locations and authorizing $75 million to the Defense Innovation Unit for the creation of a National Security Innovation Capital Fund.\r\nTakes Steps to Address PFAS: The NDAA prohibits the use of firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) after October 1, 2024, with an exception for shipboard use, and immediately prohibits the uncontrolled release of fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and the use of AFFF in training exercises at military installations. It encourages the Secretary of Defense to finalize cooperative agreements with states to address contamination by these substances and authorizes the National Guard to access Defense Environmental Remediation Account funds for the limited purpose of addressing PFAS and PFOA exposure and contamination resulting from National Guard activities in and around National Guard bases.\r\nLiberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Provision: Senator Reed included language to allow eligible Liberians in the U.S. currently on the temporary immigration status of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to continue living legally in the U.S. and get on a pathway to earning U.S. citizenship. In order to be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the law, applicants must have been living in the U.S. continuously since November 20, 2014, not been absent for more than 180 days in aggregate, and be otherwise eligible and admissible for permanent residence.\r\nSenator Reed highlighted a number of Rhode-Island related provisions in the NDAA that are good news for the state's hardworking defense community, including:\r\n \r\n$8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month;\r\n$2.25 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) Program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion;\r\n$8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\n$11.6 million in military construction funding to replace a fuels storage facility at Quonset State Airport;\r\n$156 million for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyer program;\r\n$10 million to accelerate undersea warfare applied research;\r\nImpact Aid for schools with significant concentrations of military dependent children that is projected to provide Rhode Island public schools in Middletown and Portsmouth with over $215,000 for the coming year plus additional funding for districts enrolling military dependent children with severe disabilities.\r\n \r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives voted 377-48 last week to approve the bill. It passed the U.S. Senate this week on a vote of 86-8.\r\nPresident Trump is expected to sign the bill into law at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Andrews Air Force Base before heading to his Mar-a-Lago resort.\r\nCongress has passed the NDAA for 58 straight years.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-bill-lower-prescription-drug-costs-become-law-today", "Cicilline Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs to Become Law Today", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "CREATES Act will make it easier for generic drugs to come to market, save taxpayers $3.9 billion, lower prescription costs by more than 80%\n\nWASHINGTON  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline's (RI-01) Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act (H.R.965) will be signed into law by the President today.\n\nIn the last election, Democrats promised to bring down the high cost of prescription drugs. Today, we are delivering on that promise, said Cicilline. The CREATES Act cracks down on the big pharmaceutical companies that are charging an arm and a leg for medicine that thousands of Rhode Islanders, and millions of Americans, need. No longer will these companies be able to recklessly block or delay access to generic drugs that perform the same as branded drugs, at a fraction of the cost. This is a big win for American consumers, and another example of how Democrats are delivering for the people. \n\nCicilline's bipartisan legislation to bring down prescription drug costs was included as part of the federal spending bill that the House passed earlier this week and the Senate passed yesterday. President Trump is poised to sign the legislation into law later today.\n\nAccording to an AARP report published earlier this year, high prescription drug prices have forced more than one out of five Rhode Islanders to stop taking medication as prescribed by their doctor. Over a five year period, from 2012 to 2017, the cost of name brand drugs used to treat cancer, diabetes, and heart disease rose substantially (67%, 61%, and 95%, respectively).\n\nThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug and Administration (FDA) have conducted studies showing that generic competition saves American consumers billions of dollars each year by reducing the cost of prescription drugs by more than 85%. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the CREATES Act will lower federal spending on prescription drugs by $3.9 billion.\n\nCicilline's legislation ends abusive delay tactics that big pharmaceutical companies have used to block more affordable generic drugs from coming to market. Specifically, it:\n\n Prohibits pharmaceutical companies from withholding samples of their drugs from generic competitors. Access to samples is a requirement for FDA approval of generic prescription drugs in order to demonstrate the medicine is equivalent.\nEnsures generic competitors can participate in the FDA's Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy with Elements to Assure Safe Use (REMS with ETASU) safety protocol. Pharmaceutical companies were previously able to block the participation of generic competitors.\n \nCicilline introduced the CREATES Act earlier this year with bipartisan support from the Ranking Members of the Judiciary Committee and the Antitrust Subcommittee, which Cicilline chairs. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (NY-10) also co-sponsored the bill when it was introduced. The legislation is also endorsed by more than 90 organizations from across the political spectrum, including AARP, Public Citizen, and Social Security Works.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-votes-provide-tax-relief-rhode-island-families-teachers-and-first-responders", "Langevin Votes to Provide Tax Relief for Rhode Island Families, Teachers and First Responders", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in support of H.R. 5377, the Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act. The bill, which passed the House by a vote of 218 to 206, reverses the $10,000 cap on the itemized deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) established by the 2017 Republican tax law and quadruples the amount teachers can deduct for out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The bill also creates a new, above-the-line deduction for unreimbursed expenses of first responders.\nThe House of Representatives is working For the People,' and our tax policy needs reform that is fair, far-reaching and makes a difference in the lives of families across Rhode Island and the country, said Langevin. I'm proud that we are taking a step in the right direction to provide meaningful relief for hardworking, middle-class Rhode Islanders who have seen their tax bills go up thanks the Republicans' deficit-busting give away to the wealthiest Americans.\nPrior to the passage of the Republican tax bill, Rhode Islanders could deduct all of their property taxes from their income. Beginning in 2018, the amount that could be deducted was limited to $10,000; however, the average SALT deduction claimed by Rhode Islanders who itemized was approximately $13,000 in 2017, the year before the cap took effect. The Restoring Tax Fairness for States and Localities Act eliminates the $10,000 cap, ensuring that Rhode Islanders will once again be able to deduct their entire property tax bill.\nRoughly 3.5 million K-12 teachers across the country benefit from the educator expense deduction, which is currently set at $250. This bill quadruples the deduction for educators to $1,000 and indexes it for inflation. Further, it institutes a new deduction of up to $1,000 for law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians that will cover unreimbursed expenses related to tuition, professional development or expenses for uniforms.\nEducators and public safety officials are on the front lines making a difference in our communities, said Langevin. Many of these professionals go above and beyond their duties, often reaching into their own pockets to cover costs for essentials like class supplies or training. It is unreasonable and unfair to tax them on the income they turn around and spend to make their communities better.\nThe restoration of the SALT deduction and the tax relief for teachers and first responders in the bill will be offset by the restoration of the top tax rate, paid only on income above $425,000, to its pre-2017 level of 39.6 percent.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-delivers-major-wins-for-ri-in-appropriations-bill", "Reed Delivers Major Wins for RI in Appropriations Bill", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/19/2019WASHINGTON, DC  The U.S. Senate today voted to overwhelmingly approve a package of bipartisan appropriations bills allocating $1.4 trillion in federal spending. The legislation, which was divided into two minibus' packages that together comprise all twelve fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills, will fund all federal agencies and departments for the remainder of the fiscal year.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the panel's Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee, included many important provisions for Rhode Island families in the bills and helped author key sections to strengthen the economy, create jobs, and invest in our infrastructure.\r\nThis appropriations package makes critical investments to strengthen Rhode Island's economy, upgrade our infrastructure, and improve public schools and public health, said Senator Reed. I worked to prioritize the needs of Rhode Island's workers and businesses, ensuring, for instance, that 1,500 new jobs related to submarine construction will be coming to the Ocean State.\r\nSenator Reed continued: On a bipartisan basis, Congress rejected the president's proposed budget cuts for education and instead provided additional money to help improve schools and raise the maximum Pell grantto help deserving students pay for college. We also added funding to better protect our air and water and help make our communities safer and healthier. Notably, we added more money for election security. And for the first time in twenty years, we allocated $25 million for federal research into reducing gun violence.\r\nThe THUD section of the bill authored by Ranking Member Reed and THUD Chairman Susan Collins (R-ME) provides a total of $74.27 billion in appropriated budget authority for programs that build the U.S. transportation network, support housing programs, and spur economic development. As a result, Rhode Island will receive about $350 million to improve the state's roadways, bridges, and mass transit; and over $360 million for core community, housing, and homelessness prevention programs. Reed successfully secured $50 million in federal assistance for bridge repair and replacement projects in Rhode Island. For more information on Senator Reed's work on the THUD bill, please click here.\r\nIn order to help working families and deliver a strong return on investment to taxpayers, we've got to make smart, forward-looking investments with the limited dollars available. This appropriations package will help improve Rhode Island's infrastructure and makes critical investments in highways, bridges, airports, public housing, and other public assets that benefit citizens and businesses alike. This bill will put people to work upgrading our infrastructure. It will enhance safety, reduce congestion, and help the state attract private investment to drive our economy forward, noted Reed.\r\nI will continue to be an unrelenting advocate for Rhode Island's priorities and do everything I can to direct federal funding to the state, continued Senator Reed, who worked throughout the Appropriations Committee process to champion several key measures in the bill, including:\r\n $1 billion for Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grants (previously known as TIGER grants). Since 2010, Rhode Island has been awarded over $150 million in competitive TIGER/BUILD grants.\r\n $3.425 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).\r\n $3.7 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).\r\n A 3.1 percent pay raise for troops.\r\n $8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month; $2.25 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) Program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion; and $8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives.\r\n $425 million in new funding for election security to be distributed in grants to states.\r\n $25 million to fund federal gun violence research for the first time in more than two decades at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\r\n $22.5 billion for Pell Grants to increase the maximum award at $6,345 for the 2019-2020 school year.\r\n $7.6 billion for the 2020 census count.\r\n $10.6 billion for Head Start.\r\n $41.7 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $2.82 billion for Alzheimer's disease research and $30 million in new targeted funding for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act.\r\n $5.8 billion for Child Care Development Block Grants.\r\n $495 million for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), including $140 million for the National Park Service State Side program that provides matching grants to states and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities.\r\n Raises the minimum age to buy tobacco and e-cigarette products in the United States from 18 to 21.\r\nSenator Reed highlighted several other key areas of the bill that will benefit Rhode Island, including:\r\nAgriculture, Rural Development, & Food and Drug Administration (FDA): $23.493 billion\r\n $6 billion for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to help improve the health and nutritional intake of low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women as well as infants and children up to their fifth birthday. The bill also provides required mandatory spending, which is outside the discretionary funding jurisdiction of the Appropriations Committee, for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).\r\n $3.2 billion for the Agricultural Research Service, including $1 million for East Coast shellfish research.\r\n $3.16 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help promote and protect public health by overseeing the safety, efficacy, quality, and security of food, human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, and cosmetics.\r\n $1.8 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to support their local field service system.\r\n $1.05 billion for food safety and inspection programs.\r\n $1 billion to help protect open spaces and farm land.\r\n $245 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. This program provides eligible Rhode Island seniors in need with free, bulk boxes of healthy food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare and enjoy at home. The President's budget request proposed to eliminate CSFP. Instead, the bill provides an increase of $23 million to serve all anticipated participants.\r\n $500,000 for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) research, prevention, surveillance, and treatment.\r\nCommerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: $70.7 billion\r\nSenator Reed is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS).\r\n $32.6 billion for the U.S. Department of Justice to help fight crime and terrorism, protect communities and families, and provide critical grant funding for local law enforcement initiatives. This includes funding for key operational grant programs that benefit Rhode Island, such as $547.2 million for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants; $502.5 million for Violence Against Women Act programs; $235 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grants; $217 million to address sexual assault kit and other DNA evidence backlogs; $90 million for Second Chance Act programs; and $125 million for the STOP School Violence Act. And for the first time, there will be $75 million in new, dedicated new funding for implementation of the bipartisan criminal justice reform law known as the First Step Act.\r\n $15.2 billion in overall discretionary funding for the Department of Commerce.\r\n $8.28 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help spark innovation through NSF's research and development facilities to support today's scientists, engineers, and technicians, while also supporting education and training programs to build tomorrow's innovation workforce. The bill includes $190million for the EPSCoR program.\r\n $7.6 billion for the U.S. Census Bureau to begin the ramp up for the completion of the 2020 Census.\r\n $1 billion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which helps provide technical resources to promote the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and aspiring start-ups. It includes $146 million for NIST's Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to help manufacturers accelerate development and adoption of cutting-edge manufacturing technologies for making new, globally competitive products. Rhode Island's Polaris will receive an increase of $100,000 under the terms of the agreement. The bill provides $16 million for the new National Network of Manufacturing Institutes.\r\n $5.35 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which includes funding for the National Weather Service, and investments in new and existing weather satellites that are essential to maintain and improve weather forecasts. The bill also provides $40 million for NOAA Construction, which will assist in building new facilities for multiple NOAA research ships at Naval Station Newport.\r\n $77 million for Coastal Management Grants that support CRMC; $74 million for Sea Grant; $57.1 million for Habitat Restoration; $42 million for Ocean Exploration; $35 million for Integrated Ocean Observing Systems; $32 million for NOAA ocean education programs; $13 million for Marine Aquaculture (under Sea Grant); and $15.25 million for NOAA aquaculture.\r\n $518 million in dedicated DOJ grant program funding to fight substance abuse, including opioids, and drug trafficking.\r\n $425 million in new funding for election security to be distributed in grants to states. Rhode Island is projected to receive over $3 million in federal funding from this provision.\r\n $333 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA).\r\n $78.3 million for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Initiative.\r\n $43.5 million for DHS to assist state and local governments in enhancing security and providing resilience for elections.\r\n $13 million for Trade Adjustment Assistance.\r\nDefense: $695.1 Billion\r\nSenator Reed is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who, along with Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK), helped finalize and pass the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The appropriations minibus provides $622.6 billion in base Department of Defense funding, $70.6 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, and $1.8 billion in emergency funding to repair damages at military bases caused by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019.\r\n Fully funds a 3.1 percent pay raise for military personnel as authorized by the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA.\r\n $253.3 billion in funding for operation and maintenance accounts to improve full spectrum warfighter readiness. This funding level makes significant investments in training, maintenance, and modernization.\r\n $105.3 billion for research and development, an increase of $9.2 billion over last year's military R&D spending.\r\n $34.4 billion for the Defense Health Program, which provides medical services for military personnel and their families, continues advancements in medical research, and implements the next generation of electronic health records.\r\n $8.3 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month; $2.25 billion to fully fund the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) Program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion; and $8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\n $1.3 billion for the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account to modernize our reserve forces and ensure full interoperability with the active duty force.\r\nSome highlights of the bill that support the defense industry and service members in Rhode Island include:\r\n- $275.93 million for the DDG-1000 program;\r\n- $260.54 million in next generation combat vehicle advanced technology, to include $4 million for to develop additive manufacturing techniques for combat vehicle components;\r\n- $130.9 million for the Air Force's Manufacturing Technology Program, to include $9.8 million to continue the development of improved battery technology for the F-35;\r\n- $98.1 million in undersea warfare applied research, to include $10 million to continue research partnerships between the Navy and academia to accelerate submarine technology;\r\n- $64.4 million, an increase of $30 million above the budget request, for Defense Production Act purchases to support domestically manufactured military fabrics and kit components;\r\n- $50.1 million for the Civil Air Patrol, which is $17.9 million above the budget request;\r\n- $50 million for Impact Aid for schools with military dependent students and $20 million for Impact Aid for children with severe disabilities.\r\n- $44.5 million for the Procurement Technical Assistance Program, an additional $19.5 million above the budget request;\r\n- $12 million for the Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCOR) that helps Rhode Island entities conduct science and engineering research;\r\n- $8 million to procure additional towed arrays, which bring much-needed detection and tracking capabilities for the Virginia-class submarine fleet.\r\nEnergy and Water Development: $48.3 billion\r\n $12.9 billion to support basic and applied scientific research to make America more competitive in clean energy and other high-technology endeavors. This amount includes $425 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop next-generation, innovative energy technologies, rejecting the President's proposal to eliminate the program. The Office of Science is increased by $415 million for a total of $7 billion.\r\n $7.45 billion for environmental cleanup and management activities, $280 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.\r\n $9.3 billion to improve the nation's water infrastructure, which includes a record level of funding for the Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works program at $7.65 billion, an increase of $651 million over fiscal year 2019. Funding will support operation and maintenance of the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier and the Woonsocket Flood Control projects, as well as supporting maintenance activities in the Providence River.\r\n $5.86 billion for applied energy programs, $716 million more than fiscal year 2019. This funding supports research, development, demonstration, and deployment of an extensive range of clean energy technologies, including for nuclear and renewable energy applications that keep the United States at the forefront of energy innovation.\r\n $2.85 billion for Energy and Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs. This includes $305 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and $62.5 million for the State Energy Program. Senators Reed and Susan Collins (R-ME) led the bipartisan effort to increase investment in these programs.\r\n $2.16 billion, $215 million more than fiscal year 2019, for nonproliferation activities that reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism.\r\n $1.65 billion for Naval Reactors, including funding for the Ohio-class replacement submarine.\r\nFinancial Services and General Government: $23.98 billion\r\n $1.8 billion for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); $331 million for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); $315 million for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); $132.5 million for Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bill maintains the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of Financial Research as independent funded agencies.\r\n $998 million for the Small Business Administration (SBA), a $283 million (40 percent) increase above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Within this increase, $99 million is included for the 7(a) loan guarantee subsidy to ensure the program will continue to support small businesses and lenders.\r\n $425 million for Election Security grants, none of which were requested by the President. This funding will build upon funding provided in fiscal year 2018 to continue to help states upgrade election technology, improve cybersecurity, and prevent future cyberattacks. Rhode Island is projected to receive over $3 million from this funding to help the state secure election equipment, defend voting systems from cyberattacks, and otherwise improve election security.\r\n $425 million for the Office of National Drug Control Policy to help reduce drug trafficking and drug use.\r\n $262 million for the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI) to leverage private sector investment in community development projects like affordable housing, retail development, and lending to small businesses, filling some of the gap left by private sector investment after the financial crisis.\r\n $20 million for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) Fund.\r\n $19 million for State Trade Expansion Program (STEP).\r\nHomeland Security: $50.47 billion\r\n $22.3 billion for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including $17.8 billion for disaster response and recovery efforts; and $2.9 billion for state and local grants, including:\r\n- $710 million for firefighter grant programs, of which $355 million is for firefighter equipment grants (AFG) and $355 million is for firefighter hiring and retention (SAFER) grants;    - $560 million for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP);\r\n- $355 million for the Emergency Management Performance Grants;\r\n- $125 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter program;\r\n- $100 million for Public Transportation Security Grants, of which $10 million is for Amtrak;\r\n- $100 million for Port Security Grants;\r\n- $10 million for Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grants;\r\n- $10 million for Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams\r\n $12 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard to improve readiness, modernize vessels and aircraft, and enhance the quality of life for our service members.\r\n $7.8 billion for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The bill includes $40 million to reimburse T.F. Green and other airports for baggage screening systems and security improvements. As a result of Senator Reed's efforts, T.F. Green is expected to receive a $5.5 million reimbursement this year.\r\nInterior, Environment, and Related Agencies: $35.98 billion\r\nSenator Reed is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and a former Chairman of the panel.\r\n $13.1 billion for the U.S. Department of the Interior. Included in this funding are expenses for the National Park Service ($3.37 billion, which includes about $1 million to continue establishing the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park); the Fish and Wildlife Service ($1.6 billion); and the Bureau of Land Management ($1.3 billion). The Forest Service is funded at $6 billion.\r\n $9.06 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill rejects the Trump Administration's proposals to cut research by 34 percent, grants by 33 percent, and regulatory and enforcement programs by 29 percent, as well as the elimination of several programs, including Environmental Education, radon risk reduction, and lead paint risk reduction programs.\r\nIncluded in the funding for EPA is steady support for the State Revolving Funds, including $1.13 billion for Drinking Water and $1.64 billion for Clean Water. The Water Infrastructure Financing Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan program is increased to $60 million, which will support lending of more than $11 billion. The bill provides $26 million for lead contamination testing at schools and child care centers, $20 million for lead reduction projects in rural areas, and $25 million for water projects in communities working to improve Safe Drinking Water Act compliance. The bill also funds several recently authorized infrastructure grants for the first time in fiscal year 2020, including $28 million to address sewer overflow control requirements, $12 million to provide technical assistance for wastewater treatment operators, $3 million to support drinking water infrastructure resiliency, and $1 million for water system workforce training.\r\n $1.8 billion for Superfund and $89 million for Brownfields cleanups\r\n $510.2 million for EPA Geographic Programs, including a total of $5.4 million for Southern New England estuaries.\r\n $162.25 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and $162.25 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support arts and humanities programs.\r\n $495 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), with more than 50 percent directed to state and local recreation and conservation. These funds will help ensure that public land is protected and available for recreation.\r\n $502 million for the National Wildlife Refuge System, $2.8 million increase above fiscal year 2017.\r\n $9.2 million for the Beaches Protection grants program.\r\n $8.6 million for environmental education programs.\r\nLabor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee (Labor-H): $184.9 billion\r\nSenator Reed is a member of the Senate Labor-H Subcommittee.\r\n $41.46 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It provides an additional $350 million for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research, $2.818 billion in all. It also includes increases of $71 million for the BRAIN Initiative, $50 million for research to combat antimicrobial resistance, and $30 million in new targeted funding for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment, Access, and Research (STAR) Act.\r\n $22.5 billion for Pell Grants to increase the maximum award at $6,345 for the 2019-2020 school year.\r\n $3.7 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a $50 million increase. This builds upon the $250 million increase in fiscal year over last year. The President's budget proposed eliminating LIHEAP. Senator Reed and Senator Collins (R-ME) led the bipartisan effort to secure this funding. Rhode Island recently received $21.6 million in federal LIHEAP funds to help families and seniors keep warm this winter.\r\n $16.3 billion for Title I funding to help schools meet high academic achievement standards. Roughly 90 percent of the nation's school districts receive Title I funding.\r\n $10.6 billion for Head Start, $550 million more than fiscal year 2019. The increase includes $250 million for quality improvements to help programs better respond to local needs and fund staff training for trauma-informed care and identification of families struggling with addiction and hardship.\r\n $8.3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 15 percent increase over the previous year. This includes $350 million to increase efforts to combat prescription drug overdose abuse with evidence-based activities, as well as increases for core public health work such as tobacco control, chronic disease prevention, and flu response.\r\n $5.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), $550 million more than fiscal year 2019. The additional funding will mean as many as 44,000 more children served by the program in FY 2020. The increase will also help states continue to improve the quality and affordability of local child care programs, as well as to expand access so that more parents can go to work knowing their children are safe and learning the skills they need to succeed later in life.\r\n $5.9 billion for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).\r\n $5.4 billion for Community Health Centers (CHCs) to provide comprehensive, quality health care services to medically underserved communities and vulnerable populations.\r\n $3.8 billion within HHS to combat opioids, and additional funds in the Department of Justice, to address opioid addiction nationwide, including: $1.5 billion to states to address the opioid epidemic and mental health; $476 million for opioid overdose surveillance and prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); $90 million to address the needs of children affected by the opioid crisis; and $100 million to help affected rural communities.\r\n $2.8 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Grants to states to provide job training skills and assistance to low-skilled adults, dislocated workers, and low-income youth with barriers to employment.\r\n $252 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an increase of $10 million above the 2019 enacted level. The President's budget request proposed eliminating IMLS, but Senator Reed led the effort to save it and increase funding for libraries and museums. As a result of a key provision in Senator Reed's bipartisan Museum and Library Services Act, signed into law last year, Rhode Island libraries will see an increase in federal funding from these grants.\r\n $1.74 billion for Job Corps to help young Americans receive education, job training, and employment assistance.\r\n $1.46 billion to help low-income and first generation college students plan, prepare for, and succeed in college through the TRIO ($1.1 billion) and GEAR UP ($365 million) programs.\r\n $1.2 billion for Federal Work Study and $865 million for Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants to help needy students pay for college.\r\n $1.1 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to help more than five million Americans improve the lives of their fellow citizens through its core programs to strengthen communities and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. This includes $221 million for Senior Corps programs.\r\n $1.2 billion for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, a $40 million increase to support well-rounded education opportunities. Last year, Rhode Island received $5.6 million from the program and should see additional resources in the coming year as a result of this significant increase in funding for the overall program.\r\n $340 million for Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME).\r\n $192 million for Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants. In Fiscal Year 2019, Rhode Island received $2.2 million through this program.\r\n $175 million for an Apprenticeship Grant program, which will support competitive grants to states to increase their capacity to register and oversee apprenticeship programs.\r\n $95 million for YouthBuild, which helps young people get a second chance at earning their high school diploma while learning valuable occupational and life management skills.\r\n $657 million for Adult Education State Grants. Last year, Rhode Island received nearly $2 million under this program.\r\n $50 million for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant program to continue this partnership program between colleges of education and high need school districts.\r\n $27 million for Innovative Approaches to Literacy, Senator Reed's initiative to support school libraries and literacy programs that ensure that children have access to books in the home.\r\n $35 million for the Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), doubling the program over the previous year.\r\n $10 million for Statewide Family Engagement Centers to support parental involvement in education. This program was part of Senator Reed's Family Engagement in Education Act that was included in the Every Student Succeed Act.\r\n $7 million for continued support of the Open Textbooks pilot to help make college text books more affordable for students.\r\nMilitary Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA): $92.2 billion for Veterans programs and agencies and $17.5 billion for military construction programs\r\nSenator Reed is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.\r\n $80.2 billion for VA medical care, including $8.9 billion to implement the VA Mission Act and $9.4 billion for mental health programs, including $221.8 million for suicide prevention outreach.\r\n $15.2 billion for Community Care.\r\n $6.1 billion for Medical Facilities.\r\n $1.8 billion for Homelessness Programs, which includes $380 million for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, $408 million for the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program case management, and $250 million for the Grant and Per Diem Program.\r\n $1.5 billion to continue implementation of the VA electronic health record system.\r\n $1.3 billion to fund construction, operation, and maintenance of military family housing for fiscal year 2020. This includes an increase of $140.8 million above the President's budget request for the Military Services to increase staffing to improve responsiveness and oversight for privatized housing programs, for a total of $204 million. This will allow the services to hire more personnel to manage the privatized housing programs on military bases and track current and future issues that may affect military families.\r\n $800 million for VA Medical & Prosthetic Research.\r\n $585 million for gender-specific care for women.\r\n $402 million for Opioid Prevention and Treatment programs at VA.\r\n $221.8 million for suicide prevention outreach to veterans.\r\n $11.6 million for new Fuel Storage Complex at Quonset Airport. Quonset State Airport is a joint-use civil-military facility that serves general aviation civilian users and is a base of operations for the Rhode Island Air National Guard's 143rd Airlift Wing and the Rhode Island Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment. This project will repair and modernize the 143rd Airlift Wing's existing fuel storage complex and ensure that it is functionally configured, environmentally compliant, and reliable to refuel the fleet of C-130 aircraft. Most of the existing equipment and buildings in the fuels storage complex were built in 1982 and have exceeded typical life expectancy. Both maintenance costs and man-hours to complete the mission have increased over time and replacement parts are difficult to obtain. This project will also provide a temporary truck fueling area to maintain fuel issue and receipt capabilities during construction of the new facility.\r\nState Department Operations and Related Agencies: $54.79 billion\r\n $16.6 billion for State Department Operations, which is $261 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $2.9 billion above the President's budget request.\r\n $3.43 billion for the Migration and Refugee Assistance account.\r\n $4.39 billion for the International Disaster Assistance account.\r\n $3.3 billion in assistance for Israel in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).\r\n $2.4 billion for Democracy Programs.\r\n $851 million for Maternal and Child Health Programs.\r\n $770 million to Combat Malaria.\r\n $731 million for Educational and Cultural Exchanges.\r\n $520 million for Central America to address root causes of migration.\r\n $410.5 million for the Peace Corps.\r\n $301 million for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.\r\n $300 million for Countering Chinese Influence Fund.\r\n $300 million for National Endowment for Democracy.\r\n $290 million for Countering Russian Influence Fund.\r\n $108 million for Programs to Combat Trafficking in Persons and Modern Slavery.\r\n $101 million for Countering Wildlife Trafficking.\r\n $165 million to Combat Gender-Based Violence.\r\n $61 million for Polio Eradication Efforts.\r\n $1.5 million for democracy programs for Hong Kong.\r\n 4,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans and their families.\r\nTransportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD): $74.27 billion\r\nSenator Reed is the Ranking Member of the THUD Subcommittee.\r\nFor details on Senator Reed's work on the THUD bill, click here.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-delivers-manufacturing-victories-in-2020-appropriations-bill", "Reed Delivers Manufacturing Victories in 2020 Appropriations Bill", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/19/2019Today, after the U.S. Senate voted to overwhelmingly approve a package of bipartisan appropriations bills allocating $1.4 trillion in federal spending divided into two minibus' packages that together comprise all twelve fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills and will fund all federal agencies and departments for the remainder of the fiscal year, U.S. Senator Jack Reed,a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, highlighted important victories in the legislation for Rhode Island's manufacturing industry.\r\nWith the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding totalling $70.7 billion, Senator Reed announced a number of allocations that will benefit the manufacturing industry in the state, including:\r\n \r\n$1.03 billion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an increase of $49 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.\r\n$146 million for NIST's Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a $6 millionincrease abovethe fiscal year 2019 enacted level. Rhode Island's Polaris MEP will receive an increase of $100,000 under the terms of the agreement.\r\n$16 million for the new National Network of Manufacturing Institutes (NNMI).\r\n \r\nSenator Reed also highlighted victories for submarine construction in the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill fully supports the two submarine build rate for the Virginia-class submarine program and the Virginia Payload Module, an 80-foot section with four large-diameter payload tubes in the center of the Virginia-class submarines.\r\nThe NDAA bill also provides $8.3 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year $22 billion contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month, which is expected to help create 1,500 jobs at Electric Boat in Rhode Island over the next several years.The bill also fully funds the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) submarine program.\r\nSenator Reed also led the effort to include $8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/opioid-crisis-response-programs-championed-by-whitehouse-get-major-boost-in-year-end-funding-bill", "Opioid Crisis Response Programs Championed by Whitehouse Get Major Boost in Year-End Funding Bill", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.19\n\t\t\t Opioid Crisis Response Programs Championed by Whitehouse Get Major Boost in Year-End Funding Bill \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Whitehouse establishes program to find cure for pancreatic cancer; Criminal justice reforms receive robust appropriations; Whitehouse's coastal resiliency fund lands 10 percent increase\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, D.C.  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today announced that the year-end appropriations bill passed by the Senate includes $378 million for the Department of Justice's Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act grant programs, an increase of $31 million over the previous year's funding levels. Whitehouse partnered with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to write the sweeping Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act to tackle the opioid addiction crisis that continues to grip Rhode Island communities. The legislation has guided the federal response to the epidemic since it was signed into law in 2016.\r\nToo many Rhode Island families from all walks of life are facing the many struggles that come with having a loved one suffering from the disease of addiction. In our small state, the addiction epidemic is creating enormous ripples through entire communities, said Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I'm pleased that this funding bill will provide reinforcement to the health care and public safety personnel who are doing the important, difficult work on the front lines of this crisis.\r\nThe bill also enables the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs to empower state and local prisons to administer more than one form of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for addiction. There were 314 overdose deaths in Rhode Island last year, according to Rhode Island Department of Health data.\r\nThe appropriations bill includes a number of other provisions secured by Whitehouse:\r\n \r\nAt Whitehouse's urging, the bill establishes a federal research program to find a cure for pancreatic cancer with an initial $6 million investment. The bill also includes $20 million to boost research into treatment for ALS.\r\n\r\nThe appropriations bill includes robust funding for criminal justice reform initiatives, including $75 million for implementation of the First Step Act, a Whitehouse measure that was signed into law last December.\r\nThe funding bill includes $33 million  a 10 percent increase over last year's funding level  for the National Coastal Resilience Fund to restore and strengthen natural infrastructure that protects coastal communities. Whitehouse wrote the legislation that created the fund. Rhode Island's Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) received a $280,000 grant from the inaugural round of funding of the National Coastal Resilience Fund last year, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management last month received a $60,000 grant to aid in the restoration of Quonochontaug Pond in Charlestown and Westerly.\r\n$183.5 million for NOAA's Cooperative Institutes supporting research into the oceans, weather and air chemistry, and climate change.\r\nWhitehouse's bipartisan Securing Energy for our Armed Forces Using Engineering Leadership (SEA FUEL) Act directing the military to research technologies that will capture carbon dioxide from air and seawater and convert it to useful products was allocated $8 million.\r\n$40 million for the research and development of negative emission and direct air capture technologies at the Department of Energy (DOE), continuing the Senator's work on creating incentives for developing carbon removal technologies.\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-impeachment-vote", "Cicilline Statement on Impeachment Vote", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement tonight after voting to impeach President Donald J. Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress:\n\nThere is no question that President Trump abused the enormous power of his office when he solicited foreign interference to help him in his re-election campaign in 2020. His conduct is a continued threat to our democracy and the national security of our country. \n\nThe facts are undisputed, and it is therefore our duty to our country and to the Constitution to hold this lawless President accountable.\n\nI voted tonight to impeach President Donald J. Trump. If the members of the Senate set aside partisanship and consider the evidence in this case, it will leave them with only one conclusion  President Trump must be removed from office.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-usmca-%E2%80%9Cmodest-improvement-nafta-not-cure-all-trump-says", "Cicilline Statement on USMCA: Modest improvement on NAFTA, but not the cure-all Trump says\"", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "More than most other states, Rhode Islanders understand the devastating impact that bad trade deals have had on working men and women. In the 25 years since NAFTA was signed, we've lost nearly 83,000 manufacturing jobs. While corporations and CEOs have lined their pockets by shipping American jobs to Mexico, many Rhode Island workers have struggled just to make ends meet because of NAFTA.\n\nTo be clear, the USMCA is not the cure-all that President Trump promises. Approving this agreement will not suddenly bring back the jobs we have already lost to Mexico. Nor will it mean ensuring a living wage, access to health care, and retirement security for every working person. We must continue those fights once this agreement passes the Senate.\n\nThe USMCA is, however, an improvement  albeit a modest one  over the current NAFTA framework. That's in large part thanks to the hard work of leaders like Sherrod Brown and Elizabeth Warren, unions, and consumer groups over the past year. Thanks to them, this agreement eliminates giveaways to big pharmaceutical companies that the President wanted to include. It also has stronger labor and environmental protections than the ones the Trump administration first proposed. And it guts the Investor-State Dispute Settlement that gave corporations a free pass to extract hundreds of millions of dollars from American taxpayers.\n\nGoverning means making tough decisions. But the choice before us today was very simple. It was a choice between whether to continue under the deeply-flawed NAFTA agreement, or to finally make some improvements to a bad trade deal that Congress never should have approved a quarter century ago. \n\nFor me, that is an easy choice. My first priority has always been to advance the cause of Rhode Island's working families, to make sure that their voices are heard in Congress. This agreement is an improvement for working people  even if it does not go as far as I would want.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-the-impeachment-of-president-trump", "Reed Statement on the Impeachment of President Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/18/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Today, after the U.S. House of Representatives approved two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:\r\nToday, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress' constitutional power to investigate. These are gravely serious charges.\r\nPresident Trump's unprecedented actions have forced Congress to undertake the extraordinary step of considering articles of impeachment. The United States Senate now has a constitutional duty to hold a trial and render a decision.\r\nIn weighing these articles of impeachment, the Senate must be fair, transparent, and deliberate. That should include hearing from witnesses who President Trump barred from testifying and seeing the actual documents at issue, not just the Trump Administration's summary of his call to the President of Ukraine.\r\nNo Senator relishes this responsibility, but every Senator must take it seriously and with an understanding that our system of checks and balances is on trial as well.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-portman-senate-colleagues-tropical-forest-conservation-reauthorization-act-included-in-final-fy-2020-funding-bill", "Whitehouse, Portman, Senate Colleagues\u2019 Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act Included in Final FY 2020 Funding Bill", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Portman, Senate Colleagues' Tropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act Included in Final FY 2020 Funding Bill \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Bipartisan Legislation Promotes Conservation & Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH),Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI),Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Brian Schatz (D-HI), announced that the final FY 2020 funding bill includes $15 million for their bipartisanTropical Forest Conservation Reauthorization Act(TFCA). This program has saved more than 67 million acres of tropical forest by allowing developing countries that meet certain criteria to be relieved of debt owed to the United States in exchange for their conservation efforts. To date, the TFCA program has sequestered 56 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of taking 11.8 million cars off the road.For the first time since its inception in 1998, Portman's legislation expands TFCA to include the protection of coral reef ecosystems.\r\nIt's going to take aggressive conservation efforts all over the world to address rising seas, declining wildlife populations, and disappearing natural habitats,said Senator Whitehouse.This program has successfully protected tropical forests, and I'm pleased that our bipartisan effort has been expanded to include other fragile ecosystems like coral reefs.\r\nI'm pleased that the final FY 2020 funding bill includes $15 million for this bipartisan conservation effort which is making significant strides toward building stronger relationships with countries around the world while ensuring our natural resources are protected and preserved for the next generation,said Senator Portman,co-chair of the International Conservation Caucus.Since 1998, this common-sense and proven approach has protected millions of acres of tropical forest from deforestationa leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions.\r\nThis bipartisan legislation is simply smart policy: it helps preserve and protect precious eco-systems all while strengthening the United States' economic and security relationships around the world,Senator Udall said.I am glad that the final funding bill includes these resources for the Tropical Forest Conservation Act, because it represents the sensible and creative approach to policy-making that we need to take if we want to confront the increasingly grave threats to our planet and global stability.\r\nI believe that conservation is one of the greatest gifts we can give to future generations, and that we have a responsibility to preserve and pass down the incredible natural wonders we've inherited,Senator Burr stated.I'm proud to have been a part of this bipartisan effort to help protect tropical forests and coral reef systems.\r\nNOTE:Portman first introduced the TFCA in 1998 as a member of the House of Representatives. According to the Congressional Research Service, since 1998, 20 TFCA agreements have been completed with 14 countries, raising more than $339 million for tropical forest conservation.\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-texas-aca-ruling", "Whitehouse Statement on Texas ACA Ruling", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Statement on Texas ACA Ruling \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C.  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today issued the following statement about the ruling in the case of Texas v. United States regarding the Affordable Care Act:\r\nDemocrats in Congress are working to improve our health care system and lower costs, while President Trump and his party continue to try to sow chaos. This ruling enables the Trump Administration to continue its legal quest to strike down the law that made health insurance affordable for millions of Americans.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-trump-impeachment", "Whitehouse Statement on Trump Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Statement on Trump Impeachment \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on House adoption of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump:\r\nThe House has gathered a wealth of undisputed facts to support its articles of impeachment. Now, it is the constitutional duty of the Senate to consider these articles and the underlying evidence with all the seriousness and care the Founders intended. That means a process where the relevant evidence is aired, necessary witnesses are called forward, and cases by both sides are fully made. I hope all of my colleagues heed the oath they will take at the beginning of the Senate trial to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.'\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-methane-and-the-captured-epa", "Time to Wake Up: Methane and the Captured EPA", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.19\n\t\t\t Time to Wake Up: Methane and the Captured EPA \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As-prepared for delivery.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t We're rapidly running out of time to protect our future, and that of our children and grandchildren, from worsening climate upheaval. America ought to be taking every measure available to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, from legislative action, to legal action, to diplomatic action, to regulatory action. But we're not, because of corruption.\r\nRegulatory action means enforcing the laws on the books. We have a Clean Air Act that requires the Environmental Protection Agency to stop dangerous pollutants from fouling our air. The EPA has found that greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act, and the Supreme Court has upheld that finding.\r\nThat means we ought to be regulating methane. Methane is among the most potent greenhouse gases out there. When released into our atmosphere, it traps about 30 times more heat than its chemical cousin, carbon dioxide. Oil and gas extraction releases massive methane pollution; in fact, a growing body of science suggests methane pollution from natural gas extraction may completely offset the climate gains of switching from coal to natural gas. To fulfill its duties under the Clean Air Act, as a matter of law, EPA needs to prevent methane pollution. It's the law; it's not optional.\r\nBut the corrupt Trump EPA won't fight methane pollution. This corrupt EPA is run by the fossil fuel industry, which couldn't care less about methane emissions.\r\nWithin weeks of Scott Pruitt taking control of the agency, the corrupted EPA withdrew its request that oil and gas companies even report methane emissions. The industry knew a true report on methane leakage would damage the case for natural gas as a less dangerous air pollutant. So they went to a line of attack ripped directly from Big Tobacco's playbook: silence the science. The fewer facts the EPA has, the less action it needs to take under law. The corrupt Trump EPA deliberately made itself ignorant, and stopped the reporting, so it could avoid its duty.\r\nStep two came in March 2017, with the corrupt Trump effort to roll back existing greenhouse gas regulations, including methane regulations. Trump's executive order reads like a fossil fuel lobbyist's dream, probably because fossil fuel lobbyists wrote it. He called on the EPA to review existing regulations that potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources and appropriately suspend, revise, or rescind those that unduly burden the development of domestic energy resources. Regulations to limit methane pollution were among those Trump's executive order singled out, saying as soon as practicable, suspend, revise, or rescind [them].\r\nStep three was to write a do-nothing replacement. After lots of dawdling, Trump's corrupt EPA decided to draft a fake rule  a rule they could point to if challenged in court for doing nothing, but a rule that conveniently would do nothing to limit methane emissions. The fake rule exempts a huge chunk of oil and gas production from regulation, leaving the industry with an effective blank check to pollute as much methane as it likes.\r\nAs I speak, the corrupt Trump EPA is preparing to issue its final rule and the lying and corrupt fossil fuel industry is poised to grab everything it wanted. The final rule is one that industry stooges could have written themselves; because, well, it looks like they did write it themselves.\r\nThey bought that privilege the old fashioned way. By buying it.\r\nEven before Trump took office, the fossil fuel industry began showering him with money. Trump raised a record amount for his inauguration  nearly doubling the previous record  and Hess, Chevron, BP, Citgo, ExxonMobil, Consol Energy, Anadarko Petroleum, Cheniere Energy, Continental Resources, Murray Energy, and Valero all made six- or seven-figure donations. The oil and gas and mining sector was the second largest source of donations, providing more than $10 million to Trump's inaugural committee.\r\nThat money still flows. As the 2020 election ramps up, fossil fuel companies are among the largest donors to political spending groups supporting Trump's reelection. A pipeline company is the largest single donor to the Trump Victory political action committee: more than $700,000 as of this November. The oil, gas and mining industries account for more than $5 million to the Trump Victory PAC. Fossil fuel executives are some of the largest individual donors to the Trump Victory PAC. One executive alone gave $360,000.\r\nThese donations likely represent the tip of a dark iceberg. Dark-money political organizations accept unlimited donations and provide no disclosure, and Super PACs accept unlimited donations with little disclosure, so we can't tell exactly how much fossil fuel money is flowing to groups supporting Trump.\r\nBut it's a lot. When you consider the $650 billion annual subsidy the fossil fuel polluters enjoy, they have every reason to buy control over government from a corrupt Trump administration.\r\nMoney isn't the only way the fossil fuel industry exerts control. Oklahoma oil king and Scott Pruitt patron Harold Hamm set up a Trump Leadership Council to advise Trump. The fossil fuel industry was the heart of the Council, with coal giants Alliance Resource Partners and Murray Energy, oil services company Baker Hughes, and natural gas company Devon Energy all active members. And, of course, there was the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade association recently identified as America's worst climate obstructer. With all these obstructors and polluters, the fossil-fuel-friendly Council fed Trump a steady diet of talking points about slashing regulations and achieving complete American energy independence. \r\nThese fossil fuel industry talking points became the executive order I mentioned earlier  an order to kill any environmental protection that unduly burden[s] the development of domestic energy resources. Want to know who the winners were from this executive order? Check the list of attendees at the signing ceremony: fossil fuel executives and fossil fuel industry trade association executives, come to celebrate the freedom to pollute that their influence and money had bought them.\r\nChevron has recently been identified as one of the companies that has done the most to damage the oceans. In February of 2017, Chevron wrote to the corrupt Pruitt with a list of deregulatory proposals the company wanted to see implemented at the EPA. Included was a request to refocus methane regulations, particularly those that impact existing sources, to encourage voluntary approaches. For sure, you can trust one of the world's worst ocean polluters with voluntary approaches.\r\nThe corrupt Trump EPW was stocked with fossil fuel industry cronies ready to implement whatever the industry wanted. Pruitt rose to political power on a wave of fossil fuel money, and a demonstrated willingness to sell his office by putting fossil fuel industry asks verbatim onto his official letterhead. Andrew Wheeler, Pruitt's successor as Administrator, had been a leading lobbyist for the coal industry. The head of the EPA Air office, Bill Wehrum, rose to prominence by helping build and run an array of trade associations and front groups for the fossil fuel industry.\r\nBeyond Pruitt, Wheeler, and Wehrum, the EPA's political leadership crawled with fossil fuel flunkies, like the one who left to set up the fossil-fuel dark money group Energy 45 to help promote fossil fuel energy policies; or the lawyer/lobbyist for energy interests Dominion Energy, Koch Industries, and TransCanada overseeing Air Office compliance, of all things. It's been an infestation.\r\nIt's easy for the fossil fuel industry to spend big money to corrupt the EPA, because the corruption payback is so big: this dirty methane work alone is estimated to save oil and gas companies hundreds of millions of dollars.\r\nMeanwhile, the American Petroleum Institute, the largest trade association for the oil and gas industry, announced a new seven-figure ad campaign called We're on it. These ads  on the internet, TV, and billboards (they happen to be all over the Washington airports)  are designed to fool the public and policymakers that the oil and gas industry is on its methane emissions problem. Of course, they are lying. It's what they do.\r\nScience tells us that methane emissions are far higher than the estimates of the corrupt Trump EPA. The investigative journalism group Unearthed found that leading oil companies are emitting unprecedented methane pollution. In just three producing basins, in just one year, oil companies emitted methane equivalent to the annual emissions of ten coal-fired power plants or eight million cars. There's a recent New York Times article you can link to showing infrared imagery of methane billowing out of super-emitter fossil fuel facilities.\r\nYeah, they're on it. What they're on is a binge of lying about emissions, corrupting our politics and blocking climate action. These massive polluting industries have a long track record of climate denial and deceit. A top climate obstructor, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, pays for a phony study claiming the Paris Agreement would cost jobs and economic growth; and Trump pulls us out of Paris. Oil companies lobby to gut auto fuel efficiency standards; and Pruitt and Wheeler gut the standards. The natural gas industry objects to rules limiting methane emissions; the corrupt Trump EPA rolls them back.\r\nWill Attorney General Barr look into any of this? Of course not. In the corrupt Trump administration, fossil fuel money and influence puts that industry above the law. They can pollute and corrupt more or less at will.\r\nWe can't afford this self-dealing from polluters any longer. This is flat out crooked. It is time to wake up, and it's time to clean up.\r\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-on-reforming-the-congressional-budget-process", "Sen. Whitehouse on Reforming the Congressional Budget Process", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2019: U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) delivered these remarks on his bipartisan, budget process reform bill with Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). You can read more about The Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act here:\nhttps://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-whitehouse-and-enzi-offer-bipartisan_reforms-to-fix-broken-budget-process", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-methane-and-the-captured-epa", "Time to Wake Up: Methane and the Captured EPA", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 17, 2019, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse delivered these remarks to the Senate floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-remarks-during-floor-debate-impeachment", "Cicilline Remarks During Floor Debate on Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) spoke on the House floor moments ago. Cicilline asked Republicans to consider the facts of the case, and to put our country ahead of their political party by voting to impeach President Donald Trump.\n\nThe full text of Cicilline's remarks is embedded at the end of this email. A video of his speech can be viewed by clicking the image below. An electronic copy can also be furnished upon request.\n\n\n--------------------------------------\nDavid N. Cicilline\nRemarks As Delivered\nImpeachment of President Donald J. Trump\nDecember 18, 2019\n\nI rise in support of the articles of impeachment against Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States.\n\nMr. Speaker, no one runs for Congress to impeach a President. But this President has left us with no choice.\n\nPresident Trump abused the enormous powers of his office when he solicited foreign interference for the purpose of helping him in his re-election campaign in 2020.\n\nThe President betrayed our national security and undermined the security of our elections when he put his own personal, political interests ahead of the interests of our country. He tried to cheat to win re-election.\n\nThis wasn't an attack on Vice President Biden. It was an attack on our democracy.\n\nAnd if we do not hold him accountable today, we will no longer live in a democracy. We will live in a dictatorship where any future President will be free to abuse their office in order to get re-elected.\n\nSo today, every member of this chamber faces a choice. Whether to do what the Constitution demands and the evidence requires, or to turn a blind eye to this President's grave misconduct, a blind eye to the overwhelming evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors. \n\nTo my friends on the other side of the aisle, I say this: This is not about making history. This is about holding a lawless President accountable in the way our Framers intended.\n\nThis is a time to put our country over your political party. Do not seek safety in the high grass of a vote against these articles. \n\nWe are all Americans. Show the American people your devotion to your country is more powerful than your loyalty to your political party.\n\nUnited, we can defend our democracy from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Divided, we risk losing our democracy.\n\nAll you have to do is look at the evidence. Because it will leave you with only one answer: The President of the United States must be impeached.\n\nRemember these three facts:\n\n He tried to cheat. \nHe got caught.\nHe confessed.\nAnd then he obstructed the investigation into his misconduct.\n \nFor our democracy, for our Constitution, for the people you represent  and for all who will inherit our country from us  I pray you will do the right thing.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-speaks-house-floor-ahead-vote-impeach-trump", "Langevin Speaks on House Floor Ahead of Vote to Impeach Trump", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in support of H. Res. 755, a resolution to impeach President Donald Trump. A copy of the digital video of the remarks can be provided upon request.\nMadam Speaker, our nation was founded on certain principles. That government should be of, by, and for the people. That a system of three co-equal branches of government would provide the checks and balances necessary to ensure the people's voices are heard. That no one is above the law.\nToday, sadly, we are voting to impeach President Donald John Trump because he has fundamentally broken his covenant with the American people. In doing so, we are using the powers the Founding Fathers enshrined in the Constitution to address a president who has violated his oath of office.\nThe evidence is clear, and the facts are not in question. President Trump has consistently engaged in a pattern of behavior inconsistent with the rule of law. He has undermined the checks and balances we rely on by obstructing Congress at every turn.\nAnd, most importantly, he has abused his power by using his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections, undermining the will of the people.\nSo on this sad day for our nation, I will do what the President has so often failed to do: I will fulfill my oath to support and defend the Constitution, and I will vote in favor of impeachment.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-supports-funding-package-prioritizes-families-service-members-and-ri-industry", "Langevin Supports Funding Package that Prioritizes Families, Service Members, and RI Industry", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) voted today in favor of H.R. 1865 and H.R. 1158, the legislative package that will fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends September 30, 2020. The bipartisan legislation includes record funding for vital social services and schools; historic investments in federal gun violence research, election security, and opioid prevention; strong support for veterans and troops; and full funding for the 2020 decennial census.\nThis bipartisan agreement will ensure that the federal government remains open to do its work For the People,' and it includes many of the top priorities for Rhode Islanders, said Langevin. By working across the aisle, we will deliver critical funding that will make a difference for our families and brave service members, enhance national security by directly supporting Rhode Island's important defense industry, and bolster efforts to make local communities safer and more resilient.\nThe funding packages include a 3.1 percent pay raise for troops and federal civilian employees, $425 million for election security grants to be awarded to states, and $80 billion for Veterans Affairs medical care, including funds to provide homelessness assistance, suicide prevention and outreach, and gender-specific care for women. The legislation also supports a recently announced $22.2 billion Navy contract to produce fast-attack Virginia-class submarines and Virginia Payload Modules in Quonset Point.\nRhode Island plays a major role in ensuring our nation's security with fleets of world-class submarines and cutting-edge capabilities being produced by hard-working Rhode Islanders right on our shores, said Langevin. I'm pleased that this final funding package makes strides to ensure our warfighters are prepared and never enter a fair fight, all while supporting job creation locally. The bills also reaffirm our commitment to supporting those who have put it all on the line for our nation by prioritizing critical aid and resources for our veterans.\nThe appropriations package includes $185 billion to support job creation, affordable healthcare, and improve education, including record base funding for Title 1 schools, Head Start, and the Childcare and Developmental Block Grant. It also includes more than $61 billion for infrastructure projects such as highways, bridges, railroads, and ports, and $7.6 billion to fully fund the Census and ensure that every person is counted.\nFurthermore, for the first time in more than two decades, House and Senate negotiators agreed to fund gun violence research, providing $25 million for federal research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health to try to determine the causes of and ways to stop our nation's gun violence epidemic.\nThe bill also continues Congress's commitment to addressing the opioid overdose epidemic, allocating $1.5 billion for state grants for opioid crisis prevention efforts.\nDespite a growing economy, too many Americans continue to face challenges and struggle to get by. Congress must take action to address the root causes of issues that are undermining the quality of life in our nation, said Langevin. We know that good paying jobs, quality education, and safe neighborhoods are essential building blocks for a strong country. With the goal of helping hard-working families get ahead, this bill strengthens this foundation and pushes to make sure that every person can realize the famed American Dream.\nWith House approval, the package will be sent to the Senate, and then the President, who is expected to sign it into law.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-scores-big-wins-for-national-security-and-ri-workers-in-ndaa", "Reed Scores Big Wins for National Security & RI Workers in NDAA", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/17/2019WASHINGTON, DC  In an effort to strengthen national security and help working families, the U.S. Senate voted 86 to 8 today to approve the conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.\r\nThe FY 2020 NDAA defense policy bill authorizes $658.4 billion for the Department of Defense and for national security programs of the U.S. Department of Energy, $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $5.3 billion in emergency funding to restore installations that were damaged by extreme weather and natural disasters.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), worked on the bill with SASC Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), and U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committees (HASC).\r\nSenator Reed, who co-authored and backed a number of key provisions in the bill to enhance national security, support our service members, and improve military training and readiness, stated:\r\nThis bill makes smart investments in our national security and recognizes the increasing strategic importance Rhode Island plays in our national defense. It provides the Defense Department with the authorization, stability, and certainty to build the next generation of submarines. These multi-mission submarines are essential for power projection, deterrence, intelligence, and sea control. And I am proud of the contributions Rhode Island's defense workers make to building them. This bill will help create an estimated 1,500 jobs at Electric Boat in Rhode Island over the next five years. \r\nAnd recognizing the critical link between the quality of life for our troops and their families, and the overall quality, retention, and readiness of our Armed Forces, this conference report includes critical reforms and protections needed to improve military housing and hold contractors accountable. And it provides our troops with a much needed, well-deserved pay raise. There are several environmental and Middle East policy items I fought for, but could not get past staunch Republican opposition. Those will be back on my list of priorities as we start this process next year.\r\nKey provisions in the bill include:\r\nSupports the Two Virginia-Class Submarine Build Rate: The bill fully supports the two submarine build rate for the Virginia-class submarine program and the Virginia Payload Module, an 80-foot section with four large-diameter payload tubes in the center of the Virginia-class submarines. The bill authorizes $8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year $22 billion contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month, which is expected to help create 1,500 jobs at Electric Boat in Rhode Island over the next several years. Senator Reed also led the effort to include $8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\nProvides Pay Raise for U.S. Troops: The bill authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for our troops, the largest in a decade.\r\nExpands Paid Family Leave to Millions of Workers: The NDAA provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees for birth, adoption, or fostering a child. Currently, the U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not have paid parental leave.\r\nSenator Reed, a cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Actthat would create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program, who has long advocated for expanding paid family leave for all employees, stated: Including paid family leave is a victory for all workers because it will help push more employers in the right direction and ensure more workers get paid family leave. Expanding access to paid family leave helps the health and economic well-being of individuals who have it and strengthens the ability of employers to retain their workers.\r\nImproves Privatized Military Housing and Increasing Oversight and Accountability: At the behest of Senators Reed and Inhofe, the bill also implements the most substantial overhaul of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative since the program's creation in 1996. It requires the services to establish a Tenant Bill of Rights for service members living in on-base housing that sets minimum acceptable livability standards, demands better communication, and creates greater transparency. It bans private housing operators from using nondisclosure agreements in their leases, and requires DoD to set up new standardized assessments to monitor private on-base housing developments for health hazards like mold and lead, and enhances protections against reprisal for families who bring issues to light.\r\nThese needed reforms are essential to protecting the health and safety of military families. Each and every day, our service members go above and beyond to defend our nation. And while our troops are out defending our nation, we have a solemn obligation to support and protect their families. This bill is a step in the right direction. But we must continue to press this issue to hold contractors and the military accountable, said Reed, who has met with military families from across the country to hear directly about their experiences with military housing and convened a series of bipartisan hearings with Chairman Inhofe.\r\nRepeals the Widow's Tax: The bill repeals a law that for decades has unfairly shortchanged our nation's Gold Star families by preventing them from receiving the full survivor benefits they have earned and paid for. Since 1972, military widows and widowers who qualify for the VA's Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) have been forced to take a dollar-for-dollar offset from the Survivors Benefits Plan (SBP) benefit, even though their spouses elected to pay into the program. The NDAA repeal, which will be phased in over three years, will ensure our service members' families receive the benefits they have paid for and earned. Currently, about 62,000 Gold Star families are impacted by the widow's tax.'\r\nStrengthens Cyber Defenses and Oversight: The NDAA strengthens congressional oversight of cyber operations and enhances the Department of Defense's cybersecurity strategy and cyber warfare capabilities. It directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a consistent, comprehensive framework to enhance the cybersecurity of the U.S. defense industrial base and requires development of metrics for the assessment of the readiness of the Cyber Mission Forces.\r\nEstablishes the United States Space Force as Sixth Branch of the Military: The bill authorizes the establishment of a U.S. Space Force as an independent military branch under the Department of the Air Force, similar to how the Marine Corps operates as a service in the U.S. Department of the Navy.\r\nAccelerates Defense Innovation: The NDAA establishes inclusive pathways for the most promising small businesses to commercialize their innovations for the DOD market. The NDAA increases DOD's engagement with innovation hubs across the country by establishing a Joint Reserve Detachment at Defense Innovation Unit locations and authorizing $75 million to the Defense Innovation Unit for the creation of a National Security Innovation Capital Fund.\r\nTakes Steps to Address PFAS: The NDAA prohibits the use of firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) after October 1, 2024, with an exception for shipboard use, and immediately prohibits the uncontrolled release of fluorinated aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) and the use of AFFF in training exercises at military installations. It encourages the Secretary of Defense to finalize cooperative agreements with states to address contamination by these substances and authorizes the National Guard to access Defense Environmental Remediation Account funds for the limited purpose of addressing PFAS and PFOA exposure and contamination resulting from National Guard activities in and around National Guard bases.\r\nLiberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Provision: Senator Reed included language to allow eligible Liberians in the U.S. currently on the temporary immigration status of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to continue living legally in the U.S. and get on a pathway to earning U.S. citizenship. In order to be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the law, applicants must have been living in the U.S. continuously since November 20, 2014, not been absent for more than 180 days in aggregate, and be otherwise eligible and admissible for permanent residence.\r\nThis provision will adjust the status of Liberians on DED and those formerly on TPS to enable them to apply for permanent residency. Liberians who've legally lived here for years, paid taxes, and made so many positive contributions to their various communities, especially in Rhode Island, deserve the opportunity to get on a path to becoming full citizens. Everything they have in America they've earned through hard work and hard work should be rewarded, said Senator Reed.\r\nSenator Reed highlighted a number of Rhode-Island related provisions in the NDAA that are good news for the state's hardworking defense community, including:\r\n \r\n$8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month;\r\n$2.25 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) Program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion;\r\n$8 million to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\n$11.6 million in military construction funding to replace a fuels storage facility at Quonset State Airport;\r\n$156 million for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyer program;\r\n$10 million to accelerate undersea warfare applied research;\r\nImpact Aid for schools with significant concentrations of military dependent children that is projected to provide Rhode Island public schools in Middletown and Portsmouth with over $215,000 for the coming year plus additional funding for districts enrolling military dependent children with severe disabilities.\r\n \r\nThe NDAA also reflects other priorities backed by Senator Reed to sustain and improve the quality of life for our men and women in uniform and their families, and the Department's civilian workforce. The bill includes a number of provisions to address employment challenges faced by military spouses and provides the authority for federal agencies to reimburse civilian employees for the tax-related consequences of government-provided moves, an issue especially important for DOD teachers stationed overseas, and ensures that the authority is retroactive to January 1, 2018.\r\nThe bill also authorizes the Secretary of Defense to initiate a program to build the legal institutional capacity of foreign security forces so they operate consistently with the law of armed conflict and human rights law. This initiative will draw substantially on the expertise of the Defense Institute for International Legal Studies located at Naval Station Newport.\r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives voted 377-48 last week to approve the bill. Now that it has passed the U.S. Senate, it goes to the President's desk to be signed into law. President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.\r\nThe NDAA authorizes the expenditure of public funds and then the Appropriations Committee must determine the final level of defense spending. Senator Reed is also a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Appropriators have until midnight on December 20 to reach an agreement on next steps for funding the federal government.\r\nCongress has passed the NDAA for 58 straight years.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/videos/reed-discusses-2020-ndaa-on-the-senate-floor", "Reed Discusses 2020 NDAA on the Senate Floor", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Reed, Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, discusses the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed in the Senate on a vote of 86-8.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/bipartisan-bill-to-improve-militarys-energy-security-included-in-ndaa", "Bipartisan Bill to Improve Military\u2019s Energy Security Included in NDAA", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.19\n\t\t\t Bipartisan Bill to Improve Military's Energy Security Included in NDAA \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t SEA FUEL Act would spur military innovation in carbon capture technology\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, D.C.  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that bipartisan legislation to improve the U.S. military's energy security and reduce carbon emissions has been included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference agreement approved by the Senate. The Securing Energy for our Armed Forces Using Engineering Leadership (SEA FUEL) Act would direct the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to pioneer new technologies that will capture carbon dioxide from air and seawater and convert it to clean fuels or other useful products. This marks the first time a federal program will be created for dedicated research and deployment of direct air capture and blue carbon technologies. The program has been allocated $8 million in the 2020 appropriations agreement set to be approved by Congress this week.\r\nThe military has much at stake with climate change. Rising seas are lapping at bases at home and abroad, and the danger of conflict across the globe is increasing as natural resources dry up, said Senator Whitehouse. Investing the military's research capabilities in carbon capture technology holds the promise of making overseas installations more self-sufficient while heading off the effects of climate change.\r\nThe Pentagon recognizes that climate change is real and poses serious national security challenges. This provision directs the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Homeland Security to invest in promising research into carbon capture technologies, said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee.\r\nThe U.S. military has an opportunity to accelerate innovative technologies that could help our fleet project strength and operate in every corner of the globe like never before, while also revolutionizing energy use and improving the lives of people around the world, said Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The SEA FUEL Act will build on the progress of the Navy's 2017 carbon capture breakthrough and hopefully lead to beneficial new ways to utilize carbon dioxide to supply and power our future. I'm glad to cosponsor Senator Whitehouse's legislation and see its inclusion in this year's NDAA.\r\nWhitehouse introduced the SEA FUEL Act along with Reed and Sullivan in May. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), David Schweikert (R-AZ), and Anthony Brown (D-MD) introduced the House companion in June.\r\nCongress' passage of the SEA FUEL Act is excellent news which will result in forward progress on the climate crisis, said Congressman Beyer. Our just-passed bipartisan legislation will reduce the carbon footprint of the US military while increasing readiness. Importantly, the SEA FUEL Act will also help foster the emerging technologies to address the increased concentration of carbon in our air and in our water. I thank our bipartisan group of cosponsors for their support of the bill, and look forward to seeing it signed into law.\r\nAmerica's military readiness depends on our ability to effectively respond to the national security threat posed by climate change, said Congressman Brown. Adopting carbon capture technology across the Department of Defense and Armed Services will improve our fuel security and foster innovation critical to responding to these challenges.\r\nTechnologies are emerging from the carbon capture sector that remove carbon emissions directly from the air and convert carbon dioxide into new materials like plastics, chemicals, or jet fuel. These promising technologies could generate new industries and jobs, and have an important role in removing carbon emissions from the environment.\r\nDefense Department facilities and vessels rely heavily on fuels transported from offsite, creating security risks. Overseas military installations would benefit from technology to convert excess carbon dioxide into fuel onsite. In addition, the captured carbon may be turned into useful products like building materials that could be used to increase low-lying elevations and protect infrastructure in remote areas.\r\nThe U.S. Navy has already patented a technology that would remove excess carbon dioxide from ocean water and turn it into fuel. The Energy Future Initiative, chaired by former Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, recently authored a report entitled Clearing the Air, which highlighted the value of researching and demonstrating carbon removal technologies across multiple agencies.\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-in-senate-judiciary-hearing-on-the-opioid-crisis", "Sen. Whitehouse in Senate Judiciary Hearing on the Opioid Crisis", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 17, 2019\nSenate Judiciary Hearing | Tackling the Opioid Crisis: A Whole-of-Government Approach\nPanel I\r\n- Mr. Kemp Chester, Assistant Director of the National Opioids and Synthetics Coordination Group, Office of National Drug Control Policy\n- Ms. Amanda Liskamm, Director Of Opioid Enforcement And Prevention Efforts, Office Of The Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice\n- Mr. William T. McDermott, Assistant Administrator, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration\n- Dr. Neeraj Gandotra, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services\r\nPanel II\r\n-Dr. Bradley D. Stein M.D., Ph.D., Senior Physician Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation\n-Mr. Patrick M. Kelly, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, Healthcare Distribution Alliance\n-Dr. Ronna B. Hauser, Pharm.D, Vice President, Policy and Regulatory Affairs, National Community Pharmacists Association\n-Ms. Sue Thau, Public Policy Consultant, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-secures-critical-rhode-island-priorities-government-spending-bills", "Cicilline Secures Critical Rhode Island Priorities in Government Spending Bills", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan legislation heads to Senate with new resources for election security, gun violence research, infrastructure, and more\nWASHINGTON  The U.S. House passed a bipartisan proposal today that will fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), who voted in favor of the bills proposed, used his position in House Leadership to lead the effort to secure substantial resources for several initiatives important to Rhode Islanders.\n\nRhode Islanders deserve to know that they're getting more than their share of federal funding. That's exactly what we've done with the bill the House passed today, said Cicilline, who serves as chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC). This proposal will help create full-time, good-paying jobs in our state. It will enhance public safety, strengthen public education, and help secure our elections.\n\nCicilline continued, I'm particularly proud that this proposal includes the CREATES Act, my legislation to drive down the cost of prescription drugs by as much as 80%, as well as $1.25 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers that provide high-quality afterschool programs, $20.1 million for Special Olympics Programs at the Department of Education, $2.576 billion for the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS), which funds the Blackstone Valley National Park, more than $10 billion for the Virginia and Columbia Class Submarine programs, and $25 million for gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Senate should take up this proposal without further delay.\n\nThe requests that Cicilline led the fight to include in the bills passed today include the following:\n\n The CREATES Act, legislation Cicilline introduced to drive down prescription drug costs by as much as 80%\n$1.25 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers that provide high-quality afterschool programs\n$25 million for gun violence research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH)\n$20.1 million for Special Olympics Programs at the Department of Education\n$2.576 billion for the Operation of the National Park System (ONPS), which funds Blackstone Valley National Park\n \nCicilline also worked directly with the House Appropriations Committee to include the following requests:\n\n $25 million for the Defense Manufacturing Communities Program\nMore than $10 billion for the Virginia and Columbia Class Submarine programs\n$8 million for submarine workforce development\n$33 million for the Regional Innovation Program\n$80,760,000 for the John E. Fogarty International Center, an increase of $2,651,000\n$160.81 million for Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention at the CDC\n$37,000,000 for the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the CDC\n$290,000,000 for the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes\n$425 million for election security to grants and states to protect and secure our elections systems from foreign interference\n$7.6 billion for the 2020 Census to ensure that every person is counted\nMore than $61 billion to create jobs and improve safety by rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure\nA $208 million increase for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), totaling $9 billion in funding, to ensure clean air and water and bring polluters to justice\n$185 billion, including record-setting base funding, for Title I schools, Head Start, and the Child Care and Development Block Grant to provide hardworking families with pathways for affordable health care, better schools, and good-paying jobs\n$80 billion for VA medical care to fulfill America's responsibility to its veterans, including funding for homelessness assistance and suicide prevention and outreach\n \n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/photos/reed-celebrates-usda-grant-for-new-tiverton-police-cars-and-senior-bus", "Reed Celebrates USDA Grant for New Tiverton Police Cars & Senior Bus", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reed Celebrates USDA Grant for New Tiverton Police Cars & Senior Bus \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \t\n                        \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    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                     \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                               \n                            \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                               \n                            \n                     \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t12/16/2019Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, helped secured a $61,500 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Community Facilities Grant to help Tiverton purchase three new police cruisers and a new senior bus. Senator Reed joined members of the Town Council and the Tiverton Police Department to view the new vehicles and celebrate the award.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/photos/reed-helps-announce-innovative-textile-manufacturing-collaboration-initiative", "Reed Helps Announce Innovative Textile Manufacturing Collaboration Initiative", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reed Helps Announce Innovative Textile Manufacturing Collaboration Initiative \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t12/16/2019Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, members of the Congressional Delegation, and officials from the University of Rhode Island, U.S. Navy, the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, Polaris MEP, and others gathered at Innovate Newport to announce the launch of the 401 Tech Bridge Advanced Materials Center. Tech Bridge is a network of more than 150 creative Rhode Island composites and textile businesses, governmental organizations, major corporations, and academic institutions who collaborate to advance and improve operations of Rhode Island businesses and who develop advanced textile and composite materials such as those used by the Navy and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-announces-over-800k-to-help-health-centers-expand-client-base", "Reed Announces Over $800K to Help Health Centers Expand Client Base", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/16/2019WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced federal funding to help local community health centers expand their ability to provide comprehensive primary care to low-income and underserved children and families. The $800,178 grant is being awarded to East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP), a Federally Qualified Community Health Center that operates two community health centers, one in Newport and one in East Providence. The funds are being awarded through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care's Section 330 Service Area Competition Program.\r\nEBCAP is a multi-service community action program that provides a wide spectrum of social, health, and human services to children, young adults, older adults, and families through dozens of associated programs and other services including: Head Start and Early Head Start programs; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC); family development and case management services; youth programs; housing and energy assistance services; food pantries; emergency and transitional housing; employment training; rental assistance; the Patient Assistance Pharmaceutical Program; and an array of services for the elderly including case management, senior employment, and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Its two centers serve several surrounding Rhode Island communities including East Providence, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Little Compton, Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, and Jamestown.\r\nAs the only organization in the state that is a Community Action Program, FQHC, Community Mental Health Center (CMHC), and state and federally-certified Home Visiting Agency, EBCAP addresses the social determinants of health issues in addition to directly providing programs for community health needs.\r\nIn addition to helping EBCAP continue its present operations, the grant will allow EBCAP to provide medical services to a growing client base in towns it serves. EBCAP's FQHC locations provide comprehensive Integrated Care (primary, dental, and behavioral health care) to low-income and underserved residents in its service areas. EBCAP operates four integrated care sites: one in Newport, which serves Newport County, as well as two in East Providence and one in Barrington, which serve the East Providence, Barrington, Warren, and Bristol areas.\r\nEBCAP provides comprehensive and vital services to Rhode Islanders who otherwise would have no access to health care and other needed services. It is a community pillar and a very important resource for low-income and underserved children and families across our state, said Senator Reed, who wrote a letter in August in support of EBCAP's application. I'm glad to see EBCAP receive this funding. I congratulate EBCAP on its successful application.\r\nMore information about EBCAP's services can be found here.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-advances-rhode-island-priorities-defense-bill", "House Advances Rhode Island Priorities in Defense Bill", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act, which now heads to the U.S. Senate for further consideration. The annual defense authorization proposal includes several priorities for Rhode Island, including paid family leave for federal workers, higher wages for servicemembers, and protections for Liberian nationals facing deportation (Rhode Island has the highest Liberian population per capita of any state).\n\nThis bill is a big win for Rhode Island. I'm proud that we included several provisions important to Rhode Island. It's critical that the Senate send this legislation to the President without further delay, said Cicilline. Creating a better Rhode Island for servicemembers, workers, and their families to call home is my top priority in Washington. That's exactly what this bill does.\n\nThe conference report included the following provisions directly impacting Rhode Islanders:\n\n \nA long overdue 3.1% pay increase for servicemembers.\nA priority of Cicilline's to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all federal employees.\nA provision introduced by Cicilline in the House, by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) in the Senate, and backed by Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-02) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to allow Liberian refugees to apply for legal permanent residency. Cicilline introduced the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (H.R. 1169) with the support of 17 cosponsors. Senator Reed introduced a companion bill in the Senate with the support of 10 cosponsors.\nA repeal of the \"Widow's Tax\", which is an offset of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments from Survivor Benefit Plan payments to surviving military spouses. Cicilline backed the bipartisan Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act (H.R. 553) to repeal the same provision.\nA policy change allowing LGBT servicemembers who received a dishonorable or less than honorable discharge under \"Don't Ask, Don't Tell\" to apply to change their discharge status to honorable. Cicilline cosponsored the Restore Honor to Service Members Act (H.R. 3517) to allow LGBT veterans to change their discharge status.\n$8.5 billion to fund construction of 2 Virginia Class Submarines in Fiscal Year 2020, and funding for the recently announced Block V group, which will produce up to 10 new Virginia Class Submarines. This includes $522 million to ensure that at least 9 of the Block V subs include the Virginia Payload Module, which is built and installed at Quonset. Cicilline advocated for funding for this program during the appropriations process.\n$2.4 billion for the Columbia Class Submarine program, which are also built at Electric Boat's facility at Quonset. Cicilline also advocated for funding for this program during the appropriations process.\nAn authorization of $11.6 million in military construction funds for a new fuel storage complex at Quonset Point.\nLanguage that Cicilline included in the Fiscal Year 2019 NDAA encouraging DOD to work more cooperatively with certain Defense manufacturing programs, including the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program.\nA two-year prohibition on U.S. refueling aircraft used in hostilities in Yemen included in the agreement because of an amendment authored by Cicilline.\nA provision introduced by Cicilline to prohibit the transfer of F-35 aircrafts to Turkey and recommend that Turkey be sanctioned for purchasing Russian air defense systems. Cicilline introduced the Protecting NATO Skies Act (H.R. 3263), which would require this.\nCicilline-sponsored language to repeal of the Cyprus arms embargo that currently forces the nation to depend on other countries, including those that may pose challenges to U.S. national security interests around the world. Cicilline introduced the End the Cyprus Arms Embargo Act of 2019 (H.R. 4558) with the bipartisan support of 16 cosponsors.\n \n\nThis is exactly how government is supposed to work for the people it serves, added Cicilline. I'm pleased that we sent the Senate a bill that is smart, effective, and responsive to the needs of our constituents.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/photos/-reed-whitehouse-announce-2-million-in-anti-domestic-violence-grants-and-call-for-swift-passage-of-vawa", "Reed, Whitehouse Announce $2 Million in Anti-Domestic Violence Grants & Call for Swift Passage of VAWA", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reed, Whitehouse Announce $2 Million in Anti-Domestic Violence Grants & Call for Swift Passage of VAWA \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \t\n                        \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                               \n                            \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                               \n                            \n                     \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t12/13/2019Senator Reed and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse joined with women's advocates and survivors of domestic abuse to call on the U.S. Senate to swiftly approve the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. The bill preserves advancements to protect women that were made in previous reauthorizations, and includes improvements to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault and to support survivors. The Senators also outlined federal funding that Rhode Island organizations are receiving, including five grants totaling over $2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support crime victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/photos/reed-honors-local-veterans-on-75th-anniversary-of-the-battle-of-the-bulge", "Reed Honors Local Veterans on 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reed Honors Local Veterans on 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \t\n                        \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                               \n                            \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                               \n                            \n                     \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t12/13/2019On the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Senator Reed helped salute the valor of brave American soldiers who fought in the conflict. Starting in December 1944, American troops stationed in the Ardennes Forest region on the Western Front of Europe defeated a last-ditch, ferocious offensive by the German military. Over 19,000 Americans died in the fighting, which continued into January of 1945. Also attending the ceremony were officials from the Rhode Island National Guard, the Rhode Island Department of Veterans Affairs, and local Rhode Island veterans who served in the U.S. Army during the battle.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/photos/reed-salutes-electric-boat-workers-and-discusses-impact-of-navys-historic-new-submarine-contract", "Reed Salutes Electric Boat Workers & Discusses Impact of Navy\u2019s Historic New Submarine Contract", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reed Salutes Electric Boat Workers & Discusses Impact of Navy's Historic New Submarine Contract \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n                    \t\n                        \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                  \n                                \n                                \n                                    \n                               \n                            \n                            \n                               \n                               \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                                  \n                                \n                                    \n                                \n                               \n                            \n                     \t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t12/13/2019Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, was joined by Congressman Jim Langevin at an event to salute the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipbuilding team and their contributions to national security. The U.S. Navy recently awarded a $22.2 billion multi-year contract to General Dynamics to build nine new Virginia-class submarines, with an option for a tenth submarine that would potentially raise the overall contract value above $24 billion. Senator Reed included federal funding in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to advance the procurement of Virginia-class submarines. The contract will ensure additional work for thousands of skilled laborers and bring millions of dollars in business to small suppliers across Rhode Island and the region.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-new-submarine-contract-will-lead-to-1500-new-jobs-in-ri", "Reed: New Submarine Contract Will Lead to 1,500 New Jobs in RI", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/13/2019NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI  The workload at Electric Boat's (EB) Quonset Point submarine building facility is scheduled for a major increase.\r\nThe U.S. Navy and Electric Boat's parent company, General Dynamics Corp., recently signed an historic $22.2 billion contract for nine additional high-tech Virginia-class submarines. This represents the largest shipbuilding contract in U.S. Navy history. And Congress will soon send President Trump a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 that includes $8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, as well as $2.25 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led efforts to include this funding in the NDAA. Reed says that together, the contract and the NDAA, will mean more work at EB's expanding Quonset Point facilities; more business for local suppliers; more good-paying jobs coming to Rhode Island in the near future; improved savings for taxpayers and the U.S. Navy; and new next-generation stealth submarines that are absolutely critical to America's national defense.\r\nToday, Senator Reed visited Electric Boat to thank the workers who build these submarines and contribute to America's security.\r\nSaluting Electric Boat's workers, Reed stated: You build the guts of these boats and provide our nation with a strategic, technological advantage. Thanks for the great work you do. Your skill, dedication, and ingenuity is unmatched and absolutely essential to producing the best, most advanced submarines in the world. These submarines are a constant strategic deterrence to our adversaries. I am proud of the role Rhode Island workers play in their design and construction.\r\nThe $22.2 billion contract - known as Block V - orders the production of nine submarines through 2029, with the option to build a tenth if the nine come in on time and on budget and Congress approves additional funds. That would push the value of the contract above $24 billion.\r\nThe Navy's historic submarine contract charts the right course, and the NDAA means work can go full throttle to keep building two boats per year. Electric Boat estimates it will need to hire about 1,500 more workers here in Rhode Island to keep pace with demand. That is good news for the state and the result of many years of hard work. It is also good news for small manufacturers and local suppliers and vendors that do business with Electric Boat, said Reed. I will continue working to ensure we have a good pipeline of well-qualified workers to fill these jobs and get the work done in a timely and efficient manner to open the door for a tenth submarine, which I believe the Navy needs. A robust submarine fleet is vital to our current and future national security, and the continued construction of two Virginia-class subs per year will prevent the loss of fast attack capabilities.\r\nElectric Boat currently employs about 17,000 workers, including just over 4,000 in Rhode Island. And EB projects its Rhode Island workforce will grow to 5,500 by the year 2025.\r\nTo help keep up with the demand for skilled workers, Senator Reed authorized $8 million in the NDAA to support submarine industrial base workforce training and education initiatives. This funding could help the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) continue its partnership with area schools, Electric Boat, and other employers to train the next generation of employees in the highly-skilled trades needed for submarine construction.\r\nI am committed to doing everything I can to ensure we can attract jobs and business to the state and will continue working with Governor Raimondo and others to ensure we have a strong pipeline of skilled workers to fill these jobs, said Reed.\r\nLast year, Electric Boat broke ground on a 1-million-square-foot, $800-million multi-year expansion of its manufacturing facilities at Quonset Point. Senator Reed has worked for years to help fund improvements in and around the Quonset Business Park to help attract and retain business in the area.\r\nFor photos and specifications of Virginia-class submarines, visit: http://www.gdeb.com/about/oursubmarines/virginia/\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-whitehouse-call-for-swift-passage-of-violence-against-women-act", "Reed, Whitehouse Call for Swift Passage of Violence Against Women Act", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/13/2019WARWICK, RI  U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today joined with women's advocates and survivors of domestic abuse to call on the U.S. Senate to swiftly approve the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act introduced by the Democratic senators last month. The bill preserves advancements made in previous reauthorizations of the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and makes new strides to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault and to support survivors. Today's event was held in Warwick at the Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center, which serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.\r\nThe most recent reauthorization of VAWA expired in February. It has been more than 250 days since the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act passed the House with bipartisan support, but Republican leadership in the Senate has not allowed a vote on the bill.\r\nThe House passed the legislation 263-158, with 33 Republicans voting yes.\r\nDomestic violence is a major problem and the Violence Against Women Act is a critical lifeline that should be strengthened and reauthorized. Here in Rhode Island, and in communities across the country, the law has provided non-profit organizations like RICADV, the Women's Resource Center and Day One with federal support and resources to help victims of domestic and sexual abuse. To allow this law to lapse is to deny critical resources and protections to those who need it most. It is inexcusable and I urge Republican leaders in Washington to listen to law enforcement, advocates, and families across the country who are all saying the same thing: reauthorize VAWA, go after offenders, and protect vulnerable Americans, said Senator Reed.\r\nIt is unconscionable that the landmark federal law protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault has been allowed to lapse for nearly a year, said Senator Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation has already passed the House with bipartisan support, and it goes further than previous versions of the law to prevent violence and secure justice for survivors. Republican Senate leaders need to make passing this bill an immediate priority.\r\nReed and Whitehouse also announced at today's event that Rhode Island organizations will receive five grants totaling over $2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support crime victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.\r\nWe know first-hand how critical VAWA is to survivors and their families. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the initial passage of VAWA, which has since transformed how our country responds to domestic and sexual abuse, teen dating violence and stalking for the better  protecting and empowering victims and survivors. The legislation to reauthorize VAWA was created by listening to the needs of people who have experienced violence. I cannot stress this enough: This is a lifesaving bill, said Tonya Harris, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. VAWA not only supports survivors in their journey to safety and security  it helps ensure future generations can live their lives free from intimate partner violence.\r\nVAWA has been instrumental in Day One's growth and ability to support victims of sexual violence, said Peg Langhammer, Executive Director of Day One, an agency that provides support for victims of sexual assault. We commend our congressional delegation for the leadership they have consistently demonstrated in advocating for victims of sexual assault. The legislation ensures that Rhode Island continues to have a state-wide collaborative system that is focused on comprehensive victim support.\r\nThe fiscal year 2019 U.S Department of Justice grants for Rhode Island organizations include:\r\n $1,362,741 for the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety, which will receive a $983,801 Services, Training, Officers and Prosecution (STOP) grant and a $378,940 Sexual Assault Services (SAS) grant.\r\n $407,438 to the Women's Resource Center (Newport) to enhance services provided to victims of domestic violence and provide holistic, victim-centered support services that move individuals into permanent housing.\r\n $151,242 to Day One (Providence) to help Day One advocate for sexual assault victims of all ages, educate the public, and work toward prevention.\r\n $90,975 to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Warwick) in support of state coalition efforts to coordinate victim services statewide and advance the goals of the Violence Against Women Act.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-whitehouse-call-for-swift-passage-of-violence-against-women-act", "Reed, Whitehouse Call for Swift Passage of Violence Against Women Act", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.13.19\n\t\t\t Reed, Whitehouse Call for Swift Passage of Violence Against Women Act \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Senators announce $2 million in federal anti-domestic violence grants for RI\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Warwick, RI  Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse today joined with women's advocates and survivors of domestic abuse to call on the U.S. Senate to swiftly approve the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act introduced by the Democratic senators last month. The bill preserves advancements made in previous reauthorizations of the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and makes new strides to prevent domestic violence and sexual assault and to support survivors. Today's event was held in Warwick at the Elizabeth Buffum Chace Center, which serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.\r\nThe most recent reauthorization of VAWA expired in February. It has been more than 250 days since the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act passed the House with bipartisan support, but Republican leadership in the Senate has not allowed a vote on the bill. The House passed the legislation 263-158, with 33 Republicans voting yes.\r\nDomestic violence is a major problem and the Violence Against Women Act is a critical lifeline that should be strengthened and reauthorized. Here in Rhode Island, and in communities across the country, the law has provided non-profit organizations like RICADV, the Women's Resource Center and Day One with federal support and resources to help victims of domestic and sexual abuse. To allow this law to lapse is to deny critical resources and protections to those who need it most. It is inexcusable and I urge Republican leaders in Washington to listen to law enforcement, advocates, and families across the country who are all saying the same thing: reauthorize VAWA, go after offenders, and protect vulnerable Americans, said Senator Reed.\r\nIt is unconscionable that the landmark federal law protecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault has been allowed to lapse for nearly a year, said Senator Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation has already passed the House with bipartisan support, and it goes further than previous versions of the law to prevent violence and secure justice for survivors. Republican Senate leaders need to make passing this bill an immediate priority.\r\nReed and Whitehouse also announced at today's event that Rhode Island organizations will receive five grants totaling over $2 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to support crime victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and strengthen services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.\r\nWe know first-hand how critical VAWA is to survivors and their families. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the initial passage of VAWA, which has since transformed how our country responds to domestic and sexual abuse, teen dating violence and stalking for the better  protecting and empowering victims and survivors. The legislation to reauthorize VAWA was created by listening to the needs of people who have experienced violence. I cannot stress this enough: This is a lifesaving bill, said Tonya Harris, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence. VAWA not only supports survivors in their journey to safety and security  it helps ensure future generations can live their lives free from intimate partner violence.\r\nVAWA has been instrumental in Day One's growth and ability to support victims of sexual violence, said Peg Langhammer, Executive Director of Day One, an agency that provides support for victims of sexual assault. We commend our congressional delegation for the leadership they have consistently demonstrated in advocating for victims of sexual assault. The legislation ensures that Rhode Island continues to have a state-wide collaborative system that is focused on comprehensive victim support.\r\nThe fiscal year 2019 U.S Department of Justice grants for Rhode Island organizations include:\r\n \r\n$1,362,741 for the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety, which will receive a $983,801 Services, Training, Officers and Prosecution (STOP) grant and a $378,940 Sexual Assault Services (SAS) grant.\r\n \r\n \r\n$407,438 to the Women's Resource Center (Newport) to enhance services provided to victims of domestic violence and provide holistic, victim-centered support services that move individuals into permanent housing.\r\n \r\n \r\n$151,242 to Day One (Providence) to help Day One advocate for sexual assault victims of all ages, educate the public, and work toward prevention.\r\n \r\n \r\n$90,975 to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Warwick) in support of state coalition efforts to coordinate victim services statewide and advance the goals of the Violence Against Women Act.\r\n \r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-votes-approve-two-articles-impeachment", "Cicilline Votes to Approve Two Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement this morning after voting to approve two articles of impeachment in the House Judiciary Committee:\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump tried to cheat to win the 2020 election. The overwhelming evidence established that he used the awesome power of his office to coerce a foreign government to corrupt our elections by smearing his most feared political rival. In so doing, he put his own political interests above our nation's interests and betrayed the national security of the United States. His conduct remains a clear and present danger to our democracy.\n\nHe got caught. He confessed. And then he engaged in an unprecedented pattern of obstruction, categorically refusing to cooperate with duly authorized Congressional investigations of his serious misconduct.\n\nIn the United States, anyone can become president, but no one is above the law. Not even the president. Today, the Judiciary Committee moved forward with articles of impeachment to hold this President accountable.\n\t\nThis is a sad day for our country. But it is a necessary one. Donald Trump left us with no choice but to proceed as we have. This is the only remedy available to us under the Constitution. I voted to approve both articles of impeachment and to honor my oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. \n\nThe Framers established the impeachment process because they feared a man like Donald Trump would one day hold the presidency. Next week, we will proceed as they intended.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/fcc-votes-in-favor-of-designating-9-8-8-for-national-suicide-hotline", "FCC Votes in Favor of Designating 9-8-8 for National Suicide Hotline", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2019WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Senator Jack Reed's effort to create a three-digit national suicide hotline took an important step forward today when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to move forward with designating 9-8-8 to reach a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which currently has a ten digit number: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, and best practices for professionals.\r\nEarlier this year, Senator Reed (D-RI), along with Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act to designate a three-digit phone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline and ensure states have the flexibility to strengthen local crisis call centers. The current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis line are 10-digits, which is a barrier to Americans in crisis seeking support.\r\nThe National Suicide Hotline Designation Act directs the FCC to designate 9-8-8 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This line would include the Veterans Crisis Line for veteran-specific mental health support. Additionally, the legislation will authorize the ability of states to collect fees to ensure local call centers are able to support increased volume.\r\nThe suicide prevention hotline is a real life saver and I am pleased the FCC is moving forward with our bipartisan proposal to create a simple, a three-digit phone number that people may call in times of crisis. A nationwide, three-digit number for suicide prevention and mental health crises will connect people with the specialized help they need, when they need it, said Senator Reed.\r\nReed co-authored a law last year, the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act, which directed the FCC to study assigning a three-digit number for suicide prevention. In August, the FCC recommended in its report the use of a 3-digit line and the number 9-8-8. The regulators noted that a 3-digit line would help with mental health and suicide prevention access.\r\nToday's FCC vote marks the start of a new, months-long phase to make the 9-8-8 proposal a reality. The next step is a public comment period before the FCC moves to an order.\r\nThere are an average of 129 suicides a day in the U.S. according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/over-objections-of-trump-us-senate-recognizes-armenian-genocide", "Over Objections of Trump, U.S. Senate Recognizes Armenian Genocide", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2019WASHINGTON, DC  On its fourth try over the last several weeks, the U.S. Senate today passed an Armenian Genocide resolution\r\nformally recognizing that, in 1915, the Ottoman Empire began a campaign of genocide against Armenians. By 1923, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed and over a half a million survivors were exiled.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed, a cosponsor of the resolution this Congress and a longstanding cosponsor of similar resolutions in past congresses, issued the following statement:\r\nThis official recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Turkey's role is long overdue and puts us on the right side of history. I am pleased we were able to overcome objections from those who seek to obscure the facts. The United States should not be a party to the denial of genocide.\r\nTo prevent future acts of genocide, we must recognize past atrocities, educate the public, and uphold human rights. Passing this resolution aligns us with other NATO member nations such as Canada, France, and Germany that have already recognized the Armenian Genocide.\r\nToday, we solemnly honor the victims and survivors of the Armenian genocide and reaffirm our commitment to human rights.\r\nThe resolution had been blocked three times at the request of the Trump Administration, but today won unanimous approval by the full U.S. Senate.\r\nOn October 29, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an identical measure by a vote of 405-11.\r\nThe Senate resolution was sponsored by U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and original cosponsors include Senators: Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Kamala Harris (D-CA).\r\nText of the resolution follows:\r\nExpressing the sense of the Senate that it is the policy of the United States to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance.\r\nIN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES\r\nApril 9, 2019\r\nRESOLUTION\r\nExpressing the sense of the Senate that it is the policy of the United States to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance.\r\nWhereas the United States has a proud history of recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, the killing of an estimated 1,500,000 Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923, and providing relief to the survivors of the campaign of genocide against Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites, and other Christians;\r\nWhereas the Honorable Henry Morgenthau, Sr., United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1913 to 1916, organized and led protests by officials of many countries against what he described as a campaign of race extermination, and, on July 16, 1915, was instructed by United States Secretary of State Robert Lansing that the Department approves your procedure  to stop Armenian persecution;\r\nWhereas President Woodrow Wilson encouraged the formation of Near East Relief, chartered by an Act of Congress, which raised approximately $116,000,000 (more than $2,500,000,000 in 2019 dollars) between 1915 and 1930, and the Senate adopted resolutions condemning the massacres;\r\nWhereas Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term genocide in 1944 and who was the earliest proponent of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, invoked the Armenian case as a definitive example of genocide in the 20th century;\r\nWhereas, as displayed in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Adolf Hitler, on ordering his military commanders to attack Poland without provocation in 1939, dismissed objections by saying, Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?, setting the stage for the Holocaust;\r\nWhereas the United States has officially recognized the Armenian Genocide\r\n(1) through the May 28, 1951, written statement of the United States Government to the International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and Proclamation No. 4838 issued by President Ronald Reagan on April 22, 1981; and\r\n(2) by House Joint Resolution 148, 94th Congress, agreed to April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution 247, 98th Congress, agreed to September 10, 1984; and\r\nWhereas the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018 (Public Law 115441) establishes that the prevention of atrocities is a national interest of the United States and affirms that it is the policy of the United States to pursue a United States Government-wide strategy to identify, prevent, and respond to the risk of atrocities by strengthening diplomatic response and the effective use of foreign assistance to support appropriate transitional justice measures, including criminal accountability, for past atrocities: Now, therefore, be it\r\nResolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that it is the policy of the United States\r\n(1) to commemorate the Armenian Genocide through official recognition and remembrance;\r\n(2) to reject efforts to enlist, engage, or otherwise associate the United States Government with denial of the Armenian Genocide or any other genocide; and\r\n(3) to encourage education and public understanding of the facts of the Armenian Genocide, including the role of the United States in humanitarian relief efforts, and the relevance of the Armenian Genocide to modern-day crimes against humanity.\r\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-collins-intro-pass-act-to-help-make-higher-education-more-affordable-and-accessible", "Reed, Collins Intro PASS Act to Help Make Higher Education More Affordable & Accessible", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Seeking to make higher education more affordable and accessible for students and help make postsecondary education achievable for more Americans, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, along withU.S.Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), today introduced the Partnerships for Affordability and Student Success (PASS) Act. This bipartisan legislation would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reestablish a federal-state partnership for increasing need-based aid, provide grants to institutions to improve student outcomes and reduce college costs, and build public accountability for institutions of higher learning.\r\nCollege is expensive. Today, too many hard-working young people and their families are falling behind as they try to pay for their degrees that were supposed to help them get ahead. The PASS Act will help make a college degree more affordable and accessible by reinvigorating the federal-state partnership for higher education with an emphasis on need-based grant aid, said Senator Reed. During the sixties and seventies, a combination of low in-state tuition and federal and state need-based grants meant students did not have to mortgage their future to earn a college degree. That is not true today. Over 43 million Americans now owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loans. Today's students should have the same opportunity as previous generations.\r\nEducation plays a vital role in opening the doors of opportunity to all Americans, but the rising cost of a college education threatens to close those doors to many families across the country, said Senator Collins. This bipartisan bill would help alleviate such financial strains by creating a federal-state partnership program aimed at improving state educational attainment, college access, affordability, and completion, including through need-based grants.\r\nReed noted that the federal government is unable to resolve the current crisis on its own, and that: States are critical partners in making college accessible, affordable, and accountable. However, state funding for higher education is lower today than it was before the onset of the Great Recession. According to the latest State Higher Education Finance report published by the State Higher Education Executive Officers, public colleges and universities have become more reliant on tuition dollars for their operations.\r\nToday, in 27 states, tuition accounts for more than half of all higher education revenue. Moreover, the only federal-state partnership program for need-based financial aid  the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program  has not received appropriations since Fiscal Year 2010.\r\nUnder the PASS ACT, in exchange for new federal investment, states must make a commitment to maintain their investment in higher education and have a comprehensive plan for higher education with measurable goals for access, affordability, and student outcomes. At least half of the funding must be dedicated to need-based student financial aid. States also have the option of awarding grants to colleges and universities or partnerships between institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations to improve student outcomes, including enrollment, completion, and employment, and to develop innovative methods for reducing college costs.\r\nThe PASS Act is supported by the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Institute for Higher Education Policy, the Association of Community College Trustees, and the National Skills Coalition.\r\nPASS ACT: Key Provisions\r\nState Formula Grant -- The Partnership for Access and Student Success Act establishes a state formula grant program to improve college access, affordability, and completion. Funds are distributed to states based on poverty and college attainment. Funds are to be used for the following activities:\r\nNeed-based grant aid.\r\nGrants to institutions of higher education or partnerships between institutions of higher education and non-profit organizations to support activities that seek to improve student outcomes, including enrollment, completion, and employment, and to develop innovative methods for reducing college costs.\r\nPublic accountability and consumer information  no more than 8 percent of the funds may be used for providing public accountability and consumer information on the performance of institutions of higher education in the state.\r\nMatching Requirement  States must provide one dollar for every two federal dollars.\r\nEligibility - To be eligible for formula grants, states must:\r\nMeet maintenance of effort requirements and use federal funds to supplement and not supplant state funding for higher education;\r\nFulfill the state's program integrity role for the student aid programs; and\r\nHave or develop a comprehensive plan for postsecondary education that is aligned with the elementary and secondary education plan for the state and the workforce and economic development plan of the state. This comprehensive plan must include measurable goals for student outcomes and college affordability.\r\nAnnual Report  Each state receiving funds is required to report annually to the public on its progress in meeting its postsecondary education goals. The report must include:\r\nInformation on student outcomes, including enrollment and completion rates, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, disability status, and socio-economic status;\r\nInformation on workforce outcomes of graduates;\r\nInformation on college costs, including tuition increases, student debt, and the availability of need-based aid; and\r\nInformation on higher education-related consumer complaints reported to the state.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-includes-ndaa-provision-to-extend-permanent-residency-status-for-eligible-liberians-and-open-a-pathway-to-us-citizenship", "Reed Includes NDAA Provision to Extend Permanent Residency Status for Eligible Liberians and Open a Pathway to U.S. Citizenship", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2019WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, included a major victory for the Liberian community in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 that will extend legal status for thousands of Liberians.\r\nSenator Reed included a provision in the NDAA backed by Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) and the rest of the Rhode Island delegation, to allow eligible Liberians in the U.S. currently on the temporary immigration status of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to continue living legally in the U.S. and get on a pathway to earning U.S. citizenship. In order to be eligible to apply for permanent residency under the law, applicants must have been living in the U.S. continuously since November 20, 2014, not been absent for more than 180 days in aggregate, and be otherwise eligible and admissible for permanent residence.\r\nThe NDAA provision was based on S. 456, the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, which Senator Reed introduced in the U.S. Senate. Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) introduced companion legislation (H.R.1169) in the U.S. House of Representatives.\r\nThe legislation is estimated to impact about 4,000 Liberians who have been legally living in the United States.\r\nAfter decades of uncertainty, this is a huge win for my Liberian brothers and sisters and a great day for America. This provision will adjust the status of Liberians on DED and those formerly on TPS to enable them to apply for permanent residency. Liberians who've legally lived here for years, paid taxes, and made so many positive contributions to their various communities, especially in Rhode Island, deserve the opportunity to get on a path to becoming full citizens. Everything they have in America they've earned through hard work and hard work should be rewarded, said Senator Reed. These individuals came to America seeking safety from devastating wars and disaster. They've made a home here, built their lives, and strengthened our communities. America is their home and they shouldn't be evicted. Forcing them back to Liberia now would create real hardships both here and in Liberia. By extending their legal status, we are providing much needed certainty and a measure of security for individuals while helping foster Liberia's post-war recovery.\r\nI'm pleased that the House advanced this critical legislation, said Congressman Cicilline. Rhode Island is home to more Liberian nationals per capita than any other state in our country. I am proud to continue standing up for them and for all those who have found refuge and contributed to our society.\r\nThe West African nation of Liberia, which was founded in 1822 by freed slaves from the United States, was plagued by civil war in the 1990s and more recently by a major Ebola outbreak. As part of its humanitarian response, the United States offered certain Liberians an opportunity to live, work, and pay taxes in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) systems, extended by both Republican and Democratic administrations beginning in 1991.\r\nLast March, President Trump extended DED for qualified people from Liberia for one year, through March 31, 2020.\r\nMany Liberians are making important economic and civic contributions and should be allowed to stay. Some who were brought here as children have grown up and now have children of their own who are U.S. citizens. This bill will help provide much needed certainty and stability to families who were facing an uncertain future and possible deportation, said Senator Reed, who originally introduced the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act in 1999 and has reintroduced the bill in every session of Congress since that time.\r\nOriginal Senate cosponsors of the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act include Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Cicilline's companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives was originally cosponsored by Jim Langevin (RI-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Dean Phillips (MN-03), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL).\r\nRhode Island has one of the largest populations of Liberians per capita, and Senator Reed has been working since 1999 to allow this community to legally remain in the United States. Many members of the Liberian community in the United States financially assist families and communities back in Liberia and make important contributions to Liberia's reform and development. Liberia's continuing recovery efforts could be reversed if these remittances end, harming the United States' foreign policy interests in the region.\r\nThe NDAA was approved 377-48 by the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday and is scheduled to be voted on Monday by the full U.S. Senate.\r\nThe language Reed included in the NDAA follows:\r\nLiberian refugee immigration fairness (sec. 7611).\r\nSummary: Section 7611 allow eligible Liberians to apply for permanent residency and provide them with a pathway to citizenship.\r\nDetails: Section 7611, provides for the adjustment in status from temporary protected status to legal permanent residence, for Liberian nationals and their spouses and children, if the applicant:\r\nSubmits an application within 1 year of enactment of this act, has been living in the U.S. continuously since November 20, 2014 and not absent for more than 180 in aggregate, and is otherwise eligible and admissible for permanent residence.\r\nIt would prohibit eligibility for anyone convicted of a violent crime, or an individual who has ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.\r\nIt would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a process whereby applicants may seek a stay of deportation if they have filed an application for legal resident status and authorize the Secretary to allow individuals to work in the US while their application is being considered. It would mandate work authorization for anyone whose application has been pending for more than 180 days.\r\nIf granted, legal permanent residence would be approved as of the date of arrival in the United States.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-discusses-doj-ig-report-on-meet-the-press-daily", "Sen. Whitehouse Discusses DOJ IG Report on Meet the Press Daily", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 11, 2019: On Meet the Press Daily with Chuck Todd, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) discussed the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report on the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/senator-whitehouse-questions-inspector-general-mike-horowitz", "Senator Whitehouse Questions Inspector General Mike Horowitz", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 11, 2019: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing | Examining the Inspector General's Report on Alleged Abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act\nWITNESSES:\n- The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/senator-whitehouse-shares-bridgets-story", "Senator Whitehouse Shares Bridget's Story", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 12, 2019\n\"No one should have to struggle with chronic issues, or be discriminated against because of pre-existing conditions.\" - Bridget, Rhode Island resident\nRead her full story here:\nhttps://medium.com/@senwhitehouse/bridgets-story-8b765b360308", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-no-cop-out", "Time to Wake Up: No COP Out", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 11, 2019: U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) delivered these remarks recapping his bicameral trip to the U.N. Conference of the Parties in Madrid with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 12).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-landmark-legislation-drive-down-prescription-drug-costs", "House Passes Landmark Legislation to Drive Down Prescription Drug Costs", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The House of Representatives voted today to pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3), landmark legislation that will give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies to bring down prices and make those savings available to hardworking families across America.\n\nWe all know someone who has been forced to ration the medication they need to live so that they can afford to keep a roof over their family's heads or put food on the table. In America, in 2019, this should never be the case, said Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), who voted to pass the measure. Pharmaceutical companies have abused American patients and taxpayers to increase their profits hand over fist without recourse for too long. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act will put an end to the price gouging by big pharma that sees American patients and taxpayers paying more for their prescription drugs than people in other countries. President Trump should honor his promise to lower prescription drug prices and call on Mitch McConnell to pass this bill without delay.\n\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act specifically:\n\n Gives the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the power to negotiate directly with drug companies to force real price reductions while also ensuring that seniors never lose access to the medicines they need;\nExpands access to the lower, negotiated drug prices to Americans with private insurance, not just Medicare beneficiaries;\nPrevents pharmaceutical companies from price gouging American patients and taxpayers by capping the maximum price for a negotiated drug at the average price people in countries similar to the U.S. pay;\nCreates a brand new, $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries;\nAnd finally delivers vision, dental, and hearing benefits to Medicare beneficiaries for the first time.\n \nDrug companies are price-gouging older Americans and taxpayers who pay the highest drug costs in the world, added AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell. AARP is proud to support H.R. 3, which would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and cap out-of-pocket costs for Part D enrollees. The bill also enhances Medicare by improving access and adding needed dental, hearing, and vision coverage. AARP applauds Congressman Cicilline and his colleagues for passing H.R. 3 and working to provide relief for older Americans struggling to afford needed medications and services.\n\nThe savings to Rhode Islanders will be substantial. This year alone, more than 1,000 women in the state will be diagnosed with breast cancer, 550 people will be told they have prostate cancer, and 190 folks will be diagnosed with leukemia. H.R. 3 will lower the average costs of many popular medications for these and other cancer treatments. The cost of Ibrance for treating breast cancer will be reduced by as much as 65%. Zytiga, a common prescription for people with prostate cancer, will be reduced by as much as 66%. And the cost of Tasigna, which is commonly prescribed to people with leukemia, will go down by as much as 71%.\n\nEarlier this year, Cicilline released information detailing how much more Rhode Islanders with diabetes pay for their insulin than people in other countries. Currently, 8.6% of Rhode Islanders, or just more than 83,000 people, live with diabetes. They pay anywhere from $1,200 to $20,000 per year for the most commonly used insulin medications. Under H.R. 3, the average total cost of NovoLOG Flexpen, a common insulin medicine, will decrease by as much as 76%. Under this transformational legislation, Rhode Islanders could spend 3.5 times less on insulin, and some of the commonly used insulins can cost as little as $400 per year.\n\nAdditionally, the Medicare improvements will be considerable for Rhode Islanders. Right now in the First Congressional District alone, Medicare does not provide coverage for: oral exams for 71% of beneficiaries, eye exams for 66% of beneficiaries, hearing exams for 66% of beneficiaries, dental exams for 75% of beneficiaries, eye glasses for 75% of beneficiaries, and hearing aids for 86% of beneficiaries. Under this expansion in the First District alone: 93% (98,800 people) of beneficiaries stand to gain from adding a dental benefit, 75% (79,600 people) of beneficiaries stand to gain from adding a vision benefit, and 97% (102,700 people) of beneficiaries stand to gain from adding a hearing benefit.\n\nThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act builds on progress that House Democrats made earlier this year to drive down prescription drug prices. In May, the House passed a suite of bills, including Cicilline's CREATES Act (H.R. 965), to put an end to anticompetitive behavior by pharmaceutical companies that forces patients and taxpayers to pay considerably more for their prescriptions. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the CREATES Act alone will result in a $3.9 billion net decrease in the federal deficit, with savings to consumers and private insurers likely being far greater.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/event/lunch-langevin-hope-valley", "Lunch with Langevin in Hope Valley", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) will host his quarterly Lunch with Langevin event on Saturday, December 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Wood River Golf and 11th Green Restaurant, 78A. Woodville Alton Road, Hope Valley, RI. Since 2014, Langevin has held these lunches in communities throughout the Second Congressional District.\nLunch with Langevin is an informal event enabling residents of the Second District to meet one-on-one with Langevin to ask questions and share their concerns on any issues they wish to discuss. Caseworkers will be on hand to provide constituents with additional resources and schedule meetings. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-votes-favor-fiscal-year-2020-national-defense-authorization-act", "Langevin Votes in Favor of Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and chairman of its Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, issued the following statementtoday after voting in favor of the conference report to accompany the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The bipartisan, bicameral agreement supports a strong national defense and realizes long-sought reforms including a 12-week paid parental leave policy for all federal employees and the expansion of several supports and protections for service members. Langevin served on the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Committee, and the conference report was approved by a 377-48 vote.\nIt is encouraging that Democrats and Republicans engaged in a collaborative process and have reached bipartisan agreement for a defense bill that helps keep our nation secure, prioritizes support for our brave service members, and will bolster Rhode Island's defense industry.\nAs the chairman of the subcommittee focused on emerging threats to our country, I am proud the bill includes robust support for the Defense Department's science and technology ecosystem. Threats in cyberspace are among the most challenging we face, and I worked to ensure the conference report preserves important provisions I authored to continue to better our cybersecurity. I have made ensuring that Special Operations Forces remain professional, ethical, agile, and postured for high-end missions a priority of the subcommittee, and that goal, too, is reflected in the final agreement.\nThis legislation marks a big win for many families nationwide as we set course to provide all federal workers paid parental leave. It also takes into account the extraordinary dedication and sacrifices of our troops and their families by raising pay, repealing the burdensome military widows tax,' and incorporating provisions that will strengthen mental health services and housing.\nAt the local level, the agreement will help keep Rhode Island at the forefront of our defense industrial base by continuing to support the expansion of our nation's submarine fleet. With much of the production of Virginia-class submarines and Virginia Payload Modules happening in Rhode Island, this bill will support local businesses and create good paying jobs that will help supply our warfighters with the very best technology, so they never have to enter a fair fight.\nWhile I am disappointed that important House provisions regarding climate change and human-made chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were dropped from the final bill, we have taken substantive steps to promote climate resiliency and put in place important limitations on military uses of these chemicals. Congress must continue to press this issue in the coming months.\nI am incredibly thankful to my fellow conferees, and Chairman Smith in particular, for their diligence and commitment to bipartisan collaboration. It is an honor to participate in this process each year, and I am proud that Congress will fulfill its Constitutional obligation to provide for the common defense for the fifty-ninth year in a row.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-votes-lower-prescription-drug-prices", "Langevin Votes to Lower Prescription Drug Prices", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. The bill, which passed the House by a vote of 230-192, aims to provide relief to Americans struggling with high prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to achieve price reductions. The bill would also establish a new out-of-pocket expense limit for people on Medicare and enables taxpayer savings that will be reinvested into expanding Medicare benefits to include vision, dental, and hearing, addressing addiction, and researching new cures and treatments.\nEvery American should be able to afford the prescription medication they need. It is shameful that people risk their health and wellbeing every day because high prices push them to ration medication or go without it. Even more, it is outrageous that Americans are paying higher prices than people of comparable developed countries. The Lower Drug Costs Now Act will finally allow the government to negotiate drug prices on behalf of millions of Americans, and I was proud to support it.\nIn Rhode Island's Second Congressional District, over 460,000 people stand to benefit from the Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This includes people in dire need like patients diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other very serious conditions. A price tag should not keep lifelines out of reach for my constituents, but with many cancer medications costing over $100,000 annually and skyrocketing insulin prices, we know that patients continue to face impossible choices.\nRhode Island seniors will see much needed relief from the Lower Drug Costs Now Act. By capping out-of-pocket expenses on prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries, people on fixed incomes will no longer have uncertainty looming over them. H.R. 3 also achieves one of my long-stated goals to ensure Medicare includes, vision, dental, and hearing benefits that are often particularly needed by older Americans.\nThis bill is a bold step to make sure millions of Americans do not have to question whether or not they can afford treatment. It is sound policy that makes needed changes to slash prescription costs, realize savings and expand access to quality medical care.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/congress-approves-reed-backed-bill-to-help-prevent-veterans-suicide", "Congress Approves Reed-Backed Bill to Help Prevent Veterans Suicide", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/11/2019WASHINGTON, DC  In an effort to improve suicide prevention and mental health resources for veterans, the U.S. Senate today passed the Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed. The legislation seeks to ensure that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the tools needed to meet the mental health needs of the veterans they serve.\r\nThe Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of the responsibilities, workload, and vacancy rates of the Department of Veterans Affairs Suicide Prevention Coordinators. Suicide Prevention Coordinators are on the frontlines of the VA's efforts to prevent veteran suicide. They identify and serve high-risk veterans to ensure they receive appropriate care, conduct outreach activities, and provide education and support to VA staff.\r\nAccording to the VA, as of 2019, VA suicide prevention coordinators are managing care for almost 11,000 veterans who are clinically at high-risk for suicide.\r\nThe wounds and scars of war and continued deployments are not always visible, and we've got to provide veterans with high quality physical and mental health care. It's our solemn duty to care for our veterans and we must do a better job addressing veterans suicide on a variety of fronts. This legislation will lead to more effective, proactive interventions that can help save lives, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee. We need to let veterans in need know we care and get them into the right care to ensure their health and safety. Suicide prevention coordinators are a key part of the solution. They work tirelessly to provide lifesaving care and we need to ensure they have the resources and support to be effective.\r\nAccording to the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, 45,390 American adults died from suicide in 2017, including 6,139 U.S. Veterans. This means about 20 veterans die by suicide each day and puts the veteran suicide rate at one and a half times higher than that of nonveterans.\r\nThere were 12 veteran suicides in Rhode Island in 2017, the last year data is available.\r\nSenator Reed, who serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA), helped provide $8.62 billion for mental health programs in the latest MilCon-VA funding bill, which includes $206.1 million for suicide prevention outreach, an increase of $16 million above the President's budget request.\r\nReed, who served in the Army, teamed up on the bill with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who served in the Marines Corps and is a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and is the lead sponsor of the Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act. Additional cosponsors include: Jon Tester (D-MT), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Doug Jones (D-AL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).\r\nVeterans in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, and those who know a veteran in crisis, may connect with the Veterans Crisis Line to reach caring, qualified responders with the Department of Veterans Affairs: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net or call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and Press 1.\r\nSenator Reed is working on separate legislation, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which would make 988 the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to call for help, replacing the current 10-digit number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). That bill is gaining momentum as it was approved today by the Senate Commerce Committee. It must next be placed on the Senate calendar by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) so it may considered and voted on by the full U.S. Senate.\r\nNow that the Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act has passed both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, it goes to the President's desk to be signed into law.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-includes-key-provision-in-ndaa-to-help-stop-flow-of-fentanyl-from-china-and-mexico", "Reed Includes Key Provision in NDAA to Help Stop Flow of Fentanyl from China & Mexico", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/11/2019WASHINGTON, DC  In an effort to save lives and stop foreign actors that manufacture and traffic fentanyl from flooding America with illegal synthetic drugs, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, teamed up with several colleagues to include targeted fentanyl sanctions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.\r\nFentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is 50 times more powerful than heroin. It is classified as a schedule II prescription drug, and it is typically used to treat patients with severe or chronic pain. It is most commonly manufactured in China and shipped to the United States through the mail or smuggled through ports or across international borders. Often times, drug dealers mix fentanyl with heroin and cocaine, often without the user's knowledge, to make the drugs more potent  and the consequences can be deadly.\r\nThis bipartisan provision to the NDAA will help hold China and other nations accountable for their commitments to crack down on producers and traffickers of fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids, pushing China's government to honor its commitment to enforce new laws declaring all fentanyl derivatives illegal. Additionally, this provision of the NDAA will provide the U.S. government with additional resources to sanction illicit traffickers from China, Mexico, and other countries to dismantle the synthetic drug trade and stop the rising rates of fentanyl overdose deaths.\r\nCongress has significantly increased funding for drug treatment and recovery programs, but to effectively prevent overdose deaths we must crack down on the illicit manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl and prevent it from reaching our communities. This provision will help crack down on the operations of foreign traffickers of opioids and give the U.S. new tools to stop the flow of fentanyl, said Senator Reed. The provision in the defense bill will ensure foreign countries do a better job of going after illicit fentanyl producers in their own countries, and will use targeted sanctions to hold them accountable for doing so.\r\nAccording to state Health Department data published on preventoverdoseri.org, the number of overdose deaths in Rhode Island related to illicit fentanyl has increased by almost 30-fold since 2009. In 2018, over 70% of overdose deaths involved illicit fentanyl.\r\nA senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Reed helped provide $6 billion over the last two years to address the opioid crisis and mental health treatment. This included funding focused on states like Rhode Island that have been hit hardest by the opioid crisis through the State Opioid Response Grant program. This fall, Rhode Island received $17.1 million in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to combat the state's opioid epidemic and support prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.\r\nOn average, 130 Americans lose their lives to a drug overdose involving opioids every day, according to the CDC. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health and statistics compiled by the state's Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force, 314 Rhode Islanders died of accidental drug overdoses in 2018.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-no-cop-out", "Time to Wake Up: No COP Out", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.11.19\n\t\t\t Time to Wake Up: No COP Out \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As-prepared for delivery.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Mr./Mdm. President, I rise to again call this chamber to wake up to the threat of climate change  and to say about Paris, in chorus with millions of Americans, we're still in.\r\nAnd in truth, America is still in The Paris Agreement. When you look at the states that are still in; when you look at the cities that are still in; when you look at the companies and universities that are still in; it's the vast majority of the American economy. Despite President Trump's fossil fuel nonsense, we really are still in.\r\nLast week, I traveled to Madrid with Speaker Pelosi and a delegation of House Committee Chairs and climate leaders for the U.N. Conference of the Parties, or COP, to support the Paris Agreement's climate goals. The mood in Spain was optimistic; it was an unexpectedly bright picture we saw.\r\nThe Trump administration, of course, has begun the process of withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Accord. That is more than an abandonment of our American tradition of international leadership and adherence to higher ideals; it is abandonment of our own national security imperatives and economic wellbeing. This demeans the nation that has, from John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan, been called a city on a hill.\r\nOur military well understands the threat to our national security. Back in 2013, Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of United States forces in the Pacific, observed that upheaval related to climate change is probably the most likely thing that is going to happen . . . that will cripple the security environment. He added, You have the real potential here in the not-too-distant future of nations displaced by rising sea level. . . . If it goes bad, you could have hundreds of thousands or millions of people displaced and then security will start to crumble pretty quickly. Preparing for these risks was a centerpiece of a recent Indo Pac Command Senate briefing I attended at HQ in Hawaii.\r\nTo understand the threat to our economy, we need only ask our own government-backed mortgage institutions. Freddie Mac predicts that rising sea levels will prompt a crash in coastal property values greater than the housing crash that caused the 2008 financial crisis.\r\nThat warning is echoed by the biggest, most important financial institutions in the world, both in the United States and abroad. The Bank of England, Bank of France, Bank of Canada, and European Central Bank are all warning of systemic economic risks from climate change. That's central banker-speak for something that poses a risk to the entire economy  perhaps from stranded fossil fuel assets when the market for fossil fuels dries up, and perhaps from to a coastal property value crash when flood risk becomes uninsurable and unmortgageable.\r\nSo the Trump administration leaving the Paris Climate Accord is a historically dumb and destructive move. Particularly from a guy who one decade ago called climate change scientifically irrefutable and its consequences catastrophic and irreversible.\r\nThe Pelosi delegation included powerful House Chairmen, like Chairman Pallone, Chairman Grijalva, Chairman Johnson, and Chairman Castor and of course the most senior and influential Democrat in America, Speaker Pelosi.\r\nSpeaker Pelosi's presence at COP resounded, not only because of her clout and standing, but because it also signaled the broad, true consensus of the United States of America in favor of climate action. At the state level, at the city level, across the public, and in much of corporate America, we are still in.\r\nIndeed, at the Madrid conference right now are representatives for thousands of American businesses; investors managing trillions of dollars; hundreds of American municipalities and counties; top American colleges and universities; dozens of American faith groups; America's largest health care organizations; and 20 American states and tribes. All told, it's the bulk of the U.S. economy.\r\nAmericans still has to fight our way through a persistent blockade by the fossil fuel industry. Don't believe their happy talk about acting on climatethis notion that they're on it, as their main trade group says on billboards popping up everywhere. We in Congress know better, first-hand. The statements from their lips do not match the expenditure of their funds, still dedicated to their political apparatus of denial and obstruction.\r\nUltimately, however, we will prevail. The America that the international community knows  the America of leadership, the America of progress, the America of confidence, the America of clean and green energy; that America will be back, and will prevail.\r\nOur commitment to take action on the climate crisis is iron clad, said Speaker Pelosi in Madrid. It is, and soon enough that commitment will topple the castle of fossil-fuel-funded denial and delay that surrounds Congress.\r\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-urges-us-senate-to-pass-anti-robocall-bill", "Reed Urges U.S. Senate to Pass Anti-Robocall Bill", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/10/2019WASHINGTON, DC  In an effort to protect consumers by cracking down on unwanted corporate robocalls and spam callers, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is urging Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to provide regulators and prosecutors with enhanced tools to track, prosecute, and fine for-profit robocallers.\r\nSenator Reed is a cosponsor of the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act (S. 151), which would require phone companies to verify where phone calls are coming from and let consumers block them at no additional cost. The Reed-backed bill also provides law enforcement, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with new tools to investigate and take action against illegal robocalling operations.\r\nI have long advocated for cracking down on unwanted, predatory profit seeking robocalls and this bipartisan bill will help to reduce these intrusive spam calls and crack down on those who violate the law, said Senator Reed, who helped pass a version of the TRACED Act through the U.S. Senate in May, which served as the basis of this bipartisan, compromise agreement. The Senate should quickly take up and pass this bill to hang up on scammers and prevent consumers, hospitals, and other businesses from being bombarded with unwanted, predatory calls.\r\nHarassing robocalls have become a growing problem. Indeed, according to the YouMail Robocall Index, Rhode Islanders received 11.5 million robocalls last month (November 2019). The report also states that Americans received an estimated 47.8 billion robocalls last year, an increase of 56.8% over the estimated 30.5 billion robocalls in 2017.\r\nSeveral major carriers -- AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon -- have indicated they'll adopt new strategies consistent with the TRACED Act, which the full U.S. Senate passed in May.\r\nLast week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 417-3 to pass its version of the TRACED Act.\r\nSenator Reed says he hopes the full U.S. Senate will vote on the measure this week so it can be sent to the President's desk to be signed into law before the holidays.\r\nSummary of the TRACED Act:\r\nRequires carriers to offer call-authentication technology to consumers and small businesses at no additional charge;\r\nEnsures the FCC has the authority to take action to track down robocallers violating the law and requires the FCC to make periodic reports to Congress;\r\nRequires the FCC to work to stop one-ring scams;\r\nRequires opt-in or opt-out robocall blocking be offered at no additional charge to consumers;\r\nExtends the statute of limitations and increases fines for robocallers violating the law.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-warn-irs-against-weakening-dark-money-reporting", "Senators Warn IRS against Weakening Dark Money Reporting", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.19\n\t\t\t Senators Warn IRS against Weakening Dark Money Reporting \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Whitehouse, Udall, Blumenthal, and Warren in official comment: The IRS cannot stand down as a wealthy special-interest class unload[s] nearly a billion dollars of anonymous money into our elections'\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC  Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R), Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are pushing back against a Trump administration regulatory proposal to weaken the IRS's ability to collect information on the special interest donors spending hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections and the operation of government. The proposed rule would limit one of the remaining avenues for federal and state officials to collect the true identities of major corporate and partisan special interests seeking to control the government. If the rulemaking is finalized and the IRS's enforcement capabilities weakened  as they have been repeatedly in recent years  corporate and ultra-wealthy special interests would further cement their political power at the expense of the transparency on which our democracy depends, the senators point out in an official comment to the IRS.\r\nCitizens United provided the wealthy special-interest class with significant new political artillery, which they swiftly ran through 501(c)(4) organizations to unload nearly a billion dollars of anonymous money into our elections  the tsunami of slime,' the senators write. To protect their unprecedented powers of political influence, these elites engaged in a public campaign to bludgeon the IRS into a state of regulatory stasis. They are now back, asking the IRS to further hamstring its own ability to perform even the most basic oversight. The IRS should reject this invitation.\r\nAfter Citizens United, political spending by 501(c)(4) social welfare groups exploded. Since 2010, such organizations have spent over $800 million on political expenditures, compared to $103 million in the previous decade. Political expenditures from undisclosed sources in the 2012 general election alone topped $312 million. In one case, the American Action Network, a 501(c)(4), raised $41.9 million in one year, $24.6 million of which came from a single anonymous donor.\r\nBut this spending is only a part of special interest influencers' campaign to mold government to their own benefit. In addition to spending directly to influence elections, 501(c)(4) and similar groups spend on lobbying lawmakers and administrative agencies; special conventions and retreats in exotic locations designed to educate policy makers; and issue adstypically thinly veiled political attack ads that aren't reported as political campaign spending.\r\nThis spending is designed to influence political campaigns, legislation pending in Congress, and even the makeup and operation of courts. During the confirmation battles over Supreme Court Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh, one unnamed donor gave $17 million to the 501(c)(4) group Judicial Crisis Network to block the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland and to support Gorsuch, and later another anonymous $17 million donation went to the Judicial Crisis Network to support the confirmation of Kavanaugh.\r\nAmong the parties engaged in this type of spending is the network of 501(c)(4) and similar groups built by the billionaire industrialist Koch family. The Koch network has create[d] an illusion of multiplicity and a screen of anonymity, from behind which they pursue an aggressive anti-regulatory and climate denial political agenda, spending hundreds of millions in elections since 2010 and threatening to spend hundreds more, the senators note.\r\nThe combination of Citizens United and lax regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department has allowed this unreported influencer spending to flourish. [T]he IRS has been cowed from regulating or even investigating a small, powerful cadre of savvy political operatives who have formed and funded a flotilla of non-profit front groups, through which they can funnel money into elections, in contravention of a clear statute and the IRS's own rules, the senators continue. They have gotten away with it even in the face of open and notorious abuses.\r\nA full PDF copy of the senators' comment is available here. \r\n\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-questions-apple-and-facebook-about-data-encryption-dangers", "Sen. Whitehouse Questions Apple and Facebook About Data Encryption Dangers", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 10, 2019\nSenate Judiciary Committee Hearing - Encryption and Lawful Access: Evaluating Benefits and Risks to Public Safety and Privacy \nWITNESSES:\n- Mr. Cyrus R. Vance Jr., District Attorney, New York County, New York, NY\n- Professor Matt Tait, Cyber Security Fellow, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX\r\n- Mr. Erik Neuenschwander, Manager of User Privacy, Apple, Inc., Cupertino, CA\r\n- Mr. Jay Sullivan, Product Management Director for Privacy and Integrity in Messenger, Facebook, Inc., Menlo Park, CA", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-articles-impeachment", "Cicilline Statement on Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today:\n\nThe facts are beyond dispute. President Trump abused his office, the enormous power of the presidency, to solicit foreign interference in an American election, specifically to help in his re-election. His actions undermined our national security. President Trump put his own personal, political interests ahead of our country's interest. His conduct makes him a clear and present danger to both our democracy and our national security.\n\nThe articles of impeachment that we developed in the Judiciary Committee capture the scope of his most serious misconduct, including referencing his pattern of wrongdoing. In our country, no one is above the law, not even the President. \n\nDonald Trump has given us no other choice than to move forward with impeachment. Nearly 250 years ago, our Founding Fathers envisioned that our country might face a crisis like the one before us today. We will proceed with the only remedy provided in our Constitution.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-articles-impeachment", "Langevin Statement on Articles of Impeachment", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Langevin Statement on Articles of Impeachment            \t\t  \n          \t\t  \n           \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t \t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDec 10, 2019\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n               \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today expressed his support for the articles of impeachment for President Trump, issuing the following statement:\nThis is a sad day for America. While impeaching a president is by no means good news for the nation, as elected officials we must uphold our oath to defend our Constitution and preserve our democracy. After careful consideration of the facts presented, I have decided to support the articles of impeachment proposed by the Judiciary Committee to make sure the president is held accountable and that we protect our nation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-release-ndaa-conference-report", "Langevin Statement on Release of NDAA Conference Report", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, issued the following statement regarding the release of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act conference report:\nI'm proud that the House and Senate have concluded their work on this defense bill and reached bipartisan consensus in support of our national security and our men and women in uniform. Rhode Island plays a major role in our national security by supporting our warfighters. This NDAA will ensure that our local businesses can continue to build advanced capabilities and get them in the hands of our forces to make sure they never enter a fair fight. I'm especially pleased that the bill continues to support the production of Virginia-class submarines and Virginia Payload Modules, which are built right in Rhode Island and support thousands of good paying jobs. This bill continues to show support for our service members with a pay raise and demonstrates a strong commitment to families by providing federal workers with paid parental leave.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/-reed-statement-on-bipartisan-house-senate-ndaa-conference-agreement", "Reed Statement on Bipartisan House-Senate NDAA Conference Agreement", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Today, the House-Senate conference committee reached a bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020.\r\nThe reconciled FY 2020 NDAA defense policy bill authorizes $658.4 billion for the Department of Defense and for national security programs of the U.S. Department of Energy, $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $5.3 billion in emergency funding to restore installations that were damaged by extreme weather and natural disasters. A summary of the conference report is available here.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), worked on the bill with SASC Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), and U.S. Representatives Adam Smith (D-WA) and Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committees (HASC).\r\nThe NDAA includes a number of key provisions and reforms that were backed by Senator Reed to enhance national security, support our service members, and improve military training and readiness. The bill also implements the most substantial overhaul of the Privatized Military Housing Initiative since the program's creation in 1996. The bill authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for our troops, the largest in a decade, and reflects a policy shift to accelerate defense innovation and establishes inclusive pathways for the most promising small businesses to commercialize their innovations for the DOD market. The NDAA also strengthens congressional oversight of cyber operations, and enhances the Department of Defense's cybersecurity strategy and cyber warfare capabilities.\r\nAdditionally, the bill helps guarantee civil servants receive 12 weeks of paid leave in the event of the birth or adoption of a child. Currently, the U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not have paid parental leave.\r\nSenator Reed, a cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act to create a universal, gender-neutral paid family and medical leave program, who has long advocated for expanding paid family leave for all employees, stated: Including paid family leave is a victory for all workers because it will help push more employers in the right direction and ensure more workers get paid family leave. Expanding access to paid family leave helps the health and economic well-being of individuals who have it and strengthens the ability of employers to retain their workers.\r\nNotably, Senator Reed also helped include a key provision to repeal the widow's tax, which has shortchanged many military spouses on the amount of survivor annuity payments they could collect u as part of a Veteran's Affairs benefit called the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation program. Currently, over 62,000 Gold Star families are impacted by the widow's tax. The NDAA repeal, which will be phased in over three years, will ensure our service members' families receive the benefits they have paid for and earned.\r\nReed also led efforts to include language in the bill to strengthen naval readiness and submarine production, which are crucial to Rhode Island's defense industry. Senator Reed helped ensure the bill continues the construction of two Virginia-class submarines per year, which is critical given the cost savings achieved, the efficiencies gained in the production schedule, and the projected shortfall in attack submarines over the next decade.\r\nIn a time of significant discord, this NDAA represents a responsible compromise that strengthens our national defense capabilities. This conference agreement enhances military readiness, makes needed reforms, and provides our Armed Forces with the equipment and training needed to deter our adversaries and respond to global threats. Critically, it authorizes the funds needed to build the next generation of submarines. These multi-mission submarines, which are a vital part of America's nuclear triad, are essential for power projection, deterrence, intelligence, and sea control. And recognizing the critical link between the quality of life for our troops and their families, and the overall quality, retention, and readiness of our Armed Forces, this conference report includes critical reforms and protections needed to improve military housing and hold contractors accountable. And it provides our troops with a much needed, well-deserved pay raise. There are several environmental and Middle East policy items I fought to the end for, but could not get past staunch Administration and Republican opposition. Those will be back on my list of priorities as we start this process next year, said Senator Reed.\r\nSenator Reed highlighted a number of Rhode-Island related provisions in the NDAA that are good news for the state's hardworking defense community, including:\r\n \r\n$8.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, which supports the nine boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed earlier this month;\r\n$2.25 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) Program, including an additional $123 million to support submarine industrial base expansion;\r\n$11.6 million in military construction funding to replace a fuels storage facility at Quonset State Airport;\r\n$156 million for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt destroyer program;\r\n$10 million to accelerate undersea warfare applied resear$40 million in supplemental Impact Aid and $10 million in Impact Aid for schools with military dependent children with severe disabilities.\r\n \r\nThe NDAA also reflects other priorities backed by Senator Reed to sustain and improve the quality of life for our men and women in uniform and their families, and the Department's civilian workforce. The bill includes a number of provisions to address employment challenges faced by military spouses and provides the authority for federal agencies to reimburse civilian employees for the tax-related consequences of government-provided moves, an issue especially important for DOD teachers stationed overseas, and ensures that the authority is retroactive to January 1, 2018. NDAA conference report authorizes the Secretary of Defense to initiate a program to build the legal institutional capacity of foreign security forces so they operate consistently with the law of armed conflict and human rights law. This initiative will draw substantially on the expertise of the Defense Institute for International Legal Studies located at Naval Station Newport.\r\nNow that the NDAA conference report has been agreed to by members of the conference committee, it must be voted on and passed by both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take up the bill this week.\r\nThe NDAA authorizes the expenditure of public funds and then the Appropriations Committee must determine the final level of defense spending. Senator Reed is also a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Appropriators have until midnight on December 20 to reach an agreement on next steps for funding the federal government.\r\nCongress has passed the NDAA for 58 straight years.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-death-of-former-fed-chairman-paul-volcker", "Reed Statement on Death of Former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2019WASHINGTON, DC  U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement on the passing of Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve:\r\nChairman Volcker was a true patriot who exemplified why an independent Fed Chair is not only important but also necessary for the long term health of the U.S. economy. He was a trusted counselor whose wisdom, advice, and keen insight was invaluable to crafting the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law and in implementing and defending it for the benefit of working-class families. We are saddened by his loss, but grateful for his many contributions to our nation.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-whitehouse-markey-heinrich-and-cortez-masto-lead-push-for-clean-energy-tax-extenders", "Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Heinrich, and Cortez Masto Lead Push for Clean Energy Tax Extenders", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.19\n\t\t\t Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Heinrich, and Cortez Masto Lead Push for Clean Energy Tax Extenders \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington (December 9, 2019)  As committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate continue to discuss a potential legislative package of tax extenders, SenatorsSheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.),Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today led 18 of their colleagues in calling on Congressional leadership to prioritize clean energy extenders in any tax legislation. In their letter, the Senators call on leadership to extend, expand, and update current tax policies to increase the adoption of zero-emissions generation, energy storage, zero-emission vehicles and energy efficient buildings. This includes prioritizing the Offshore Wind Investment Tax Credit, Storage Investment Tax Credit, Solar and Clean Energy Investment Tax Credit Extension, Energy Efficiency Tax Credit, clean vehicles, and onshore wind.\r\nTax incentives have effectively encouraged the production of clean, renewable energy and contributed to the reduction of carbon emissions, write the Senators in their letter to House and Senate leadership. The scientific need for immediate climate action has only become more apparent in recent years, and now we have an opportunity to take significant steps and invest in the American economy. Especially as we work to convey our ongoing commitment to our global partners, we must work together to seize this opportunity to pass bipartisan pro-growth, pro-climate legislation.\r\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE.\r\nAccording to the Rhodium Group, extending and expanding tax credits through 2025 for zero-emitting electrical generation could reduce up to 125 million tons of emissions, making up a quarter of America's national commitment under the current Paris climate agreement targets.\r\nAlso signing the letter are Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-inspector-general-report-on-russia-investigation-", "Whitehouse Statement on Inspector General Report on Russia Investigation", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Statement on Inspector General Report on Russia Investigation  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Justice Inspector General report released today on the FBI's inquiry into Russia's influence on the 2016 election:\r\nThis report shows there was a proper predicate for the FBI to investigate Russia's malign influence on the 2016 election and contacts with the Trump campaign. That puts to rest President Trump's accusations of a deep state conspiracy, and no amount of spin from Attorney General Barr, the White House, or congressional Republicans can change that. Barr's decision to question the report in the media says a lot about Attorney General Barr.\r\nThe Inspector General is an important defender against political influence over law enforcementa regrettable tendency under Attorney General Barr. I hope the Inspector General turns his attention to other allegations of politically motivated investigations by this administration.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-questions-witnesses-during-house-impeachment-hearing", "Cicilline Questions Witnesses During House Impeachment Hearing", "2019-12-09", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) questioned witnesses today during the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on the Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report and the Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment Report.\n\nA link to the full line of questioning and excerpts are included below:\n\n\nThis has been one of the most productive Congresses in modern history. We've passed nearly 400 pieces of legislation that respond to the urgent priorities of the American people: driving down health care costs, raising wages for the American worker, responding to gun violence, providing equal pay for equal work, responding to the climate crisis. 275 of those bills are fully bipartisan, and 80% of those bills are sitting on the Senate Majority Leader's desk awaiting action. So we will continue to deliver on the important priorities of the American people, but we were also elected to hold this President accountable. We took an oath of office that said to protect and defend the Constitution, and that's what we're engaged in today.\n\nAs we heard from Bill Taylor, who is a graduate of West Point and a decorated combat veteran who served in the Vietnam war  Ukraine, then and now, is in an active war with the Russians. Russia stole part of their country in Crimea and has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainians and weakening Ukraine would only benefit Russia.\n\nAgainst the consensus of his own agencies and national security experts, the President used Congressionally appropriated funds to advance his own political interests at the expense of our national security. This action is a threat to the integrity of our elections and the sanctity of our democracy. President Trump must not get away with this. No one in this country, including the President of the United States, is above the law.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-passing-of-justice-rodgers", "Reed Statement on Passing of Justice Rodgers", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/06/2019PROVIDENCE, RI -- Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement on the passing of retired Superior Court Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr.:\r\nJustice Rodgers was a man of conscience, character, and courage who inspired us all with his integrity and commitment to public service. He understood that being a good judge is more than just enforcing the law. It's about seeking justice. He brought kindness and humility to the bench and an innate sense of fairness. He was a model public servant and someone who never forgot his roots. He had a profound impact on Rhode Island and the people he served. While we are deeply saddened by his passing, we remain grateful for his many accomplishments and contributions.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-shooting-at-us-naval-base", "Reed Statement on Shooting at U.S. Naval Base", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/06/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Today, after a Saudi military trainee shot and killed multiple people at Naval Air Station Pensacola before the gunman was shot dead by officers responding to the scene, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:\r\nThere is still a lot we don't know about today's shooting, and right now the focus should be on the deceased and wounded, and supporting those impacted by this tragedy. Our hearts are with the victims, the Navy community, and the Escambia County Sheriff's office whose deputies were wounded stopping the gunman.\r\nWe have a lot of questions and there must be a full, thorough investigation into this senseless attack. The FBI and other federal agencies are working hard to get to the bottom of it. And we are still awaiting facts and answers from the ongoing investigation into the recent shooting at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in Hawaii as well.\r\nThere needs to be a review of on base weapons policies.\r\nAt some point, President Trump and members of Congress must summon the political courage and take meaningful action to keep guns out of the hands of those who pose a threat to others.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/press-releases/whitehouse-statement-on-the-passing-of-ri-superior-court-justice-joseph-rodgers", "Whitehouse Statement on the Passing of RI Superior Court Justice Joseph Rodgers", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.06.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Statement on the Passing of RI Superior Court Justice Joseph Rodgers \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tProvidence, RI  Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today issued the following statement regarding the passing of retired Rhode Island Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph Rodgers:\r\nAs a lawyer and as Attorney General I appeared often before Justice Rodgers. Indeed as Presiding Justice, he by statute had to approve our wiretap applications. He was always wise and practical, he moved his cases along fairly, he had no trouble making hard decisions, and he usually had a good-natured twinkle in his eye. There was a lot to admire and emulate about Joe Rodgers. I will miss him, and send my love and regards to his family.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/senator-whitehouse-on-senator-isaksons-retirement", "Senator Whitehouse on Senator Isakson's Retirement", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On December 5, 2019, U.S. Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) delivered these remarks in honor of Senator Johnny Isakson's (R-GA) retirement from the U.S. Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-death-former-superior-court-presiding-justice-joseph-f-rodgers-jr", "Cicilline Statement on Death of Former Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr.", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement today:\n\nI am deeply saddened by the death of my friend, former Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr.\n\nA lifelong Rhode Islander, Joseph Rodgers dedicated his time on this earth to upholding the law and ensuring justice for the residents of our state. I was honored to know him and to see firsthand the fairness and compassion with which he served. His influence on our state, and the dignity of his example, will be deeply missed.\n\nMy thoughts and prayers are with his daughter, Superior Court Justice Kristin E. Rodgers, and all his loved ones during this difficult time.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-votes-restore-voting-rights-ac", "House Votes to Restore Voting Rights Ac", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) released the following statement today after the House passed the Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R. 4), legislation he cosponsored to protect every American's right to vote by restoring the Voting Rights Act and fighting back against Republican attempts to make it more difficult for people to participate in the democratic process:\n\nThe right to vote is the very foundation of our democracy. As Americans, we hold the sole power to choose our elected officials. We should do everything we can to ensure every single American has the ability to cast their vote free from undue burdens established by politicians trying to rig an election in their favor. I'm proud to see this important legislation pass the House, and I'll continue working to get it signed into law.\n\nIn 2013, the Supreme Court unleashed a new wave of discriminatory voting practices by gutting the protections in the Voting Rights Act. This opened the floodgates for Republican politicians across America to make it more difficult for working people, young people, and minority voters to make their voices heard at the ballot box.\n\nThe Voting Rights Advancement Act will not only restore the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, but it will also provide the tools needed to address new discriminatory practices in the future. H.R. 4 now heads to the Senate, where a companion bill has been introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and has the support of 45 cosponsors.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-bipartisan-colleagues-demand-ed-dept-ig-investigation-loan-forgiveness", "Langevin, Bipartisan Colleagues Demand Ed Dept. IG Investigation into Loan Forgiveness Process Following Alarming NPR Report", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging the department's acting inspector general, Sandra Bruce, to investigate the federal student loan discharge process for Americans with total and permanent disabilities (TPD). The Members' letter comes after an alarming report from National Public Radio (NPR), aired earlier this week, that found that hundreds of thousands of Americans with qualifying disabilities have not received the student loan relief they are entitled to by law. In addition to Congressman Langevin, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) Angus King (I-ME), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill), and Rob Portman (R-OH) along with U.S. Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Don Young (R-AK).\nWe are alarmed by the findings in this NPR investigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between the NPR report and the information previously provided by ED, the Members wrote. We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law.\nThe letter is copied below and availablehere.\nDecember 5, 2019\nThe Honorable Sandra D. Bruce\nActing Inspector General\nOffice of Inspector General\nU.S. Department of Education\n550 12th Street, S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20202\nDear Acting Inspector General Bruce:\nWe write with serious concern about the Department of Education's (ED) process to discharge federal student loans for totally and permanently disabled Americans, including veterans.\nUnder theHigher Education Act of 1965, individuals who are totally and permanently disabled (TPD) are eligible to have their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. Under theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, federal student loans that are discharged due to death or TPD are exempt from federal income tax. ED currently utilizes data provided through matching agreements with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify disabled federal student loan borrowers who may be eligible for TPD loan discharge. In August 2019, the Trump Administration announced that borrowers identified through VA data would automatically have their loans discharged. Yet borrowers matched with SSA data, including veterans with non-service-connected disabilities, still must submit a discharge application. As we have said before, despite the existing legal benefit for loan discharge and the removal of the federal tax penalty two years ago, many borrowers, in applying for relief, face significant challenges that are both administratively burdensome and unnecessary.\nWe wrote to ED on a bipartisan basis several times urging the Administration to automatically discharge these federal student loans, including in letters sent on February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. Our letter in October cited data provided to our staff by ED that as of March 2019, only 40% of eligible borrowers identified in the SSA match have had their loans discharged. However, according to aNational Public Radio(NPR)report that aired on December 4, 2019, that is not the case[1]. The investigation found that between March 2016 and September 2019, 555,000 borrowers were identified through the SSA data match as eligible for TPD discharge and were sent a letter in the mail. Ultimately, only 156,000, or 28%, of those borrowers had their loans discharged or are on track for that to happen. These numbers do not include borrowers matched through VA data, information we still have not seen.\nWe are alarmed by the findings in thisNPRinvestigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between theNPRreport and the information previously provided by ED. We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law. We urge ED's Office of Inspector General to investigate the TPD loan discharge process immediately and answer the following questions:\n How many individuals in total have been identified through ED's data match with the SSA and the VA since March 2016? Please list the numbers for SSA and VA separately.\n\tHow many of these matched borrowers have received a loan discharge?\n\tOf those borrowers who were matched but ultimately did not receive a loan discharge, what are the reasons the discharge did not occur? How many borrowers are associated with each reason, including income monitoring?\n\tWhy has the Administration rejected bipartisan calls to pursue automatic discharge for Americans with non-service-related disabilities?\n\tHow can ED improve its data system for the TPD process and ensure this information is communicated with Congress in a transparent and timely manner?\n\tWhat steps does ED need to take to make this process automatic, meaning once a borrower is flagged as eligible, the discharge is not contingent upon administrative work by the borrower at the point of discharge or any point thereafter?\n Enclosed are the cited letters from February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. We appreciate your attention to this important matter and request a commitment to investigate these questions by December 31, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/opening-statement-by-ranking-member-reed-at-sasc-hearing-on-strategic-threats-ongoing-challenges-and-the-national-defense-strategy", "Opening Statement by Ranking Member Reed at SASC Hearing on Strategic Threats, Ongoing Challenges and the National Defense Strategy", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2019Thank you, Mister Chairman. I join you in welcoming our witnesses. Let me also thank the Chairman for scheduling this important hearing to review the strategic threats and ongoing challenges to our nation's security. Today's hearing is an opportunity to hear from our military leadership about how the Department is implementing the National Defense Strategy, or NDS, to meet these threats and challenges.\r\nThe NDS marked a shift in our strategic priorities, from a focus on counterterrorism operations in the Middle East and South Asia to prioritizing the long-term strategic competition with Russia and China. The NDS called for increased investment in the strategic competition with near-peer competitors, while moving to a more resource-sustainable approach for countering North Korea and Iran, defeating terrorist threats, and winning the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.\r\nThe Department has begun to shift its focus to this strategic competition, but much remains to be done. As the independent, non-partisan National Defense Strategy Commission assessed, the Defense Department and White House have struggled to clearly state how the United States will prevail in this strategic competition and still lack a whole-of-government approach for countering our adversaries in grey-zone operations below the level of traditional military conflict. In addition, the Administration's impulses to alienate allies and embrace authoritarian strongmen have undercut our military's ability to pursue a coherent defense strategy and have undermined U.S. national security interests globally.\r\nIn the Middle East, there is a clear disconnect between the objectives stated in the NDS and our actions in the region. Despite the NDS shift to a more resource sustainable approach to the threats posed by Iran and counterterrorism, we have deployed more than 14,000 troops to the region since May. In the case of Iran, the Administration has pursued a so-called maximum pressure campaign that has only succeeded in isolating us from many of our allies, made conflict more likely, and given Iran cover to violate constraints placed on its nuclear program by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Furthermore, Defense Department efforts to consolidate counterterrorism gains by the anti-ISIS coalition have suffered a major setback as a result of President Trump's hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces from a Turkish-declared safe zone in northeastern Syria and abandonment of our partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces.\r\nWith regard to Russia, the National Defense Strategy stresses that one of our greatest military advantages is our alliances and partnerships, particularly NATO. A bipartisan, overwhelming majority of the Senate has endorsed the fundamental value of NATO to U.S. national security interests. Yet, President Trump's failure to recognize the security benefits of close transatlantic ties, and his diversion of European Deterrence Initiative funds to pay for the Wall along the U.S. southern border, has caused some of our allies to openly question the reliability of the United States as we go forward. \r\nTurning to Asia, the National Defense Strategy identifies China as our most challenging long-term competitor. China's global economic and military expansion will challenge U.S. primacy in the decades to come. We can no longer assume we will have economic leverage over China, yet I fear we are not developing the tools of statecraft to adequately address the significant national security implications of China's economic rise.\r\nEven in Western democracies, the space to criticize Chinese aggression and human rights violations is narrowing. China is willing to punish any country that criticizes its authoritarian and coercive activities, whether it is the ethnic cleansing of Muslim Uighurs in western China or political interference in Taiwan and Hong Kong. In addition, we are spending pennies on the dollar compared to China's multi-billion dollar propaganda campaign to whitewash its behavior in the public sphere.\r\nWe need to be working with likeminded allies and partners to push back on China's coercive behavior, human rights violations, and predatory economic tactics targeting the sovereignty of its smaller neighbors. This administration, however, has taken a number of actions that have undermined our ability to collaborate with other partners in the Indo-Pacific region. By imposing tariffs on our closest partners, requesting that Japan and South Korea exponentially increase their annual contributions under burden-sharing agreements, and calling into question the value of our joint military exercises, this Administration has created divisions in the region. We must invest more heavily in our global network of partners and allies to push back on the authoritarian regimes that threaten our democratic principles, the rule of law, and human dignity.\r\nLet me once again thank our witnesses for appearing before the committee. I look forward to their testimony.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-helps-pass-bipartisan-bill-to-permanently-fund-hbcus-and-simplify-student-aid-process", "Reed Helps Pass Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Fund HBCUs & Simplify Student Aid Process", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2019WASHINGTON, DC  In an effort to support historically black and minority-serving colleges and universities and simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process for millions of students, the U.S. Senate today passed a bipartisan, amended measure known as the FUTURE Act. Supported by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the FUTURE Act will make permanent $255 million in annual funding for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions. The federal funds to support these institutions will be paid for by reducing administrative costs and enabling FAFSA applicants to permit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to directly share tax return data with the U.S. Department of Education. As a result, this bipartisan bill streamlines federal student aid for more than 20 million students applying for aid, and nearly 8 million borrowers.\r\nThis is a win-win that will both increase opportunities for students at HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions and help streamline the financial aid application process for millions of Americans, said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. A good education is critical to success. Despite being underfunded, these institutions provide tremendous, transformative value. They are making a positive difference in communities all over the country and continue to educate, nurture, and produce countless leaders. Passing this bipartisan measure is a long overdue step in the right direction. This is a smart investment not just in the schools themselves, but in our economy and workforce, and one that will yield a significant return in both the near term and for future generations.\r\nAccording to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the changes would save taxpayers $2.8 billion over ten years, which will be used to pay for the permanent funding for HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions.\r\nI have long worked to help simplify FAFSA. Paying for college is daunting enough and the federal government should do all it can to reduce the paperwork and red tape to get tuition help. This bipartisan initiative will enshrine needed changes to the FAFSA to make it simpler and more accessible, which, in turn, helps more deserving students access financial aid, said Senator Reed, who hosts an annual student financial aid workshop to help college bound students and families learn first-hand from student aid experts about FAFSA and how to access available financial aid resources. This measure should also help reduce improper payments and eliminate paperwork for millions of students.\r\nThe compromise version of the FUTURE Act was led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Doug Jones (D-AL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Richard Burr (R-NC).\r\nNow that it has passed the full U.S. Senate, the legislation must be reconciled with a different measure that was approved by the full U.S. House of Representatives in September.\r\nSUMMARY: The Senate-passed FUTURE Act will:\r\n \r\nPermanently reauthorize $255 million in annual mandatory funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions.\r\nIncludes key elements of the Faster Access to Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Act, which unanimously passed the U.S. Senate last year and which will:\r\n \r\n \r\nEnsure students only have to give their tax information to the federal government once.\r\nReduce the number of FAFSA questions: Students give permission to the U.S. Department of Education to request tax return data already given to the Internal Revenue Service, which reduces the 108 questions on the FAFSA by up to 22 questions.\r\nReduce paperwork for the 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers currently on income-driven repayment plans by automating income recertification.\r\nEliminate $6 billion in mistakes (both overpayments and underpayments) in Pell grants and student loans.\r\nEnable 7 million applicants who are currently unable to access their IRS data for their FAFSA to verify that they do not file taxes without requesting separate documentation from the IRS.\r\n \r\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-whitehouse-and-warren-call-for-reforms-to-eliminate-big-pharma-kick-back-schemes-via-patient-assistance-programs-", "Senators Whitehouse & Warren Call for Reforms to Eliminate Big Pharma Kick-Back Schemes Via Patient Assistance Programs", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.05.19\n\t\t\t Senators Whitehouse & Warren Call for Reforms to Eliminate Big Pharma Kick-Back Schemes Via Patient Assistance Programs  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Big pharmaceutical companies often cheat the system and collect tax write-offs by setting up \"charities\" that directly funnel donations to their own products\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC - United States Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Inspector General Joanne Chiedi raising concerns about abuse of charitable Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) by pharmaceutical companies.\r\nPAPs are largely funded by pharmaceutical companies and set up as independent charitable foundations to help patients afford their prescription drugs; however, many of their programs are structured to steer profits back to their donors. Since December 2017, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached settlements with at least eight pharmaceutical manufacturers, totaling more than $800 million, for funneling kickbacks through PAPs. These included a $210 million settlement with United Therapeutics and a $360 million settlement with Actelion Pharmaceuticals, both for receiving kickbacks through a foundation that helped patients purchase the manufacturers' drugs for pulmonary arterial hypertension.\r\n\"Currently, the perverse structure of these programs allows pharmaceutical companies to reap profits from their tax-deductible 'charitable donations' while doing nothing to lower the high drug prices that force patients to rely on such programs in the first place,\" the senators wrote in their letter.\r\nIndependent PAPs are not required to disclose key information, such as a list of the drugs that they cover - a lack of transparency that corporate donors can exploit. A recent study of the two PAPs that do release public data on the drugs covered by their programs revealed that 59% of Medicare Part D drugs were not covered, that covered drugs were an average of three times as expensive as non-covered drugs, and that expensive brand-name drugs were covered more often than their generic equivalents. These findings appear to indicate that these PAP arrangements violate HHS-Office of the Inspector General guidance that all Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments must be covered by PAPs.\r\n\"Although patients may need more help affording more expensive drugs, covering only higher-cost treatments can also have the effect of steering patients away from lower-cost options, benefiting drug manufacturers at the expense of taxpayers,\" the lawmakers wrote. \"With little transparency, it is impossible for patients, the public, and HHS-OIG to know whether drug assistance decisions correlate with donors' interests and whether PAPs are complying with HHS-OIG guidance.\"\r\nThe same study also found that 97% of PAP programs required recipients to have health insurance, which excludes patients who may need assistance the most, but ensures that the pharmaceutical companies receive the full rate for their drugs when the PAP helps the patient meet their co-pay.\r\nThe senators' letter calls on HHS-OIG to update guidance issued in 2014 to tighten the rules and oversight of charitable PAPs, including by: (1) prohibiting pharmaceutical company donors from earmarking their donations for disease-specific funds; (2) requiring public disclosure of the treatments the funds cover and justification for any FDA-approved treatments not covered; and (3) requiring PAPs to cover generic alternatives.\r\n\"It is past time to end this inside game and ensure that public charities are serving patients and their families, rather than steering kickbacks to deep-pocketed pharmaceutical companies at taxpayer expense,\" wrote the senators.\r\nThe letter requests that the HHS-OIG update its PAP guidance as rapidly as possible, and provide a staff-level briefing by December 20, 2019.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-10000-papers", "Time to Wake Up: 10,000 Papers", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "About\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  Services\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAgency Assistance \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSuccess Stories \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrants \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFlag Requests \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVisiting D.C. \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStudent Resources \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmail Sheldon \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  Events\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCommunity Dinners \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCommunity Outreach \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  Issues\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIssue List \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLegislation \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  News\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPress Releases \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the News \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpeeches \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOp-Eds \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPress Kit \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  Videos\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tx\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tx\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMENU", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-lower-drug-costs-now-act", "Cicilline Statement on Lower Drug Costs Now Act", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01) issued the following statement today:\n\nIn every single corner of our country, working men and women are struggling with the high cost of prescription drugs. But one of the very first things Donald Trump did in office was to give the big pharmaceutical companies and their CEOs a massive tax cut. He's putting his wealthy campaign donors first. Democrats are fighting For The People.\n\nNext week, the House will pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This is a bill that truly benefits working people. By passing this bill, we will give Medicare the ability to negotiate lower drug prices. We will reinvest the savings generated to strengthen Medicare for the first time in decades. And we will deliver on our promise to lower prescription drug costs For The People.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-collins-urge-appropriators-to-prioritize-heating-assistance-weatherization-in-fy-2020-appropriations-bills", "Reed, Collins Urge Appropriators to Prioritize Heating Assistance, Weatherization in FY 2020 Appropriations Bills", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/04/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Seeking to help vulnerable populations afford their heating and air conditioning during months of extreme temperatures, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are urging their colleagues who lead the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies and Energy and Water Development to include the highest amount possible for heating assistance and weatherization programs in FY 2020 appropriations bills.\r\nReed and Collins this week wrote a letter to Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) asking for their continued support of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and their adoption of the highest possible funding level for LIHEAP in the FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. LIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months.\r\nLIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months, the senators wrote. LIHEAP assistance is an indispensable lifeline, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and affording other necessities like food and medicine. Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors.\r\nPreserving LIHEAP funding is a perennial bipartisan priority for Reed and Collins, who in recent years have worked together to prevent funding cuts to the program. Last month, Reed helped secure $21,566,217 in LIHEAP funding to help Rhode Island families and seniors keep warm through the winter after joining Collins and other colleagues on a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar urging the Department to release LIHEAP funds without delay and at as high a level as possible under the continuing resolution (CR).\r\nReed and Collins also wrote a letter to Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) asking for their continued support of and the highest possible funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which helps vulnerable populations make energy efficiency improvements in their homes, and the State Energy Program (SEP), which funds state initiatives to improve energy security, increase local energy efficiency, and boost economic growth.\r\nEnergy savings are only a portion of the benefits from weatherization, said the senators. The same study shows that the economic and health benefits of weatherization go far beyond permanently reducing energy costs. Children in weatherized households miss less school, improving educational outcomes. Adults miss less work. increasing both their own incomes and their contributions to economic growth. Families also experience fewer asthma symptoms and emergency room visits, decreasing out-or-pocket medical expenses by an average of $514. WAP also leverages additional non-federal funds, while supporting over 8,500 jobs and increasing national economic output by $1.2 billion.\r\nThe full text of the letters follows:\r\nDecember 4, 2019\r\nDear Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray:\r\nWe write in support of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and to urge the adoption of the highest possible funding level in the FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. A bipartisan group of 44 Senators urged you to support funding for this program earlier this year and we request that you continue to prioritize funding for this vital program in FY 2020 to help ensure that it meets the needs of eligible low-income households and sellers.\r\nLIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months. LIHEAP assistance is an indispensable lifeline, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and affording other necessities like food and medicine. Access to affordable home energy is a matter of health and safety for many low-income households, children, and seniors.\r\nWe are very concerned that the number of households eligible for LIHEAP assistance continues to exceed available funding. This is at a time when the average cost of home heating and cooling remains unaffordable for many households nationwide. According to the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, the current funding level is able to serve just one out of six eligible households, and those who receive LIHEAP assistance have seen their average grant reduced by about $76 since 2010, from $568 in FY 2010 to $520 in FY 2019. As a result, the purchasing power of the average grant for winter heating declined from about 66 percent in FY 2010 to 56 percent in FY 2018, leaving many low-income families and seniors struggling to pay for the basic necessity of home energy and having fewer resources available to meet other essential needs.\r\nAs you finalize the FY 2020 funding bill, we thank you again for your past support of the program and ask that you continue to take into account the great need for LlHEAP and the impact that cuts to the program could have on our most vulnerable citizens. Prioritizing LIHEAP in FY 2020 would ensure that eligible, low-income households and seniors receive much needed heating and cooling assistance.\r\nThank you for your attention to and consideration of our request. We look forward to continuing to work with you to support this important program and to help provide access to affordable home energy for the most vulnerable households in our states.\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nDecember 4, 201\r\nDear Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Feinstein:\r\nWe write to urge your continued support for two key energy efficiency and clean energy programs within the Department of Energy, the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the State Energy Program (SEP), and urge you to adopt the highest possible funding levels for each program as you work to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the FY20 Energy and Water Development appropriations bills. A bipartisan group of 45 Senators sent a letter to you earlier this year in support of funding for these programs. These programs provide the foundation for energy efficiency and clean energy investments that create jobs, increase American competitiveness, save households and businesses money, and reduce pollution.\r\nThe Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities make lasting energy efficiency improvements to their homes. The reduced energy costs free up limited financial resources for essentials such as food and medicine. Throughout the history of the program, which has spanned more than four decades, WAP has helped more than 7.4 million low-income households reduce their energy bills. An independent study of WAP by Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that each Weatherization Assistance dollar produces $4.50 in benefits, including energy savings. Using WAP, single-family homes have saved an average of $283 annually on energy costs.\r\nEnergy savings are only a portion of the benefits from weatherization. The same study shows that the economic and health benefits of weatherization go far beyond permanently reducing energy costs. Children in weatherized households miss less school, improving educational outcomes. Adults miss less work, increasing both their own incomes and their contributions to economic growth. Families also experience fewer asthma symptoms and emergency room visits, decreasing out-of-pocket medical expenses by an average of $514. WAP also leverages additional non-federal funds, while supporting over 8,500 jobs and increasing national economic output by $1.2 billion.\r\nThe State Energy Program provides technical expertise and funding to states to improve their energy security, increase their energy efficiency, and to boost economic growth. SEP combines the scientific and economic knowledge of the Department of Energy with locally led planning to improve the energy efficiency of hospitals and schools, install clean energy projects, and support private sector energy innovation. A study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory shows that every federal dollar invested in SEP leverages over $10 for energy-related economic development and produces over $7 in energy savings. The same study estimates that businesses reinvesting these energy savings into job-creating opportunities leads to thousands of jobs created per year.\r\nWe appreciate your efforts and your prioritization of programs that promote job growth and the growth of our nation's economy. We believe that investments in programs like WAP and SEP that reduce costs for American households and businesses, create greater economic competitiveness for our nation, and reduce pollution, should continue to receive funding.\r\nThank you for your consideration of this request, and we look forward to continuing to work with you to support these programs.\r\nSincerely,\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-recognized-by-american-society-of-landscape-architects", "Whitehouse Recognized by American Society of Landscape Architects", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.04.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Recognized by American Society of Landscape Architects \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t ASLA presents Whitehouse with Olmsted Medal for environmental leadership\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, D.C.  U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was today recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) with the Olmsted Medal for environmental leadership. Representatives of ASLA's national and Rhode Island chapters presented the award to Whitehouse in his Washington D.C. office this morning.\r\nIt's an honor to accept the Olmsted Medal from the American Society of Landscape Architects, said Whitehouse, a leading champion in Congress for addressing climate change. Landscape architects see the effects of climate change up close every day. I'm working to protect the environment and the businesses that rely on our natural resources from the worst effects of climate change.  The Olmsted Medal was created in 1990 to recognize individuals, organizations, and programs outside the profession of landscape architecture for environmental leadership, vision, and stewardship. The Medal honors Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the founder of the American landscape architecture profession and a steward of the environment. Previous recipients of the Olmsted Medal include President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, Vice President Al Gore, and former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.\r\nThe American Society of Landscape Architects is deeply honored to present the Olmsted Medal to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, said Roxanne Blackwell, Hon. ASLA, Acting Executive Vice President & CEO of ASLA. The Senator has long demonstrated a deep personal commitment to the values of environmental stewardship, respect for the natural world, and devotion to social justice that was at the heart of the life and career of Frederick Law Olmsted and of the profession and Society he helped found. This honor reflects ASLA's belief that design professionals and policymakers must come together with common purpose and renewed energy to find solutions to the climate crisis, the most profound environmental issue of our time.\r\nFounded in 1899, ASLA is the professional association for landscape architects in the United States, representing more than 15,000 members.\r\n###\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-10000-papers", "Time to Wake Up: 10,000 Papers", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.04.19\n\t\t\t Time to Wake Up: 10,000 Papers \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As-prepared for delivery.\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Mdm./Mr. President, On the occasion of new atmospheric carbon dioxide records being broken in our atmosphere  the highest in the history of humankind  I rise today for the 260th time to call this chamber to wake up.\r\nAs we venture further into uncharted, dangerous climate change, the National Council for Science and the Environment issued this report, Climate Science Research in the United States and U.S. Territories. This report surveys climate research papers from public universities across all 50 states, to highlight the breadth and depth of climate science coming out of our state universities, and showcase the climate science centers and institutes they host.\r\nSome colleagues may pay no attention to the threat of climate change, but their home-state universities sure do: 10,000 peer-reviewed research papers published out of 80 universities from 2014 through 2018  on average, 185 peer-reviewed articles published on climate change in each state.\r\nThe report says, in every state, public universities invest in scholarship and education to advance fields such as climate modeling, climate impacts, adaptation, and more. Increasingly, climate science has been integrated into coursework on sustainability, energy, engineering, architecture, business, and even political science.\r\nOne wonders, what is the hold the fossil fuel industry has over the Republican Party that causes colleagues to ignore their home state universities? The report continues:\r\nClimate scientists are studying a wide diversity of topics. They are measuring carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. They are studying carbon cycling and the impacts of a changing carbon cycle. They are studying the impacts of climate change on the nation's food security, crop yields, heat-stress, health impacts, soil erosion; on water resources, including water quality, balance, river basins, drought, precipitation, mountain snowpack; on impacts to critical infrastructure, such as sea level rise on coasts and on subtropical islands to the impact of permafrost thaw on subarctic rivers. Finally, researchers are also studying the social science of climate change, including changing attitudes, polarization, opinions, beliefs, and their impacts on framing in the media and on decision-making.\r\nRegion by region, in every state, the report shows our state universities tracking climate change's consequences in fine detail.\r\nQuoting from the report:\r\nIn the Midwest: Agriculture is a major focal area for climate-related research ... [with] more occurrences of the word agriculture' in climate-related papers from the Midwest between 2014-2018 than in any other region.\r\nIn the Southwest: A key focus of scientific research in the Southwest region [is] on the impacts to people and ecosystems from heat, drought, wildfires, and flooding.\r\nIn the Southeast: The impacts of climate change in the Southeast are becoming most visible through the increase in flooding, temporal and geographic shifts that affect human health, and growing risks of wildfires.\r\nIn the Southern Great Plains: Scientists in the Southern Great Plains are studying climate impacts on food systems, sea level rise, as well as impacts to unique ecosystems in this region, such as the tall grass prairie in Oklahoma.\r\nAcross these regions, red and purple state universities are churning out climate research. In fact, conservative states' universities are home to some of the most prolific climate science departments and institutes.\r\nTexas A&M University, the alma mater of climate change-denying former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, produced 256 papers, covering topics like shifting summer monsoons in the Lone Star State, local surface temperature increases, atmospheric changes, and climate adaptation strategies.\r\nNorth Carolina State University produced 223 climate papers examining climate change and atmospheric chemistry, surface ozone, regional water research and precipitation  and it's home to the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, which helps coastal North Carolina grapple with rising sea levels, erosion, and flooding.\r\nIn Idaho, researchers from Boise State and the University of Idaho issued 164 climate papers covering threats like wildfires, bark beetles, shifting precipitation, rising temperatures, and disruption to ecosystems in national parks like Yellowstone. Idaho also has two academic centers focused on climate change, the Hazard and Climate Resiliency Consortium and the Center for Resilient Communities; for the staff at these centers, it's all climate, all the time.\r\nLet's look at what's happening in the home-state universities of Republican Senators on the EPW Committee. Here's what they'll find in their backyards:\r\nThe University of Wyoming produced 124 climate change papers, on wildfires, endangered species, Yellowstone National Park, and other climate topics. The university is home to both the state climatology office, and an atmospheric science department which does modeling and empirical climate research. Its faculty are working on subjects like the role of climate change and variability on vegetation and fire; using modern climate analogs to understand past environmental disturbances; developing web-based animated maps of climate; and development of 3D climate visualization tools to enhance learning approaches in the classroom. I wonder if the Wyoming delegation has visualized that.\r\nThe University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University published 183 climate change papers on things like southern plains grassland, rising temperatures, soil respiration, and much more. OU is home to the Oklahoma University Climate Science Center and the Department of the Interior's South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center. The Dean of University of Oklahoma's College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences has said, On the increasing strength of Earth sciences we can now state that global warming is unequivocal.' He has said: the fact that the planet's warming, and the fact that CO2's a greenhouse gas, and that fact that it's increasing in the atmosphere, and that it increases in the atmosphere due to humans--about those things, there's no debate. I'm not sure the Oklahoma delegation here has taken that in yet.\r\nWest Virginia and Marshall Universities have turned out dozens of climate change papers on precipitation, drought, tree growth, and much more. The West Virginia Mountaineers have a Mountain Hydrology Laboratory, which reports on climate change's important implications for management of fresh water resources. These include that the highlands region in the central Appalachian Mountains is expected to wet up, as warmer air carrying more moisture leads to what they call intensification of the water cycle, what you and I would call worse flooding. The Laboratory warns that the implications of this intensification are immense.\r\nThe University of Arkansas contributed 51 papers, and hosts the University of Arkansas Resiliency Center. Arkansas researchers warn of the need to reduce greenhouse gases, particularly including carbon dioxide and methane, because these gases' absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect. The University describes the greenhouse effect thus: these gases are trapped and held in the Earth's atmosphere, gradually increasing the temperature of the Earth's surface and air in the lower atmosphere. A University of Arkansas scientist predicts that the spread of plant species in nearly half the world's land areas could be affected by global warming by the end of the century.\r\nAlaska gets its own chapter of the report. In Alaska: Researchers at public institutions ... are studying changes in the marine environment and the impacts to the valuable marine resources Alaskan communities depend on. There are papers on thawing permafrost, and its effects on water quality, infrastructure, and habitat for fish and wildlife. There is research on what rapid ocean acidification, rising sea levels, and shifting fish stocks mean for coastal communities. And there is research into challenges facing Alaska's indigenous peoples fighting to protect their ancient way of life in a rapidly changing landscape.\r\nAlaska is home to three climate institutes: the Alaska Climate Research Center, the Alaska Climate Adaptation/Resource Center, and the Ocean Acidification Research Center.\r\nAlaskan researchers have written papers titled Permafrost is warming at a global scale, and Climate Change and Future Wildfire in the Western United States. The researchers don't mince words: projections of warming suggest that considerable change will occur to key snow parameters, possibly contributing to extensive infrastructure damage from thawing permafrost, an increased frequency of rain?on?snow events and reduced soil recharge in the spring due to shallow end?of?winter snowpack. Not hard to understand.\r\nIn the Dakotas, North Dakota State and the University of North Dakota are studying the effects of climate change on the Great Plains, the Mississippi River, land use and adaptation, and public policy. They're also home to the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Center, the Global Institute of Food Security and International Agriculture, and the Center for Regional Climate Studies. South Dakota State has issued dozens of studies on climate change, including what it will mean for the state's groundwater supply, maize and wheat crops, and precipitation levels.\r\nThe University of Mississippi and Mississippi State are studying what climate change will mean for sediment flows, droughts, watersheds, and water quality. They're looking at what climate change will mean for Mississippi's vitally important rice cropa crop that supports hundreds of rice farms in the state. And they do good coastal climate work with the Sea Grant program.\r\nAuburn, the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, and the University of Alabama Huntsville produced 140 climate papers in the Council's study. Auburn has an International Center for Climate and Global Change Research, and University of Alabama does climate change research at its Earth System Science Center.\r\nIowa State, all by itself, is responsible for 117 papers on climate change: on agriculturecorn, grazing lands, yields; on weatherprecipitation, droughts, temperature; even on beliefs and behavior related to climate change.\r\nLast, but certainly not least among EPW Republican states, is Indiana, home to two world-class universities doing extremely impressive work on climate change. Indiana University and Purdue combine for 289 papers. They are also home to the Center for the Study of Global Change at IU and Purdue's Climate Change Research Center.\r\nIt goes without saying that universities who study climate change, and who publish scientific papers on climate change, also teach climate change in their coursework. Maybe we should spend a week here in the Senate getting a refresher on the home-state science. But we don't. We waste week after week here, as the danger looms, the warnings pile up, and the research keeps coming about climate change in our home states. We will be the most clearly warned body in history of disaster ahead, yet  nothing.\r\nThe Council's report on state university climate research has these web diagrams, which show how climate change research focuses more and more on climate effects as they begin to happen, rather than just predictions. The diagrams show the areas our home-state universities are pinpointing with their research.\r\nHere's the web for the Southwest. The twelve public southwest universities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah show real-time effects of climate change like drought and wildfire. This points to direct links between tree mortality, drought, and climate. We depend on the Southwest for more than half of our specialty cropsvegetables, fruits, and nuts. Those are all things that don't do well in drought.\r\nHere's one for the Southeast, highlighting the universities' research on sea level rise, ocean acidification, adaptation, and management.\r\nHere's a different webnot a web of science and inquiry. No, this is the web of front groups and dark money organizations that the fossil fuel industry has used for decades to sow false doubt about all this science, and to deploy political muscle and propaganda to block action here in Congress. This is the Web of Denial, and it is paid by the fossil fuel industry to stymie progress in Congress on climate change.\r\nDo I need to remind anyone that the fossil fuel industry has a conflict of interest?\r\nIs it not time that Senators paid attention to the trusted science actually happening in their own home state universities, not to this corrupt Web of Denial propped up by the fossil fuel industry?\r\nThis Web of Denial has done nothing but lie.\r\nThey are provably wrong. Over and over.\r\nAnd yet they still control the United States Senate.\r\nLet me close with an anniversary we mark this week. Ten years ago this Friday, a full-page advertisement ran in the New York Times  a full-page ad pointing out that the science of climate change was already, by then, to use the word in the advertisement, irrefutable, and that the consequences of climate change would be catastrophic and irreversible. \r\nThe science, irrefutable, and the consequences, catastrophic and irreversible.\r\nWho signed that advertisement? Donald J. Trumpand his children, Donald Trump, Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump; they all signed it.\r\nI say to my colleagues, the science is there for you to see. For the truth of climate change; just turn to the researchers teaching your students in your state's own universities. They could tell you  just as Donald Trump and his family did ten years ago  that what we face is irrefutable and that its consequences will be catastrophic and irreversible  if we fail to act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/senator-whitehouse-in-senate-judiciary-nominations-hearing", "Senator Whitehouse in Senate Judiciary Nominations Hearing", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 4, 2019\nNominees include:\nPanel I\nAndrew Lynn Brasher, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit\nPanel II\nFernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California\nJohn C. Hinderaker, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona\nJoshua M. Kindred, to be United States District Judge for the District of Alaska\nScott H. Rash, to be United States District Judge for the District of Arizona\nMatthew T. Schelp, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-trump%E2%80%99s-newest-attack-working-families", "Cicilline Statement on Trumps Newest Attack on Working Families", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) released the following statement today after the Trump administration announced its new plan to kick more than 650,000 Americans, including approximately 7,300 Rhode Islanders off their Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program benefits by tightening work requirements for some recipients:\n\nThis administration has proven time and time again that they will say they are for working families and seniors while simultaneously trying to undermine programs they rely on to get by. Now they've stooped so low that they're trying to kick hundreds of thousands of folks off their SNAP benefits as we head into the holiday season. \n\nHouse Democrats won't stand idly by while President Trump continues his assault on hardworking families and seniors that are just trying to get ahead. This decision is a disgrace, and we will work to fix it.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-passes-bill-stop-bad-robocalls", "House Passes Bill to Stop Bad Robocalls", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  In 2019 alone, Rhode Islanders have received 121 MILLION robocalls and more than 53 BILLION robocalls have been placed nationally. U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) released the following statement following the passage of bipartisan, bicameral legislation to stop bad robocalls and protect Rhode Islanders from scammers, the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act (S. 151), in the House earlier today:\n\nRobocalls are not only annoying interruptions to our days. Many of them are nefarious attempts to scam people out of their money and confidential information. This comprehensive bill will finally require every call to be verified, empower the FCC to protect folks from scammers, and require that opt-in or opt-out robocall blocking be offered at no additional charge to consumers. I was proud to vote for this important legislation today, and I look forward to seeing the President sign it into law.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-votes-stop-bad-robocalls", "Langevin Votes to Stop Bad Robocalls", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of S. 151, the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, which will curb unlawful robocalls by requiring that landline and cellphone carriers offer free call-authentication technology and opt-in or opt-out robocall blocking. The bill, which is based on House legislation that Langevin cosponsored, will further help the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforce actions against unlawful robocallers and require that they work to stop one-ring scams; help the Department of Justice bring more prosecutions against criminal robocallers; and help identify and sanction phone companies responsible for the vast majority of unlawful robocalls. S. 151 passed the House by a vote of 417-3.\nI have heard clearly from constituents that robocalls are simply out of control. It is past time that we take tougher measures to protect consumers and hold the primary drivers of intrusive and disruptive robocalls accountable.\nThe TRACED Act will bring needed relief to the American people. Just this week, I joined seniors at a community event with local cybersecurity experts in Rhode Island's Second Congressional District to share online safety tips for the holiday season. Many in attendance took the opportunity to voice their frustrations and concerns about scam calls they received.\nIn an interconnected world that relies more each day on technology, it is imperative that we act to establish safeguards for landline and cellphone users and send a message to those who use this technology improperly that their actions will not be tolerated. The grief that irresponsible robocallers cause is completely unacceptable, and I am proud to support this legislation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/opening-statement-by-ranking-member-reed-at-sasc-hearing-on-gao-findings-of-inadequate-privatized-military-housing", "Opening Statement by Ranking Member Reed at SASC Hearing on GAO Findings of Inadequate Privatized Military Housing", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/03/2019Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to begin by again thanking the vast number of military families who have spoken out about the inadequate conditions of their privatized housing. I especially want to recognize any military families who have traveled here today for this hearing.\r\nToday we welcome Ms. Elizabeth Field from the GAO and the senior civilian and uniformed leadership of the military services. Ms. Field, I especially want to thank you and your team for your dedicated work thus far.\r\nThe GAO's findings thus far confirm the alarming trends we have heard from many military families. For example, the GAO found that the often quoted 87 percent satisfaction rate is misleading and unreliable, and that the records for resident requests for work orders and service calls are questionable. \r\nThis committee continues to receive complaints directly from military families. While the services have made strides since last February, many unacceptable problems with housing remain. I am still not convinced these private companies are doing everything in their power and invest as much as they can to improve the quality of homes for our military.\r\nI also have several questions that I ask be entered into the record that were requested directly by military families on the many issues with military treatment facilities and diagnosing medical problems caused by inadequate housing conditions.\r\nWhile the conference process is still underway for the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA, I remain confident that we will reach an agreement on legislation that will represent the most significant reform of privatized housing since its inception in 1996. We all still have a lot of work to do on addressing the systemic problems that have been discovered with privatized housing and I thank the chairman for convening this important and timely hearing.\r\nLastly, I want to take this opportunity  with the civilian and military leadership of each of the services present  to express my deep concern about the President's recent interference in war crimes cases involving members of the U.S. military. These comments follow my remarks on the floor of the Senate on November 21st.\r\nThe President has the power to pardon, but he has a responsibility to use that power wisely, not recklessly. Good order and discipline are critical and time-honored traits of the United States military  not only to enable military readiness and effectiveness, but also to ensure military men and women remain firmly tethered to our nation's moral and ethical principles in the most demanding wartime environments.\r\nSome have claimed that these cases were distractions and that President's intervention has somehow improved the morale of our military. On the contrary, President Trump's disregard for our military justice system risks undermining the confidence of our service members in the rule of law and their chain of command  especially those who were courageous enough to bring allegations of war crimes to light and testify against their teammates. When we do not hold our military personnel to appropriate standards of conduct, it also makes it more likely that they will face similar abuses on the battlefield and less likely that we will be able to hold our enemies accountable.\r\nThere is no one with more credibility on these issues than the late Senator John McCain who stated: This is a moral debate. It is about who we are. I don't mourn the loss of any terrorist's life. What I do mourn is what we lose when by official policy or official neglect we confuse or encourage those who fight this war for us to forget that best sense of ourselves. Through the violence, chaos, and heartache of war, through deprivation and cruelty and loss, we are always Americans, and different, stronger and better than those who would destroy us.\r\nThat is the standard we should demand from our military men and women and I believe the President's interference in these cases has done them a serious disservice.\r\nThank you.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-new-222-billion-submarine-contract-is-good-news-for-national-security-and-ri-economy", "Reed: New $22.2 Billion Submarine Contract is Good News for National Security & RI Economy", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/03/2019WASHINGTON, DC  After years of work in Congress promoting the importance of our submarine fleet, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, today hailed the Navy's decision to award a $22.2 billion multi-year contract to General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. to build nine new Virginia-class submarines, with an option for a tenth submarine that would potentially raise the overall contract value above $24 billion.\r\nReed says the Block V contract, which incorporates the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), will help strengthen our nation's defense capabilities, is cost effective for taxpayers, and ensures a stable workload at the company's Electric Boat (EB) shipyard in Quonset Point for many years to come. The Block V agreement means construction on Block V ships will commence this year, with deliveries scheduled from 2025 through 2029.\r\nThis contract is a major win for Rhode Island that will bring a host of economic benefits to the state. It means submarine production at Quonset stays on course and continues full speed ahead for the next decade and will lead to further jobs and investment in the state, said Senator Reed. I have worked closely with the Navy on submarine building for many years. These next generation submarines provide our forces with a distinct national security advantage. They are an unmatched tool for deterrence. The awarding of this contract is a testament to the skill and dedication of the men and women at Electric Boat who do an outstanding job of building these submarines. I will continue working hard to ensure the Navy maintains a steady, two-per-year production rate.\r\nVirginia-class submarines are known for their speed, stealth, maneuverability, and advanced technologies, which enhance their capabilities to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements, including: anti-submarine warfare; surface-ship warfare; special operations support; and intelligence gathering and reconnaissance capabilities.\r\nThe Block V contract will expand the size of the fleet, while also expanding the size of the submarines themselves and adding enhanced capabilities.\r\nThe eighteen Virginia-class submarines that have already been built weigh 7,800 tons, with a hull length of 377 feet and a diameter of 34 feet and are capable of travelling at submerged speeds of 25 knots and diving over 800 feet below the surface. The ships can remain submerged for weeks or months, with reactors capable of producing the crew's water and oxygen. The new Block V submarines with theVPM will weigh about 10,200 tons and have a length of 460 feet.\r\nAll the Block IV submarines are currently under various stages of construction.\r\nSenator Reed has led efforts to include provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to support a two-per-year production rate for new submarines. Reed, who also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, worked to include $7.4 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program and $3 billion to fully support the Columbia-class (Ohio-class Replacement) program in the 2019 NDAA.\r\nOn October 30, Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord sent a letter to Senator Reed and other members of Congress stating that the Navy estimated a savings of 6.8 percent for the nine-ship, Block V multi-year procurement contract to acquire new Virginia-class submarines with funds appropriated in fiscal years 2019 through 2023.\r\nLast year, Electric Boat broke ground on a 1.3-million-square-foot, $800-million multi-year expansion of its manufacturing facilities at Quonset. Senator Reed has worked for years to help fund improvements in and around the Quonset Business Park to help attract and retain business in the area.\r\nElectric Boat, which is a division of General Dynamics Corporation, manufactures Virginia-class submarines in partnership with Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. based in Newport News, Virginia. Electric Boat currently employs about 4,000 workers in Rhode Island.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/videos/reed-pays-tribute-to-senator-johnny-isakson", "Reed Pays Tribute to Senator Johnny Isakson", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Reed speaks about his relationship with retiring Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) on the Senate floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-bill-strengthen-us-portuguese-relations-passes-house", "Cicilline Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Portuguese Relations Passes House", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation today introduced by U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), the AMIGOS Act (H.R. 565), to increase trade and investment ties between Portugal and the United States by making Portuguese nationals eligible for E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrant visas. H.R. 565, which will make it easier for Portugal and the United States to do business with one another, now heads to the Senate.\n\nRhode Islanders know the tremendous contributions that Portuguese-Americans and Portuguese nationals make in every community across our state, Cicilline said. This legislation will break down barriers that currently limits Portuguese investments in American businesses and projects and will build upon an already strong relationship between our two countries. I'm proud to see this legislation pass the House with strong bipartisan support, and I look forward to it becoming law.\n\nAccording to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The E-1 nonimmigrant classification allows a national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation) to be admitted to the United States solely to engage in international trade on his or her own behalf. Certain employees of such a person or of a qualifying organization may also be eligible for this classification.\n\nSimilarly, an E-2 nonimmigrant classification allows a national of a treaty country (a country with which the United States maintains a treaty of commerce and navigation) to be admitted to the United States when investing a substantial amount of capital in a U.S. business.\n\nCicilline represents one of the largest Portuguese populations in the nation in Rhode Island's First District. In addition to leading efforts to strengthen U.S.-Portuguese relations as a co-chair of the Congressional Portuguese Caucus, he has previously introduced legislation to protect U.S. national security interests in the Azores and welcomed Portugal's Ambassador to the United States for an official visit to Rhode Island.\n\nThe bill now moves to the Senate where a bipartisan companion bill has been introduced by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Pat Toomey (R-PA).\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-us-navy-contract-electric-boat-virginia-class-submarines", "Langevin Statement on U.S. Navy Contract to Electric Boat for Virginia-class Submarines", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Langevin Statement on U.S. Navy Contract to Electric Boat for Virginia-class Submarines           \t\t  \n          Block V contract supports RI manufacturing and national security, provides more than $22 billion in funds for nine fast-attack submarines with advanced capabilities\t\t  \n           \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t \t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n               \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    WARWICK, R.I. -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, released the following statement regarding the awarding of a $22.2 billion U.S. Navy contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for the construction of nine fast-attack Virginia-class submarines. Much of the work under the contract will be carried out at Electric Boat facilities in Rhode Island, and it includes an option for a tenth ship, which raises the potential contract value to approximately $24 billion. In addition, eight of the ships produced will include the Virginia Payload Module (VPM), which will be built at a newly constructed Quonset Point facility.\nThe Block V multi-year contract awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat is the largest Navy contract in history and is good news for Rhode Island. The agreement directly supports the leading defense industry work being done on the shores of Rhode Island's Second Congressional District. The new contract backs our state's workforce and, most importantly, promotes long-term stability for our submarine fleet, which will further enhance national security by ensuring we have the most capable submarines and naval technology available in the years to come.\nThe new Virginia Payload Module represents a leap forward in capability for our submariners. The next-generation of submarines will enable new missions by our special operations forces and support additional sensors and payloads to maintain our tactical edge. I am incredibly proud that the VPMs will be built by Rhode Islanders and that my work on the Armed Services Committee has ensured that eight of the nine vessels in the Block V contract will have this new technology.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-files-supreme-court-brief-in-bridgegate-case", "Whitehouse Files Supreme Court Brief in \u2018Bridgegate\u2019 Case", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.02.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Files Supreme Court Brief in Bridgegate' Case \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC  Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Rhode Island Attorney General and U.S. Attorney, filed a friend-of-the-court brief last week in the Bridgegate case pending before the Supreme Court. Whitehouse argues in favor of federal laws and juries to protect the public from the corrupting influence of powerful special interests spending unlimited amounts of money to control the levers of Americans' government.\r\n[A] jurisprudence has emerged at the Supreme Court that dramatically narrowed the definition of corruption in the criminal law, limiting how the public through juries can hold its elected officials accountable. At the same time, the Court's jurisprudence in campaign-finance decisions has been inattentive to the corrupting influence of unlimited spending in elections. In consequence, citizens today face both more corruption and less ability to defend themselves from it, undermining the health of our democracy. Whitehouse writes. I urge, in responding to those facts, that the Court not further hobble the public's capacity in regulating political misdeeds, and that the Court affirm the Founders' legacy to us of a robust jury role in deterring and punishing public corruption.\r\nThe Bridgegate case, Kelly v. United States, stems from the 2013 controversy in New Jersey over then-Governor Chris Christie's lane closure on the George Washington Bridge. The plaintiff, Bridget Anne Kelly, was the senior Christie aide who ordered the closing of the lane on the busy bridge between New Jersey and New York. Kelly argues that her conviction under federal fraud statutes is invalid because she was simply engaging in ordinary political conduct.\r\nWhitehouse underscores the importance of the jury in our legal system as a safeguard against unchecked political power and that a weak, narrow definition of corruption in federal law diminishes a jury's power.\r\nThe jury is an essential tool, preserved in the Constitution, for regulating political power, protecting the general public, and fighting corruption, Whitehouse continues. The Founders left that tool to the People for good reason. Defining corruption narrowly undermines the jury in this important governmental role, and by limiting the number and the types of cases that juries can hear, undercuts the People's power to defend themselves against political corruption.\r\nWhitehouse has submitted several briefs to the Supreme Court in cases involving special interests and government corruption. In August, Whitehouse's brief in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York, which called out the increasingly partisan voting record of the Supreme Court, stirred a significant response from special interest groups and ideological commentators. Many of those groups and commentators were linked to the influence campaign  funded lavishly by largely anonymous donors  to tilt the federal judiciary in corporate and partisan interests' favor.\r\nThe Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in the Bridgegate case early next year and render a decision by June 2020.\r\nRead Whitehouse's full brief here.\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-applauds-directive-requiring-federal-agencies-have-vulnerability-disclosure", "Langevin Applauds Directive Requiring Federal Agencies to Have Vulnerability Disclosure Policies", "2019-11-27", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus and a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, issued a statement regarding the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) draft binding operational directive entitled: Develop and Publish a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy. Langevin has long supported vulnerability disclosure policies (VDPs) as a way to improve the Internet ecosystem, and legislation he authored with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to require a VDP at the Department of Homeland Security was included in last year's SECURE Technology Act.\nThis is a banner day for federal agency cybersecurity. The Internet was not built with security in mind, and while it will never be 100 percent secure, this decision will go a long way toward enhancing our defenses. Vulnerability disclosure policies are the front door through which well-meaning security researchers can alert system owners about security problems in the configuration or the code of the software they're using. From my visits to DEF CON and my time talking to the security research community, I know the important contributions these diverse individuals can make to improving our nation's cybersecurity. What's more, I recognize that most security researchers are looking for the right way to report the vulnerabilities they come across. CISA's decision to require every agency to have a vulnerability disclosure policy is a major step forward in both increasing security and extending an open hand to a community that is on the front lines of securing our nation in cyberspace.\nImplementing this directive will take time, and I appreciate the glide path CISA has provided for agencies to move systems into scope. Agencies must recognize, however, that disclosure policies are long-standing practices with international standards on implementation and that they have a responsibility to move quickly to improve their remediation processes. Congress will need to conduct close oversight of the rollout of this directive to ensure every agency is taking advantage of the talented individuals looking to make the cyber ecosystem safer.\nToday's directive would not have been possible without the leadership of CISA Director Chris Krebs. The directive builds on an Office of Management and Budget memorandum issued this morning and on important work done at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to provide guidance on coordinated vulnerability disclosure. Vulnerability disclosure policies in government were pioneered at the Department of Defense, through the Hack the Pentagon program, and the General Services Administration, and both agencies deserve full credit for working with the Department of Justice to provide a scalable legal framework for the policies consistent with federal law.\nWe all recognize that there is a talent shortage that is impeding our ability to improve federal cybersecurity. Today, we are stating clearly that the many security researchers around the country can and should help their country by reporting problems when they see them. We need their help  after all, the malicious actors in cyberspace aren't going to give us a heads up when they find a vulnerability. I look forward to continuing my work to strengthen bonds with the security research community so that we can take advantage of their skills and make the Internet a safer place.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-duckworth-van-hollen-and-merkley-blast-trump-epa-methane-rule-as-giveaway-to-fossil-fuel-industry", "Whitehouse, Duckworth, Van Hollen, and Merkley Blast Trump EPA Methane Rule as Giveaway to Fossil Fuel Industry", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.26.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Duckworth, Van Hollen, and Merkley Blast Trump EPA Methane Rule as Giveaway to Fossil Fuel Industry \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Fossil fuel lackeys riddled throughout the EPA are rigging the rules in polluting industries' favor, senators write in methane rule comment\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC  Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) are taking the Trump Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to task for dramatically rolling back standards for methane emissions from oil and gas facilities, calling Trump's methane proposal the product of a captured agency. In an official comment on the Trump administration's methane rule, the senators lay out how the proposal would benefit oil and gas companies at the expense of Americans' environment and public health.\r\nThe senators point to a mountain of evidence that the Trump administration is controlled by the same fossil fuel interests the EPA is charged with regulating. Companies and individuals in the oil and gas and mining sectors have been prolific donors to Trump's campaign as well as outside spending groups supporting his reelection. Lobbyists and attorneys for oil and gas interests have also occupied top positions in the Trump administration.\r\nThe Trump EPA has also acted consistently in the fossil fuel industry's favor when it comes to methane regulations, the senators write. Within weeks of former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt taking control of the agency, the EPA withdrew its request that oil and gas companies provide detailed information regarding methane emissions at facilities they operatean assessment that academic studies suggest would seriously damage the case for natural gas as a less dangerous air pollutant than other fuels.\r\nBeginning in June 2017, the Trump EPA launched an effort to delay implementation of the Obama administration's stronger methane standards. Even while the Trump EPA has struggled to defend its actions in court, Pruitt and his successor, Andrew Wheeler, have consistently pressed to delay implementation and unwind key aspects of the methane protections.\r\nThroughout, the Trump administration has refused to develop and issue new rules for methane emissions from existing sources in the oil and gas sector, ignoring its obligation under the Clean Air Act. This has triggered legal action against the EPA from 15 states and the city of Chicago.\r\nCollectively, these decisions are estimated to save oil and gas companies  many of them donors to the Trump campaign and/or outside spending groups affiliated with him  hundreds of millions of dollars, the senators point out.\r\nA PDF copy of the senators' comment can be accessed here.\r\n\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-leahy-share-new-information-implicating-justice-department-official-in-false-statements", "Whitehouse, Leahy Share New Information Implicating Justice Department Official in False Statements", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.26.19\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Leahy Share New Information Implicating Justice Department Official in False Statements \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Documents show Former Civil Rights Division principal deputy John Gore appears to have violated Department ethics rules | Gore submitted an inaccurate statement that forced DOJ to issue a correction in federal court, Department acknowledges\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC  Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have shared with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility a Justice Department letter correcting statements by John Gore, former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department letter confirms that Gore was not truthful in a sworn declaration in ongoing open records litigation between the Department and a watchdog group. The senators also shared with the Office of Professional Responsibility a memo from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that details new evidence implicating Gore in efforts to create a pretextual justification for attempting to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.\r\nIn October, Whitehouse and Leahy requested an ethics investigation of Gore after documents surfaced contradicting Gore's sworn declaration. The Department letter the senators shared with the Office of Professional Responsibility acknowledges that Mr. Gore's previous sworn statement describing the nature of his relationship with a Republican Party election official . . . was inaccurate, Whitehouse and Leahy write in a letter transmitting the new information.\r\nDocuments obtained by the senators through a separate Freedom of Information Act request by the watchdog group American Oversight show Gore taking action as a Department official to pursue allegations of voting irregularities in Chicago brought to his attention by a Republican political operative. Gore went so far as to elevate the allegations to the Trump White House. The documents contradicted the declaration Gore submitted under penalty of perjury in federal court denying the official-capacity nature of his communications with the operative. Gore's lack of candor with the tribunal may run afoul of several rules of professional conduct for Department officials, and calls into question the Department's continued reliance on Mr. Gore's apparently untruthful testimony. To the extent the Department continues to rely in ongoing litigation on testimony it knows to be false, that raises separate, serious ethical questions for Department ethics officials to resolve.\r\nThe Department's continued reliance on Mr. Gore's testimony is further complicated by the new report from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Documents included in that report contradict Gore's testimony that he, not a Department of Commerce official, originally drafted the December 2017 DOJ letter to the Census Bureau that formally requested a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. In the letter, DOJ argued that the administration sought a citizenship question to protect racial minorities' voting rightsan argument the Supreme Court has rejected for appearing contrived. Last year, Gore admitted that a citizenship question was not necessary to enforce the Voting Rights Act. House Oversight's new documents confirm that the administration's true motivation for adding the question was to aid Republican redistricting efforts by diminishing minority votes.\r\nFull text of the senators' letter sent Monday is below. A PDF copy of the senators' letter and attachments are available here.\r\nA PDF copy of the senators' October referral with accompanying appendix is available here.\r\n\r\nNovember 25, 2019\r\n\r\nMr. Jeffrey Ragsdale\r\nActing Director and Chief Counsel\r\nOffice of Professional Responsibility\r\nU.S. Department of Justice\r\n950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 3266\r\nWashington, DC 20530-0001\r\n\r\nDear Director Ragsdale:\r\nWe write to follow up about two developments relevant to our October 4, 2019, request that your office review the conduct of John Gore, former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ, or the Department), as well as other attorneys representing DOJ in matters involving Mr. Gore.\r\nFirst, please find attached DOJ's November 18, 2019, submission filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, in the litigation underlying our October 4 referral, Brennan Center for Justice et al. v. U.S. Dep't of Justice et al., 17 Civ. 6335. See Exhibit A. After plaintiffs in that matter brought our October 4 referral to the court's attention, DOJ filed this letter indicating that it had recently learned additional information indicating that certain statements in Mr. Gore's declaration (and by extension, defendants' prior motion papers) require correction. The letter acknowledges that Mr. Gore's previous sworn statement describing the nature of his relationship with a Republican Party election official, described in our October 4 referral, was inaccurate. In the event that this development has not yet been brought to your attention, we thought it would be relevant to your review.\r\nSecond, a November 12, 2019, memo from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform details new evidence implicating Mr. Gore's truthfulness in litigation regarding the origins of a letter requesting the addition of a question about citizenship to the Census. This evidence casts further doubt on Mr. Gore's credibility and raises concerns about DOJ's continued reliance on his testimony. Enclosed please find the House Committee on Oversight and Reform's November 12, 2019, oversight report (Exhibit B) and Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to File Sur-reply in Support of Sanctions in State of New York, et al. v. U.S. Dep't of Commerce, et al., which, again, we believe should be relevant to your review (Exhibit C).\r\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter.\r\n\r\n###\r\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-fitzpatrick-trone-urge-airlines-make-travel-safer-ahead-busy-holiday-season", "Langevin, Fitzpatrick, Trone Urge Airlines to Make Travel Safer Ahead of Busy Holiday Season", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) was joined by Congressman Brian Fitzpartrick (R-PA) and Congressman David Trone (D-MD) in issuing joint letters urging airlines to carry opioid overdose medication, such as naloxone, to make air travel safer ahead of what is projected to be a busy holiday travel season. The request to take this proactive public safety measures comes after a fatal overdose on board an airline over the summer. Four million Americans are expected to fly over the Thanksgiving holiday this year.\nThe intent of this request is to save lives, said Langevin. Travel this holiday season is expected to hit historic highs, and the safety of airline passengers should be our top priority. A person's chance of survival should not depend on the airline they choose. I strongly urge air carriers that are not carrying naloxone to do so as soon as possible.\nTo date, some air carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, have voluntarily agreed to stock naloxone on their planes. The letters, which were sent to the CEOs of Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Allegiant Air, encourage them to protect their passengers by taking similar steps.\nNaloxone is a critical, life-saving drug. Flight crews should be equipped to handle any medical emergency, said Fitzpatrick. Carrying naloxone is an easy way for airlines to ensure the safety of their passengers. I'm glad to see that several airlines have begun carrying naloxone on commercial flights, and I hope to see others soon follow.\nNaloxone has saved thousands of lives by reversing the effects of an overdose, and we should make sure this life-saving drug is available in as many places as we possibly can, said Trone, founder of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. This holiday travel season and always, airlines should ensure that all passengers make it safely to their destinations by carrying naloxone to prevent any more deaths from this horrible epidemic.\nThe letters issued to airlines this week follow correspondence with officials from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in August that was led by the congressmen and that requested regulations requiring the inclusion of naloxone in emergency medical kits of all certified passenger aircrafts. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, in his response to the letter, acknowledged the need to update emergency medical kits to include opioid antagonists. He also stated that as the FAA continues to pursue regulatory options, the agency will seek to encourage the expeditious and voluntary inclusion of opioid antagonists in the [medical] kits.\nIn July, news media reported that a passenger lost their life to an overdose on a flight from Boston to Los Angeles. Flight attendants responded to the medical emergency but did not have immediate access to medicine that could rapidly reverse the overdose. The August letter and the letter sent today are backed by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA).\n\"We urge all airlines to carry naloxone onboard as soon as possible. Responding to opioid overdoses with life-saving medication like naloxone is essential and should be included in Emergency Medical Kits onboard, said Sara Nelson, President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines. AFA has been raising this as a critical issue to the FAA. Passenger medical emergencies have and will continue to include opioid overdoses. Aviation's First Responders need to have the tools to save lives.\"\nThe FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 required the FAA to evaluate modifications to the equipment required as part of emergency medical kits. As part of the review, the FAA asked the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) to study current requirements. AsMA recommended that medical kits be updated to include opioid overdose reversal drugs, and the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine has concurred with that finding.\nOver the last 20 years, the opioid overdose epidemic has claimed the lives of over 400,000 Americans, including an estimated 70,000 in 2017.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-dismissal-navy-secretary-richard-spencer", "Langevin Statement on the Dismissal of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities (IETC), issued the following statement regarding the dismissal of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer:\nI thank Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer for his distinguished service to our nation and for discharging his duties with honor. I am deeply concerned by the events surrounding Secretary Spencer's dismissal. His professional pedigree speaks for itself in his commitment to holding SEALS to the highest degree of professionalism and morality, consistent with the elite role they occupy.\nUnfortunately, President Trump's actions in recent weeks have continued a pattern of unstable and reckless conduct toward the military. By interfering in appropriate military administrative channels, President Trump is doing lasting damage to the fabric of good order and discipline that will take years if not generations to repair. His actions send a dangerous message to special operations forces that the laws of war do not always apply.\nAs Americans, we understand what it means to value human rights and the rule of law, as they are concepts woven into our founding documents, from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution. We uphold these values in times of peace and war, and it remains a cornerstone of American exceptionalism. We must ensure that our special operators remain known as the Quiet Professionals I know they are, acting with valor, courage, honor, and a commitment to accountability. The decision to dismiss Secretary Spencer further instills undue division within our nation and armed forces during a critical period.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-president-trumps-war-crimes-intervention_", "Reed Statement on President Trump\u2019s War Crimes Intervention", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/25/2019WASHINGTON, DC  Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:\r\nThis was an outrageous, irresponsible interference by President Trump in the military justice system. The White House's handling of this matter erodes the basic command structure of the military and the basic function of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.\r\nIt signals to people that they can operate outside the rule of law and the Geneva Convention. Frankly, this is reminiscent of what happened leading up to Abu Ghraib, where the Bush Administration signaled that the rules don't apply. They were wrong then and President Trump is wrong now.\r\nOur military leaders work hard to instill integrity, good order, and discipline, all of which seem to be in short supply at the Trump White House.\r\nWe still need more information, and we're working to get at the facts. But clearly, Spencer's forced resignation is another consequence of the disarray brought about by President Trump's inappropriate involvement in the military justice system and the disorder and dysfunction that has been a constant presence in this Administration.\r\nLast week, Senator Reed spoke about this issue on the floor of the U.S. Senate.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-mcgahn-ruling", "Cicilline Statement on McGahn Ruling", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON - Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chair David N. Cicilline (RI-01), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement tonight:\n\nJudge Jackson's ruling makes clear that no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States, and that witnesses must comply with subpoenas issued by Congress in connection with an impeachment inquiry.\n\nThe Court completely rejected the Administration's position that officials may claim absolute immunity' and refuse to testify before Congress. Further, the Court agreed with counsel for the Judiciary Committee, finding no basis in the law for such a claim and ordering the witness to comply with the subpoena. \n\nFormer White House Counsel Don McGahn must now testify before Congress about what he witnessed during his time in the White House. The same is true for former national security adviser John Bolton and other administration witnesses.\n\nThis is a good day for anyone who values the rule of law. Both Mr. McGahn and Mr. Bolton should comply with this ruling without any further delay.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-urges-trump-not-to-betray-americas-core-values-or-people-of-hong-kong", "Reed Urges Trump Not to Betray America\u2019s Core Values or People of Hong Kong", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/22/2019WASHINGTON, DC- On the heels of the U.S. Senate unanimously approving the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and the U.S. House of Representatives voting 417 to 1 in favor of the bill, President Trump  who pledged to be tough on China' - is now waffling over whether he will sign the bill into law.\r\nCosponsored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act supports human rights and democracy in Hong Kong amidst an escalating crackdown and interference by the Chinese Communist Party. This legislation would impose financial sanctions or travel restrictions against foreign persons determined to be responsible for extrajudicial rendition, arbitrary detention, torture, or forced confession of people in Hong Kong, or other gross violations of human rights in Hong Kong.\r\nTrump Administration officials initially indicated President Trump would sign the bill, however, after China demanded he veto it, President Trump appears to have backed down, telling reporters: We have to stand with Hong Kong, but I'm also standing with President Xi. He's a friend of mine.\r\nToday, U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement:\r\nPresident Trump's simplistic, personalist view of foreign policy is a coup for Beijing's repressive style of government, but it weakens America and undermines our values. President Trump should not betray America's core values or the people of Hong Kong. His incompetent and destructive trade war has been a complete disaster and he seems to think that kowtowing to Xi now will miraculously change that fact. It won't. Instead of fawning over Xi, he should be urging him to call off the brutal campaign of repression in both Hong Kong and Xinjiang and engage in serious diplomacy. Signing the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act is the right thing to do and it would show China's Communist Party leaders that the United States does not back down from upholding human rights or democracy. The American people and the United States Congress clearly stand with the people of Hong Kong, even if President Trump does not.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-langevin-bill-honoring-rhode-island-icon-become-law", "Cicilline, Langevin Bill Honoring Rhode Island Icon to Become Law", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  The U.S. Senate today passed legislation to honor Elizabeth Buffum Chace, a 19th century Rhode Island abolitionist, by renaming the U.S. Post Office located at 575 Dexter Street in Central Falls. U.S. Congressmen David N. Cicilline (RI-01) and James Langevin (RI-02) introduced the proposal, H.R. 2451, which the U.S. House passed last month. It now awaits the President's signature.\n\nThe unanimous support for Elizabeth Buffum Chace from both chambers of Congress is a testament to her life of service and tremendous legacy that lives on to this day, Cicilline said. I thank Mayor Diossa and my colleagues in Congress for recognizing the importance of this legislation. I look forward to seeing it signed into law.\n\nCongress has spoken with one voice to pay homage to Elizabeth Buffum Chace and honor the impact of her exemplary and selfless work, said Langevin. She embodied the best of the American spirit, risking it all to help others in their pursuit of freedom and justice. I'm proud to have introduced this legislation with my colleagues to recognize such a significant Rhode Island figure.\n\nA Rhode Island native, Elizabeth Buffum Chace was born in Providence in 1806 to activist parents who were vocal opponents of slavery. Growing up, her parents harbored runaway slaves seeking refuge in the state. She went on to follow in her footsteps as a leader of the abolitionist movement and eventually opened her home to runaway slaves as well.\n\nChace also spent much of her adult life fighting for women's rights and reforms to the state's prison system. She worked tirelessly to improve the lives of every Rhode Islander, including in various leadership roles in the women's suffrage and penal system reform movements. Chace came to call what would become Central Falls home, seeing it incorporated four years before her death in 1899.\n\nA companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Central Falls Mayor James A. Diossa first proposed dedicating the Post Office in Chace's honor to Cicilline earlier this year.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-thompson-introduce-bill-strengthen-career-counseling-middle-and-high-schools", "Langevin, Thompson Introduce Bill to Strengthen Career Counseling in Middle and High Schools", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 14, 2019\nWASHINGTON  Today, in recognition of National Career Development Week, Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Glenn GT' Thompson (R-PA), co-chairs of the Congressional Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, introduced the Counseling for Career Choice Act, bipartisan legislation that would make new investments in school counseling to better prepare students for educational and career opportunities.\nCareer counselors provide critical guidance to students and help ensure they are on track for future success, said Congressman Langevin. Career counselors are most effective when they are up-to-speed on the latest information on workforce development programs and trends in the local job market. My bipartisan bill with Congressman Thompson will leverage input from local educators, businesses, and community leaders to build and improve statewide career counseling frameworks, ensuring school counselors have the resources and training they need to help their students succeed.\nEmpowering students with the tools to succeed starts with making well informed decisions,  said Congressman Glenn GT' Thompson. With effective counseling, we can help close our nation's skills gap and put learners of all ages in the driver's seat of their own futures.\nThe Counseling for Career Choice Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide grants to states to implement statewide career counseling frameworks that are developed in coordination with community stakeholders, including schools and local businesses. It is supported by the National Career Development Association (NCDA), the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Advance CTE, the American School Counselors Association, and the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers.\nInformed career choice is vital to the success of students. The availability of career development services throughout the educational experience plays a critical role in that process, said Dr. Kathy Evans, President of the National Career Development Association. NCDA commends the efforts of this Act which will provide comprehensive support for students to make inspiring career choices and empower their lives.\nSchool counselors and guidance and career development professionals play a critical role in the career and technical education system, said LeAnn Wilson, Executive Director of the Association for Career and Technical Education. We know that students trust these professionals to help them make informed decisions and plan for their futures, and these grants will help strengthen these critical student services. ACTE is pleased to endorse the bill and is grateful for the leadership of Representatives Langevin and Thompson.\nStates will use Counseling for Career Choice Act grant funds to carry out the following activities:\n Develop and implement comprehensive school career counseling programs that align with the statewide career counseling framework;\n\tIdentify regional workforce trends in collaboration with state and regional workforce partners, and establish partnerships between counselors and states' Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act One-Stop Centers;\n\tIdentify and assess school counseling activities and postsecondary options for youth, including out-of-school youth and adults;\n\tDevelop and implement professional development and certification programs for counselors; and\n\tSupport the statewide career counseling framework by leveraging technologies and developing a process for counselors to access information and resources.\n Text of the Counseling for Career Choice Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 1059, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "RI", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 1059, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 1059, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "RI", "label": "RI", "count": 1059, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 1059, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-11-22,https~3A~2F~2Flangevin~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Flangevin-thompson-introduce-bill-strengthen-career-counseling-middle-and-high-schools", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=RI&year=2019&_next=2019-11-22%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Flangevin~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Flangevin-thompson-introduce-bill-strengthen-career-counseling-middle-and-high-schools&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 116.40532594174147, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}