{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Independent\", state = \"ME\" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/maine-veterans-supporting-fellow-veterans", "Maine Veterans Supporting Fellow Veterans", "2017-12-30", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\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             Maine Veterans Supporting Fellow Veterans", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-december-podcast-king-highlights-maine-veterans-supporting-fellow-veterans", "In December Podcast, King Highlights Maine Veterans Supporting Fellow Veterans", "2017-12-30", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In December Podcast, King Highlights Maine Veterans Supporting Fellow Veterans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, December 30, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBRUNSWICK, ME U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the December edition of his Inside Maine podcast. In this edition, Senator King speaks with Travis Mills, a retired Army veteran, quadruple amputee and founder of the Travis Mills Foundation in Maine. Senator King then speaks with Jack Richards, a veteran and board member of the Veteran Mentors of Maine program. Senator King and his guests discuss how best help Maine veterans successfully transition into civilian life after service.\r\nMaine has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the country; theyre our friends, our neighbors, and our heroes, said Senator King. These veterans deserve our utmost gratitude, and our continuous support  particularly as they transition back into civilian life. Thats why it was so great to talk with Travis Mills and Jack Richards, both veterans themselves who have gone the extra mile to help struggling veterans regain a sense of purpose and direction. Travis and Jacks efforts give these men and women an opportunity to realize their full potential  it was an honor to speak to them and learn more about their important and meaningful work.\r\nRetired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne is a motivational speaker and advocate for veterans and amputees. While serving in Afghanistan in 2012, Travis lost portions of both his arms and legs in Afghanistan from an IED. He is only one of five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive the injuries. Since then, hes created the Travis Mills Foundation, a Maine-based non-profit aimed at supporting injured veterans and their families. The Foundations work includes the establishment of the Travis Mills Foundation Veteran Retreat, which brings injured veterans and their family to Maine in order to help the veterans overcome physical obstacles with the support of family members. Jack Richards serves on the board of the Veteran Mentors of Maine, a non-profit organization that supports and mentors Maine veterans in the justice system.\r\nSince arriving in Washington, Senator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. Earlier this month, Senator King announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs will fund three new positions in Maine to better serve justice-involved Maine veterans confronting homelessness, mental health or substance abuse issues  a move which comes after his February letter to the Department urging additional resources on the topic. Over Veterans Day weekend, he joined members of the community toobserve Veterans Day at Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou, where he provided keynote remarks and participated in the wreath laying ceremony. He also spoke at the opening of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport, and presented World War II Veteran and Penobscot Tribal Elder with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Last month, Sen. King also announced his support fortwo bills to protect and support American veterans.\r\nThese are just the latest examples of Senator Kings support for Maines veteran population. Through his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has supported multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support American veterans. In the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, Senator Kingcosponsored a bipartisan amendment authored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that would encourage cooperation and integration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense with their electronic health care record systems to improve the transition from active duty to veteran status and ensure that veterans wont have to wait to gain access to the health care services they have earned. He also supported an amendment authored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that would encourage the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to assess the feasibility of establishing a joint office to house an interagency task force on suicide prevention. Senator King supports the coordination between the departments so that those who have served do not slip through the cracks. He is a strong supporter of theVeterans Choice Program, which helps veterans across Maine and the nation receive health care within their communities and allows veterans in Northern Maine to seamlessly utilize community care as they formerly did under the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot.In August, the President signed into lawVeterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act,legislation he cosponsored that would overhaul the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) appeals process.\r\nThe Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator Kings work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator Kings podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month.\r\nA link to the December podcast can be found HERE.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-application-period-for-assistance-to-firefighters-grant", "Collins, King Announce Application Period for Assistance to Firefighters Grant", "2017-12-21", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce Application Period for Assistance to Firefighters Grant\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 21, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin accepting applications for grant funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program on Tuesday, December 26 at 8:00am. The application period will close Friday, February 2, 2018 at 5:00pm.This year, Maine applicants received more than $2.3 million in grants ranging from $10,000 to $349,143 in FY16 funds.\r\nThe Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program provides invaluable support to the firefighters and emergency health professionals who risk their lives protecting us every day, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. We encourage Maine fire departments and emergency organizations to apply for funding through this program to help obtain the vital resources they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.\r\nThe AFG Program funding assists fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations in improving their emergency response capabilities. The program provides federal funding that enables these organizations to purchase equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources to better protect emergency personnel and the communities they serve.\r\nSenator Collins serves as the Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Senator King is a member of the Caucus.\r\nGrant guidance for fire departments and other organizations interested in applying for AFG grants can be found HERE and the AFG Get Ready Guide can be found HERE. Applicants that require assistance should contact the AFG Help Desk by email at firegrants@fema.dhs.gov or by calling 1-866-274-0960.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-calls-on-senate-leaders-to-prioritize-public-health-funding", "King Calls on Senate Leaders to Prioritize Public Health Funding", "2017-12-20", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Calls on Senate Leaders to Prioritize Public Health Funding\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 20, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) urged Senate leaders to continue funding the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) at current levels. The letter comes as the Congress discusses a plan to continue funding the government that threatens to cut $6.35 billion in funding from the PPHF.\r\nPrevention remains one of the key means by which our nation can combat public health outbreaks and emergencies, Senator King wrote in the letter. Prevention is also very cost effective  while the nation at large spends $3 trillion annually on health care, less than 3 percent of this amount is dedicated to prevention and public health. The federal government plays a critical role in managing public health. Prevention and public health efforts are particularly critical for states like Maine with a substantial rural component.\r\nThe Prevention and Public Health Fund, created as part of the Affordable Care Act, represents the nations largest investment in prevention initiatives and is used to fund critical public health programs  including childhood immunizations, smoking cessation, and lead poisoning prevention  in every state. Maine has also received block grants, allowing the state to pursue innovative approaches to unique local health problems.\r\nSince 2010, Maine has received $39 million in funding from the PPHF, including nearly $5 million in FY 2017. Under the original proposal to fund the government, the state stands to lose $14.8 million over the next five years, more than half of the previously budged amount.\r\nThe text of the letter, which was sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) can be found HERE and below.\r\n\r\n++++\r\nDecember 20, 2017\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Chuck Schumer\r\nMajority Leader Minority Leader\r\nUnited States Senate United States Senate\r\nWashington DC 20510  Washington DC 20510\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Orrin Hatch The Honorable Ron Wyden\r\nChair, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee\r\nUnited States Senate United States Senate\r\nWashington DC 20510  Washington DC 20510\r\nDear Senators McConnell, Schumer, Hatch, and Wyden,\r\nI write to express serious concern about H.J.Res. 124, the continuing resolution and Childrens Health Insurance Program authorization extension, which executes drastic cuts to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, to a total of $6.35 billion. As the Senate works to fund the government and reauthorize a critical guarantor of child health, I encourage you to avoid further cutting the PPHF from current levels.\r\nPrevention remains one of the key means by which our nation can combat public health outbreaks and emergencies. Prevention is also very cost effectivewhile the nation at large spends $3 trillion annually on health care, less than 3 percent of this amount is dedicated to prevention and public health. The federal government plays a critical role in managing the public health.\r\nPrevention and public health efforts are particularly crucial for states like Maine with a substantial rural component. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that rural areas of the United States bear higher rates of all manner of conditions, from higher infant mortality to greater rates of death from heart disease, cancer, lower respiratory diseases, and stroke. In many cases, the costs to treat preventable conditions that advance to chronic disease are 7 (or more) times those of preventive measures.\r\nMaine has received $39 million from the PPHF since 2010, and these funds have gone to support evidence-based community prevention activities specifically tailored to meet local needs and preferences. For example, in FY 16 alone:\r\n \r\nMaine received approximately $75,000 for tobacco use prevention. This money was then used to air the CDCs Tips from Smokers campaign, yielding a 443 percent increase to 1-800-QUIT-NOW in the first week alone.\r\nMaine received $1.2 million in grants for the Maine CDC to help program and coordinate four CDC programs (diabetes; heart disease and stroke; nutrition, physical activity, and obesity; and school health) that work to prevent chronic diseases by addressing common risk factors, particularly among youth and critical populations.\r\nThe Epidemiology and Lab Capacity Grants provided Maine with $641,429 to support the ability of local health departments to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.\r\nThe state Department of Health and Human Services received $1.68 million to improve access to vaccines, both to children and adults.\r\nThe Preventive Health and Health Service block grant provided Maine with $1.56 million, allowing Maine to address its own unique public health challenges in innovative and locally determined fashion.\r\n \r\nUnder the terms of H.J.Res. 124, Maine stands to lose $14.8 million over the next five years, a cut of more than half the amount previously budgeted. This will severely hamper efforts to provide for Mainers public health and wellbeing.\r\nThere is an old saying that used to be more common than it is now: Lets not be penny-wise and pound-foolish. When it comes to the health of Mainers and, indeed, all Americans, being penny wise on prevention will result only in dollar-foolish spending of several times more money to treat the more serious resulting conditions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/following-update-from-cms-king-announces-that-special-enrollment-period-for-maine-people-affected-by-october-storm-runs-through-december-31st_", "Following Update from CMS, King Announces That Special Enrollment Period for Maine People Affected by October Storm Runs Through December 31st", "2017-12-19", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following Update from CMS, King Announces That Special Enrollment Period for Maine People Affected by October Storm Runs Through December 31st  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tIndividuals Affected By October Wind Storm Do Not Need to Provide Additional Documentation To Qualify; In November, King Wrote Letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma Requesting Extension\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 19, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) and healthcare assisters working to sign Maine people up for healthcare through the Affordable Care Act have received additional guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, telling them that people in Maine affected by Octobers wind storm can sign up for coverage through December 31st, and will not require any additional documentation to qualify. The new information provides an update to CMS Administrator Seema Vermas response to Senator Kings request for an extension of open enrollment for affected areas of Maine.\r\nThe October wind storm caused hundreds of thousands of Maine people to lose power just as the Open Enrollment period began, Senator King said. In what was already a shortened open enrollment period, those were valuable days during which many in Maine were not able to explore the different plans available or purchase coverage. Im grateful to CMS and Administrator Verma for recognizing the hardship this posed to our state, and urge our states affected citizens to take advantage of this renewed opportunity to secure healthcare for 2018.\r\nPer Administrator Vermas letter to Senator King, any resident of Maine who did not secure coverage by the end of the Open Enrollment Period and was affected by the wind storm should contact the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to speak with a Marketplace representative.\r\nThe ACAs Open Enrollment Period, which ended on December 15th,had previously been shortened from 12 weeks to 6 weeks, and included a 12 hour shutdown of the Affordable Care Act website during most weekends. Earlier this year, Senator King hosted three events in South Portland, Lewiston and Bangor to highlight the importance of healthcare coverage to protect individuals and families from medical or financial trouble in the event of an unexpected injury or illness. He also sought to raise awareness of the shortened deadline, and the wide range of affordable plans that were available on the Marketplace.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/on-senate-floor-king-calls-on-colleagues-to-focus-on-expired-soon-to-expire-essential-services", "On Senate Floor, King Calls on Colleagues to Focus on Expired, Soon-to-Expire Essential Services", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-veterans-hold-conversation-on-new-va-positions-in-maine", "King, Veterans Hold Conversation on New VA Positions in Maine", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Veterans Hold Conversation on New VA Positions in Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 18, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tPORTLAND, ME  U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined local veterans and veteran advocates at American Legion Post 153 in Auburn to discuss the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announcement, made last week, that it will fund three new positions in Maine to better serve the needs of justice-involved Maine veterans confronting homelessness, mental health, or substance abuse issues. The funding will support a Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist, a Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV) coordinator, and a specialist focused on veteran suicide prevention.\r\n Hearing from veterans who have seen the value of the Veterans Justice Program firsthand is a powerful testament to the programs importance and once again underscores our collective responsibility to care for the veterans who have cared for us, Senator King said. These new positions in our home state will strengthen outreach efforts to Maine veterans and support them in a time of need. I am grateful to the veterans, mentors, and advocates who joined the conversation this morning and look forward to working together to help our veterans and support our community.\r\nIncluded in the conversation were graduates of the Maine Co-Occuring Disorders and Veterans Court, Veterans Mentors of Maine, and founder of the first Maine veterans court Justice Nancy Mills. Participants in the Maine Co-Occuring Disorders and Veterans Court, which works in cooperation with the Veterans Justice Program, meet with a judge each week, meet multiple times a week with an assigned case manager, and attend intensive outpatient treatment.If a higher level of care is needed, referrals are made to residential facilities. Case managers assist participants in securing safe and affordable housing and accessing employment and educational opportunities.\r\nIn February, Senator Kingwrote to the VAurging the Department to fund a Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist and a re-entry specialist as part of the Veterans Justice Program. At present, there is only one VJO Specialist in Maine.\r\nThe Veterans Justice Program aims to avoid the unnecessary criminalization of mental illness and extended incarceration of veterans by ensuring that they have timely access to VA services. The Veterans Justice Program includes both the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) and the Health Care for Reentry Veterans programs and has seen widespread success. VJO specialists provide direct outreach, assessment, and case management for justice-involved Veterans in local courts and jails, while acting as a liaison with local justice system partners, and re-entry coordinators provide critical casework to veterans returning to society. About 440 Maine veterans have received services through the program since 2010.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-senate-floor-king-calls-on-colleagues-to-focus-on-expired-soon-to-expire-essential-services", "On Senate Floor, King Calls on Colleagues to Focus on Expired, Soon-to-Expire Essential Services", "2017-12-18", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Senate Floor, King Calls on Colleagues to Focus on Expired, Soon-to-Expire Essential Services\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWhile essential programs and services go unfunded, Congress forcing through tax reform on arbitrary deadline\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 18, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today urged his colleagues in Congress to focus their legislative priorities on essential programs and services that have expired or are set to expire before the end of the year. During his speech, Senator King highlighted the misguided decision to force through tax reform based on an arbitrary deadline instead of addressing funding for some of the nations most pressing issues. Essential programs and services ranging from the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to FEMA Disaster Relief have gone unfunded or have not been reauthorized this fall, with many more programs in jeopardy if they are not addressed by the end of 2017.\r\nI want to talk about deadlines missed, and deadlines that dont exist, Senator King said. I don't know where else, other than in this body, where deadlines, which have enormous implications and enormous importance, are simply ignored. Now, I just sat in the last day or so and put together some real deadlines that we have in the law right now. What are they? Well, the Children's Health Insurance Program, deadline September 30, 2017. That's gone. That's passed. I can give you 23,000 reasons that we should have met that deadline. That's the number of young people in Maine that are covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program. Nine million nationwide. But we missed the deadline. Why? I can't find any reason. We don't know anything now that we didn't know in the middle of September or in August when we could have passed this program, but we just blew right by it. Maybe it's because none of our kids are in this program. I venture to say if the children of the members of the United States Senate were in the CHIP program, we would have met that deadline. But we didn't\r\nNow at the bottom of my chart of priorities is tax reform. Boy, are we going to make that deadline. The only problem is it doesn't exist. There's no deadline for that. There was no deadline. It's not December 22. It's not Christmas. It's not New Year's. It's a self-imposed deadline that's not in law anywhere. And I agree, we need to do tax reform, but we have been doing it on an unprecedented scale and speed that's unnecessary. We have missed and ignored all these real deadlines in exchange for focusing all of our attention on a fake deadline. Sure, it would be nice to get it done. We could have gotten it done. It could have been done on a bipartisan basis. We could have started last summer, and we would have had a bill just like the bill that emerged from the HELP Committee with regard to health care on a bipartisan basis. But instead, it was a closed process done with unprecedented speed with virtually no hearings, no real hearings on the bill, no serious outside experts, no analysis of what's in it. We have been given a 500-page bill that we're going to vote on probably in a day or so. And yet, we're racing to meet a deadline that didn't exist.\r\nSenator Kings floor speech follows his outreach this past Friday to health professionals, parents, and advocates at Greater Portland Health in Portland to discuss the importance of reauthorizing the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The authorization for CHIP expired at the end of September, putting millions of low-income children across the country at risk of losing their health coverage. Funding for FQHCs is also currently in jeopardy, as Congress has not acted to reauthorize the Community Health Centers Fund, which provides 70 percent of all federal funding for FQHCs across the country.\r\nIn his speech, Senator King also focused on the failure of Congress to appropriately address discretionary spending levels for Fiscal Year 2018; the uncertainty of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program; the National Flood Insurance Program, due to lapse at the end of this week; Medicare Extenders, set to expire at the end of 2017; and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Amendments Reauthorization Act. FISA Section 702, a critical part of U.S. national security policy will sunset on December 31, 2017 without Congressional action.\r\nChart 1: List of deadlines awaiting Congressional action\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-greater-portland-health-king-calls-on-congress-to-fully-fund-health-care-services-critical-to-maine", "At Greater Portland Health, King Calls on Congress to Fully Fund Health Care Services Critical to Maine", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At Greater Portland Health, King Calls on Congress to Fully Fund Health Care Services Critical to Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined health professionals, parents, and advocates at Greater Portland Health in Portland to underscore the importance of fully funding the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and reauthorizing funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Federal funding for CHIP expired at the end of September, putting millions of low-income children across the country at risk of losing their health coverage. Funding for FQHCs is also currently in jeopardy, as Congress has not acted to reauthorize the Community Health Centers Fund, which provides 70 percent of all federal funding for FQHCs across the country.\r\n Access to top-quality health services helps people care for their families and builds a healthy Maine community, Senator King said. Right now, Congresss neglect to fully fund CHIP and community health centers puts families in our state at an unnecessary risk. This is an abdication of our responsibility to the people we serve. For the hundreds of thousands of Maine people who use these essential services, and for millions more across the country, I urge my colleagues to act now and fund CHIP and Federally Qualified Health Centers.\r\nCHIP provides low-cost health insurance to children in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but are not able to afford private health insurance. In Maine, CHIP covers 23,000 children, and 9 million children nationwide are covered through the program. In some states, including Maine, CHIP also covers pregnant women.\r\nGreater Portland Health is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides health care to the greater Portland community and helps uninsured and medically underserved people access the care they need. Senator King is a strong supporter of FQHCs and their mission to provide quality, affordable primary care services to more than 200,000 Maine people.\r\nBefore the discussion at Greater Portland Health, Senator King visited Dorris Farrar, Maines oldest resident, at the Hawthorne House in Freeport. Born in Bar Harbor in 1906, Dorris is a 111-year-old supercentenarian. Senator King visited with Dorris and other residents of the Hawthorne House following a private lunch with Dorris.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-500000-grant-for-aroostook-band-of-micmacs", "Collins, King Announce $500,000 Grant for Aroostook Band of Micmacs", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce $500,000 Grant for Aroostook Band of Micmacs\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $500,000 to the Aroostook Band of Micmacs through USDA Rural Developments Community Facilities Direct Loan Program.The funding will be used to construct a two-story, multifunction facility in Presque Isle that will provide space for important tribal programs.\r\nInvesting in infrastructure for the Aroostook Band of Micmacs ensures that the tribe can provide programs crucial to the community, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. We applaud the USDA for supporting Maine tribes like the Aroostook Band of Micmacs and helping to strengthen our rural communities.\r\nThe Presque Isle facility will include housing, realty, and assets programs; Head Start; and programs for youth and seniors. In addition, the construction project will include road, water, sewer, and electrical upgrades and a new paved parking area.\r\nUSDA Rural Development programs provide grants and loans to assist economic expansion and job creation. Funds are directed towards infrastructure improvement, business development, homeownership, community services, public safety, and broadband access in rural areas across the country.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-join-bipartisan-group-of-senators-to-urge-congressional-leadership-to-commit-resources-to-opioid-epidemic", "Collins, King Join Bipartisan Group of Senators to Urge Congressional Leadership to Commit Resources to Opioid Epidemic", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Join Bipartisan Group of Senators to Urge Congressional Leadership to Commit Resources to Opioid Epidemic\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of nine senators in a letter to Leaders McConnell (R-Ky.) and Schumer (D-N.Y.) today calling on them to provide states like Maine with the resources they need to tackle the ongoing opioid epidemic.In their letter, the bipartisan group urged Senate leadership to include additional funding dedicated to addressing the public health crisis in the upcoming supplemental and omnibus appropriations legislation.\r\nOpioid misuse is not a partisan issue. It is ravaging communities in every state and preys upon individuals and families regardless of party affiliation, wrote the Senators. We have worked together on this issue in the past, and with the clear statement from Acting Secretary Hargan that the administration is looking for Congress to lead the way, it is time for us to work together again. As the Senate considers pending supplemental and omnibus appropriation legislation, please make every effort to ensure that new, substantial and sustained funding for the opioid epidemic is included in any legislative package.\r\nAs a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured significant funding for addiction treatment services. Earlier this fall, she announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee hasapproved $816 million a $665 million increase over the past two years  for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opioid abuse treatment and prevention programs. The bill directs $500 million to State opioid crisis grants, which were authorized through the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill that was championed by Senator Collins and signed into law in December 2016.\r\nSenator King has been a leading proponent of providing additional funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. He has repeatedly called onCongressand both theObamaandTrumpadministrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic. This fall, heled a letter to the Trump Administrationurging additional funding for the opioid epidemic, and in October he joined with a group of colleagues tointroduce theCombating the Opioid Epidemic Act,legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids. Senator King also recently wrote to President Trump urging him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone.\r\nThe bipartisan group of senators include U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).\r\nThe full text of the letter is below and can be read HERE.\r\n+++\r\nDear Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Schumer:\r\nWe write today to discuss our Nations opioid misuse epidemic and the urgent need for Congress to provide our states with the resources they need to deal with this public health emergency. In light of recent statements from the administration asking Congress to act on this issue, we believe the upcoming supplemental and omnibus appropriations legislation present significant opportunities for additional funding.\r\nAs you are aware, the opioid misuse epidemic is taking a toll on individuals, families and communities across the Nation. It is tearing apart families and straining the resources of local governments, law enforcement and public health agencies. Although we are pleased by the recent declaration of the epidemic as a public health emergency, that action needs to be coupled with adequate, sustained resources.\r\nOn December 4, Acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan stated that the administration is looking forward to hearing from Congress about how they intend to address this. That means it is up to us to act. We urge you to advance a spending package that will provide substantial new resources for our families and our communities who have waited too long for help. Although the measures in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), the 21st Century Cures legislation and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 were important first steps, we must now build upon those efforts to ensure that states have adequate resources for first responders, enforcement, prevention efforts and treatment and recovery services. We must also provide more resources for research into addiction and pain, to gain a better understanding of the disease and develop innovative new treatments for substance misuse.\r\nOpioid misuse is not a partisan issue. It is ravaging communities in every state and preys upon individuals and families regardless of party affiliation. We have worked together on this issue in the past, and with the clear statement from Acting Secretary Hargan that the administration is looking for Congress to lead the way, it is time for us to work together again. As the Senate considers pending supplemental and omnibus appropriation legislation, please make every effort to ensure that new, substantial and sustained funding for the opioid epidemic is included in any legislative package.\r\nThank you and we look forward to working with you to ensure that our communities receive the resources they need to effectively address this national crisis.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/following-king-letter-centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services-agrees-to-provide-a-special-enrollment-period-for-maine-people-affected-by-wind-storm", "Following King Letter, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Agrees to Provide a Special Enrollment Period for Maine People Affected By Wind Storm", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following King Letter, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Agrees to Provide a Special Enrollment Period for Maine People Affected By Wind Storm\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAnnouncement Comes on Final Day of 2018 Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period; King Notes Uncertainty of Individual Eligibility for Special Enrollment Period, Urges Maine People to Enroll Before Todays Deadline\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBRUNSWICK, ME  Today, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) received a response to his November letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in which he urged CMS Administrator Seema Verma to extend the 2018 Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Period for Maine following the severe storm that caused more than 400,000 Maine people to lose power. In todays letter, the full text of which is included below, Administrator Verma agrees that individuals who were unable to enroll in coveragedue to the impacts of the severe wind-storms and resulting power outages across Maine should qualify for an exceptional circumstances [special enrollment period] The letter does not describe the criteria for attributing the inability to enroll to the wind storm, and does not define how much longer affected Maine people will have to enroll.\r\nFirst and foremost: if you are a Maine resident who has yet to enroll in the 2018 Open Enrollment Period, its not too late to sign up today,Senator King said.I know this posed a challenge for many in Maine: With an already shortened Open Enrollment Period, Octobers storm and the resulting power outages that affected hundreds of thousands in Maine caused a large number of people to lose valuable days that could have been used to explore the different plans available and secure healthcare coverage for 2018. While Im pleased CMS will consider special enrollment periods for those affected by the storm, Administrator Vermas letter does leave several questions open: notably what information is required to qualify, how the determination will be made, and how long the special enrollment periods will be available. Regardless of this possible option, I once again urge the people of Maine to secure coverage for 2018 before todays deadline.\r\nAdministrator Vermas letter comes on the final day of the 2018 Open Enrollment Period. Per the letter, any resident of Maine who has not secured coverage by the end of the Open Enrollment Period and was affected by the storm should contact the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to speak with a Marketplace representative.\r\nThe ACAs Open Enrollment Period had previously been shortened from 12 weeks to 6 weeks, and included a 12 hour shutdown of the Affordable Care Act website during most weekends. Earlier this year, Senator King hosted three events in South Portland, Lewiston and Bangor to highlight the importance of healthcare coverage to protect individuals and families from medical or financial trouble in the event of an unexpected injury or illness. He also sought to raise awareness of the shortened deadline, and the wide range of affordable plans that were available on the Marketplace.\r\nThe full text of Administrator Vermas letter can be found below.\r\n+++\r\nThe Honorable Angus S. King, Jr.\r\nUnited States Senate\r\nWashington, DC 20510\r\nDear Senator King:\r\nThank you for your letter requesting that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) extend the 2018 Open Enrollment Period for Maine residents served by a Federally-facilitated Exchange (FFE) so those recovering from the recent wind-storms have additional time to shop for health insurance coverage. We share your concerns related to the ability of affected individuals to review their healthcare coverage options and make decisions within the current open enrollment period.\r\nCMS recognizes that certain exceptional circumstances, including a natural disaster such as a severe wind-storm, can prevent an individual from enrolling in coverage before an open enrollment period expires. In these cases, the FFE has the authority to provide a special enrollment period (SEP) to give these consumers more time to enroll in a health plan. CMS agrees that individuals who were unable to timely enroll in coverage during Open Enrollment due to the impacts of the severe wind-storms and resulting power outages across Maine should qualify for an exceptional circumstances SEP that will provide them more time to enroll in coverage.\r\nTherefore, Maine residents who were unable to complete enrollment during Open Enrollment due to the wind-storms should contact the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325) to speak with a Marketplace representative. Maine residents who are affected by the wind-storm should provide detailed information about their situation so the Marketplace representative can appropriately assist them. Additional SEP information related to natural disasters is available on HealthCare.gov at https://www.healthcare.gov/sep-list. We intend to publicize the availability of this special enrollment period through assisters and agents in Maine.\r\nCMS is committed to providing help and support to the areas and individuals impacted by this storm. We appreciate your support in assisting individuals in accessing health coverage and recovering from this event. Thank you again for your letter and for sharing your concerns.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSeema Verma", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-urges-va-secretary-to-protect-homeless-veterans-hud-vash-funding", "King Urges VA Secretary to Protect Homeless Veterans, HUD-VASH Funding", "2017-12-15", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Urges VA Secretary to Protect Homeless Veterans, HUD-VASH Funding\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing letter follows reports that VA improperly planned to reallocate funding for HUD-VASH program to VA General Purpose fund\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tPORTLAND, ME  U.S. Senator King (I-Maine) this week wrote to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin urging him to protect homeless veterans and ensure veteran homeless programs are fully funded. The letter follows reports that the VA planned to reallocate funding previously appropriated for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive housing (HUD-VASH) veteran housing voucher program to the VAs General Purpose fund.\r\n I write to express my serious concern over reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considered a reduction in funding for the Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) HUD-VASH program during Fiscal Year 2018, Senator King wrote. The HUD-VASH program provides critical housing support to homeless veterans and has played a critical role in reducing veteran homelessness across the nation, and I strongly oppose these types of funding reductions. While I was glad to see the VA announce on December 7, 2017, that there will be absolutely no change in the funding to support our homeless programs, I found the original proposal highly concerning and urge the VA to continue supporting this successful program...\r\nI plan to work with my colleagues in support of this important program that serves the needs of homeless veterans in Maine and across the country, and I hope that the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue as an enthusiastic partner in these efforts to end veteran homelessness.\r\nThe HUD-VASH program is a collaborative effort between the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the VA that uses targeted vouchers to offer permanent supportive housing opportunities to veterans experiencing homelessness.Among VA homeless continuum of care programs, HUD-VASH enrolls the largest number and largest percentage of veterans who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness.\r\nSenator Kings letter can be read in full below and is available HERE.\r\n+++\r\nThe Honorable David J. Shulkin, M.D.\r\nSecretary\r\nDepartment of Veterans Affairs\r\n810 Vermont Avenue, Northwest\r\nWashington, D.C. 20420\r\n\r\nDear Mr. Secretary,\r\nI write to express my serious concern over reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considered a reduction in funding for the Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) HUD-VASH program during Fiscal Year 2018. A September 2017 VA Memorandum stated that Specific Purpose funding lines, including those allocating funds to the VA-HUD program, would be realigned to General Purpose and allocated to VHA Networks to be used at the discretion of the Network Directors. The HUD-VASH program provides critical housing support to homeless veterans and has played a critical role in reducing veteran homelessness across the nation, and I strongly oppose these types of funding reductions. While I was glad to see the VA announce on December 7, 2017, that there will be absolutely no change in the funding to support our homeless programs, I found the original proposal highly concerning and urge the VA to continue supporting this successful program.\r\nWhen considering future spending proposals, I strongly support the inclusion of robust funding for HUD-VASH. Consistent funding is important for the continued success of the program, as the long term approach to homelessness, which utilizes VA case managers in addition to vouchers, requires continuity of skilled staff. Thanks in large part to the HUD-VASH program, the number of homeless veterans dropped by 47 percent between 2010 and 2016. Alarmingly, the number of homeless veterans in the United States rose this year for the first time since 2010  emphasizing the continued need for targeted housing and service resources that serve this population. I plan to work with my colleagues in support of this important program that serves the needs of homeless veterans in Maine and across the country, and I hope that the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue as an enthusiastic partner in these efforts to end veteran homelessness.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-urge-fcc-chairman-to-cancel-vote-on-net-neutrality", "Collins, King Urge FCC Chairman to Cancel Vote on Net Neutrality", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Urge FCC Chairman to Cancel Vote on Net Neutrality\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai in support of the agency\u2019s existing net neutrality rules.\u00a0The senators\u2019 letter comes ahead of today\u2019s planned vote by the FCC on rolling back the existing net neutrality protections.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe are writing to urge you to cancel today\u2019s vote on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order,\u201d the Senators wrote in their letter.\u00a0 \u201cRepealing the FCC\u2019s net neutrality rules will undermine longstanding protections that have ensured the open internet as a powerful and transformative platform of innovation and economic opportunity. We are concerned about the proposed order\u2019s impact on the free market that has driven growth in our economy for years, and the potential adverse effect on rural America\u2019s ability to realize the internet\u2019s full potential. Given that this change will affect every sector of the U.S. economy, we are also concerned about the speed of the process, the lack of public hearings, and the underlying rationale for repealing net neutrality without an adequate replacement.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe complete text of the letter is available HERE and below.\r\n\r\n\r\n+++\r\n\r\nThe Honorable Ajit Pai   Chairman   Federal Communications Commission   445 12th Street, SW   Washington, DC 20554\r\nDear Chairman Pai:\r\nWe are writing to urge you to cancel today\u2019s vote on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order (Docket 17-108). This is a matter of enormous importance with significant implications for our entire economy, and therefore merits the most thorough, deliberate, and thoughtful process that can be provided. The process thus far in this important matter has not met that standard. \u00a0\r\nRepealing the FCC\u2019s net neutrality rules will undermine longstanding protections that have ensured the open internet as a powerful and transformative platform of innovation and economic opportunity. We are concerned about the proposed order\u2019s impact on the free market that has driven growth in our economy for years, and the potential adverse effect on rural America\u2019s ability to realize the internet\u2019s full potential. Given that this change will affect every sector of the U.S. economy, we are also concerned about the speed of the process, the lack of public hearings, and the underlying rationale for repealing net neutrality without an adequate replacement. \r\nFor decades, FCC chairs from both parties have used a mix of tools including enforcement actions and policy statements to ensure that American consumers can access online content, educational services, and important applications without fear of discriminatory practices or content blocking. Unfortunately, your proposal repeals common sense protections that today prohibit internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking lawful content, charging websites and services for access to subscribers, creating pay-for-play fast lanes, and engaging in unreasonable discrimination. The proposal removes basic oversight over broadband provider practices that would impede the internet\u2019s ability to serve our democracy, empower consumers, and fuel economic growth.\r\nBy replacing these protections with a limited transparency requirement and enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), rather than the FCC, this proposal fails to ensure that the open internet will continue to benefit and drive innovation in our economy. The FTC\u2019s definition of anti-competitive conduct would likely allow most violations of current net neutrality protections, including allowing ISPs to charge websites and services for access and fast lanes to customers, promote certain content over others, and to otherwise engage in discriminatory practices.\u00a0\r\nThe open internet has fostered a dynamic digital economy, connected communities, and provided small businesses and startups unlimited opportunities to create and develop content and technologies that have improved lives all across the globe. Net neutrality has ensured that the internet has been a level playing field leading to the online entrepreneurial explosion unparalleled in American history, changing nearly every facet of Americans\u2019 lives and bringing efficiency to every market in our economy. Removing these protections - and thus market certainty - would cause immediate harm to the innovation economy. Access fees, fast lanes, and preferential treatment of content would undermine the openness of the internet and disproportionately hurt\u00a0startups\u2019 and small businesses\u2019 ability to compete with entrenched incumbents, discouraging investment in early stage companies. \r\nBeyond these market effects, the proposal removes FCC oversight over interconnection points that allow rural carriers to connect with the rest of the internet, and hinders rural carriers\u2019 ability to deploy broadband in underserved areas, undermining efforts to bring adequate broadband to all Americans. This is especially important in the context of information services. We also believe it is critical that the FCC craft a framework to ensure that no carrier\u2019s network management practices have the effect of degrading the customer experience on other networks. Simply repealing the 2015 Net Neutrality rules will not put that framework into place. The FCC should not set aside the 2015 framework without addressing the legitimate concerns of rural providers and ensuring the availability of tools to support the continued buildout of rural broadband. \r\nGiven these concerns, we believe a more careful, deliberative process involving experts and the public is warranted, just as you called for in the 2014 proceedings. We respectfully ask that the Commission cancel the vote on the proposed order as scheduled and give Congress and the FCC the time to hold public hearings in 2018 in order to investigate the best way to ensure citizens and our economy have strong net neutrality protections that guarantee consumer choice, free markets, and continued growth. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter and please do not hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-bill-to-encourage-energy-independence-support-21st-century-grid", "King Introduces Bill to Encourage Energy Independence, Support 21st Century Grid", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Introduces Bill to Encourage Energy Independence, Support 21st Century Grid\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today introduced the Next Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Act. The legislation would encourage energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient 21st century electricity grid through the use of distributed energy resources (DER). The legislation builds off the Free Market Energy Act, introduced by Senator King in 2015, which created a first-of-its-kind framework to support DER technologies by establishing parameters for consumers to connect their distributed energy resources, like solar panels or battery storage, to the energy grid.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFostering personal energy independence helps people in Maine and across the country lower their energy costs and contribute to the grid all the while supporting innovative technologies that help create jobs,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cBy encouraging a commonsense framework for connecting distributed energy resources to the grid, we can build a diverse, resilient energy system that supports a 21st century economy. From lowering energy costs by increasing the efficiency of our electricity grid, to strengthening the resilience of the system from potential disruption, this bill will help keep the lights on, bolster our national security, and move our country forward.\u201d\r\n\"Maine is a regional leader in the development of innovative, forward-thinking, clean energy sources \u2013 it's critically important that our electric grid keep pace with the change in the types of electricity we use to power our homes and businesses,\u201d said Jeremy Payne, Executive Director of Maine Renewable Energy Association. \u201cSenator King's Next Gen GRID Act helps to ensure state regulators encourage the development of a modern power grid capable of adapting and responding to our societal needs.\u00a0We are fortunate to have someone like Senator King in Washington so that he can leverage his considerable energy knowledge to the benefit of Maine, New England, and the country's power grid.\"\r\n\"We thank Senator King for his forward-thinking policy to modernize our energy system, grow clean renewable energy, and protect the rights of consumers,\" said Maureen Drouin, Executive Director of Maine Conservation Voters. \"The Next Generation GRID Act would knock down barriers to clean energy technology, create a more resilient infrastructure, and promote fairness for homeowners and businesses, making it a win for everyone.\"\r\nAmerica\u2019s electricity grid, which historically moves electricity from power plants to consumers, has remained relatively unchanged over the past 100 years \u2013 but, today, innovative technologies are beginning to fundamentally transform the way electricity is generated and delivered. Those advanced energy assets \u2013 known as distributed energy resources (DER), which can include generation, storage (batteries), efficiency, and demand response, among others \u2013 are being deployed at the edge of the grid, helping to create a more secure, resilient, and independent electricity system.\r\nHowever, as has been seen in Maine, which recently suffered the worst power outage in the state\u2019s history, and in Puerto Rico where millions have been without power, the traditional grid model remains highly vulnerable to disruption. Extended outages like this can lead to lost productivity and serious hardships for businesses and homeowners. The Next Gen GRID Act would offer federal resources for states and utilities to evaluate their electricity systems to identify vulnerabilities and areas where DER could play a greater role to protect critical infrastructure\u2014such as hospitals and schools\u2014or to reduce costs through a more secure and efficient system. These investments would lay the groundwork for a more modern energy system.\r\nIn addition, antiquated policies governing how these new technologies interact with the grid are leading to problems that are largely being addressed in an inconsistent manner around the country and, as a result, are discouraging investment in DER. For example, utilities can levy expensive grid-connection fees that disincentivize consumers from pursuing newer technologies while, without changes in the regulatory structure, utilities are not incentivized to themselves incorporate these technologies into their planning.\r\nThe Next Gen GRID Act \u00a0would establish a set of parameters for the governance of distributed energy resources and retain the authority of each state to design its own set of rules within those parameters to properly reflect the state\u2019s needs. Importantly, the parameters would protect the right of consumers to connect their distributed resources to the grid while also ensuring that grid owners and operators receive proper compensation through a system that would maximize the potential of distributed energy resources in relation to the grid.\r\nBy establishing the criteria for these new technologies, the legislation would provide important guidance to the states, allow for the continued development of these technologies and the jobs they support, foster energy independence at the personal level, and bolster national security by making the electricity grid more resilient.\r\nThrough his work on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King has been an ardent supporter of innovative strategies to improve the energy grid and lower costs for American people. In September, Senator King announced his support for the\u00a0Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would establish an investment tax credit (ITC) for business and home use of energy storage. Senator King has also supported the Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act, which would amend the Stafford Act, comprehensive legislation that allocates federal natural disaster assistance to state and local governments, to stipulate that funds granted to repair energy systems may be used to build more modern and resilient infrastructure. Senator King also introduced the\u00a0Free Market Energy Act of 2015, which would establish a set of parameters for the governance of distributed energy resources, like storage and solar.\r\nA one page summary of the bill can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-fcc-vote-to-repeal-net-neutrality-protections", "King Statement on FCC Vote to Repeal Net Neutrality Protections", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Statement on FCC Vote to Repeal Net Neutrality Protections\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after today\u2019s vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to roll back the agency\u2019s existing protections on net neutrality:\r\n\u201cDisastrous isn\u2019t strong enough of an adjective to describe today\u2019s decision. This ruling will make it harder for regular people to use the internet, plain and simple. For decades, the internet has leveled the playing field so a mom-and-pop shop in Augusta has the same chance to succeed as a multinational corporation in Silicon Valley; now, internet providers can sell fast lanes to the highest bidder or discriminate against certain content. This change is bad for small businesses, bad for consumers, and bad for the country \u2013 so I\u2019m against it. While I\u2019m confident that the new rules (or lack thereof) will be challenged in court, I\u2019m also open to pursuing a permanent legislative solution to protect a truly free and open internet for all Americans.\u201d\r\nSenator King is a fierce proponent of protecting the internet as a tool that can be used equally by all. This week, he sent two letters to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, expressing concern about the proposal: one with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) asking Chairman Pai to cancel today\u2019s vote, and another with a group of 38 Senate colleagues urging Chairman Pai to abandon the attempts to repeal net neutrality protections. Last week, in light of reports that bots filed hundreds of thousands of fraudulent comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking comment process,\u00a0he urged Chairman Pai\u00a0to delay the planned December 14th\u00a0vote until an investigation of the public record could be conducted. In September 2015, he filed\u00a0an amicus brief\u00a0with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the FCC\u2019s Open Internet rules. He also wrote\u00a0a letter\u00a0to then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in advance of the Commission\u2019s net neutrality decision urging the FCC to put in place strong, light-touch protections that ensures the internet remains open and free of discriminatory practices.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-more-than-23-million-navy-contract-for-bath-iron-works", "Collins, King Announce More Than $23 Million Navy Contract for Bath Iron Works", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce More Than $23 Million Navy Contract for Bath Iron Works\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 12, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded Bath Iron Works (BIW) a $23,902,104 contract modification. The funding will be used to continue lead yard services for Arleigh Burke-class ships.\r\n\u201cThis funding is critical to ensuring that the highly skilled men and women of Bath Iron Works have the necessary resources to continue building the best, most advanced destroyers in the world,\u201d Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cWe applaud the Navy for this contract modification that supports the hardworking employees at BIW, strengthens Maine\u2019s economy, and bolsters our national security.\u201d\r\nThis funding is a cost-plus-award-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for lead yard services. The modification provides engineering and technical assistance for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and tasks include planning and DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class Flight III upgrade design efforts.\r\nSenator Collins is a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator King is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-signs-letter-to-fcc-chairman-in-support-of-net-neutrality", "King Signs Letter to FCC Chairman In Support of Net Neutrality", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Signs Letter to FCC Chairman In Support of Net Neutrality\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 12, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined with Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla) and 37 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai urging him to abandon his plan to repeal the agency\u2019s net neutrality rules.\u00a0The senators\u2019 letter comes ahead of a Thursday vote by the FCC on existing net neutrality protections.\r\n\u201cYour plan gives a broadband provider the ability to significantly alter their subscribers\u2019 internet experience,\u201d the Senators wrote.\u00a0 \u201cOnce adopted, this proposal will permit that provider to freely block, slow down or manipulate a consumer\u2019s access to the internet as long as it discloses those practices \u2013 no matter how anti-consumer \u2013 somewhere within mounds of legalese in a new \u2018net neutrality\u2019 policy.\u00a0 \u2026It is a stunning regulatory overreach.\u201d\r\nSenator King is a fierce proponent of protecting the internet as a tool that can be used equally by all. Last week, in light of reports that bots filed hundreds of thousands of fraudulent comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking comment process, he urged Chairman Pai to delay the planned December 14th vote until an investigation of the public record could be conducted. In September 2015, he filed\u00a0an amicus brief\u00a0with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the FCC\u2019s Open Internet rules. He also wrote\u00a0a letter\u00a0to then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in advance of the Commission\u2019s net neutrality decision urging the FCC to put in place strong, light-touch protections that ensures the internet remains open and free of discriminatory practices. \r\nThe complete text of the letter is available HERE and below.\r\n+++\r\nThe Honorable Ajit Pai\r\nChairman, Federal Communications Commission\r\n445 12th St., SW\r\nWashington, DC 20554\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Chairman Pai:\r\nWe write to urge you to abandon your reckless plan to radically alter the free and open internet as we know it.\u00a0 Your proposed action will amount to the largest abdication of the Federal Communications Commission\u2019s (FCC\u2019s) statutory responsibilities in history.\r\nAt its inception, Congress delegated to the FCC the primary responsibility to protect consumers and the public interest with respect to the nation\u2019s communications networks.\u00a0 With your current proposal, you have now decided to throw overboard those long-standing responsibilities \u2013 and consumers with them.\u00a0 In short, you are walking away from your statutory duties and effectively eliminating FCC oversight over high-speed internet access.\r\nYour plan gives a broadband provider the ability to significantly alter their subscribers\u2019 internet experience.\u00a0 Once adopted, this proposal will permit that provider to freely block, slow down or manipulate a consumer\u2019s access to the internet as long as it discloses those practices \u2013 no matter how anti-consumer \u2013 somewhere within mounds of legalese in a new \u201cnet neutrality\u201d policy.\r\n\r\nYour proposal also makes sure that no other state or local government can fill this gaping consumer protection void by preempting them from adopting their own open internet consumer protections.\u00a0 It is not enough for the FCC to turn its back on consumers.\u00a0 You willfully plan to tie the states\u2019 hands to prevent them from protecting their own residents.\u00a0 It is a stunning regulatory overreach.\r\nUnderlying your plan is the false notion that your action will return the internet to the supposed halcyon days of \u201clight touch\u201d regulation in the past.\u00a0 This notion \u2013 that the way the agency approached internet access in the 1990s and early 2000s is the perfect approach today \u2013 ignores the very different role that the internet plays in 2017.\u00a0 Over the past 20 years, internet communications have become widely adopted and relied on by American homes and businesses.\u00a0 Yet, your plan ignores the central and critical role that access to a free and open internet plays in Americans\u2019 lives and the role that the nation\u2019s expert communications agency should play with respect to the networks underlying that access.\u00a0 Moreover, your assertion that your plan returns internet access to the way it was before is not correct.\u00a0 Even under the Bush-era FCC, the agency adopted open internet principles and held out the threat of regulatory action to combat harmful activity.\u00a0 Your plan eradicates even that backstop and leaves Americans without a regulatory safety net.\r\nThe future of the internet hangs in the balance.\u00a0 The FCC\u2019s responsibilities over the nation\u2019s communications networks remain, and are more crucial than ever, as the internet has become fundamental to every aspect of our society.\u00a0 On behalf of our constituents \u2013 and future generations of Americans \u2013 we urge you to abandon this radical and reckless plan to turn the FCC\u2019s back on consumers and the future of the free and open internet.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-applauds-va-announcement-to-fund-veteran-support-specialists-in-maine", "Maine Delegation Applauds VA Announcement to Fund Veteran Support Specialists in Maine", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Maine Delegation Applauds VA Announcement to Fund Veteran Support Specialists in Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tIn Portland, VA Deputy Secretary announces three new positions to address veteran mental health, substance abuse, homelessness\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 12, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin today applauded the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA) announcement that it will fund three new positions in Maine to better serve the needs of justice-involved Maine veterans confronting homelessness, mental health, or substance abuse issues. The funding will support a Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist, a Health Care for Re-entry Veterans (HCRV) coordinator, and a specialist focused on veteran suicide prevention. VA Deputy Secretary Thomas Bowman made the announcement during the First Annual Military Veteran Symposium in Portland this morning.\r\n\u201cMaine veterans answered the call to uphold our freedoms, and those struggling with mental health issues, substance abuse, or homelessness deserve our comprehensive support,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cThese new positions in Maine provide veterans with expanded access to specialists so they can get the treatments and services they need. Maine is a community \u2013 we care for our neighbors and for each other \u2013 and with the VA\u2019s announcement today, we have taken an important step to strengthen our community and better care for veterans across the state.\u201d\r\n\u201cAs our population of veterans has grown, aged, and diversified, the Togus VA Medical Center has adapted to these changes to meet the needs of patients,\u201d said Senator Collins.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s announcement that the VA is funding three critical positions at Togus to help promote suicide prevention, assist veterans returning to society, and prevent unnecessary criminalization of those with mental illness will enhance the hospital\u2019s work to provide high-quality care for veterans.\u00a0 I applaud the VA for making this important investment.\u201d\r\n\"The high rate of veteran suicides is one of the most heartbreaking issues our country faces. We owe it to these brave men and women to do everything we can to prevent these tragedies and ensure they have someone to turn to. I appreciate the VA giving attention to this and other issues Maine veterans face. These new staff positions will be critical additions to the team at VA Togus,\u201d said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine).\r\n\u201cTragically, too many of our Veterans face extraordinary mental and health challenges when they return from service,\u201d said Congressman Poliquin. \u201cWe must make sure our Veterans have the help and support they need. I\u2019m very pleased with the announcement of these new positions at Togus that will help provide important resources to our Veterans.\u201d\r\nIn February, Senator King wrote to the VA urging the Department to fund a Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Specialist and a re-entry specialist as part of the Veterans Justice Program. At present, there is only one VJO Specialist in Maine.\r\nThe Veterans Justice Program aims to avoid the unnecessary criminalization of mental illness and extended incarceration of veterans by ensuring that they have timely access to VA services. VJO specialists provide direct outreach, assessment, and case management for justice-involved Veterans in local courts and jails, while acting as a liaison with local justice system partners, and re-entry coordinators provide critical casework to veterans returning to society.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-backs-bipartisan-bill-to-support-gold-star-families", "King Backs Bipartisan Bill to Support Gold Star Families", "2017-12-08", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Backs Bipartisan Bill to Support Gold Star Families\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 8, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced his support for the Gold Star Families Support and Installation Act. The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would increase support for Gold Star families by creating a standardized policy so the families can more easily access military facilities and certain military benefits.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGold Star families have sacrificed so much for our country and they deserve our earnest support as they grieve for their loved ones,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cIn President Lincoln\u2019s Second Inaugural Address, he summed up our collective responsibility to care for our nation\u2019s veterans and their families saying we must, \u2018care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.\u2019 By improving the services and benefits available to Gold Star families, we can better live by Lincoln\u2019s words and give back to those who have given everything so we may live free.\u201d\r\nUnder current law, there are no standardized means for Gold Star families to access military facilities to do things like visit a loved one\u2019s gravesite, receive grief counseling, or attend a memorial service. Some services have taken steps to issue access cards, but there is still no consistent policy across military service branches. Additionally, Gold Star spouses lose their on-base benefits if they choose to remarry.\r\nJoining Senator King in supporting the Senate legislation are Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), David Purdue (R-Ga.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-collins-king-resolution-marking-december-16-2017-as-wreaths-across-america-day", "Senate Passes Collins, King Resolution Marking December 16, 2017, as “Wreaths Across America Day”", "2017-12-08", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Passes Collins, King Resolution Marking December 16, 2017, as \u201cWreaths Across America Day\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 8, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating Saturday, December 16, 2017 as \u201cWreaths Across America Day.\u201d On December 16th, a convoy of volunteers is scheduled to arrive at Arlington National Cemetery to lay Maine-made balsam wreaths at the grave sites of American veterans interred there.\r\n\u201cIn its twenty-six year history, Wreaths Across America has become an enduring symbol of valor and sacrifice, and reaffirms our never-ending obligation to thank those who served in defense of our nation,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThis Maine-led tradition is an inspiring example of the generosity and gratitude to our nation\u2019s veterans that makes the holiday season so special.\u00a0 We are grateful for the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who \u2018Remember, Honor, Teach\u2019 through Wreaths Across America.\u201d\r\nTo honor our fallen heroes, wreaths will be laid at the graves of American servicemembers as part of a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to Arlington National Cemetery, wreaths will be laid at more than 1,200 other locations across the country and at numerous national veterans cemeteries on foreign soil. Patriot Guard Riders will once again continue their tradition of escorting the wreath trucks from Maine down the East Coast, along with other patriotic escorts including motorcycle units, law enforcement, and first responders. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers are expected to participate in this proud tradition.\r\nThe resolution is available HERE.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/on-senate-floor-king-urges-deficit-neutral-tax-reform", "On Senate Floor, King Urges Deficit-Neutral Tax Reform", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-motion-to-instruct-tax-bill-conferees-to-return-deficit-neutral-final-conference-report", "King Introduces Motion to Instruct Tax Bill Conferees to Return Deficit-Neutral Final Conference Report", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Introduces Motion to Instruct Tax Bill Conferees to Return Deficit-Neutral Final Conference Report\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cIt\u2019s unethical, what we\u2019re doing.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, December 6, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) introduced a motion to instruct members of the bicameral conference committee on tax reform to return a final conference report that does not increase the federal budget deficit for the period of FY 2018 through FY 2027. He spoke on the Senate floor in support of the motion, which was defeated by a vote of 48 to 50. Excerpts from the speech are below:\r\n\u201cWe are headed into literally uncharted territory with regard to our national debt\u2026 It is a threat to this country. It\u2019s a threat to our national security. It\u2019s a threat to every man, woman and especially child, because they\u2019re the people that are going to have to be paying this debt.\r\n\u201cThe bill that was passed in the dead of night early Saturday morning adds $1.5 trillion to that debt\u2026We\u2019re adding to the debt at a time of low unemployment, enormous growth in the stock market and a relatively strong economy. Not perfect by any means, but compared with where we were 5 or 6 years ago, we\u2019re in positive territory on the economy. That\u2019s when you should pay down debt, not add to it unnecessarily. If we were in a crisis, if we were in a recession, if we were in a conflict that required immediate mobilization, that\u2019s when you want to add to the debt.\r\n\u201cThat\u2019s what you borrow for \u2013 we\u2019re borrowing to pay park rangers salaries. We\u2019re borrowing to do the ordinary operation of government, and now we\u2019re borrowing to give major tax cuts in a time of relatively positive economic growth. And I know it\u2019s not as it should be, and as high as we want it to be, but this bill that we passed that\u2019s going to add to the debt isn\u2019t going to do much of anything to assist us with growth. The analysis of the Joint Taxation Committee is that it will add 0.8% to GDP growth in 10 years. That\u2019s almost immeasurable\u2026it doesn\u2019t come close, by the way, to paying for itself\u2026\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s unethical, what we\u2019re doing. If 5-year-olds knew what we were doing and could vote, we would all be out of a job because they are the ones who are going to have to pay this bill\u2026it\u2019s unconscionable. It\u2019s unnecessary. If indeed we were going to expand the economy 3% or 4% a year, and everyone says that\u2019s what we\u2019re going for\u2026but we\u2019re talking about 0.8% over 10 years. Not per year, over 10 years. So my motion is very, very simple: don\u2019t come back with a bill that adds to the deficit.\r\n\u201cAnd there\u2019s lots of ways we can do tax reform\u2026without hammering the deficit. In fact, I understand as of this morning, we improve the finances of this bill by mistake to the tune of $389 billion. A mistake in the bill that we passed because we did it so fast that nobody knew what was in it. I have a new rule: the faster a bill goes through the United States Congress, the worse it is. And I think that\u2019s what we\u2019ve seen in this case.\r\n\u201cWe can deal with tax reform. We can increase our competitiveness. We can get our taxes aligned, particularly our business taxes, with the rest of the world without loading this debt onto our children. A tax cut when all you\u2019re doing is borrowing to fill the hole is not a cut. It is a shift of the tax from you to your kids\u2026\r\n\u201cI think one of the questions we have to ask is\u2026what are companies going to do with this newfound income when the taxes are cut dramatically\u2026is that money going to go into new plants and equipment? Is it going to go into wages? Is it going to increase people\u2019s wages\u2026 or is going to go into stock buybacks, which raise the value of the stock. That\u2019s great for the owners, but doesn\u2019t do a thing for the workers. And it doesn\u2019t do much for the United States economy.\r\n\u201cSo again, my motion couldn\u2019t be more straightforward and simple. Work on the tax bill in conference \u2013 I think you\u2019re going to have a hard time making a good bill out of it \u2013 but whatever you do, come back with something that\u2019s deficit neutral. And by the way, that\u2019s where this discussion started. Last January, the leadership in both Houses, in both parties, was talking about deficit-neutral tax reform. And somewhere along the way, it became: \u2018Let\u2019s break the bank. Let\u2019s add new debt to our kids. Let\u2019s create a situation where we\u2019re not going to have any slack when we need it.\u2019 No business would run this way, and it\u2019s wrong for us to try to run the country this way\u2026\u201d\r\nDuring his speech, Sen. King used Chart 1 to walk through the history of our national debt, which has ebbed and flowed based on economic circumstances and U.S. participation in armed conflicts. He specifically noted that following a large spike of debt to fund World War II, the Greatest Generation paid down the debt going into the 1970s.\r\nSenator King\u2019s motion would have given nonbinding instructions to the conferees, asking them to return a final conference report that is deficit neutral over a 10-year period. This is his most recent push for a deficit-neutral approach on the recent tax legislation; prior to the Senate\u2019s passage of the tax bill last week, Senator King offered an amendment to refer the tax bill to the Finance Committee with instructions to create a deficit-neutral proposal. The amendment failed along party lines following more than an hour of debate and an unusually long voting period.\r\nSenator King, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, has consistently called for a responsible, balanced and long-term approach to addressing our national debt and deficit. In 2016, he was named a \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d by the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a nonpartisan movement to put America on a better fiscal and economic path.\u00a0\r\nChart 1: Federal Debt Held by the Public as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/sen-king-on-cnn-new-day-12-05-17", "Sen. King on CNN New Day 12-05-17", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-727846-in-funding-for-greater-portland-health", "Collins, King Announce $727,846 in Funding for Greater Portland Health", "2017-12-05", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce $727,846 in Funding for Greater Portland Health\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, December 5, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded two grants totaling $727,846 to Greater Portland Health. The Department\u2019s Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) will grant $581,024 to Greater Portland Health through its Health Center Cluster program and $146,822 through its Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS program.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cCommunity health centers, like Greater Portland Health, help Mainers across our state receive the high quality care they deserve,\u201d Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cThese federal grants offer critical support for people in the Greater Portland area, and we applaud HHS for recognizing Greater Portland Health\u2019s commitment to the surrounding community.\u201d\r\nHRSA is an agency within HHS that is tasked with improving access to health care by building healthy communities, strengthening the health care workforce, and achieving health equity. HRSA\u2019s Health Cluster programs targets the economic and medically vulnerable as well as the geographically isolated. The Ryan White Part C Outpatient EIS Program funds primary care for those living with HIV.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-more-than-44-million-naval-contract-with-bath-iron-works-", "Collins, King Announce More Than $44 million Naval Contract with Bath Iron Works", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce More Than $44 million Naval Contract with Bath Iron Works \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 4, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Navy awarded Bath Iron Works a $44,305,474 option last month\u00a0on a previously awarded contract.\u00a0 The funding will be used to continue Integrated Planning Yard services for Arleigh Burke-class and Oliver Hazard Perry-class ships.\r\n\u201cThis announcement is welcome news for the hardworking men and women at Bath Iron Works,\u201d\u00a0said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThese contracts show the Navy\u2019s commitment to BIW and its confidence in the shipyard\u2019s highly skilled employees, who are vital to our state\u2019s economy and to our nation\u2019s security.\u201d\r\n\r\nThis funding is a cost-plus-award-fee modification to a previously awarded contract for the continuation of Integrated Planning Yard services. The modification covers integrated planning and support for the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Oliver Hazard Perry-class of frigates built at Bath, and tasks include design, planning, and modernization efforts.\r\n\r\nSenator Collins is a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator King is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\r\n\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-call-on-fcc-to-delay-vote-to-roll-back-net-neutrality-rules", "King, Colleagues Call on FCC to Delay Vote to Roll Back Net Neutrality Rules", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Colleagues Call on FCC to Delay Vote to Roll Back Net Neutrality Rules\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tLetter follows reports that bots may have filed hundreds of thousands of fake comments to FCC during Net Neutrality policymaking process\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 4, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S Senator Angus King today joined 27 of his senate colleagues in a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, expressing concern over reports that bots filed hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking process and calling on the Chairman to delay the planned December 14th vote to roll back net neutrality rules until an investigation of the state of the record is conducted.\r\n\u201cA free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cIn fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed\u2026\r\n\u201cWithout additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public\u2019s views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017.\u201d\r\nSenator King is a fierce proponent of protecting the internet as a tool that can be used equally by all. In September 2015, he filed\u00a0an amicus brief\u00a0with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the FCC\u2019s Open Internet rules. He also wrote\u00a0a letter\u00a0to then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in advance of the Commission\u2019s net neutrality decision urging that broadband be reclassified as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.\r\nSenator King was joined in writing the letter by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).\r\nThe letter is below and can be read in full HERE:\r\nDecember 4, 2017\r\nThe Honorable Ajit Pai\r\nChairman\r\nFederal Communications Commission\r\n445 12th Street Southwest\r\nWashington, DC 20554\r\nDear Chairman Pai:\r\nWe are deeply concerned by your recently released proposal to roll back critical consumer protections by dismantling the Federal Communications Commission\u2019s (FCC) current net neutrality rules. A free and open Internet is vital to ensuring a level playing field online, and we believe that your proposed action may be based on an incomplete understanding of the public record in this proceeding. In fact, there is good reason to believe that the record may be replete with fake or fraudulent comments, suggesting that your proposal is fundamentally flawed.\r\nTo this end, we request a thorough investigation by the FCC into reports that bots may have interfered with this proceeding by filing hundreds of thousands of comments. Furthermore, an additional 50,000 consumer complaints seem to have been excluded from the public record in this proceeding, according to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by the National Hispanic Media Coalition.\u00a0 Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public\u2019s views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14, 2017.\u00a0\r\nNew York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has spent the past six months conducting an investigation into the fraudulent comments, and found that \u201chundreds of thousands\u201d of comments may have impersonated New York residents, a violation of state law. He further asserts that the FCC has not cooperated with requests for additional data and information. Data scientist Jeff Kao has also run an analysis of the public record, and estimates that over a million comments filed in support of repealing net neutrality may have been fake. These reports raise serious concerns as to whether the record the FCC is currently relying on has been tampered with and merits the full attention of, and investigation by, the FCC before votes on this item are cast.\r\nA transparent and open process is vitally important to how the FCC functions. The FCC must invest its time and resources into obtaining a more accurate picture of the record as understanding that record is essential to reaching a defensible resolution to this proceeding.\u00a0 As a result, we are requesting that you delay your planned vote on this item until you can conduct a thorough review of the state of the record and provide Congress with greater assurance of its accuracy and completeness.\u00a0\r\nThank you for your immediate attention to this matter.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-and-king-announce-maine-nominees-to-the-united-states-military-service-academies-1", "Senators Collins and King Announce Maine Nominees to the United States Military Service Academies", "2017-12-04", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Collins and King Announce Maine Nominees to the United States Military Service Academies\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, December 4, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced their nominees to the United States Military Academies. To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.\u00a0 Admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy, also a federal service academy, does not require a congressional nomination.\r\n\u00a0\u201cWe are proud to have the honor to nominate such an impressive group of Maine students to our nation\u2019s distinguished service academies,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThe young people we have nominated have earned this honor through a commitment to strong scholarship, leadership, and character.\u201d\r\nThe following students from Maine have received nominations as candidates to the military academies from Senators Collins and King:\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nUnited States Air Force Academy \u2013 Colorado Springs\r\nName\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Home Town\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High School\r\nTristan Cosby\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton High School\r\nHaley Donovan\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Crawford\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Calais High School\r\nMia Ferrante\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Buxton\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bonny Eagle High School\r\nZachary Grant\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brunswick\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brunswick High School\r\nBrinley Harrison\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 South Bristol\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Lincoln Academy\r\nPatrick Hopkins\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Winslow\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Winslow High School\r\nAlexander Inman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eddington\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bangor High School\r\nJames Mannette\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Windham\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Windham High School\r\nMaria Maxsimic\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holden\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Brewer High School\r\nConnor Roy\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hampden\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Hampden Academy\r\n\u00a0\r\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy- Kings Point\r\nName\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Home Town\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High School\r\nElizabeth Diaz\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jay\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kents Hill School\r\nRaymond Horne\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Berwick\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Noble High School\r\nDerrick Littlefield\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old Orchard Beach\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sewickley Academy\r\nMarco Manfra\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough High School\r\nJames Mannette\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Windham\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Windham High School\r\nEric Quirk\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough High School\r\n\u00a0\r\nUnites States Military Academy \u2013 West Point\r\nName\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Home Town\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High School\r\nSamuel Colesworthy\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 North Yarmouth\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Greely High School\r\nTristan Cosby\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton High School\r\nJack Freeman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Owls Head\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oceanside High School\r\nElizabeth Garver\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bailey Island\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mount Ararat\r\nAlexander Inman\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Eddington\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Bangor High School\r\nBrendan Killarney\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Veazie\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John Bapst Memorial High School\r\nPayje Leclerc\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old Orchard Beach\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Old Orchard Beach High School\r\nMichael Lunny\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Springvale\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sanford High School\r\nMaria Maxsimic\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holden\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Brewer High School\r\nEmily Mikoud\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dover Foxcroft\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Foxcroft Academy\r\nAsa Muthig\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 North Berwick\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Berwick Academy\r\nEric Quirk\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scarborough High School\r\nAiden Roberts\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hope\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Phillips Exeter Academy\r\nSierra Weston\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Winthrop\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lawrence High School\r\n\r\nUnited States Naval Academy- Annapolis\r\nName\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Home Town\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 High School\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nTristan Cosby\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Houlton High School\r\nEric Heiman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Arundel\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thornton Academy\r\nRobert Hetherman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harpswell\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Hyde School\r\nDana Hirschhorn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kennebunkport\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Waynflete School\r\nAlexander Howell\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Islesboro\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Islesboro Central High School\r\nAnthony Mason\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Beaver Cove\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Greenville High School\r\nMaria Maxsimic\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holden\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Brewer High School\r\nEmily Mousseau\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lewiston\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lewiston High School\r\nDylan Richmond\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mason Township\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hebron Academy\r\nSean Scanlon\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bath\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cheverus High School\r\nAnna Sewall\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 East Millinocket\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Schenck High School\r\nJames Waaler\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yarmouth\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yarmouth High School\r\nJohn Wallace\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Topsham\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mouth Ararat High School\r\nConnor Winn\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Saco\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Thornton Academy\r\nKevin Wrigley\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wells\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wells High School\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-senate-passage-of-tax-bill", "King Statement on Senate Passage of Tax Bill", "2017-12-02", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Statement on Senate Passage of Tax Bill\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, December 2, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the following statement after the Senate passed its tax bill:\r\n\u201cTonight, I\u2019m disappointed, and I\u2019m angry, because the American people deserve better. For months, moderates in the Senate reached across the aisle to colleagues \u2013 and friends \u2013 asking them to sit down and work together on a commonsense tax reform bill that supports hardworking Americans and fosters economic growth for businesses in Maine and across the country. In other words: to govern. But instead of digging in and doing the hard work, this Senate has decided to pass a bill that helps the few instead of the many, and shifts a massive financial burden onto our children. Rather than maximize this opportunity to help working Americans and set our nation on a path to further prosperity, this bill pushes through at least $1 trillion in unfunded tax cuts for the wealthy and for corporations. These cuts are not only misguided \u2013 they\u2019re downright dangerous, and their effects will be felt by every aspect of our society, from the health of our economy to our national security interests.\r\n\u201cBy rushing this legislation through the Senate with no hearings, no input from experts and no feedback from the American people, we\u2019ve advanced a terrible bill that will have terrible consequences. If history is any guide, this will be the major tax reform bill of the next 20 to 30 years, affecting every business, every citizen, and our entire economy. I\u2019m disappointed today \u2013 but I hope members of Congress will reconsider the chance to work across the aisle to make fixes to this deeply flawed piece of legislation, so we can mitigate the damage to everyday Americans.\u201d\r\nSenator King\u00a0has consistently called for a responsible, balanced and long-term approach to addressing our national debt and deficit. On Thursday, he offered an amendment to refer the tax bill to the Finance Committee with instructions to create a deficit-neutral proposal. The amendment failed along party lines following more than an hour of debate and an unusually long voting period.\u00a0In 2016, he was named a \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d\u00a0by the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a nonpartisan movement to put America on a better fiscal and economic path.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/sen-king-joins-ac360-to-discuss-floor-developments-on-senate-tax-bill", "Sen. King Joins AC360 to Discuss Floor Developments on Senate Tax Bill", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/sen-king-joins-morning-joe-to-discuss-senate-tax-plan", "Sen. King Joins Morning Joe to Discuss Senate Tax Plan", "2017-12-01", "2017", "2017-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/ahead-of-vote-on-tax-reform-king-warns-of-proposals-dangerous-impact-on-national-deficit", "Ahead of Vote on Tax Reform, King Warns of Proposal’s Dangerous Impact on National Deficit", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/in-armed-services-hearing-king-underscores-significance-of-diplomacy-in-national-defense-strategy", "In Armed Services Hearing, King Underscores Significance of Diplomacy in National Defense Strategy", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/ahead-of-vote-on-tax-reform-king-warns-of-proposals-dangerous-impact-on-national-debt", "Ahead of Vote on Tax Reform, King Warns of Proposal’s Dangerous Impact on National Debt", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ahead of Vote on Tax Reform, King Warns of Proposal\u2019s Dangerous Impact on National Debt\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cIt\u2019s Shameful, and It\u2019s Going to Come Back to Haunt Us.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 30, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor about the dangerous impact the Senate tax reform proposal would have on the national debt. Senator King\u2019s comments came during debate on an amendment he offered to refer the bill to committee with instructions to create a deficit-neutral proposal, which the Senate voted on tonight. His amendment was defeated by a vote of 48 to 52.\r\n\u201cOne of my concerns\u2026that I want to focus on today, and the background of my amendment which recommits and asks that the Committee come back with a deficit-neutral bill, is the debt and the deficit,\u201d said Senator King, who then turned to a chart of federal debt as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (linked below as Chart 1). \u201cIf you notice there\u2019s a pattern here\u2026the pattern is that when we get into major catastrophes \u2013 including war \u2013 that\u2019s when we have to borrow money\u2026this is why you preserve your borrowing power for when you actually need it\u2026\r\n\u201cLook where we\u2019re headed \u2013 we\u2019re headed to a place where we aren\u2019t going to be able to sustain this debt. Everybody knows that, and yet the bill that we\u2019re voting on today expands the deficit by somewhere between half a trillion and two and a half trillion dollars, depending upon how it\u2019s all sorted out\u2026it\u2019s shameful, and it\u2019s going to come back to haunt us\u2026\r\n\u201cNow I\u2019ve been around public life and politics for a long time, and I\u2019ve heard a lot about deficits, and people are concerned about deficits \u2013 until today! The deficit doesn\u2019t seem to be a big deal anymore. I predict that after this bill passes, within a couple of years when the deficits start to mount up, the same people who are voting for this bill today are going to say, \u2018Oh my goodness, we have these huge deficits, what are we going to do? I think we have to cut entitlements, we have to cut Social Security, we have to cut Medicare and certainly we have to cut all those domestic programs.\u2019 Well [Mr. President], I don\u2019t think that\u2019s right\u2026\r\n\u201cWhat we\u2019re doing is simply borrowing money from our children to give ourselves tax cuts. That\u2019s really the essence of what\u2019s going on here. If we were cutting taxes on a revenue-neutral basis, that would make sense\u2026but instead, all we\u2019re doing is shifting the tax to our kids\u2026If 5 year-olds knew what we were doing and could vote, none of us would have a job \u2013 because we are spending their money. It\u2019s as if you\u2019re lying on your deathbed, you call your children over to hear your last words, and your last words are \u2018Here\u2019s the credit card, we had a great vacation, your mother and I. You pay the bill.\u2019 That\u2019s what we\u2019re doing, and it\u2019s wrong. It\u2019s unethical \u2013 we are passing the bill onto our children\u2026\r\n\u201c\u2026the idea that these tax cuts are going to pay for themselves? It\u2019s never happened. It\u2019s never happened, it didn\u2019t happen to the Bush tax cuts, it hasn\u2019t happened in Kansas, it just hasn\u2019t happened. So we\u2019re talking about a dramatic increase in the federal deficit on top of what\u2019s already coming\u2026 these are the times when we should be paying back this debt, not making it worse. No rational business would be taking on debt when they\u2019re doing well \u2013 when you\u2019re doing well, you pay down your debt, and then you have a reserve for when you need it. We have no reserve \u2013 we\u2019re using up our cushion. We\u2019re using up whatever cushion we might need for disasters, for some kind of \u2013 heaven forbid \u2013 conflict, or simply for a recession. This is an incredibly destructive bill, and it doesn\u2019t have to be that way\u2026\r\n\u201cThere are many other issues with the bill, but I chose today to focus in my remarks and also on my amendment, on the effects on the deficit because I think it\u2019s one of the most long-term threats. In fact, a former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the national debt is the most serious threat to our national security in the long run. And to aggravate it unnecessarily as this bill would do, I think is irresponsible. Mr. President, we can do better \u2013 I am sure of that \u2013 if we\u2019ll slow down, listen to one another, and do what the American people expect of us.\u201d\r\nSenator King, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, has consistently called for a responsible, balanced and long-term approach to addressing our national debt and deficit. In 2016, he was named a \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d by the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a nonpartisan movement to put America on a better fiscal and economic path.\u00a0\r\nChart 1: Federal Debt Held by the Public as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-armed-services-hearing-king-underscores-importance-of-diplomacy-for-national-security", "In Armed Services Hearing, King Underscores Importance of Diplomacy for National Security", "2017-11-30", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Armed Services Hearing, King Underscores Importance of Diplomacy for National Security\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 30, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today underscored the importance of diplomatic efforts to support and strengthen United States national security interests during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The hearing was held to receive testimony from outside experts on recommendations for a future National Defense Strategy.\r\n\u201cDefending the national security of the United States involves a continuum, it seems to me, that goes from diplomacy to war,\u201d Senator King said to the witnesses before the Armed Services Committee. \u201cWar is the most expensive and least desirable of those outcomes.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think of Afghanistan. Our success there will ultimately depend upon the success of the government in Afghanistan to gain the confidence of its people. In Iraq, the relationship between the government of Iraq, and the Kurds, and the Sunni population is ultimately going to determine if Iraq is a successful state. North Korea, the solution to North Korea lies through diplomacy with China. I think everyone appreciates and understands that. The reason Iran is not North Korea today is because of the JCPOA, which was passed two years ago. Otherwise \u2013 according to the intelligence services \u2013 we would be dealing with an Iran with a nuclear weapon, today, about two years from when we passed that bill. Israel-Palestine, a major flashpoint for conflict in the Middle East, it\u2019s all about diplomacy.\u201d\r\nSenator King went on to discuss the issues with staffing at the U.S. Department of State, and highlighted the need to fill important posts at the department.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRight now, by the way, under the current dispensation, this part of the strategy \u2013 that is diplomacy \u2013 is being drastically downgraded, with budgets cut at the State Department,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cWe don\u2019t have an Ambassador to South Korea, for example, or even a nominee.\u201d\r\nThe witnesses before this morning\u2019s hearing were Dr. Mara E. Karlin, Associate Professor Of The Practice Of Strategic Studies, Johns Hopkins School Of Advanced International Studies; Dr. Thomas G. Mahnken, President And Chief Executive Officer, Center For Strategic Budgetary Assessments; Mr. David A. Ochmanek, Senior Defense Research Analyst, RAND Corporation; Lieutenant General Thomas W. Spoehr, USA (Ret.), Director Of The Center For National Defense, Heritage Foundation; Ms. Mackenzie Eaglen, Resident Fellow Of The Marilyn Ware Center For Security Studies, The American Enterprise Institute.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-applaud-university-of-maine-designation-as-a-combined-heat-and-power-assistance-center", "Collins, King Applaud University of Maine Designation as a Combined Heat and Power Assistance Center", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Applaud University of Maine Designation as a Combined Heat and Power Assistance Center\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tUMaine one of eight new CHP assistance centers eligible for DOE funding\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 29, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today applauded the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) decision to select the University of Maine as a regional Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) program designee. The announcement includes $25 million in DOE funding, which will be disbursed over five years to eight new CHP TAP designees, including the University of Maine. The funding aims to advance the installation of cost-effective, highly efficient CHP technologies. CHP technologies can efficiently leverage forest industry byproducts and turn them into added value for local economies, which diversifies energy options for rural industries, increases markets for forest products residuals, and maximizes use of Maine\u2019s natural resources.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCHP technologies provide an exciting opportunity to explore innovative strategies that lower energy costs and strengthen the Maine economy,\u201d Senator Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cBy leveraging our state\u2019s natural resources, we can bolster the forest products industry and help create jobs that support our rural communities. We are thrilled the Department of Energy has recognized the University of Maine as a premier research institution that can help industries in Maine further develop the potential of CHP technology.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"We are thrilled to be part of this important Department of Energy Program,\u201d said Dr. David Dvorak, Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at the University of Maine. \u201cCombined Heat and Power (CHP) systems offer real solutions to today's energy issues: supporting economic development through improved energy efficiency, increased energy resiliency, and lower energy costs. We have a strong team of experts at the University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire, and look forward to working together to promote cost-effective energy systems in Maine, New Hampshire, and New England.\"\r\nWith the DOE investment, the University of Maine will become a regional CHP Technical Assistance Partnership (CHP TAP), which enables higher education research centers to provide assistance and analysis for any business looking to invest in CHP technology.\u00a0 This DOE program has supported a wide-range of businesses throughout the country. In Maine, the program has helped multiple businesses install energy-efficient CHP equipment that has saved energy costs. Following Hurricane Maria, some of the only facilities with power in Puerto Rico were hospitals with on-site CHP technology.\r\nIn early October, Senator King hosted a Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee field hearing at Robbins Lumber, a fifth-generation family owned sawmill in Searsmont, to discuss how CHP and microgrid technology approaches can support rural industries and communities and to underscore the energy saving potential of colocation energy approaches. Robbins Lumber currently has a CHP facility under construction that will generate electricity and thermal energy\u00a0from wood waste produced in the region\u2019s logging operations and sawmills. The field hearing included witnesses from the Maine forest products and energy industries as well as the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Office in the Department of Energy.\r\nIn response to input from leaders of the forest products industry at the October ENR field, Senator King introduced the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Support Act, legislation that would help sustain and strengthen rural industries and create jobs by reauthorizing the CHP technical assistance partnership (TAP).\u00a0Specifically, the CHP Support Act would authorize $12 million in funding for the CHP TAP program each year through Fiscal Year 2022.\u00a0\r\nThe Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT),\u00a0originally requested by Senators Collins and King in March 2016, recommended the development of markets for forest product residuals including low-value wood in CHP biomass plants, micro-grids, and modern thermal systems. In the EDAT report, the Department of Energy announced support through its CHP Technical Assistance Program to help Maine\u2019s forest industry with feasibility assessments of existing operations to install CHP technology as a strategy to lower costs through generating onsite power.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe DOE\u2019s CHP activities, led by the Office of Advanced Manufacturing, focus on early-stage research and development, as well as public-private partnerships and field validation of CHP technologies.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-bipartisan-group-of-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-prioritize-preventive-healthcare_", "King, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Prioritize Preventive Healthcare", "2017-11-29", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Prioritize Preventive Healthcare  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 29, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), along with Tom Udall (D-New Mexico) today reintroduced\u00a0the\u00a0Preventive Health Savings Act,\u00a0legislation that would direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive healthcare, including health screenings.\r\n\u201cCongress has recently spent a lot of time debating the best methods of paying for healthcare, and for good reason: the American people rely on this care to live happy, healthy lives,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cBut these recent discussions don\u2019t address the underlying problem of overall healthcare spending. Regardless of who is writing the check, the current trajectory of healthcare spending is unsustainable. We need to make the most of options like preventive care, which is proven to control costs and improve the overall health of communities. By ensuring that future Congressional Budget Office studies extend beyond the existing ten-year budget window, this bill will help us fully understand the long-term benefits and maximize the impact of preventive care to improve overall health, in Maine and across the country.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis bipartisan legislation is a simple fix that will allow the Congressional Budget Office to capture the long-term savings that can be achieved through preventive health care, arming lawmakers with more accurate information when considering legislation to improve health care system,\u201d said Senator Crapo.\r\n\u201cPrevention and early detection through cancer screenings, counseling, and immunization all lower healthcare costs by reducing the severity of disease. As a nation, we spend far more on the treatment of disease than we do on preventive health. But our neglect of prevention has been costly, overwhelming our healthcare budgets, particularly Medicare and Medicaid,\u201d said Senator Cardin. \u201cRe-evaluating our budget rules is not a new phenomenon. As our nation shifts its focus to more preventive healthcare, our budgets and accounting methods should shift too.\u201d\r\n\u201cPreventive health care has been proven time and time again to save lives and dramatically lower costs, and that is an investment that is well worth making,\u201d Senator Udall said. \u201cThis bill will ensure that lawmakers have that information at their fingertips to help make better decisions about these programs in the future.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Preventive Health Savings Act recognizes the importance of preventing chronic diseases and promoting behavioral health,\u201d said LaShawn McIver, MD, MPH and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Advocacy at the American Diabetes Association. \u201cWe know that lifestyle support programs such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program lead to significant cost-savings that extend beyond the Congressional Budget Office\u2019s traditional scoring window of 10 years. Evaluating cost-savings further into the future, as would be allowed by the Preventive Health Savings Act, will provide a more comprehensive appraisal of critical programs that promote wellness and disease prevention, while reducing health care costs and overall spending, and thus improving the lives of millions of Americans.\u201d\r\nThe American Diabetes Association is one of 120 organizations that have expressed support for the Preventative Health Savings Act. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and the disease is one of the leading chronic diseases causing death and disability in the United States.\r\nAccording to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), efforts to treat chronic diseases account for over 80 percent of America\u2019s health care costs. \u00a0Preventive care \u2013 such as health screenings, shots, and lab tests \u2013 can help prevent chronic disease and ultimately lead to savings in health care costs.\r\nUnder current law, however, the CBO does not take into account the long-term cost-savings associated with preventive health initiatives.\u00a0The Preventive Health Savings Act\u00a0would direct the CBO to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive health care legislation by allowing Congressional Committees \u2013 including the Budget; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Finance; Ways and Means; and Energy and Commerce Committees \u2013 to request an analysis of preventive measures extending beyond the existing 10-year budget window to two additional 10-year periods.\r\nBy allowing the CBO to widen its budget window to better capture the costs-savings from preventive care, the legislation\u00a0encourages a sensible review of health policy in order to promote public health and incentivizes Congress to invest in proven methods of saving lives and money.\u200e\r\nSenators King, Crapo and Cardin originally introduced the bill in 2013, and reintroduced the bill in 2016.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/news/video-and-audio/view/in-budget-committee-king-urges-caution-on-rushed-tax-reform-process", "In Budget Committee, King Urges Caution on Rushed Tax Reform Process", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 3\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAugusta, Maine 04330", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-budget-committee-king-urges-caution-on-rushed-tax-reform-process", "In Budget Committee, King Urges Caution on Rushed Tax Reform Process", "2017-11-28", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Budget Committee, King Urges Caution on Rushed Tax Reform Process\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThe ancient Roman historian Tacitus said, \u2018Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty.\u2019\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 28, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, today urged caution on rushing the proposed tax reform plan through the Senate without substantial hearings, feedback from the public, or information from experts. His remarks come days ahead of a planned vote before the full Senate on the tax cut framework.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe could get 70 votes, or 80 votes, for a tax reform proposal that was less damaging to the deficit, more stimulative to the economy, and more fairly distributed,\u201d Senator King said. \u201c[\u2026]Let\u2019s slow down, have a real process, get input from people all across the country, find out what this bill would actually do. Change it. Improve it. And then come out with a product that can be passed on a bipartisan basis, will be much more consistent with the needs and desires of the American people, and will make \u2013 I believe \u2013 a difference for the next generation. Instead of being a millstone, it will be an opportunity.\u201d\r\nThis morning, Senator King joined a group of moderate Democrats to underscore the potential and desire for bipartisan compromise on tax reform. The press conference is available in full HERE.\r\nSenator King has consistently called for a responsible, balanced, and long-term approach to addressing the United States national debt and deficit, and was named a \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d in 2016 by Campaign to Fix the Debt. The Budget Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2018 budget resolution by a 12 to 11 party-line vote in October.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/honoring-the-service-and-activism-of-maine-veterans", "Honoring the Service and Activism of Maine Veterans", "2017-11-25", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\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             Honoring the Service and Activism of Maine Veterans", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-november-podcast-king-highlights-service-and-activism-of-maine-veterans", "In November Podcast, King Highlights Service and Activism of Maine Veterans", "2017-11-25", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In November Podcast, King Highlights Service and Activism of Maine Veterans\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, November 25, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tNORWAY, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) today released the November edition of his Inside Maine podcast. In this edition, Senator King speaks with Carmine Pecorelli, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, about time in the military and how he\u2019s continued his lifetime of service as a volunteer advocate for veterans. Senator King then speaks to Deo Lauria, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and the outgoing District Service Officer for the American Legion at Togus. Senator King and his guests discuss the importance of serving Maine veterans.\r\n\u201cMaine has a long and storied history of military service that continues to this day, as our state has one of the highest percentages of veterans in the country,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThese are men and women who deserve our deepest gratitude for their military service \u2013 but it\u2019s important to recognize that their efforts continued after they took off the uniform. Carmine and Deo are phenomenal examples of that continued work; pillars of service above self, these men exemplify how vibrant and vital Maine\u2019s veterans community is. It was my pleasure to speak with them and highlight the good work they do for Maine\u2019s veterans. \u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nSince arriving in Washington, Senator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. This was particularly true in November: over Veterans Day weekend, he joined members of the community to observe Veterans Day at Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Cemetery in Caribou, where he provided keynote remarks and participated in the wreath laying cemetery. He also spoke at the opening of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport, and presented World War II Veteran and Penobscot Tribal Elder with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol. Earlier in the month, Sen. King also announced his support for two bills to protect and support American veterans.\r\nThese are just the latest examples of Senator King\u2019s continued efforts for Maine\u2019s veteran population. Through his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has supported multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support American veterans. In the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, Senator King\u00a0cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that would encourage cooperation and integration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense with their electronic health care record systems to improve the transition from active duty to veteran status and ensure that veterans won\u2019t have to wait to gain access to the health care services they have earned. He also supported an amendment authored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that would encourage the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to assess the feasibility of establishing a joint office to house an interagency task force on suicide prevention. Senator King supports the coordination between the departments so that those who have served do not slip through the cracks. He is a strong supporter of the\u00a0Veterans Choice Program, which helps veterans across Maine and the nation receive health care within their communities and allows veterans in Northern Maine to seamlessly utilize community care as they formerly did under the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot.\u00a0In August, the President signed into law\u00a0Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act,\u00a0legislation he cosponsored that would overhaul the Department of Veteran Affairs\u2019 (VA) appeals process.\r\nThe \u201cInside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King\u201d is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King\u2019s work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King\u2019s podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month.\r\nA link to the November podcast can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-small-business-saturday-king-highlights-local-economy-in-oxford-county", "On Small Business Saturday, King Highlights Local Economy in Oxford County", "2017-11-25", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Small Business Saturday, King Highlights Local Economy in Oxford County\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, November 25, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tNORWAY, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today met with small business owners and community members in the Norway/South Paris region to underscore how supporting local businesses can grow the Maine economy. His visit came on Small Business Saturday, which falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and emphasizes the importance of supporting local small businesses, particularly during the holiday season.\r\n\u201cSmall businesses are the backbone of our economy. All across Maine, there are independently-owned businesses that create jobs for local people and foster growth and innovation in our communities,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cThe local business owners I met with in Paris and Norway today characterize Maine\u2019s entrepreneurial spirit, and -- by working to grow the economy -- demonstrate a dedication to friends and neighbors to make their communities more resilient. During this holiday season, let us reaffirm our commitment to buying local so we can support the Main Streets of our hometowns and help keep Maine a special place to work and live.\u201d\r\nIn the morning, Senator King visited Caf\u00e9 Nomad in Norway to meet with local people. Following this, Senator King stopped at a variety of small businesses on Main Street in Downtown Norway and had lunch at the family-owned Norway Brewing Company. He also attended the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce\u2019s Christmas Parade, which is the state\u2019s largest Christmas Parade.\r\nEarlier this month, Senator King cosponsored a bipartisan U.S. Senate resolution to recognize the importance of Small Business Saturday for local businesses across the country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-belfast-king-meets-with-belfast-community-members-hears-from-local-business-leaders", "In Belfast, King Meets with Belfast Community Members, Hears from Local Business Leaders", "2017-11-21", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Belfast, King Meets with Belfast Community Members, Hears from Local Business Leaders\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 21, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBELFAST, ME\u00a0\u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today visited the Belfast region to hear from business leaders and community members about important issues impacting the area. Senator King began the day visiting Bank of America, met with community and business leaders at the Belfast Co-op, and visited Front Street Shipyard. He will end the day meeting with Sprague Energy at Mack Point Terminal in Searsport.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOne of the most important parts of my job is to listen. And whether it\u2019s in hearings in Washington, or right here on Front Street in Belfast, listening helps guide my work on behalf of our state,\u201d\u00a0Senator King said. \u201cThese meetings in Belfast today provided important insight into the many different ways we can work together to grow the economy and support Maine people. From food to ferries, innovation starts with local people driven to help their communities, and it was great to see people in Belfast working to support their neighbors and build a diverse, resilient economy.\u201d\r\nIn the morning, Senator King toured the Bank of America in Belfast, which employs about 725 Maine people and is a significant economic driver for the region. Following the tour, Senator King met with local leaders for lunch at the Belfast Co-op. The Belfast Co-op, founded in 1976, is one of the oldest co-ops in Maine and one of the largest in New England. With over 3,900 members, the Co-op has continued to expand and improve to support the local economy and Belfast\u2019s vibrant natural foods industry.\r\nIn the afternoon, Senator King visited Front Street Shipyard to discuss its proposed new manufacturing line, which is intended to support the construction of carbon fiber ferries. The proposal would expand Front Street\u2019s operation to new markets and help grow the region\u2019s workforce. The shipyard is partnering with the Norwegian-based company Brodene Aa, which designs and constructs fast, fuel-efficient ferries, to establish a foothold for carbon fiber ferries in U.S. markets. Ferries currently carry about 103 million passengers and more than 37 million vehicles per year in the United States.\r\nSenator King will end the day meeting with Sprague Energy at Mack Point Terminal in Searsport to discuss infrastructure plans to support the export of forest products and the construction of a new crane for a liquid dry dock to support offshore wind project efforts.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-388000-from-usda-for-university-of-maines-potato-breeding-research", "Collins, King Announce $388,000 from USDA for University of Maine’s Potato Breeding Research", "2017-11-20", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce $388,000 from USDA for University of Maine\u2019s Potato Breeding Research\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 20, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBRUNSWICK, ME \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded a grant totaling $388,000 to the University of Maine at Orono to study potato breeding and improve quality and pest resistance in the eastern United States.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMaine potatoes are a staple in homes around the country and are a testament to the quality of our farmers and small businesses,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThis funding from the USDA will support the University of Maine\u2019s cutting-edge research into potato breeding and help the state build on our strong agricultural traditions so we can make Maine potato products more economically resilient. We\u2019re glad the Department of Agriculture recognizes the University of Maine\u2019s innovative research and our state\u2019s important role in the country\u2019s agriculture.\u201d\r\nThe grant, awarded through NIFA\u2019s Potato Breeding Research Program, aims to increase the productivity, profitability, and natural resource stewardship of potato cultivation. The University of Maine will serve as the lead on an eastern United States potato breeding project focused on developing attractive, productive, disease- and insect-resistant potato varieties for both large and small scale production. This will positively impact productivity and quality of eastern U.S. potatoes, while also decreasing the economic impact of pests.\u00a0\r\nSenators Collins and King have been longtime advocates for Maine\u2019s agricultural heritage. In September, they introduced the bipartisan Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports (CREAATE) Act, which would double the funding for two USDA export promotion programs and help U.S. farmers stay competitive in the global markets. Senator King recently attended the Harvest Festival in Bangor and met with members of the Maine Potato Board to highlight the CREAATE Act and the impact it would have on Maine\u2019s local farmers.\r\nThe USDA NIFA invests in agricultural research and education through projects like the one at the University of Maine to directly support the prosperity of U.S. agriculture.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-response-to-enr-field-hearing-at-robbins-lumber-king-introduces-combined-heat-and-power-support-act", "In Response to ENR Field Hearing at Robbins Lumber, King Introduces Combined Heat and Power Support Act", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Response to ENR Field Hearing at Robbins Lumber, King Introduces Combined Heat and Power Support Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing bill would help support rural industries, create jobs, encourage energy efficiency\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 16, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In response to input from leaders of the forest products industry at the October U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee field hearing at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today introduced the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Support Act, legislation that would help sustain and strengthen rural industries and create jobs by reauthorizing the CHP technical assistance partnership (TAP), which sunset in September of this year. The bill would also provide funding for the CHP TAP program for the next five years. CHP technology can efficiently leverage byproducts of the forest industry and turn them into added value for local economies, which would diversify energy options for rural industries, increase markets for forest products residuals, and maximize use of Maine\u2019s natural resources.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn Maine and throughout the country, lowering energy costs is essential to supporting rural industry and fostering job creation,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cAt Robbins Lumber in October, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, industry stakeholders, and representatives from the Department of Energy were able to see firsthand how innovative approaches to controlling energy costs can be good for business, and good for the health and vibrancy of the surrounding community. Maine sits on a goldmine of fiber, and by offering an array of strategies to Maine businesses, we can better manage energy usage and ensure our forest products sector is leveraging every inch of the tree \u2013 from stump to stem.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs we look to diversify and restore markets for full utilization of our forest resources, wood energy is an extremely important opportunity for Maine\u2019s loggers and truckers,\u201d Dana Doran, Executive Director, Professional Logging Contractors of Maine. \u201cThe DOE Technical Assistance program can provide important tools to assist Maine in expanding market opportunities for wood energy to make Maine more energy independent.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"Enabling biomass power facilities to sell the heat produced in generating electricity is the next frontier for our industry,\" said Bob Cleaves, president and CEO of Biomass Power Association. \"We thank Senator King for fighting for this funding, which will go toward helping biomass facilities do the necessary upgrades to sell heat. This could boost not only biomass facilities, which face stiff competition in current power markets, but also the larger forest products industry in Maine and around the country.\"\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe Alliance for Industrial Efficiency applauds Senator King for his leadership in introducing legislation to authorize the Department of Energy\u2019s Combined Heat and Power Technical Partnership Program (\u201cCHP TAPs\u201d),\u201d said Jennifer Kefer, Exeuctive Director of the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency. \u201cThe CHP TAPs and the supporting efforts of the DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office\u2019s Technical Assistance Partnerships save consumers money, increase economic competitiveness, strengthen our nation\u2019s energy security, and reduce harmful emissions through the use of CHP. By authorizing the continuation of the CHP TAPs, Senator King will help manufacturers, universities, and institutions save money, reduce their energy use, increase their reliability in the face of extreme weather events that may compromise the grid, and lower their emissions.\u201d\r\nSpecifically, the CHP Support Act would authorize $12 million in funding for the CHP TAP program each year through Fiscal Year 2022. The CHP TAP program enables higher education research centers to provide assistance and analysis for any business looking to invest in CHP technology and has supported a wide-range of businesses throughout the country. In Maine, the program has helped multiple businesses install energy-efficient CHP equipment that has saved energy costs. Following Hurricane Maria, some of the only facilities with power in Puerto Rico were hospitals with on-site CHP technology.\r\nIn early October, Senator King hosted a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee field hearing at Robbins Lumber, a fifth-generation family owned sawmill in Searsmont, to discuss how CHP and microgrid technology approaches can support rural industries and communities and to underscore the energy saving potential of colocation energy approaches. Robbins Lumber currently has a CHP facility under construction that will generate electricity and thermal energy\u00a0from wood waste produced in the region\u2019s logging operations and sawmills. The field hearing included witnesses from the Maine forest products and energy industries as well as the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Office in the Department of Energy.\r\nSenator King has been a strong advocate for reducing energy costs and supporting job growth for Maine industry. The Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT), originally requested by Senators Collins and King in March 2016, recommended the development of markets for forest product residuals including low-value wood in CHP biomass plants, micro-grids, and modern thermal systems. In the EDAT report, the Department of Energy announced support through its CHP Technical Assistance Program to help Maine\u2019s forest industry with feasibility assessments of existing operations to install CHP technology as a strategy to lower costs through generating onsite power.\r\nSenator King has also introduced the Biomass Thermal\u00a0Utilization Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would establish a tax credit for business and home use of high-efficiency biomass heating equipment. Tax incentives already exist for other forms of renewable energy and this bill seeks to achieve parity between those renewable systems and thermal biomass systems.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-senate-floor-king-pushes-for-funding-of-federally-qualified-healthcare-centers", "On Senate Floor, King Pushes for Funding of Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Senate Floor, King Pushes for Funding of Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThis is one of the best federal programs ever created, and it\u2019s always been supported on a bipartisan basis.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 16, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of funding Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), which provide vital health care services to rural communities. Seventy percent of federal funding for FQHCs expired on October 1st, threatening access to health care for tens of thousands of people in Maine.\r\n\u201cIn Maine, we have 20 centers, and 70 facilities scattered all over our state and they are providing services every day to over 200,000 people,\u201d said Senator King during his remarks. \u201cThey\u2019ve saved Medicaid over $100 million in Maine. $257 million is the estimate for what they\u2019ve saved the overall health care system [in Maine]\u2026 One in six people in Maine get their health care from FQHC\u2019s. 210,000 people. They accept everybody that comes in the door, I\u2019ve been to them all over the state\u2026These are the rural health care providers for rural America. And it\u2019s not only Maine, it\u2019s across the country. 10,000 sites across the United States, 26 million patients at risk\u2026\u00a0\r\n\u201cIf we leave at the end of the year and haven\u2019t done this, it will be a tragedy for rural America, it will be a betrayal of rural America, it will be betrayal of our constituents. All of us have been to these centers and seen the care that they provide \u2013 the caring that they provide \u2013 the passion that people bring to the services in their communities and how much they mean to their communities. This is one of the best federal programs ever created. And it\u2019s always been supported on a bipartisan basis.\u201d\r\nDuring his remarks, Senator King highlighted a recent letter from the leader of one of Maine\u2019s 20 FQHCs. The letter lays out the challenges FQHCs are already facing based on the uncertainty of funding: a dentist recruit, who had been trained by the center in question, had his application placed on hold, calling his future employment in the region into question. This dentist\u2019s presence is vital, as 3,000 community members are currently being served by a dentist who is planning to retire; based on uncertainty alone, thousands of people in Maine could be left without a viable option for dental care.\u00a0\r\nSenator King\u2019s speech, which came on National Rural Health Day, is the latest example of his strong advocacy for increased support of rural health services. Last week, he announced his support for three bipartisan bills aimed at improving financial stability for rural hospitals and supporting seniors in rural Maine. He has also met with hospital administrators and health professionals in Bridgton, Lincoln, Skowhegan, Eastport and Machias to discuss the impact changes to the Affordable Care Act would have on rural Maine clinics, hospitals, patients, and local economies. Proposed cuts to health programs like Medicaid would significantly threaten the financial stability of rural hospitals which serve as one of the top employers in fifteen out of Maine\u2019s sixteen counties.\r\nSenator King has opposed several attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and has repeatedly called on his colleagues to engage in bipartisan discussions to make meaningful improvements to the law rather than rushing to repeal it. This summer, Senator King\u00a0outlined a roadmap of health care priorities\u00a0to stabilize the health care marketplace and lower the underlying costs of treatment and health coverage for people in Maine and across the country. He is a cosponsor of the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-reconciled-fy-2018-ndaa-with-victories-for-maine", "Senate Passes Reconciled FY 2018 NDAA with Victories for Maine", "2017-11-16", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Passes Reconciled FY 2018 NDAA with Victories for Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing Hails NDAA Provisions, Renews Call to End Sequestration\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 16, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the U.S. Senate approved the conference committee\u2019s bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018, which included key victories for Maine. Senator King served on the conference committee that reconciled the differences between the Senate\u2019s version, which passed by a vote of 89-8, and the version advanced by the House of Representatives. The bill will now go to the President for his signature.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThroughout this process, I have proudly highlighted the important role that the people of Maine play in our national defense,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThis final bill will make sure Maine\u2019s military personnel and workers in defense-related industries have the resources they need to continue making important contributions to national security. Now that the final bill has been passed, I hope that Congress can continue to work toward the best interest of both national safety and the economy by finally acting to end sequestration.\u201d\r\nSenator King secured several major victories that will directly benefit Maine, including:\r\n \r\nNEW FACILITY AT PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD: The legislation authorizes $61,692,000 for the construction of a paint, blast, and rubber facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Senator King also supported an amendment authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that calls for a study on dry dock capacity to identify and support the shipyard infrastructure needs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\r\n \r\n \r\nNEW NATIONAL GUARD CENTER IN PRESQUE ISLE: The legislation authorizes $17,500,000 for the construction of a new National Guard Readiness Center in Presque Isle.\r\n \r\n \r\nFUNDING FOR SHIPBUILDING PRIORITIES: The legislation authorizes more than $5.62 billion for Navy destroyer programs, including more than $5 billion for the procurement of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers in fiscal year 2018 that Bath Iron Works can compete to build, as well as more than $314.5 million for the continued R&D and production of DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at Bath.\r\n \r\nSenator King also cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in support of the Navy\u2019s Force Structure Assessment requirement for 355 battle force fleet ship. This requirement was codified into the final conference report.\r\n \r\nJOINT STRIKE FIGHTER: The bill authorizes the procurement of 90 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters of all three variants. Several Maine-based companies, including Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and General Dynamics in Saco, are in the supply and production chain for this fifth generation fighter.\r\n \r\n \r\nLONG RANGE STRIKE BOMBER: The bill authorizes more than $2 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation of the long-range stealth bomber, B-21, which will be a central pillar of our national security strategy to deal with future threats. Pratt & Whitney, which maintains a facility in North Berwick, will be the engine supplier for the B-21.\r\n \r\n \r\nCH-53K HELICOPTER: The bill authorizes more than $567 million to procure four CH-53K helicopters. Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.\r\n \r\n \r\nNO NEW BRAC ROUND: This legislation rejects the President\u2019s call in his Fiscal Year 2018 budget request for additional base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The last BRAC process occurred in 2005 when a recommendation to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was ultimately overturned by the BRAC Commission, but Brunswick Naval Air Station was closed.\r\n \r\nThe Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA establishes policies and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy. It provides for the pay and benefits earned by members of the military and their families, provides for national defense including authorization of funds for military operations in places like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, and represents a vision of America\u2019s national security goals, resources, and policies. Now that the final report has been passed by both the House and the Senate, the bill will go to the President for his signature.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-speaks-out-against-drilling-in-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge", "King Speaks Out Against Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge", "2017-11-15", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Speaks Out Against Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 15, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the U.S. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), today spoke out against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during an ENR Committee business meeting. The legislation considered before the committee today would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to establish and administer an oil and gas program in the Coastal Plain within the refuge.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe words \u2018wildlife refuge\u2019 mean something it seems to me,\u201d Senator King said. \u201c[\u2026]We\u2019re talking about lot of coverage of this area \u2013 in multiple wells \u2013 a minimum of 400,000 acres being leased. Alaska is 375 million acres, the state owns 105 million acres, the National Petroleum Reserve is 23 million acres, and it just strikes me that the case hasn\u2019t been made to open up this particular, relatively small area of the state for drilling. Particularly when we\u2019re now projecting \u2013 in the news just yesterday \u2013 a record oil production in the United States next year of almost 10 million barrels a day, rivaling that of Saudi Arabia.\u201d\r\nThe 19-million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the largest protected refuge in the United States, supports more than 250 animal species, and represents one of the last intact arctic ecosystems on the North American continent. The Coastal Plain, a 1.57-million acre section of the refuge, is the current focus for development. It is also designated as a critical habitat for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act and is an important hub for caribou, musk ox, and other wildlife.\r\nAt present, the United States is world\u2019s third largest oil producer after Russia and Saudi Arabia. There are currently 23.6 million acres in Alaska open for development at the National Petroleum Reserve.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-hearing-on-hurricane-maria-recovery-efforts-king-calls-for-development-of-21st-century-energy-grid-as-part-of-us-islands-restoration-efforts", "In Hearing on Hurricane Maria Recovery Efforts, King Calls for Development of 21st Century Energy Grid as Part of U.S. Islands Restoration Efforts", "2017-11-14", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Hearing on Hurricane Maria Recovery Efforts, King Calls for Development of 21st Century Energy Grid as Part of U.S. Islands Restoration Efforts\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing announces support for Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), today announced his support for the Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act, legislation that would encourage the building of more resilient energy systems in response to the natural disasters declared during 2017. Senator King\u2019s support for the legislation follows a hearing before the ENR Committee today on recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which left millions of U.S. citizens without power for weeks on end.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think we\u2019re all agreed here it doesn\u2019t make sense to rebuild a 1980s grid when we have an opportunity, when we have renewables, when the economics of renewables are so much better,\u201d Senator King said. \u201c[\u2026]Clearly we need to amend Stafford so that it\u2019s not simply \u2018rebuild what was there before.\u2019[\u2026]This is an extraordinary opportunity for our country to see what a modern grid can and should look like.\u201d\r\nThe Rebuilding Resilient Energy Systems Act would amend the Stafford Act, comprehensive legislation that allocates federal natural disaster assistance to state and local governments, to stipulate that funds granted to repair energy systems may be used to build more modern and resilient infrastructure. This would maximize the use of clean energy resources and energy storage technologies, and could lower the costs of energy bills for American citizens.\u00a0This would also help address the key concerns raised by leaders of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands during today\u2019s hearing.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nFollowing the several significant natural disasters this fall, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, Senator King supported both disaster relief packages that have come to a vote to aid affected states and territories with their rebuilding efforts. The first aid package, passed in September, approved $15.25 billion in disaster relief funding. The second disaster relief package, passed in October, approved $36.5 billion in aid to affected areas.\r\nThrough his work on the ENR Committee, Senator King has continually pushed for cost-effective strategies to strengthen U.S. energy systems and support modern opportunities to make the grid more resilient. In September, Senator King announced his support for the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would establish an investment tax credit (ITC) for business and home use of energy storage. In 2015, the Senator also introduced\u00a0legislation\u00a0that would set national targets for energy storage in order to meet the growing demand on the electric grid and encourage the integration of solar and wind energy. Senator King also introduced the\u00a0Free Market Energy Act, which would establish a set of parameters for the governance of distributed energy resources, like storage and solar.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-bipartisan-agreement-to-cut-red-tape-for-maine-community-banks-and-credit-unions-strengthen-consumer-protections", "King Announces Bipartisan Agreement to Cut Red Tape for Maine Community Banks and Credit Unions, Strengthen Consumer Protections", "2017-11-14", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Bipartisan Agreement to Cut Red Tape for Maine Community Banks and Credit Unions, Strengthen Consumer Protections\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing, Hatch proposal to provide regulatory relief to small financial institutions included in agreement\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) this week joined with a group of his colleagues to announce a bipartisan agreement that will improve the U.S. financial regulatory framework, promote economic growth, provide new protections to consumers, and strengthen small financial institutions in Maine. The agreement comes after months of hearings and outreach to stakeholders, companies, and consumers and includes measures from members on both sides of the aisle.\r\nIncluded in the agreement is language modeled after the Community Bank Relief Act, bipartisan legislation Senator King introduced with Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) that preserves financial safety measures and broadens small bank lending opportunities to provide families, small businesses, and start-ups better credit options. Specifically, it would require the Federal Reserve to expand the number of institutions to which the Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement applies by increasing the asset size threshold from $1 billion to $3 billion.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCommunity banks and credit unions support our state\u2019s businesses, encourage job growth, and help Maine\u2019s hardworking men and women achieve greater financial stability and better credit options,\u201d Senator King. \u201cBut today, these institutions are faced with burdensome regulations that were intended to reign in Wall Street in the wake of the financial crisis. Maine people and small businesses should not be paying for these misdeeds. Better tailoring regulations for small financial institutions will help rebalance regulatory costs with their benefits without compromising the safety and soundness of the financial system. \u00a0This commonsense agreement comes after months of measured, thoughtful negotiations and would provide much needed regulatory relief to stimulate our economy and help people across our state. This is an example of how Congress can and should work.\u201d\r\n\u201cAccess to affordable credit, including mortgages, is a credit union hallmark and fundamental to economic growth,\u201d said Todd Mason, President and CEO of the Maine Credit Union League and Synergent.\u00a0\u201c That\u2019s why the credit unions of Maine thank Senator King for trying to rein in arbitrary restrictions, unnecessary regulations, and cyber threats, all of which increase costs, and reduce access to needed loans.\u00a0 By providing relief in these areas, Senator King will help Maine credit unions continue serve their 700,000 members and small business owners with affordable financial services.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Maine Bankers Association is pleased that Senator King is joining members of the Senate Banking Committee in support of a bi-partisan bill to refine language in previously passed banking legislation,\u201d said Chris Pinkham, President and CEO of the Maine Bankers Association.\u00a0\u201cMaine banks have found that restrictive regulatory language has limited lending flexibility to Maine consumers and small businesses. Bankers have found lending to be challenging as national regulatory standards do not always work in a rural state like Maine.\u00a0Passage of this legislation will expand lending opportunities for Mainers while maintaining safety and soundness standards for Maine\u2019s already well-capitalized banking industry.\u201d\r\nThe package is targeted toward helping community banks, credit unions, mid-sized banks, regional banks and custody banks. It includes important consumer protections, particularly for veterans, senior citizens, and victims of fraud.\u00a0Along with the Community Bank Relief Act, several provisions in the agreement are modeled on legislation Senator King has supported:\r\nSection 101. Minimum Standards for Residential Mortgage Loans. \r\nThis section, modeled after a provision in the CLEAR Relief Act, provides that certain mortgage loans that are originated and retained in portfolio by an insured depository institution or an insured credit union with less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets will be deemed qualified mortgages under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) while maintaining consumer protections.\r\nSection 106. Eliminating Barriers to Jobs for Loan Originators.\r\nThis section, modeled after the SAFE Transitional Licensing Act, provides that an individual will be deemed to have temporary authority to act as a loan originator for 120 days under the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 if such person is (1) a registered loan originator who becomes employed by a state-licensed mortgage company or (2) a state-licensed loan originator who becomes employed by a state-licensed mortgage company in a different state.\r\nSection 109. Escrow Requirements Relating to Certain Consumer Credit Transactions.\r\nThis section, also modeled after a provision in the CLEAR Relief Act, provides an exemption from escrow requirements under TILA for certain loans made by an insured depository institution or an insured credit union.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSection 110. No Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates.\u00a0 \r\nThis section, also modeled after a provision in the CLEAR Relief Act, (1) removes the three-day wait period required for the combined TILA/RESPA mortgage disclosure if a creditor extends to a consumer a second offer of credit with a lower annual percentage rate, and (2) expresses the sense of Congress that the CFPB should endeavor to provide clearer, authoritative guidance with respect to certain issues.\u00a0\r\nSection 203. Community Bank Relief.\r\nThis section, also modeled after a provision in the CLEAR Relief Act, provides that banking entities will be exempt from Section 13 of the Bank Holding Company Act if they have (1) less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, and (2) total trading assets and trading liabilities that are not more than five percent of total consolidated assets.\r\nSection 302. Protecting Veterans\u2019 Credit.\r\nThis section, modeled after the Protecting Veterans Credit Act, amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to exclude from consumer report information: (1) certain medical debt incurred by a veteran if the hospital care or medical services relating to the debt predates the credit report by less than one year; and (2) a fully paid or settled veteran's medical debt that had been characterized as delinquent, charged off, or in collection.\u00a0 It also establishes a dispute process for consumer reporting agencies with respect to such veterans\u2019 medical debt.\u00a0\r\nSection 303. Aiding Senior Protection.\r\nThis section, modeled after the SeniorSafe Act, extends protections to certain people who, in good faith and with reasonable care, disclose the suspected exploitation of a senior citizen to a regulatory or law-enforcement agency.\r\nThis agreement is also supported by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), David Perdue (R-GA), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-L.A.), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), Claire McCaskill (D-M.O.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.).\r\nLegislative text is in the process of being finalized and will be released upon completion. For a section-by-section summary, click\u00a0HERE.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-the-passing-of-thomas-hudner", "King Statement on the Passing of Thomas Hudner", "2017-11-14", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Statement on the Passing of Thomas Hudner\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 14, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement today on the passing of former U.S. Navy Captain Thomas Hudner, a Medal of Honor recipient and the namesake of the future USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh Burke Class destroyer currently under construction at Bath Iron Works.\r\n\u201cAt the christening of the USS Thomas Hudner, I recited this quote from President John F. Kennedy: \u2018As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words of thanks but to live by them.\u2019 Captain Thomas Hudner would never utter the word \u2018hero\u2019 in reference to himself, but that\u2019s how he lived. A man who was willing to risk his life for that of his wingman, Captain Hudner was bravery personified. Though he will be missed, there are hundreds of men and women working tirelessly at Bath Iron Works to build the ship bearing his name, and ensure his legacy of service and sacrifice is known across the world for generations to come.\u201d\r\nHudner, a veteran of the Korean War, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on April 13, 1951 for displaying uncommon valor during an attack on his fellow airman, the first African American naval aviator, Ensign Jesse L. Brown. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, anti-aircraft fire hit Brown's aircraft, causing him to crash. After it became clear that Brown was seriously injured and unable to free himself, Hudner proceeded to purposefully crash his own aircraft to join Brown and provide aid. Hudner injured his own back during his crash landing, but he stayed with Brown until a rescue helicopter arrived. Hudner and the rescue pilot worked in the sub-zero, snow-laden area in an unsuccessful attempt to free Brown, who ultimately succumbed to his injuries, from the smoking wreckage.\r\nThe future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) was christened in April at Bath Iron Works. Senator King delivered remarks at the event and met Captain Hudner, who attended the christening. The ship is currently scheduled to be commissioned in late 2018.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-maine-harvest-festival-king-highlights-bipartisan-legislation-to-support-agricultural-exports_", "At Maine Harvest Festival, King Highlights Bipartisan Legislation to Support Agricultural Exports", "2017-11-13", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At Maine Harvest Festival, King Highlights Bipartisan Legislation to Support Agricultural Exports  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 13, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBANGOR, ME \u2013\u00a0Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) attended the Harvest Festival at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor and heard from Maine agriculture stakeholders, farmers and food processers. Senator King also joined members of the Maine Potato Board to highlight the Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports (CREAATE) Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senator King in September that would double funding to two successful U.S. Department of Agriculture export promotion programs and help U.S. farmers maintain an edge in the increasingly competitive global marketplace.\r\n\u201cEach and every booth at the Maine Harvest Festival serves as a reminder that our state\u2019s agricultural products stand above the rest,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cBut unfortunately, obstacles such as language barriers and varying regulations make it difficult for smaller farms to expand into foreign markets \u2013 in other words, it\u2019s a tall order to ask a family farm to employ an international trade expert who\u2019s also fluent in Mandarin. As a result, many people in foreign countries are unaware that the words \u201cMaine-grown\u201d are indicative of the highest quality. That\u2019s why MAP and FMDP are so important. These programs have a proven track record of helping American farm products reach foreign markets, opening up new opportunities and adding billions of dollars to our nation\u2019s agricultural industry. Passing the CREAATE Act would allow us to revitalize these programs, in turn creating growth in our vital agricultural industry and more good jobs across the economy.\u201d\r\nThe CREAATE Act, which Senator King introduced in September with Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), aims to revitalize the USDA\u2019s export promotion programs, which generated a net return of $28.30 for every dollar invested between 1977 and 2014. The\u00a0CREAATE Act\u00a0would aid two of the USDA\u2019s most successful programs, the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMDP), by doubling their funding over five years. MAP, which is currently funded at $200 million per year, would see its funding rise to $400 million per year, while FMDP would see its funding rise from $34.5 million per year to $69 million per year. Each of these increases would take place incrementally over 5 years.\r\nMAP was established in 1985, and allows agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, non-profit trade groups, and small businesses to apply for either generic or brand-specific promotion funds to support exporting efforts. Generic commodity funds are issues with a 10-percent minimum matching fund, while brand-specific funds require a funding match of at least 50%.\r\nFMDP was first developed in 1955, and is largely used for the promotion of bulk commodities, helping agricultural trade associations establish permanent presences in important markets. It also includes a matching fund requirement.\u00a0\r\nUSDA export programs like MAP and FMDP have added an annual average of $8.15 billion to the value of American agricultural exports, and added up to 239,800 full and part-time jobs, including 90,000 farm sector jobs. Despite these successes, MAP and FMDP funding has not increased since the 2002 Farm Bill, even as competitors increase their efforts; for example, the European Union\u2019s spending for the promotion of wine exceeded the total budget of MAP and FMDP in 2017. The CREAATE Act would curb this trend by providing the agricultural community with the level of support they need.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-ask-doj-to-provide-guidance-on-boosting-support-for-forensic-labs-in-efforts-to-combat-opioid-epidemic", "Collins, King Ask DOJ to Provide Guidance on Boosting Support for Forensic Labs in Efforts to Combat Opioid Epidemic", "2017-11-13", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Ask DOJ to Provide Guidance on Boosting Support for Forensic Labs in Efforts to Combat Opioid Epidemic\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 13, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of 30 senators in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asking him to provide Congress with information detailing how the Department of Justice (DOJ) is supporting and prioritizing forensic science service providers across the nation as a part of a broader approach to combat the opioid epidemic.\r\n\u201cThe opioid crisis knows no boundaries; it reaches into homes in every community in every region of this country. Stopping the flow of these drugs is critical to ending the crisis, but to do so requires the ability to trace the drugs to their source.\u00a0 This demands a forceful and vigorous effort by our forensic science community,\u201d wrote the senators.\r\nThe senators continued, \u201cThe current opioid crisis has overwhelmed the nation\u2019s collective laboratory systems with more than a 6000% increase in the last four years, according to National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) data provided by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. Case backlogs and turnaround times are growing. Dangerous emerging drugs are not being scheduled to make them illegal, and deaths likely associated with drug overdose are not being investigated completely by medical examiners and coroners.\u201d\r\nThe bipartisan coalition of senators, led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and John Cornyn (R-TX), called upon the DOJ to provide Congress with a comprehensive list detailing DOJ efforts to support and prioritize forensic science service providers within 30 days, and to also explain how the Department is including grant programs and technical assistance for providers at the state, county, and local levels to help combat the public health crisis. The forensic science community plays a critical role in communities affected by the opioid epidemic. Labs and other forensic science service personnel help local law enforcement and federal agencies trace drugs to their source by helping to analyze evidence, find importers, manufacturers and distributors, and to determine causes of death in overdoses.\r\nAs a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins has secured significant funding for addiction treatment services. She recently announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $816 million \u2013 a $665 million increase over the past two years \u2013 for the Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 (HHS) opioid abuse treatment and prevention programs. The bill directs $500 million to State opioid crisis grants, which were authorized through the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill that was championed by Senator Collins and signed into law in December 2016.\r\nSenator King has been a leading proponent of providing additional funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. He has repeatedly called on\u00a0Congress\u00a0and both the\u00a0Obama\u00a0and\u00a0Trump\u00a0administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic. Last week he led a letter to the Trump Administration urging additional funding for the opioid epidemic, and earlier this month he joined with a group of colleagues to\u00a0introduce the\u00a0Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act,\u00a0legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids. Senator King also recently wrote to President Trump urging him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone.\u00a0\r\nThe Senators letter to Attorney General Sessions can be read in full here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-veterans-day-king-honors-nations-heroes-at-northern-maine-veterans-cemetery", "On Veterans Day, King Honors Nation’s Heroes at Northern Maine Veterans’ Cemetery", "2017-11-11", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Veterans Day, King Honors Nation\u2019s Heroes at Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Cemetery\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSaturday, November 11, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tCARIBOU, ME \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined Maine veterans and members of the community for a service at the Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Ceremony in Caribou to honor the men and women who have served in defense of the United States. Senator King provided keynote remarks and participated in the wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \"Maine has a long and storied history of military service.\u00a0During the Civil War, Maine sent a higher proportion of its citizens to combat than any other state in the Union,\"\u00a0Senator King said. \"To this day, Maine continues this tradition of service, with one of the highest numbers of veterans per capita in the United States. With such a strong, first-hand understanding of the contributions of veterans to our communities in Maine, our commitment to service also extends to an unwavering dedication to meeting the needs of the veterans and their families who sacrificed to keep us safe.\u00a0\u00a0The greatest expression of gratitude to the neighbors, friends and family who bravely served to protect our national security and the freedoms we enjoy is to reaffirm our commitment to those veterans who struggle with unemployment, poverty, and difficulties in accessing healthcare. Let this Veterans Day be a call to action that not only on this revered day in our Nation\u2019s history, but each and every day, we must rededicate ourselves to caring for the veterans and their families who have sacrificed on our behalf.?\"\r\nWith the closest National Veterans\u2019 Cemetery more than 450 miles away in Bourne, MA and the closest State Veterans\u2019 Cemetery nearly 250 miles away in Augusta, the Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Cemetery is critical to providing continued service for the approximately 7,800 veterans and their families in Northern Maine.\u00a0\r\nThis week, Senator King announced his support for two pieces of legislation that will support and protect American veterans. The\u00a0Protecting Veterans Credit Act\u00a0of 2017, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), would protect the credit ratings of veterans wrongly penalized by medical bill payment delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The\u00a0Military and Veterans Education Protection Act\u00a0prevents targeting of veterans by low-quality, for-profit universities by closing the loophole that\u00a0allows for-profit schools to avoid securing at least 10 percent of their revenue from non-federal sources. The current loophole excludes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) education funds, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance (TA), from being counted as federal funds.\r\nSince arriving in Washington, Senator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. Through his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has supported multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support American veterans. In the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, Senator King\u00a0cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that would encourage cooperation and integration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense with their electronic health care record systems to improve the transition from active duty to veteran status and ensure that veterans won\u2019t have to wait to gain access to the health care services they have earned. He also supported an amendment authored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that would encourage the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to assess the feasibility of establishing a joint office to house an interagency task force on suicide prevention. Senator King supports the coordination between the departments so that those who have served do not slip through the cracks. He is a strong supporter of the\u00a0Veterans Choice Program, which helps veterans across Maine and the nation receive health care within their communities and allows veterans in Northern Maine to continue to utilize community care as they did under the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot.\u00a0In August, the President signed into law\u00a0Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act,\u00a0legislation he cosponsored that would overhaul the Department of Veteran Affairs\u2019 (VA) appeals process.\r\nFollowing the service, Senator King is\u00a0attending the Harvest Festival at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor to hear from Maine agriculture stakeholders, farmers, food processors and brewers. Senator King will then join members of the Maine Potato Board for a press conference on the CREAATE Act,\u00a0bipartisan legislation he introduced in September that would increase funding to successful U.S. Department of Agriculture export promotion programs and help U.S. farmers maintain an edge in the increasingly competitive global marketplace.\u00a0The\u00a0bill\u00a0would aid two of the USDA\u2019s most successful programs, the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMDP), by doubling their funding over five years.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-bangor-king-announces-letter-to-cms-administrator-requesting-extension-of-open-enrollment-for-maine-due-to-power-loss-following-october-storm-", "In Bangor, King Announces Letter to CMS Administrator Requesting Extension of Open Enrollment for Maine Due to Power Loss Following October Storm", "2017-11-10", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Bangor, King Announces Letter to CMS Administrator Requesting Extension of Open Enrollment for Maine Due to Power Loss Following October Storm \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAnnouncement Comes as King Continues Open Enrollment Information Tour at Penobscot Community Health Care\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, November 10, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBANGOR, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that he sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma to request an extension of the 2018 Affordable Care Act open enrollment period for Maine. The request comes following a severe storm caused more than 400,000 people in Maine to lose power as the shortened open enrollment period began.\r\n\u201cAs you may know, a severe storm with hurricane-force winds recently hit Maine causing historic, widespread power outages,\u201d Senator King wrote in the letter. \u201cWithout access to electricity and or communications it is nearly impossible to effectively shop for health insurance. \u00a0Clearly, for those trying to enroll in healthcare, the timing of this event is dire. Because of the storm damage many Maine residents will lose nearly 1/3 of the Open Enrollment period\u2026 I respectfully ask that you consider extending the Open Enrollment period for the State of Maine to provide those recovering from the storm additional time to shop for health insurance coverage.\u201d\r\nSenator King announced the letter at Penobscot Community Health Care, where he continued his open enrollment information tour to provide information to Maine citizens about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period. Open enrollment began on November 1st and currently stands to end on December 15th. The press conference featured health care professionals and advocates, application assisters, and health care providers.\r\nIn recent months, the Administration has launched numerous efforts to undermine open enrollment including reducing the length of open enrollment from 12 weeks to 6 weeks, announcing a 12-hour shutdown of the ACA website over weekends, and drastically cutting funding for advertising and insurance navigator programs. Despite these changes, the Affordable Care Act\u2019s benefits and assistance with enrollment remain available for those who sign up within the shortened time period.\r\nSenator King has been outspoken in his desire to improve the Affordable Care Act to protect coverage for the millions who rely on it for affordable healthcare, and is a cosponsor of the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.\r\nToday\u2019s event marks the latest iteration of Senator King\u2019s Open Enrollment information tour. In October, Senator King joined health care professionals and advocates at the Opportunity Alliance in South Portland to encourage Maine people to learn more about their health care options and get coverage, and in earlier this week he spoke about the importance of insurance at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. He also hosted a Facebook live on the topic last night, where he shared a personal story about how insurance saved his life more than 40 years ago.\r\nFor more information Maine people can reach out to Maine Consumers for Affordable Health Care, call 1-800-965-7476, and/or visit healthcare.gov. The full text of the Senator\u2019s letter can be found here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-presents-flag-flown-over-us-capitol-to-penobscot-tribal-elder-and-world-war-ii-veteran-", "King Presents Flag Flown Over U.S. Capitol to Penobscot Tribal Elder and World War II Veteran", "2017-11-10", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Presents Flag Flown Over U.S. Capitol to Penobscot Tribal Elder and World War II Veteran \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing Also Took Place in Grand Opening of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, November 10, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tINDIAN ISLAND, ME \u2013 In advance of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today presented Charles Norman Shay with a flag flown over the United States Capitol. Mr. Shay is a Penobscot Tribal Elder and a veteran of World War II who served as a medic during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Prior to presenting the flag to Mr. Shay, Senator King participated in the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport. The museum celebrates the Maine Troop Greeters, who have welcomed more than 1.5 million servicemembers flying through Bangor International Airport on the way to or returning from deployment.\r\n\u201cThe service of Charles Norman Shay deserves our deepest gratitude, and the devotion of the Maine Troop Greeters remind us of the best way to express our appreciation,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cOn June 6th, 1944, a 19-year old Charles Norman Shay stormed the beaches of Normandy as part of the first wave of the D-Day Invasion. Serving as a medic, he braved the treacherous seas and enemy fire to save several of his wounded comrades. Mr. Shay\u2019s courage, commitment and ongoing leadership remind us that we cannot only honor veterans on a single day. Each and every day, we must rededicate ourselves to supporting veterans and their families, as the Maine Troop Greeters have done for more than two decades.\u201d\r\nSenator King presented the flag to Mr. Shay at his home on the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation. Mr. Shay was awarded a Silver Star for his service in Operation Neptune, and earlier this year the \u2018Charles Shay Indian Memorial\u2019 was dedicated in Normandy, France to honor of the service of Native Americans in World War II. After presenting the flag to Mr. Shay, Senator King met with members of the community on Indian Island.\r\nThe Maine Troop Greeters are a non-profit group who greet servicemembers arriving at Bangor International Airport, where many flights carrying military personnel stop while heading to or returning from deployment. The organization consists of volunteers who offer free cell phone use, snacks and support to those heading to or returning from overseas.\r\nSenator King will continue to honor the service the men and women who have served in defense of our country tomorrow, when he will observe Veterans Day by joining Maine veterans and members of the community for a service at the Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Ceremony in Caribou. Senator King will provide keynote remarks and participate in the wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery. With the closest National Veterans\u2019 Cemetery more than 450 miles away in Bourne, MA and the closest State Veterans\u2019 Cemetery nearly 250 miles away in Augusta, the Northern Maine Veterans\u2019 Cemetery is critical to providing continued service for the approximately 7,800 veterans and their families in Northern Maine.\r\nPhoto 1: Senator King presents Charles Norman Shay with flag flown over the U.S. Capitol\r\nPhoto 2: Senator King and Charles Norman Shay sitting together at Shay\u2019s home\r\nPhoto 3: Charles Norman Shay welcomes Senator King to his home on the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation\r\nPhoto 4: Senator King with Charles Norman Shay and members of Shay\u2019s family\r\nPhoto 5: Charles Norman Shay shows Senator King family photos and documents of significance from Shay\u2019s life", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-introduce-legislation-to-address-acadia-national-park-boundary-issues-", "Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Address Acadia National Park Boundary Issues", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Introduce Legislation to Address Acadia National Park Boundary Issues \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tNew bill builds on feedback from local community on legislation introduced by Maine delegation in January\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 9, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) today announced they have introduced Senate legislation that would help address the concerns of communities near Acadia National Park (ANP) about boundary issues and the use of intertidal zones by harvesters of clams and worms. The bill reflects feedback from the local community on the legislation introduced in January by Senators Collins and King and Representatives Bruce Poliquin and Chellie Pingree. A companion bill was also introduced by U.S. Representatives Bruce Poliquin and Chellie Pingree in the House of Representatives.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGenerations of Maine harvesters and wormers have earned their livings and provided for their families on the flats of the intertidal zone at Acadia,\u201d Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cThe federal government must respect the longstanding rights of local people so they can support their livelihoods and strengthen Maine\u2019s economy. This bill responds to community concerns and seeks to find commonsense solutions to ensure the National Park Service remains a good neighbor to the surrounding communities.\u201d\r\nThe legislation will also address a wide range of issues related to Acadia, including:\r\n \r\nAllowing for the 2015 Schoodic Woods land transfer to the NPS while making clear that the 1986 boundary law remains permanent.\r\n \r\n \r\nEnsuring that traditional uses of the intertidal zone are protected and harvesters\u2019 rights upheld.\r\n \r\n \r\nResponds to community concerns on correcting park boundary survey errors.\r\n \r\n \r\nMakes permanent the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission, which ensures important local input in park issues.\r\n \r\nIn 2015, ANP was deeded more than 1,400 acres on the Schoodic Peninsula by an anonymous donor. This was a welcome gift from the local towns and communities. It was only after the land was transferred to ANP that the NPS informed the public that the legal authority they used for the transfer came from a 1929 law that many in the Bar Harbor area believed had been repealed in 1986, after successful efforts to pass a law that set boundary limits on the park. The boundary law was crafted due to growing concerns about the size of the park and its impact on the tax base.\r\nFurther, harvesters of clams and worms in the intertidal zone near Acadia National Park raised concerns that they would not be able to continue their traditional harvesting due to enforcement measures taken by the National Park Service.\u00a0 While the NPS has come to an agreement to allow these traditional harvests to continue, this law would ensure that this traditional harvest can continue uninhibited into the future.\r\nThe bill originated when the local towns and residents were extremely concerned when they learned that ANP relied on the 1929 law for the Schoodic transfer because it could potentially set precedent for the NPS to use it again. Residents contacted the Maine Congressional delegation to express their concern and request for a repeal of the 1929 law, while at the same time keeping the Schoodic land transfer. In July 2016, Senator King introduced a bill in the Senate to resolve the issue. Later, the bill was amended to address other concerns regarding Acadia National Park, including lifting restrictions on a parcel in Tremont and allowing for traditional harvesting of clams and worms to continue.\r\nEarlier this year, during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the President\u2019s nominee for Secretary of the Interior, Representative Ryan Zinke, also assured Senator King that, if confirmed, he would work with the Maine Congressional delegation to resolve these issues.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-support-for-bipartisan-rural-health-care-bills", "King Announces Support for Bipartisan Rural Health Care Bills", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Support for Bipartisan Rural Health Care Bills\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing-backed legislation would improve financial stability for rural hospitals, support seniors in rural Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 9, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support for three pieces of bipartisan legislation that would improve rural health care and support rural hospitals in Maine and across the country. Senator King\u2019s announcement follows nearly a year of outreach to hospital administrators and health professionals throughout Maine\u2019s rural communities to learn about the impact a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would have on rural health options and to discuss strategies to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace and lower the costs of treatment and health coverage for people in Maine.\r\nThe Preserve Access to Medicare Rural Home Health Services Act, introduced by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), would provide an extension for the rural add-on payment for home health services until 2022, ensuring seniors in rural communities have access to home health care for a reasonable cost. The Rural Emergency Acute Care Hospital (REACH) Act, introduced by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa),\u00a0would create the Rural Emergency Hospital Program for hospitals located in remote and rural areas, allowing them to close some inpatient beds and services while keeping outpatient services and emergency services. The Rural Hospital Access Act, also introduced by Senator Grassley, would make the existing Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program permanent and increase the payments provided through the Medicare Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) program. Both the MDH and LVH designation help rural hospitals maintain financial stability under the Medicare fee schedule.\r\n\u201cPeople living in Maine\u2019s rural communities should be able to access basic health care services close to home,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cIn much of our state, rural health care serves not only as a critical lifeline for local people, but also as a major economic engine that helps build healthy, vibrant communities. These bills provide an important path forward to strengthen our state\u2019s rural hospitals and ensure people throughout Maine get the care they need.\u201d\r\nAs the Senate debates potential paths forward on health care, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for increased support of rural health services. He has met with hospital administrators and health professionals in Bridgton, Lincoln, Skowhegan, Eastport and Machias to discuss the impact changes to the Affordable Care Act would have on rural Maine clinics, hospitals, patients, and local economies. Proposed cuts to health programs like Medicaid would significantly threaten the financial stability of rural hospitals which serve as one of the top employers in fifteen out of Maine\u2019s sixteen counties.\r\nSenator King has opposed several attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and has repeatedly called on his colleagues to engage in bipartisan discussions to make meaningful improvements to the law rather than rushing to repeal it. This summer, Senator King outlined a roadmap of health care priorities\u00a0to stabilize the health care marketplace and lower the underlying costs of treatment and health coverage for people in Maine and across the country. He is a cosponsor of the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-victories-for-maine-in-reconciled-fy-2018-ndaa", "King Announces Victories for Maine in Reconciled FY 2018 NDAA", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Victories for Maine in Reconciled FY 2018 NDAA\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAlso Calls for End to Sequestration to Boost Defense and Economy\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 9, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the House-Senate conference committee\u2019s bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 included key victories for Maine. Senator King served on the conference committee that reconciled the differences between the Senate\u2019s version, which passed by a vote of 89-8, and version advanced by the House of Representatives. The conference report now must be voted on and passed in both chambers of Congress.\r\n\u201cThe people of Maine have long played a vital role in our national defense, and this bill will allow them to continue that tradition,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cI am proud that this bipartisan agreement gives Maine\u2019s military personnel and workers in defense-related industries the resources they need to continue making important contributions to protecting our nation. I hope that Congress can build on this positive step by working together to end sequestration, an action that would provide additional resources and boost both our national security interests and our economy.\u201d\r\nSenator King secured several major victories that will directly benefit Maine, including:\r\n \r\nNEW FACILITY AT PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD: The legislation authorizes $61,692,000 for the construction of a paint, blast, and rubber facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Senator King also supported an amendment authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that calls for a study on dry dock capacity to identify and support the shipyard infrastructure needs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\r\n \r\n \r\nNEW NATIONAL GUARD CENTER IN PRESQUE ISLE: The legislation authorizes $17,500,000 for the construction of a new National Guard Readiness Center in Presque Isle.\r\n \r\n \r\nFUNDING FOR SHIPBUILDING PRIORITIES: The legislation authorizes more than $5.62 billion for Navy destroyer programs, including more than $5 billion for the procurement of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers in fiscal year 2018 that Bath Iron Works can compete to build, as well as more than $314.5 million for the continued R&D and production of DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at Bath.\r\n \r\nSenator King also cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in support of the Navy\u2019s Force Structure Assessment requirement for 355 battle force fleet ship. This requirement was codified into the final conference report.\r\n \r\nJOINT STRIKE FIGHTER: The bill authorizes the procurement of 90 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters of all three variants. Several Maine-based companies, including Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and General Dynamics in Saco, are in the supply and production chain for this fifth generation fighter.\r\n \r\n \r\nLONG RANGE STRIKE BOMBER: The bill authorizes more than $2 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation of the long-range stealth bomber, B-21, which will be a central pillar of our national security strategy to deal with future threats. Pratt & Whitney, which maintains a facility in North Berwick, will be the engine supplier for the B-21.\r\n \r\n \r\nCH-53K HELICOPTER: The bill authorizes more than $567 million to procure four CH-53K helicopters. Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.\r\n \r\n \r\nNO NEW BRAC ROUND: This legislation rejects the President\u2019s call in his Fiscal Year 2018 budget request for additional base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The last BRAC process occurred in 2005 when a recommendation to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was ultimately overturned by the BRAC Commission, but Brunswick Naval Air Station was closed.\r\n \r\nThe Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA establishes policies and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy. It provides for the pay and benefits earned by members of the military and their families, provides for national defense including authorization of funds for military operations in places like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, and represents a vision of America\u2019s national security goals, resources, and policies. Now that the bipartisan report has been agreed to by the conference committee, the House and the Senate will each vote on the final report and, if it passes, send the final version to the President for his signature.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-backs-bills-to-protect-veterans-credit-ratings-educational-opportunities", "King Backs Bills to Protect Veterans’ Credit Ratings, Educational Opportunities", "2017-11-09", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Backs Bills to Protect Veterans\u2019 Credit Ratings, Educational Opportunities\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 9, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced support for two pieces of legislation that would protect veterans credit ratings and educational opportunities respectively. The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), would protect the credit ratings of veterans wrongly penalized by medical bill payment delays by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Military and Veterans Education Protection Act prevents targeting of veterans by low-quality, for-profit universities by closing the loophole that allows for-profit schools to avoid securing at least 10 percent of their revenue from non-federal sources. The current loophole excludes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) education funds, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance (TA), from being counted as federal funds.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOur nation\u2019s veterans have defended our country with honor and distinction, and deserve every opportunity to get a quality education, buy a house, or take out a loan,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cNo veteran should be penalized because of bureaucratic delays at the VA, or be targeted by the predatory practices of some for-profit schools. It\u2019s our duty to protect them when they return home as they have protected us. These commonsense bills will support the men and women who answered the call to serve in the defense of our freedom.\u201d\r\nThe\u00a0Protecting Veterans Credit Act\u00a0would prohibit medical debt from services received through the Choice Program and other VA community care programs from being reported to credit reporting agencies for one year. This delay provides adequate time for the VA and its contractors to resolve any issues related to inappropriate assignment of debt. The bill would also allow veterans to dispute and remove adverse actions already on their reports. Impacted veterans could submit a notice along with proof that the VA is liable for the debt to a consumer reporting agency (CRA). The CRA would then have to delete all information relating to the veterans\u2019 medical debt from their file and notify the furnishers and the veterans that they have done so.\r\nMore than two decades ago, Republican President George H.W. Bush signed a bipartisan law that limited how much federal funding for-profit schools may receive from taxpayers. Now called the 90/10 rule, this limit requires for-profit schools to obtain at least 10 percent of their revenues from non-federal sources. Some for-profit schools exploit this 90/10 loophole by using aggressive recruitment practices and deceptive marketing tools to enroll servicemembers, veterans and other GI Bill beneficiaries. The Military and Veterans Education Protection Act would close the 90/10 loophole by counting VA and DOD funds as federal dollars.\r\nSince arriving in Washington, Senator King has been a strong advocate for veterans issues. Through his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has supported multiple amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that support American veterans. In the Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA, Senator King\u00a0cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) that would encourage cooperation and integration between the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense with their electronic health care record systems to improve the transition from active duty to veteran status and ensure that veterans won\u2019t have to wait to gain access to the health care services they have earned. He also supported an amendment authored by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that would encourage the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Defense to assess the feasibility of establishing a joint office to house an interagency task force on suicide prevention. Senator King supports the coordination between the departments so that those who have served do not slip through the cracks. He is a strong supporter of the Veterans Choice Program, which helps veterans across Maine and the nation receive health care within their communities and allows veterans in Northern Maine to continue to utilize community care as they did under the Access Received Closer to Home (ARCH) pilot. In August, the President signed into law\u00a0Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, legislation he cosponsored that would overhaul the Department of Veteran Affairs\u2019 (VA) appeals process.\r\nSenator King\u2019s support for the two bills comes ahead of Veterans Day weekend, where Senator King will honor the dedication and sacrifice of Maine veterans. Tomorrow, he will participate in the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the Maine Troop Greeters Museum at Bangor International Airport, who have welcomed more than 1.5 million troops flying through Bangor International Airport on the way to or returning from deployment.\r\nFollowing the grand opening, Senator King will travel to Penobscot Indian Island Reservation to present Charles Norman Shay with a flag flown over the United States Capitol. Mr. Shay is a Penobscot Tribal Elder and a veteran of World War II who served as a medic during the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6th, 1944. Mr. Shay was awarded a Silver Star for his service, and earlier this year the \u2018Charles Shay Indian Memorial\u2019 was dedicated in Normandy, France to honor of the service of Native Americans who participated in Operation Neptune for the liberation of Normandy in World War II. After presenting Mr. Shay with the flag, Senator King will visit with community members on Indian Island.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-call-on-appropriations-subcommittee-to-defund-justice-department-civil-asset-forfeiture-expansion", "King, Colleagues Call on Appropriations Subcommittee to Defund Justice Department Civil Asset Forfeiture Expansion", "2017-11-08", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Colleagues Call on Appropriations Subcommittee to Defund Justice Department Civil Asset Forfeiture Expansion\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 8, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) this week joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to write to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies urging the Subcommittee to defund the Department of Justice\u2019s (DOJ) reinstated expansion of civil asset forfeiture practices. In the letter, the Senators submit that expanding equitable sharing and adoptive seizures of property violate due process protections for American citizens outlined in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.\r\n\u201cCivil asset forfeiture practices defy fundamental principles of due process that are central to our nation,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cUnder current practices, federal law enforcement can confiscate property from individuals without first providing those affected with a hearing. Once property is confiscated, the federal government is required to show by a preponderance of the evidence\u2014the lowest civil standard\u2014that the property was merely connected to a crime. Property owners who contend that they did not know their property was connected to a crime (for example, a property owner who lends a car to a family member or friend who commits a crime using the car) must prove their lack of knowledge\u2014a remarkable evidentiary burden to impose on someone challenging government action. In all cases, the federal government is not required to charge someone with a crime as a prerequisite to seizing property. We believe these practices are an obvious violation of the due process protections found in the Fifth Amendment.\u201d\r\nWhile in Washington, Senator King has repeatedly expressed concern over civil asset forfeiture policy. In August, Senator King wrote to Attorney General Jeff Sessions voicing concern over the DOJ\u2019s civil asset forfeiture policy. He is a cosponsor of the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act, legislation that would reaffirm the tenents of the Fifth Amendment and help ensure that property owners\u2019 rights are protected in civil forfeiture proceedings. In May, Senator King joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to write to the Department of Justice urging the Department to review its civil asset forfeiture practices to better reflect the constitutional rights of United States citizens.\r\nSenator King was joined on the letter by U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).\r\nThe letter is below and can be read in full HERE.\r\n+++\r\nNovember 7, 2017\r\nDear Chairman Shelby and Ranking Member Shaheen:\r\nIn July of this year, the Department of Justice announced that it would expand the practice of civil asset forfeiture by expanding the use of equitable sharing and adoptive seizures of property. As you work with your counterparts in the House to negotiate a final Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, we urge you to defund the implementation of these practices.\r\nDuring the consideration of H.R. 3354\u2014the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act\u2014the House of Representatives unanimously accepted three amendments to block DOJ from reinstating a policy of adoptive forfeiture; those amendments are Walberg/Cohen #46, Raskin/Sensenbrenner #67, and Amash/Sanford #70. These amendments were championed by a diverse group of lawmakers and supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the American Conservative Union, the Institute for Justice, the NAACP, and the ACLU. We also strongly support the inclusion of at least one of these amendments into the final CJS appropriations bill.\r\nCivil asset forfeiture practices defy fundamental principles of due process that are central to our nation. Under current practices, federal law enforcement can confiscate property from individuals without first providing those affected with a hearing. Once property is confiscated, the federal government is required to show by a preponderance of the evidence\u2014the lowest civil standard\u2014that the property was merely connected to a crime. Property owners who contend that they did not know their property was connected to a crime (for example, a property owner who lends a car to a family member or friend who commits a crime using the car) must prove their lack of knowledge\u2014a remarkable evidentiary burden to impose on someone challenging government action. In all cases, the federal government is not required to charge someone with a crime as a prerequisite to seizing property. We believe these practices are an obvious violation of the due process protections found in the Fifth Amendment.\u00a0\r\nAdoptive forfeiture and equitable sharing are particularly egregious elements of civil asset forfeiture because they not only violate due process but also attack principals of federalism. DOJ\u2019s reinstated policy allows state law enforcement officers to circumvent state limitations on civil forfeiture by turning seized property over to federal officials for forfeiture in exchange for up to 80% of the proceeds of the property. This perversely incentivizes local law enforcement to confiscate suspect property even where state laws forbid the practice.\r\nAs Justice\u00a0 Thomas recently recognized in response to the denial of certiorari in Leonard v. Texas, \u201c[t]h[e civil forfeiture system]\u2014where police can seize property with limited judicial oversight and retain it for their own use\u2014has led to egregious and well-chronicled abuses.\u201d[1] We agree with Justice Thomas, and we ask you to ensure that none of our precious federal resources are used to implement these constitutionally suspect practices. Therefore, as you finalize a spending package for FY2018, we respectfully request the inclusion of language which will prevent the implementation of these polices.\r\n###\r\n  \r\n\r\n[1] Leonard v. Texas, No. 16-122 (Mar. 6, 2017) (Thomas, J.) (respecting the denial of certiorari).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-urge-senate-finance-committee-to-protect-retirement-savings-incentives-for-american-workers", "King, Colleagues Urge Senate Finance Committee to Protect Retirement Savings Incentives for American Workers", "2017-11-08", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Colleagues Urge Senate Finance Committee to Protect Retirement Savings Incentives for American Workers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 8, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) yesterday joined a group of his colleagues to write to the Senate Finance Committee urging its leadership to protect tax incentives for American workers saving for retirement, and reject changes to the tax system that would harm existing incentives. The letter comes as the Senate majority is poised to release tax reform legislation this week.\r\n\u201cTax reform should be about strengthening the financial security of low-income and middle class Americans, both today and into the future,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cCongress needs to do more to improve retirement incentives for the American people, not less.\u00a0 Dramatically altering incentives for retirement simply to raise short-term revenue to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy is a cynical ploy that will harm hardworking Americans in every state.\u00a0 We urge you to reject any legislation that would harm the incentives on which Americans rely today to save for their retirement.\u201d\r\nThe letter addresses concerns that a Senate tax reform proposal may include changes to the current tax incentives for Americans hoping to save for retirement, specifically by adopting so-called \u201cRothification,\u201d which would eliminate or limit the amount of pre-tax money that can be contributed to 401(k) accounts.\u00a0 In the letter, the Senators highlighted research showing that workers at all income levels participating in employer-sponsored retirement plans contribute on average at least $2,700 annually to their accounts.\u00a0 This amount exceeds the $2,400 limit that reportedly have been considered as a new pre-tax limit for retirement account contributions.\r\nJoining Senator King on the letter are Senators Patrick Leahy (D-V.T.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).\r\nThe text of the letter is below and can be read in full HERE.\r\n+++\r\nNovember 7, 2017\r\nThe Honorable Orrin Hatch, Chairman\r\nThe Honorable Ron Wyden, Ranking Member\r\nSenate Committee on Finance\r\n219 Dirksen Senate Office Building\r\nWashington, D.C. 20510\r\nDear Chairman Hatch and Ranking Member Wyden:\r\nWe write to urge you to protect existing tax incentives that promote retirement savings among American workers.\u00a0 A core component of the American dream is undoubtedly a comfortable and financially stable retirement.\u00a0 Changes to the existing system, particularly so-called \u201cRothification,\u201d which would eliminate or drastically limit pre-tax retirement savings incentives, serve to threaten the ability of the middle class to save for retirement.\u00a0 Such a change is unacceptable.\r\nEmployer-sponsored retirement plans are one of the primary vehicles for retirement savings in our country.\u00a0 According to Pew Charitable Trusts, seventy three percent of eligible workers making between $25,000 and $49,999 participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan when such a plan is offered, making this a critical benefit for middle-class Americans.\u00a0 Further research by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that, regardless of income level, participating workers making $10,000 per year or more contribute an average of at least $2,700 to their accounts.\u00a0 Eighty percent of households with a retirement account cite the tax benefits of the account as a key incentive in their decision to save.\r\nTax reform should be about strengthening the financial security of low-income and middle class Americans, both today and into the future.\u00a0 Congress needs to do more to improve retirement incentives for the American people, not less.\u00a0 Dramatically altering incentives for retirement simply to raise short-term revenue to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy is a cynical ploy that will harm hardworking Americans in every state.\u00a0 We urge you to reject any legislation that would harm the incentives on which Americans rely today to save for their retirement.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-join-bipartisan-group-of-senators-to-urge-federal-communications-commission-to-ensure-access-to-affordable-broadband-in-rural-communities", "Collins, King Join Bipartisan Group of Senators to Urge Federal Communications Commission to Ensure Access to Affordable Broadband in Rural Communities", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Join Bipartisan Group of Senators to Urge Federal Communications Commission to Ensure Access to Affordable Broadband in Rural Communities\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tThirty-nine senators press the Federal Communications Commission to address Universal Service Fund (USF) budget shortfall\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 7, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) as part of a bipartisan group of thirty-nine senators in a letter urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure its commitment to affordable and reliable broadband for consumers in hardest to reach communities across rural America.\r\n\u201cA lack of resources to meet our [shared national broadband] goals is undermining investment and consumer access to affordable broadband across much of rural America. For this reason, we write to encourage the FCC to take the much-needed step of addressing the High-Cost Universal Service Fund budget shortfall,\u201d\u00a0the senators wrote in the letter.\r\nThe senators continued,\u00a0\u201cMany of the providers that serve rural consumers and businesses in our states have already begun to feel the pain of an arbitrary budget cap on High-Cost USF support. We urge the FCC to take action as quickly as possible to ensure the High-Cost USF program provides sufficient and predictable support to help deliver affordable, high-quality broadband to rural consumers.\u201d\r\nThe effort has the support of key industry associations, including NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association and the Western Telecommunications Alliance.\r\nAccess to affordable, high-quality broadband is critical to our state's future and economy, and for that reason Senators Collins and King press for laws and regulations that encourage robust broadband investment in rural areas. In February, Senator King joined with Senators Klobuchar, Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and John Boozman (R-AR) to lead a letter in which 48 senators, including Senator Collins, urged the President to include broadband in any infrastructure initiative.\u00a0 In May 2015, Senators Collins and King signed onto a letter led by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to then-FCC Chairman Wheeler urging an update to the USF to support the delivery of communications services to consumers in high-cost areas served by small, rural local exchange carriers so that they have more choice among broadband services.\r\nIncreasing access to rural broadband is also an integral part of\u00a0Senator King\u2019s economic agenda\u00a0to help grow Maine\u2019s rural economy and create jobs. In August, he hosted a listening tour with FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to discuss the importance of rural broadband for rural education, healthcare, and economic growth. Additionally, Senator King is a co-founder of the Senate Broadband Caucus, a bipartisan caucus working group developing solutions and strategies to accelerate broadband deployment in order to strengthen the digital economy and to close the digital divide, especially in rural America.\r\nA copy of the senators\u2019 letter can be found here, and the full text is below.\r\n+++\r\nDear Commissioners:\r\nWe applaud the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to streamline and strengthen the federal High-Cost Universal Service Fund (USF). This program is critical to achieving our shared national broadband goals and closing the digital divide.\u00a0\r\nYet, as we and many others have noted consistently in recent years, a lack of resources to meet these national goals is undermining investment and consumer access to affordable broadband across much of rural America. For this reason, we write to encourage the FCC to take the much-needed step of addressing this USF budget shortfall.\r\nEarlier this year, approximately 160 members of Congress raised similar concerns in letters to the FCC. Since these letters were sent, many providers have continued to experience a significant reduction in support. In the ensuing months, many of us have continued to press the FCC to resolve these concerns. We believe that the FCC is best positioned to identify a solution to the budget shortfall that is limiting access to reliable and affordable broadband in rural communities.\u00a0\r\nWhile we recognize that a thoughtful long-term solution to the budget shortfall will take time and effort to identify and assess, many of the small providers that serve rural consumers and businesses in our states have already begun to feel the pain of an arbitrary budget cap on High-Cost USF support. We urge the FCC to take action as quickly as possible to ensure the High-Cost USF program provides sufficient and predictable support to help deliver affordable, high-quality broadband to rural consumers. At a minimum, we ask that you ensure that there is no reduction in funds allocated to or collected for the High-Cost program until you have reached a comprehensive solution to High-Cost funding.\r\nThank you for your commitment to this important program and the millions of rural consumers who benefit from it. We look forward to both quick action and a comprehensive plan that effectively responds to this crisis.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-leads-letter-to-trump-administration-for-additional-funding-to-combat-opioid-epidemic", "King Leads Letter to Trump Administration for Additional Funding to Combat Opioid Epidemic", "2017-11-07", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Leads Letter to Trump Administration for Additional Funding to Combat Opioid Epidemic\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, November 7, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today, Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he led a letter to President Donald Trump with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a group of 19 senators, calling on the President to support additional funding necessary to combat the opioid epidemic.\r\n\u201cWe appreciate your formal declaration that the opioid epidemic is a National Public Health Emergency.\u00a0 While this is a positive step forward, more action must be taken in order to craft a timely and effective national strategy that will achieve long term solutions to this crisis. Specifically, we are concerned that your declaration does not yet include any additional funding resources for key programs and initiatives that will help our patients, providers, first responders and researchers who desperately need more assistance,\u201d wrote the senators.\r\nThe senators continued, \u201cResearchers, providers, patients, first responders, experts and policy makers agree that investing sufficient and timely resources are of paramount importance in order to allow our communities to effectively combat this epidemic.\u00a0 The President\u2019s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis agrees.\u00a0 The final Commission report released this week recommends that your Administration increase access to treatment and recovery programs, as well as expand the capacity for medication-assisted treatment and first responder access to overdose reversal drugs.\u00a0 As such, we encourage your Administration to work closely with Congress to swiftly provide the necessary additional and sustained funding to carry out a multi-faceted approach that supports activities related to research, education, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.\u201d\r\nSenator King has been a leading proponent of providing additional funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. He has repeatedly called on\u00a0Congress\u00a0and both the\u00a0Obama\u00a0and\u00a0Trump\u00a0administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic. Last week, he joined with a group of colleagues to\u00a0introduce the\u00a0Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act,\u00a0legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids. He also recently wrote to President Trump urging him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone.\r\nThe letter to President Trump can be read here, and the full text is below.\r\n+++\r\nThe Honorable Donald J. Trump\r\nPresident\r\nThe White House\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\r\nWashington, D.C. 20500\r\nDear President Trump:\r\nWe appreciate your formal declaration that the opioid epidemic is a National Public Health Emergency.\u00a0 While this is a positive step forward, more action must be taken in order to craft a timely and effective national strategy that will achieve long term solutions to this crisis.\u00a0 Specifically, we are concerned that your declaration does not yet include any additional funding resources for key programs and initiatives that will help our patients, providers, first responders and researchers who desperately need more assistance.\u00a0\r\nYour declaration allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate money from the Public Health Emergency Fund to support health activities and other measures to address public health emergencies.\u00a0 However, only $57,000 is currently available in the Emergency Fund, which is not enough to make a meaningful difference in the face of an epidemic that claimed nearly 60,000 lives last year. In fact, according to a recent analysis done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse in May 2017, the total cost of treating prescription opioid use disorders and responding to overdoses in the United States in 2013 was $78 billion, $28.9 billion of which was for treatment.\r\nResearchers, providers, patients, first responders, experts and policy makers agree that investing sufficient and timely resources are of paramount importance in order to allow our communities to effectively combat this epidemic.\u00a0 The President\u2019s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis agrees.\u00a0 The final Commission report released this week recommends that your Administration increase access to treatment and recovery programs, as well as expand the capacity for medication-assisted treatment and first responder access to overdose reversal drugs.\u00a0 As such, we encourage your Administration to work closely with Congress to swiftly provide the necessary additional and sustained funding to carry out a multi-faceted approach that supports activities related to research, education, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.\r\nWe stand ready to work with you on crafting an overall strategy to combat the opioid epidemic and urge you to support the additional funding needed to stem the tide of this public health emergency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-1308121-grant-for-york-county-community-action-corporations-head-start-programs", "Collins, King Announce $1,308,121 Grant for York County Community Action Corporation’s Head Start Programs", "2017-11-06", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce $1,308,121 Grant for York County Community Action Corporation\u2019s Head Start Programs\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 6, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today the United States Department of Health and Human Services\u2019 Administration for Children and Families has awarded the York County Community Action Corporation $1,308,121 for their Head Start and Early Head Start projects.\r\n\u201cHead Start gives young children and families in Maine the tools they need to succeed,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cBy expanding access to early childhood education, we are building a foundation of opportunity for Maine children and encouraging a will to learn. York County Community Action Corporation helps to strengthen Maine communities and support our state\u2019s working families, and this federal grant money allows them to continue in their important work.\u201d\r\nThe York County Community Action Corporation helps alleviate and solve poverty for the people of York County by assisting families and seniors within the York County community. York County Community Action Corporation helps to administer economic stability programs such as Head Start, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, and WIC.\r\nHead Start was established in 1965 to promote school readiness and provide a comprehensive array of health, nutritional, and social services to eligible four- and five-year-old preschoolers and their families. Head Start services include early learning, health, and family well-being. The Office of Head Start (OHS), an office with the Administration for Children and Families, administers grant funding and oversight to the local agencies that provide Head Start services in Maine and across the country.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-lewiston-king-continues-open-enrollment-information-tour-at-central-maine-medical-center", "In Lewiston, King Continues Open Enrollment Information Tour at Central Maine Medical Center", "2017-11-06", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Lewiston, King Continues Open Enrollment Information Tour at Central Maine Medical Center\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, November 6, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tLEWISTON, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today continued his open enrollment information tour during a press conference at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston to provide information to Maine citizens about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) open enrollment period, which began on November 1st and ends on December 15th. The press conference featured health care professionals and advocates, application assisters, and health care providers and insurers.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIn the event of an unexpected illness or injury, insurance can save you from medical or financial trouble, and right now, there are a wide range of options in the health care marketplace that can help people across Maine get insured,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cWith such a short window to secure coverage, there\u2019s no time to put this off. December 15th will be here before you know it, and it is so important Maine people go out and shop so they and their families can be happy and healthy. To me, this isn\u2019t something academic or political, it\u2019s about saving lives.\u201d\r\nIn recent months, the Administration has launched numerous efforts to undermine open enrollment including reducing the length of open enrollment from 12 weeks to 6 weeks, announcing a 12-hour shutdown of the ACA website over weekends, and drastically cutting funding for advertising and insurance navigator programs. Despite these changes, the Affordable Care Act\u2019s benefits and assistance with enrollment remain available for those who sign up within the shortened time period.\r\nSenator King has been outspoken in his desire to improve the Affordable Care Act to protect coverage for the millions who rely on it for affordable healthcare, and is a cosponsor of the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.\r\nIn October, Senator King joined health care professionals and advocates at the Opportunity Alliance in South Portland to encourage Maine people to learn more about their health care options and get coverage.\r\nFor more information, Maine people can reach out to Maine Consumers for Affordable Health Care, call 1-800-965-7476, and/or visit healthcare.gov.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-nearly-16-million-loan-for-fox-islands-electric-cooperative", "Collins, King Announce Nearly $1.6 Million Loan for Fox Islands Electric Cooperative", "2017-11-03", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce Nearly $1.6 Million Loan for Fox Islands Electric Cooperative\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, November 3, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $1,579,000 loan to Fox Islands Electric Cooperative through USDA Rural Development\u2019s Electric Program to support the communities on Vinalhaven and North Haven. Fox Islands Electric Cooperative will use the funds to improve five miles of electric line and make other system improvements. Fox Islands Electric Cooperative is a utility cooperative that provides electricity for the two islands.\r\n\u201cInvesting in utilities for Maine\u2019s island communities ensures hardworking people can keep the lights on and heat their homes, and it helps small business owners innovate and grow the economy,\u201d Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cWe applaud the USDA for supporting the Fox Islands Electric Co-op so it can improve and maintain the modern electric framework necessary for the people of Penobscot Bay.\u201d\r\nThe Fox Islands Electric Cooperative was founded in 1974 and is owned by the communities on Vinalhaven and North Haven. With approximately 1,950 members, the cooperative leverages power from its community-owned wind farm on Vinalhaven and also purchases electricity for the islands\u2019 grid via a 10-mile submarine power cable from the mainland.\r\nUSDA Rural Development programs provide loans and grants to assist economic expansion and job creation. Funds are directed towards infrastructure improvement, business development, homeownership, community services, public safety, and broadband access in rural areas across the country.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-urge-senate-leadership-to-protect-prevention-and-public-health-fund", "King, Colleagues Urge Senate Leadership to Protect Prevention and Public Health Fund", "2017-11-02", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Colleagues Urge Senate Leadership to Protect Prevention and Public Health Fund\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tFund is nation\u2019s largest investment in prevention, funding programs for childhood immunizations, smoking cessation, and lead poisoning prevention\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, November 2, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 21 of his colleagues in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calling on them to protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) and ensure it is not used to offset the costs of reauthorizing important bipartisan health initiatives. The U.S. House of Representatives has proposed cutting 75 percent of the Prevention and Public Health Fund as part of spending legislation the House will vote on this week.\r\n\u201cUsing the PPHF as a piggy bank, even for important health programs, will result in major cuts to state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments, as well as other grantees working at the local level,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u201cIssuing cuts to the PPHF to fund community health care programs is a clear example of robbing Peter to pay Paul and will have disastrous effects for the health of children and working families. It will also only further exacerbate the long-term problem of mounting health care spending.\u201d\r\nThe Prevention and Public Health Fund, created as part of the Affordable Care Act, represents the nation\u2019s largest investment in prevention initiatives and is used to fund critical public health programs \u2013 including childhood immunizations, smoking cessation, and lead poisoning prevention \u2013 in every state. In FY 2017, Maine received $4,797,052 worth of funding through the PPHF.\r\nOther senators signing the letter include Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Bob Casey (D-Penn.).\r\nA copy of the letter is below and can be found HERE.\r\n+++\r\nNovember 2, 2017\r\nThe Honorable Mitch McConnell\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Honorable Chuck Schumer\r\nSenate Majority Leader\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Senate Minority Leader\r\nU.S. Senate\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 U.S. Senate\r\nWashington, DC 20510\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Washington, DC 20510\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer:\r\nWe write to express serious concerns regarding use of the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) to offset the costs of reauthorizing important bipartisan health initiatives. As Congress works to extend a number of vital health care programs, we encourage you to avoid further cutting the PPHF, which often works in tandem with many of these programs.\r\nThe value of prevention throughout our federal health care system cannot be overstated. In fact, the best way to combat public health outbreaks and emergencies is to prevent them before they arise. As the recent hurricanes, fires, and other natural disasters have reminded us, the federal government plays a key role in identifying and preventing public health threats. Our nation spends upwards of $3 trillion annually on health care, but only an estimated three percent of this amount is dedicated to prevention and public health.\r\nRecognizing the need to increase prevention efforts in order to meet the health challenges of the 21st Century, Congress created the PPHF and made the single largest investment in prevention, which Congress allocates through the annual appropriations process. However, discretionary spending restraints established by the Budget Control Act (Public Law 112-25) necessitated the additional use of the PPHF to fill funding gaps for longstanding, core public health activities at and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Today, the PPHF supplies roughly 12 percent of CDC\u2019s entire budget.\r\nWhile we strongly support reauthorizing and funding the various health care initiatives that have expired or will soon expire, we are concerned about efforts to cut the PPHF to offset the costs of these programs. The CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act under consideration in the House of Representatives this week would institute a $10.5 billion reduction in the PPHF, a 75 percent cut. Using the PPHF as a piggy bank, even for important health programs, will result in major cuts to state, local, tribal, and territorial health departments, as well as other grantees working at the local level. This could mean the elimination of programs currently supported by the PPHF in every state, including: the section 317 immunization program for kids; epidemiology and laboratory capacity grants that support our state and local \u201cdisease detectives;\u201d smoking cessation activities; lead poisoning prevention; and the Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant.\r\nIssuing cuts to the PPHF to fund community health care programs is a clear example of robbing Peter to pay Paul and will have disastrous effects for the health of children and working families. It will also only further exacerbate the long-term problem of mounting health care spending. We urge you to avoid using the PPHF as an offset to pay for our vital health care programs and stand ready to work towards negotiating bipartisan offsets that do not come at the expense of the public\u2019s health.\r\nThank you for your attention to this matter.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-questions-facebook-twitter-google-on-russian-social-media-disinformation-campaigns-and-interference-in-2016-election", "King Questions Facebook, Twitter, Google on Russian Social Media Disinformation Campaigns and Interference in 2016 Election", "2017-11-01", "2017", "2017-11", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Questions Facebook, Twitter, Google on Russian Social Media Disinformation Campaigns and Interference in 2016 Election\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cAs a society, we have to understand when we\u2019re being conned.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, November 1, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, today questioned representatives from Facebook, Twitter, and Google about the Russian government\u2019s use of social media platforms to interfere in the 2016 election and the committee\u2019s ongoing investigation. During his questioning, Senator King underscored both the responsibility of social media companies to create clear guidelines to mitigate malign activity on their platforms and the importance of creating public awareness to further the responsible consumption of news by the American public.\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201c[Information] warfare is the division of our society. And it\u2019s not only us \u2013 it\u2019s the entire West,\u201d said Senator King in his questioning. \u201cWe know that the Russians were involved in the French election [and] we know that they were involved in the German elections\u2026This is a sophisticated, worldwide strategy that applied here in 2016\u2026 [and] it\u2019s still happening\u2026We as a society, we have to understand when we\u2019re being conned.\u201d\r\nThe disinformation campaign from the Russian government is comprehensive and ongoing, with troll farms, bots, and fake accounts attempting to perpetuate fake news and sow discord among American citizens. Researchers at Columbia University report that posts from just six Russia-linked Facebook pages generated hundreds of millions of views during the 2016 U.S. election. During the hearing, Senator King also used a chart to demonstrate the hashtags Russian-linked accounts have recently used to further polarize discourse in the United States.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u201cThis is a service of the German Marshall Fund, called interestingly, Hamilton 68, that follows hashtags on a daily basis,\u201d Senator King said while presenting the chart that highlights hashtags employed by Russian linked accounts.\u201d And I just picked a day in September\u2026 We have #nfl, and then we have #boycottnfl, then we have #standforouranthem\u2026 [and] #takeaknee. In other words, they were tweeting on both sides of the NFL dispute in order to exacerbate the divisions. One witness this committee had said that their strategy is to take a crack in our society and turn it into a chasm \u2013 and that\u2019s exactly what we saw in 2016, and my point here is that it hasn\u2019t stopped and it won\u2019t stop.\u201d\r\nSenator King has repeatedly emphasized that the Russians\u2019 efforts to interfere with our democratic process will not be limited to the 2016 election, and advocated for a transparent investigation by the Intelligence Committee in order to provide as much information as possible to the American people to help citizens identify examples of Russian tradecraft. He has been a strong proponent of allowing the American people to see and understand Russia\u2019s involvement in the election, saying that an educated and vigilant public is a critical line of defense against cyber-intrusions and attempts to influence our electoral process.\r\nAdditionally, last year Senator King authored a provision to the National Defense Authorization Act with Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) that requires the current Administration to develop options for deterring threats in cyberspace and determining what types of actions in cyberspace may warrant a military response. He has also introduced the\u00a0Securing Energy Infrastructure Act\u00a0with Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) bipartisan legislation that aims to protect America\u2019s electric grid from cyber-attacks.\r\nToday\u2019s witnesses before the Senate Intelligence Committee \u2013 Colin Stretch, Vice President and General Counsel of Facebook Inc., Sean Edgett, Acting General Counsel of Twitter Inc., and Kent Walker, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Google Inc. \u2013 represent companies that account for more than 70 percent of U.S. social media market. During the hearing, Senator King expressed disappointment that the General Counsels, and not the Chief Executive Officers, were testifying before Congress. According to Pew Research Center, 45 percent of U.S. adults get their news from Facebook, 18 percent get their news from YouTube, which is owned by Google, and 11 percent get their news from Twitter.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-memorializes-life-and-legacy-of-richard-dudman-", "King Memorializes Life and Legacy of Richard Dudman", "2017-10-31", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Memorializes Life and Legacy of Richard Dudman \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, October 31, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In a statement submitted to the Congressional Record last week, U.S. Senator Angus King paid tribute to the life of Richard Dudman, a career journalist and dedicated community member in the Ellsworth region. Dudman is perhaps best known for his work Forty Days with the Enemy which chronicles the time he spent in the captivity of Viet Cong-aligned guerillas while on assignment for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Dudman passed away this August in Blue Hill at the age of 99.\r\n\u201cAfter college, Richard served his country in the Merchant Marine and the Navy before becoming a reporter for the Denver Post. In 1954 he moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the St. Louis Port-Dispatch\u2019s Washington bureau. In this position he would cover the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Watergate Scandal, as well as war and revolution all over the world.\r\n\u201c[\u2026]Even after retiring, Richard did not stop reporting. In fact, on his last day at the Post-Dispatch in 1981 Richard raced out of his own retirement party to cover the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. From his home in Ellsworth, ME Richard continued to contribute to the Post-Dispatch and wrote editorials for the Bangor Daily News until 2012.\u201d\r\nThe complete statement is as follows:\r\n+++\r\nMr. KING. Mr. President, today we remember Richard Dudman, who passed away this August in Blue Hill, ME at the age of 99. Throughout his long and illustrious career as a journalist, Richard was never one to turn away from a good story, even if chasing it meant putting himself in danger.\r\nAfter college, Richard served his country in the Merchant Marine and the Navy before becoming a reporter for the Denver Post. In 1954 he moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the St. Louis Port-Dispatch\u2019s Washington bureau. In this position he would cover the assassination of John F Kennedy, the Watergate Scandal, as well as war and revolution all over the world.\u00a0\r\nRichard will perhaps be most remembered for the time he spent in Cambodia as a prisoner of the Viet Cong. He and his colleagues were mistaken for CIA operatives and were kept captive for forty long days. Towards the end of their captivity, once it had become clear that the journalists were not, in fact, working for the CIA, their captors began to refer to them not as prisoners of war, but as \u201ctravelers who lost their way.\u201d It was this experience that inspired Richard to write the well-received Forty Days with the Enemy.\r\nEven after retiring, Richard did not stop reporting. In fact, on his last day at the Post-Dispatch in 1981 Richard raced out of his own retirement party to cover the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. From his home in Ellsworth, ME Richard continued to contribute to the Post-Dispatch and wrote editorials for the Bangor Daily News until 2012.\r\nIn retirement, Richard and Helen, his wife of 69 years, were active and constructive members of the Maine community. Ellsworth City Councilor Gary Fortier, a friend of the couple, described them as \u201ctrue givers;\u201d saying that \u201cEllsworth is a much better place because they have been part of it.\u201d Richard and Helen received the Golden Eagle Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 2014 in recognition of their outstanding community service.\r\nRichard\u2019s dedication to covering the news, regardless of how far from home it occurred, won him the prestigious George Polk Award in Journalism in 1993. And in 2014, in recognition of that same dedication, Richard was inducted into the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame. I am pleased to be just one of many to remember and praise the many achievements of Richard\u2019s career. The state of Maine was incredibly lucky to have him for the time that we did. He will be deeply missed.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/highlighting-maines-tricks-and-treats-in-halloween-edition", "Highlighting Maine's Tricks and Treats in Halloween Edition", "2017-10-28", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\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             Highlighting Maine's Tricks and Treats in Halloween Edition", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-push-back-on-proposed-national-park-fee-increases-urge-interior-to-consider-alternative-strategies-to-fix-backlog", "Collins, King Push Back on Proposed National Park Fee Increases, Urge Interior to Consider Alternative Strategies to Fix Backlog", "2017-10-27", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Push Back on Proposed National Park Fee Increases, Urge Interior to Consider Alternative Strategies to Fix Backlog\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, October 27, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) today wrote to the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) urging it to reconsider its proposed strategies to address the maintenance backlog in the National Park System. The letter follows an announcement this week from the DOI that it is\u00a0proposing to increase fees at 17 highly-visited national parks \u2013 including Acadia National Park \u2013 during peak seasons to help offset the backlog. The proposal would nearly triple the cost of park passes for private vehicles at Acadia from $25 a pass to $70 a pass. In their letter, Senators Collins and King highlight alternative solutions to fix the issue, like leveraging excess mineral revenues to create a National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund or establishing a Conservation Service Corps that would engage veterans\u2019 organizations and young people with volunteer-driven conservation projects on federal lands.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c365 days a year, Acadia National Park\u2014one of the crown jewels of the National Park System\u2014serves as a tremendous resource for the people of Maine and the visitors who come here,\u201d Senators Collins and King wrote. \u201cFrom May through October, it sustains a vibrant economy in the region, bringing millions of visitors across the country and the world to the coast of Maine. Like most other parks, Acadia has felt the strain of the maintenance backlog, in part due to this sustained visitation. While we recognize that this proposal would bring additional revenue to the park, we are not certain that this would either solve the problem or outweigh the risk to the local community of making the park more difficult to visit.\r\n\u201cAccording to the National Park Service, these fee increases are expected to raise $70 million annually. Given the scale of the maintenance backlog, at almost $12 billion, it is difficult to see how this represents a long-term solution to the problem, especially while the National Park Service in its 2018 budget request proposes to cut its own operations budget by $200 million and its maintenance funding by $93 million. We should keep in mind that the American people already pay for the maintenance of the National Park System through their tax dollars; if we are going to ask them directly for a greater contribution to the parks, it should be commensurate with service or more clearly justified than this proposal.\u201d\r\nSenators Collins and King, who are members of the Appropriations Committee and Energy and Natural Resources Committee respectively, have supported a number of bipartisan initiatives that would address the maintenance backlog in the National Park System. They are both cosponsors of the National Park Service Legacy Act, which would take excess mineral revenues to create a National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund starting at $50 million annually and rising to $500 million by 2027. The monies from the fund would be directed to high-priority deferred maintenance needs.\r\nAdditionally, in the 2016 Energy Policy Modernization Act, Senator King secured a provision that establishes the National Park Service Maintenance and Revitalization Conservation Fund which allocates $150 million annually from offshore leases towards high priority deferred maintenance needs. He is also a cosponsor of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Act which would establish a service corps to help address many of the maintenance projects.\r\nThe maintenance backlog, which accounts for annually deferred maintenance for the National Park System\u2019s 75,000 plus constructed assets, had reached nearly $12 billion at the beginning of 2017.\r\nThe full letter is below and can be read HERE.\r\n+++\u00a0\r\nOctober 26, 2017\r\nThe Honorable Ryan Zinke\r\nSecretary\r\nU.S. Department of Interior\r\n1849 C Street, NW\r\nWashington, D.C. 20240\r\nDear Secretary Zinke:\r\nWe write to express our serious concern for the National Park Service\u2019s proposal to raise the cost of entrance passes at Acadia National Park in Maine and sixteen other highly-visited National Parks. The stated justification for the increases\u2014the chronic maintenance backlog at our National Parks\u2014is a worthy cause, yet this proposal both fails to adequately address that challenge while also raising the possibility of an obvious but unintended consequence: a decrease in attendance at our National Parks. We believe an immediate increase of this magnitude to the fees at Acadia, such as the increase for private vehicles from a $25 pass to a $70 pass, poses a risk to the growing visitation at Acadia.\r\n365 days a year, Acadia National Park\u2014one of the crown jewels of the National Park System\u2014serves as a tremendous resource for the people of Maine and the visitors who come here. From May through October, it sustains a vibrant economy in the region, bringing millions of visitors across the country and the world to the coast of Maine. Like most other parks, Acadia has felt the strain of the maintenance backlog, in part due to this sustained visitation. While we recognize that this proposal would bring additional revenue to the park, we are not certain that this would either solve the problem or outweigh the risk to the local community of making the park more difficult to visit.\r\nAccording to the National Park Service, these fee increases are expected to raise $70 million annually. Given the scale of the maintenance backlog, at almost $12 billion, it is difficult to see how this represents a long-term solution to the problem, especially while the National Park Service in its 2018 budget request proposes to cut its own operations budget by $200 million and its maintenance funding by $93 million. We should keep in mind that the American people already pay for the maintenance of the National Park System through their tax dollars; if we are going to ask them directly for a greater contribution to the parks, it should be commensurate with service or more clearly justified than this proposal.\r\nWe do believe, however, that in many cases money is being left on the table. To address that, we have advocated for the National Park Service to update its operations, to embrace technology and to be more creative. Only recently has the Park Service updated the cost of the lifetime Senior Pass from $10 to $80, for example. We have also pushed the Park Service to enable online and mobile pass sales to make purchasing passes more visitor friendly. We also believe the Park Service can and should target more revenue from commercial uses and visitation.\r\nIn order to address the scale of the problem with the maintenance backlog, though, we need to think bigger. There have been a number of bipartisan proposals here in the Senate to address the backlog including S. 751, the National Park Service Legacy Act sponsored by Senators Warner and Portman, which would offer a dedicated revenue source to address the problem from mineral revenues. S.1460, the similarly bipartisan Energy and Natural Resources Act, contains provisions for a similar revenue source. Finally, our colleague Senator McCain has also proposed S.1403, the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps Act, which could help address many of these maintenance projects by expanding the contributions of volunteer service members.\r\nAs we celebrated the Centennial of the National Park Service last year, we were reminded that these parks are monuments to our nation\u2019s heritage. They are indeed America\u2019s best idea. Without question, if we want to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy them as we have been able to we must properly care for them. We urge you to work with us and with Congress to adequately do so. But before taking the action of raising fees to this degree, we strongly urge you to consider all available options and to consider the full breadth of the impact of this action on Acadia and the other parks. We look forward to working with you on this matter.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-sign-on-to-bipartisan-letter-in-support-of-us-hardwood-plywood-companies-harmed-by-unfair-chinese-business-practices", "Collins, King Sign on to Bipartisan Letter In Support of U.S. Hardwood Plywood Companies Harmed by Unfair Chinese Business Practices", "2017-10-26", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Sign on to Bipartisan Letter In Support of U.S. Hardwood Plywood Companies Harmed by Unfair Chinese Business Practices\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tSix American Companies Have Petitioned the International Trade Commission to Seek Relief\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 26, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that this week, they joined a group of bipartisan colleagues and sent a letter to the International Trade Commission\u00a0(ITC)\u00a0in support of a petition by the Coalition for the Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood. In the letter, the Senators voice their support for an affirmative decision in an ongoing antidumping/countervailing duty (AD/CVD) case against Chinese hardwood plywood companies that are benefiting from unfair subsidies from the Chinese Government enabling them to sell \u2013 or \u201cdump\u201d \u2013 their products in the United States at less than market value.\r\n\r\n\u201cFor many small towns in America, the hardwood plywood industry is the largest source of employment,\u201d\u00a0Collins, King and their colleagues wrote in the letter.\u00a0\u201cWhen facilities are closed by unfair trade, communities are severely harmed.\u00a0 Moreover, Chinese companies in the wood products sector---including hardwood plywood manufacturers\u2014are the world\u2019s largest consumers of illegally sourced wood material.\u00a0 Chinese producers benefit from subsidies and from illegal logging, creating a playing field that tilts in their favor and against hard-working American manufacturers, costing American jobs.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe Coalition for the Fair Trade of Hardwood Plywood represents six American businesses and includes Columbia Forest Products, a hardwood plywood manufacturer which employs more than 160 people at a facility in Presque Isle. The Coalition\u2019s petition is currently under review by both the Department of Commerce and the ITC. Both the DOC and ITC have preliminarily found in favor of the Coalition, and if each body makes a final determination in favor of the Coalition, the DOC will issue an antidumping/countervailing duty order that would instruct U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to\u00a0impose final duties on\u00a0each of the companies that has been found to engage in unfair practices. The Senators\u2019 letter was sent in advance of the ITC\u2019s final\u00a0hearing\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0case today.\r\n\r\nIn 2013, the ITC ruled against a similar petition from the American hardwood plywood industry against Chinese companies. Since that time, imports of Chinese hardwood plywood have increased by 40 percent, with imports valued at $1.12 billion in 2016. By comparison, the American hardwood plywood industry is currently operating at less than 50 percent production capacity.\r\n\r\nIn addition to Senators Collins and King, the letter was signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Chuck Schumer (D-New York), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), John Boozman (R-Montana), Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), Bernard Sanders (I-Vermont), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).\r\n\r\nThe complete text of the letter is available HERE and below:\r\n+++\r\n\r\nOctober 24, 2017 \r\nThe Honorable Rhonda K. Schmidtlein \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Honorable David S. Johanson Chairman, International Trade Commission\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Vice-Chair, International Trade Commission\u00a0\u00a0    500 E Street, SW\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 500 E Street, SW\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0    Washington, DC 20436\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Washington, DC 20436\r\n\r\nDear Chairman Schmidtlein and Vice-Chairman Johanson:\r\n\r\nWe write to express our strong support for the efforts by American hardwood plywood manufacturers to rein in subsidized and dumped imports from China, and urge the Commission to carefully consider the facts presented by the domestic industry in the final investigation phase of this proceeding.\u00a0\r\n\r\nThe International Trade Commission unanimously found in its preliminary determination in December that there was a reasonable indication that this U.S. manufacturing industry was suffering material injury due to Chinese imports.\u00a0 As the Commission evaluates the evidence in this final phase, we note in particular several developments that distinguish this case from a similar one brought before the ITC in 2012.\u00a0 For example, since that earlier case was filed, imports have increased another 40%.The hardwood plywood industry has suffered additional job losses despite increasing demand for wood products, more clearly demonstrating that material injury has occurred. During the prior case, U.S. hardwood plywood manufacturers were operating at no more than 50 percent of their production capacity. Since then, that number has decreased further. This is because, as the Commission found in its preliminary investigation, increasing Chinese imports undersell American-made products by substantial margins.\r\n\r\nFor many small towns in America, the hardwood plywood industry is the largest source of employment. When facilities are closed by unfair trade, communities are severely harmed.\u00a0 Moreover, Chinese companies in the wood products sector\u2014including hardwood plywood manufacturers\u2014are the world\u2019s largest consumers of illegally sourced wood material.\u00a0 Chinese producers benefit from subsidies and from illegal logging, creating a playing field that tilts in their favor and against hard-working American manufacturers, costing American jobs.\r\n\r\nWe appreciate the Commission\u2019s work to date on this important matter, and urge the Commission to ensure U.S. trade remedy laws are fully\u00a0enforced.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-administrations-declaration-of-opioid-crisis-as-a-public-health-emergency", "King Statement on Administration’s Declaration of Opioid Crisis as a Public Health Emergency", "2017-10-26", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Statement on Administration\u2019s Declaration of Opioid Crisis as a Public Health Emergency\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 26, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration\u2019s move to declare the opioid epidemic as a public health emergency.\r\n\u201cOpioid abuse is a slow-moving hurricane that envelops the entire nation, and with each loss leaves another community and family wrecked in its wake. The President\u2019s declaration of a national public health emergency is a strong indication that this administration is turning its attention to the pain caused by this epidemic, but it should only be the first step. To fully respond to this American crisis, we must use every tool at our disposal. I hope to continue working with the Administration in the coming weeks and months to increase funding for this battle and explore additional actions that can help save lives in Maine and across the country.\u201d\r\nThe President\u2019s declaration of a public health emergency does not provide additional federal funding, but does allow federal agencies to redirect previously budgeted grant money to battle the crisis. This action is short of declaring a national emergency through the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which would have provided additional federal funding to address the issue and was promised by the President in August.\r\nSenator King has been a leading proponent of providing additional funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. He has repeatedly called on Congress and both the Obama and Trump administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic. This week, he joined with a group of colleagues to introduce the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids. He also recently wrote to President Trump urging him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-passage-of-resolution-honoring-uss-forrestal-crew", "King Announces Passage of Resolution Honoring USS Forrestal Crew", "2017-10-25", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Passage of Resolution Honoring USS Forrestal Crew\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, October 25, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that last night the Senate unanimously passed a resolution honoring the Sailors and Marines of the USS Forrestal, an aircraft carrier that caught fire following a series of ammunition explosions on July 29, 1967 while in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War. The fire claimed the lives of 134 servicemembers and injured 161 others. Among the survivors was now-Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Senator King joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to introduce the resolution in July.\r\n\u201cThe Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Forrestal should be recognized and honored for their service in the Gulf of Tonkin, and must not be forgotten,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThey made enormous sacrifices and assumed incredible risk to fight the fire and try to save their fellow servicemembers. I am proud to recognize their bravery, including that of my friend John McCain, a man who has shown true honor and courage during his lifetime of service.\u201d\r\nSenator King introduced this resolution along with Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jack Reed (D-RI), James Inhofe (R-OK), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), David Perdue (R-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Luther Strange (R-AL) during the week of the 50th anniversary of the fire in July.\r\nThe USS Forrestal resolution can be read HERE, and the full text is available below:\r\n+++\r\nRecognizing the Sailors and Marines who sacrificed their lives for ship and shipmates while fighting the devastating 1967 fire onboard USS Forrestal and, during the week of the 50th anniversary of the tragic event, commemorating the efforts of those who survived.\r\nWhereas, in 1967, the ongoing naval bombing campaign against North Vietnam from Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin was the most intense and sustained air attack operation in the history of the United States Navy;\r\nWhereas, in June 1967, USS Forrestal and Carrier Air Wing Seventeen departed Norfolk, Virginia, for duty in the Gulf of Tonkin;\r\nWhereas, on July 28, 1967, during an underway replenishment, the crew of USS Forrestal reluctantly onloaded volatile bombs that were not intended for carrier use in order to meet the combat requirements for strikes the next day;\r\nWhereas, despite safety precautions taken by the crew, a devastating fire erupted on USS Forrestal after\u2014 (1) an electrical surge in a parked aircraft caused the aircraft to fire a Zuni rocket that ruptured a fuel tank on another aircraft; and (2) the burning fuel ignited a chain reaction of 9 bomb explosions on the flight deck;\r\nWhereas the explosions destroyed multiple aircraft and tore massive holes in the armored flight deck of USS Forrestal, and burning fuel dripped into the living quarters of the crew and the below-decks aircraft hangar;\r\nWhereas, for 18 hours, Sailors and Marines on USS Forrestal, assisted by others from accompanying destroyers, fought to bring the fire under control while hospital corpsmen navigated the mangled flight deck and tended to the wounded; and\r\nWhereas, the fire onboard USS Forrestal ultimately\u2014 (1) left 134 men dead and 161 men severely injured; (2) destroyed more than 21 aircraft; and (3) caused USS Forrestal to terminate its support to the fight in Vietnam and return to Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs: Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved, That the Senate\u2014\r\n(1) recognizes that\u2014 (A) if not for the heroic actions of the crew 3 of USS Forrestal, the consequences of the fire 4 would have been far more devastating to the 5 Sailors and Marines onboard and the aircraft 6 carrier itself; and 7 (B) the selfless sacrifices of those who 8 came to the rescue of fellow shipmates and USS 9 Forrestal represent, and are consistent with, the 10 highest traditions of the United States Navy; 11\r\n(2) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 12 USS Forrestal fire; and 13\r\n(3) expresses gratitude to the Sailors and Ma- 14 rines who served aboard USS Forrestal for their 15 faithful service.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-continues-push-for-comprehensive-strategy-to-combat-drug-crisis", "King Continues Push for Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Drug Crisis", "2017-10-25", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Continues Push for Comprehensive Strategy to Combat Drug Crisis\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tUnveils legislation to invest $45B to fight opioid and heroin epidemic, Writes to President urging administration to allow government to negotiate price of Naloxone\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, October 25, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today continued his push to establish a comprehensive strategy to combat the opioid and heroin epidemic that is devastating communities in Maine and across the country. Senator King joined a group of his colleagues to introduce the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids. Senator King today also wrote to President Trump urging him to allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs like Naloxone. The letter comes as the administration works to finalize its declaration of the opioid crisis as a national public health emergency, which would bolster funding and resources to hard-hit areas across America.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe opioid and heroin epidemic is devastating communities in Maine, tearing apart families and destroying lives,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cIt takes a comprehensive approach to fix this crippling issue so people in Maine can be safer and healthier, and it is incumbent upon Congress to provide concerned citizens, first responders, and health professionals with the resources they need to address this crisis. By providing adequate funding and expanding access to life-saving reversal drugs, we can take meaningful steps forward in our fight and help more people recover from the grip of addiction.\u201d\r\nMore specifically, the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act would authorize and appropriate $4,474,800,000 for substance abuse programs for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2027. It would promote research on addiction and pain related to substance abuse, and authorizes and appropriates $50,400,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022. The bill would also expand the use of funding already allowed under 21st Century Cures Act \u2013 a bill signed into law in December 2016 to promote innovation and bolster investment in medical research \u2013 so that states may also use this money for detection, surveillance, and treatment of co-occurring infections, as well as for surveillance, data collection, and reporting on the number of opioid overdose deaths. Under the bill, the National Institutes of Health would be responsible for distributing this money.\r\nSenator King has been a leading proponent of providing additional funding to fight the heroin and opioid crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. He has repeatedly called on Congress and both the Obama and Trump administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic.\r\nAlong with Senator King, the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Al Franken (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).\r\nThe letter can be read in full below and is available HERE.\r\n+++\r\nOctober 25, 2017\u00a0\r\nPresident Donald J. Trump\r\nThe White House\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\nAs you finalize the emergency declaration on opioid abuse, we urge you to follow the recommendations of your Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis and allow the government to negotiate lower prices for life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs.\r\nThe opioid epidemic now claims 142 lives every day, and it is still getting worse. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans under 50, exceeding the peak car crash deaths and H.I.V. deaths decades earlier. Access to naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug, is particularly important given the magnitude of the epidemic.\r\nInitially approved by the FDA in 1971, naloxone is used in hospitals and emergency rooms, by first responders, and by members of our communities to revive victims and restart their breathing. Unfortunately, the price of the drug itself has increased dramatically during the epidemic. The prices are highest for newer devices that make delivering the medication easier. Narcan, which administers naloxone as a nasal spray, costs $150 for a two pack and Evzio, a naloxone auto-injector, has increased from $690 in 2014 to $4,500 today for a two pack.\r\nYour Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and Opioid Crisis recommends dramatically increasing access to naloxone, and says that \u201cBy declaring a national emergency, you can empower the HHS Secretary to negotiate reduced pricing for all governmental units.\u201d\r\nWe strongly agree with the recommendation, and urge you to give the Secretary this authority immediately. By doing this, you can put the important medication in the hands of more people and save lives. We hope the policy will be the first step towards substantial action to bring down the cost of all drugs through negotiation and other policies, and part of a comprehensive emergency declaration that includes the investments needed to end the epidemic.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-intelligence-committee-passes-fisa-amendments-reauthorization-act-", "Senate Intelligence Committee Passes FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act", "2017-10-24", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senate Intelligence Committee Passes FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tKing, Cornyn Bipartisan Amendment Strikes Balance to Protect Civil Liberties, Defend National Security Interests\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, October 24, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced that the U.S Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted 12-3 to approve the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, which will extend the sunset of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Act to December 31, 2025. Included in the reauthorization is an amendment Senator King introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that addresses the procedures by which U.S. intelligence agencies query data incidentally acquired under FISA Section 702 and requires continued review and oversight of FISA Section 702 by the FISA Court, the intelligence community, the Department of Justice, and Congress.\r\n\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAt a time of heightened conflict around the world, protecting Americans from national security threats must be a top priority,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cAt the same time, our founding principles guarantee the protection of privacy \u2013 as outlined in the Constitution \u2013\u2013 and must be a primary consideration too. I am pleased the Senate Intelligence Committee has worked thoughtfully together on a bipartisan basis to strike a balance that achieves both.\u201d\r\nThe Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, first signed into law in 1978, outlines the procedures for the U.S. government to request judicial authorization to collect information on foreign governments, agents of foreign governments, and foreign non-state actors. Senator King\u2019s amendment aims to protect the civil liberties of American citizens whose information is incidentally collected through a FISA authorization.\r\n\r\nMore specifically the King-Cornyn Amendment:\r\n\r\n \r\nRequires the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence to adopt clear procedures for querying data acquired incidentally under FISA Section 702.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nDirects the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence to ensure there is a technical procedure for keeping a record of all FISA Section 702 queries using a known U.S. person identifier.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nRequires the FISA Court to annually review the FISA Section 702 query procedures and certify that they are consistent with the Fourth Amendment.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nRequires the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence to specifically review the FISA Section 702 query procedures and provide semiannual compliance reports to the FISA Court and the congressional intelligence and judiciary committees.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nAuthorizes the Department of Justice Inspector General and other relevant Inspector Generals to specifically review the FISA Section 702 query procedures.\u00a0\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nDefines a \u201cquery\u201d as any instance in which data the government has already acquired is searched using a specific term or terms for the purpose of discovering or retrieving unminimized content or metadata.\r\n \r\n\r\nThe FISA Reauthorization Act also enhances penalties against leakers of classified information, strengthens the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and its ability to hire and deliberate, and enables the FISA Court to more effectively leverage impartial advisers (Amicus Curiae) and technical support.\r\n\r\nThe bill\u2019s next step will be consideration before the full Senate.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-healthcare-advocates-emphasize-importance-of-preparation-for-aca-open-enrollment-period", "King, Healthcare Advocates Emphasize Importance of Preparation for ACA Open Enrollment Period", "2017-10-23", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King, Healthcare Advocates Emphasize Importance of Preparation for ACA Open Enrollment Period\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, October 23, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke at the Opportunity Alliance in South Portland to urge Maine people to prepare for the Affordable Care Act 2018 Open Enrollment Period, which begins November 1st. Senator King was joined by healthcare advocates, application assisters, healthcare providers and insurers to highlight the continued availability of ACA healthcare plans, as well as reinforce the shortened enrollment window to sign up for coverage.\r\n\u201cReports of the Affordable Care Act\u2019s death have been greatly exaggerated,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cThe fact is, the ACA is still the law of the land, and the marketplace offers a variety of plans to help the people of Maine find affordable healthcare that can protect them from the financial risk that accompanies an illness or injury. As the Open Enrollment Period approaches, I urge eligible individuals to take steps to finalize the necessary information and ensure that you can get covered before time runs out.\u201d\r\nWith the opening of the enrollment window nine days away, Senator King presented four steps that individuals can take to make sure they have the correct materials to enroll in coverage. These steps are:\r\n \r\nIf you have a Marketplace account, make sure you have your login info or reset your password if you can\u2019t remember it.\r\nGet income documents (i.e. pay stubs, last tax return) for everyone you file taxes with.\r\nIf you are offered health coverage through a job, get information about it.\r\nCreate a list of the doctors and prescriptions you want your plan to cover.\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\nSenator King\u2019s visit to the Opportunity Alliance comes after months of efforts from the Administration to undermine the ACA, including reducing the length of Open Enrollment from 12 weeks to 6 weeks and announcing a 12-hour shutdown of the ACA website over weekends. Despite these changes, the Affordable Care Act\u2019s benefits and assistance with enrollment remain available for those who sign up within the shortened time period.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSenator King has been outspoken in his desire to improve the Affordable Care Act through legislation. He has also been a vocal advocate for bipartisan solutions to protect coverage for the millions who currently rely on the ACA for affordable healthcare, and is a cosponsor of the bill introduced by Senators Alexander and Murray to stabilize the individual health insurance marketplace.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\r\nSenator King was joined at the Opportunity Alliance by representatives from AARP, Community Health Options, Harvard Pilgrim, Consumers for Affordable Healthcare, Maine Health, the Opportunity Alliance, and medical professionals. Following the press conference, Senator King met with Opportunity Alliance leadership.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-microentrepreneur-grants-for-rural-maine-organizations", "Senators Collins, King Announce Microentrepreneur Grants for Rural Maine Organizations", "2017-10-23", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Collins, King Announce Microentrepreneur Grants for Rural Maine Organizations\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, October 23, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that six organizations received grants totaling $196,124 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program. These funds will be used to help microenterprises start-up and grow in Androscoggin, Franklin, Oxford, Aroostook, Cumberland, and Penobscot Counties.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThese investments will give invaluable assistance to Maine entrepreneurs by providing resources and training for new, innovative industries, particularly those located in rural areas,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cWe are pleased that these programs continue to support local businesses and help create stable, high-paying jobs for Mainers.\u201d The USDA\u2019s Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program encourages the development, whether by start-up or expansion, of small businesses in rural areas. Funding through this program offers organizations support, guidance, and education for self-employment and small business development.  The six organizations receiving funding through these grants are below:\r\n \r\nAndroscoggin Valley Council of Governments in Auburn will receive $41,914.\r\nNorthern Maine Development Commission in Caribou will receive $49,636.\r\nCoastal Enterprises, Inc. in Brunswick will receive $31,858.\r\nCommunity Concepts Finance Corporation in South Paris will receive $35,906.\r\nEastern Maine Development Corporation in Bangor will receive $19,104.\r\nMaineStream Finance in Bangor will receive $17,706.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-senate-hearing-king-highlights-need-for-doctrine-to-deter-adversaries-in-cyberspace", "In Senate Hearing, King Highlights Need for Doctrine to Deter Adversaries in Cyberspace", "2017-10-19", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Senate Hearing, King Highlights Need for Doctrine to Deter Adversaries in Cyberspace\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 19, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned officials from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation during a Senate Armed Services Committee focused on the nation\u2019s cyber defenses. In his questioning, Senator King emphasized the importance of establishing a national doctrine for deterring adversaries in cyberspace.\r\n\u201cI think [the need for a doctrine is] one of the key issues here,\u201d said Senator King during his questioning. \u201cIf all we do is try to patch networks and defend ourselves we\u2019ll ultimately lose\u2026 Mr. Smith, you used the term \u2018impose consequences,\u2019 and right now, we\u2019re not imposing much in the way of consequences\u2026We need a doctrine where our adversaries know if they do \u2018X\u2019, \u2018Y\u2019 will happen to them\u2026 Just being on the defensive isn\u2019t going to work in the end. If you\u2019re in a boxing match, and you can bob and weave and you\u2019re the best bobber and weaver in the history of the world, if you\u2019re not allowed to ever punch, then you\u2019re going to lose that boxing match\u2026 In reality, a secret deterrent is not a deterrent. The other side has to know what\u2019s liable to happen to them.\u201d\r\nDuring the hearing Senator King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also pressed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Kenneth Rapuano on the status of a report on deterrence of adversaries in cyberspace, which the Assistant Secretary said was forthcoming. The report, which was due in June, is required by a 2017 National Defense Authorization Act provision based on language from legislation authored by Senator King and Senator Rounds.\r\nIn addition to Assistant Secretary Rapuano, hearing witnesses included Christopher Krebs, the Senior Official performing the duties of the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department Of Homeland Security and Scott Smith, Assistant Director for the Cyber Division at the FBI. Also invited was Rob Joyce, the White House Cybersecurity Coordinator for the National Security Council, who was not in attendance.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-senate-floor-king-highlights-impact-of-budget-resolution-on-working-americans-seniors-future-generations", "On Senate Floor, King Highlights Impact of Budget Resolution on Working Americans, Seniors, Future Generations", "2017-10-18", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Senate Floor, King Highlights Impact of Budget Resolution on Working Americans, Seniors, Future Generations\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, October 18, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about the budget resolution and tax cut framework currently before the Senate. During his remarks, Senator King highlighted the impact the budget resolution and tax framework will have on working people, seniors, and future generations of Americans.\r\n\u201cIf we pass unfunded tax cuts, they aren\u2019t really tax cuts, they are simply a deferral of the tax from us to our kids,\u201d Senator King. \u201cWe don\u2019t have to pay the tax, but the money to be spent is going to be spent. So the hole gets deeper, we borrow that money, and our kids and our grandchildren are going to have to pay that back with interest.\r\n\u201c[\u2026] I believe that there are important areas where tax cuts are necessary in order to make us more competitive, in order to help grow our economy. But I don\u2019t think what I\u2019ve heard so far is the answer. And there are many problems with what have been described. I\u2019m willing to hold my fire and see what the Finance Committee comes up with and see whether \u2013 as the Senator from Pennsylvania [Pat Toomey] said \u2013 it will be an open and bipartisan process with amendments. If that\u2019s the case, I think we could come up \u2013 on a bipartisan basis \u2013 with a reasonable tax change, tax cuts, tax reform that will strengthen our economy without adding to the deficit and without requiring massive cuts to programs such as Medicaid and Medicare that are so important to millions of Americans. It can be done right.\u201d\r\nDuring his speech Senator King highlighted the negative impact the budget resolution could have on seniors through its significant proposed cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The budget resolution would cut approximately $473 billion from Medicare and $1.1 trillion from Medicaid over the next ten years to help fund a tax cut framework that would disproportionately support the top income earners in the country. Senator King also underscored the fact that 70 percent of nursing home beds are paid for by Medicaid, and cuts to the program would adversely affect seniors across the country. With Maine\u2019s aging population, these cuts could also have a devastating impact on seniors in the state and would significantly threaten the financial stability of rural hospitals which serve as one of the top employers in fifteen out of sixteen Maine counties.\r\nSenator King also expressed concerns that the tax framework outlined by the Senate majority neither pays for itself nor spurs economic growth, citing both the federal tax cuts in the mid-2000s and the 2012 tax cuts in Kansas that incited an increased budget deficit and a lag in job creation.\r\nSenator King has consistently called for a responsible, balanced, and long-term approach to addressing our national debt and deficit, and was named a \u201cFiscal Hero\u201d in 2016 by Campaign to Fix the Debt. The Budget Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2018 budget resolution by a 12 to 11 party-line vote.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-more-than-260000-for-pine-tree-legal-assistance", "Collins, King Announce More Than $260,000 for Pine Tree Legal Assistance", "2017-10-17", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce More Than $260,000 for Pine Tree Legal Assistance\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, October 17, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Pine Tree Legal Assistance will receive two technology grants from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) totaling $261,250. The first grant for $175,250 will be used for a project benefitting low-income veterans, while the second grant for $86,000 will be used for improvements to statewide legal websites.\r\n\u201cFor the past five decades, Pine Tree Legal Assistance has been steadfast in its commitment to ensuring all Mainers, regardless of income, have equal access to the justice system,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThis investment will help Pine Tree Legal advance its mission by increasing the usability of legal websites and improving the accessibility of resources for veterans and others.\u201d\r\nPine Tree Legal Assistance will use the first technology grant to improve the design and content of StateSideLegal.org, the first national website focused exclusively on veterans\u2019 federal legal rights and resources. The project will add new resources for veteran and military families, including best practices for veteran Medical-Legal Partnerships between legal services providers and the health care sector. The second technology grant will support improvements to statewide legal websites based on the usability recommendations made in LSC\u2019s recent Statewide Website Evaluation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-145937-for-shaw-house-in-bangor-to-support-homeless-and-at-risk-youth", "Senators Collins, King Announce $145,937 for Shaw House in Bangor to Support Homeless and At-Risk Youth", "2017-10-16", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Collins, King Announce $145,937 for Shaw House in Bangor to Support Homeless and At-Risk Youth\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMonday, October 16, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that Shaw House, a non-profit in Bangor that serves homeless and at-risk youth, will receive a total of $145,937 through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The funding will support operations at Shaw House\u2019s Basic Center Program (BCP) for homeless and runaway youth and their families. Senators Collins and King wrote a letter in support of Shaw House\u2019s grant application in August.\r\n\u201cServing youth from five rural Maine counties, Shaw House has been a critical resource for youth living in high-risk situations, providing an array of services from emergency shelter to comprehensive counseling,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThis funding will allow Shaw House to build constructive relationships with youth that aim to improve their overall health and well-being and provide them with the necessary support to succeed as they transition to adulthood.\u201d  Earlier this year, Senator Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, authored the FY18 Transportation and Housing Act, which includes $55 million for grants and technical assistance to test comprehensive efforts to end youth homelessness in urban and rural areas and $20 million for new family unification vouchers to prevent youth exiting foster care from becoming homeless. This bipartisan bill unanimously passed the Appropriations Committee in July. For 25 years, Shaw House has strived to increase family reunification, provide more secure living arrangements for youth who are unable to return to their homes, and reduce homelessness across Maine. ACF is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that oversees major federal programs that deal with social services, protective services, and adoption for children.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-administrations-decision-to-withhold-certification-of-iran-deal", "King Statement on Administration’s Decision to Withhold Certification of Iran Deal", "2017-10-13", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Statement on Administration\u2019s Decision to Withhold Certification of Iran Deal\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, October 13, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tRANGELEY, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of both the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement after today\u2019s announcement that the administration plans to withhold Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) certification to Congress.\r\n\u201cWhile I\u2019m deeply concerned with Iran\u2019s malign activity in the region, I believe that remaining in the JCPOA at this time is in our national security interest. This is not just my opinion \u2013 when I questioned Secretary Mattis on the subject, he unequivocally told the Senate Armed Services Committee the same thing. In addition, national security officials have told us that Iran has abided by the terms of the agreement, and our allies have made clear that they are unlikely to support a renegotiation of the agreement.\r\n\u201cI understand that this deal is not perfect \u2013 it was never meant to be a friendship agreement, nor was it meant to address all of Iran\u2019s \u00a0actions in the region. However, it is meant to severely curtail Iran\u2019s ability to build nuclear weapons in the near term. Without this agreement, we will not be able to monitor Iran\u2019s nuclear program as effectively and Iran would be unconstrained in its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. And, in my view, the only thing worse than a malevolent Iran is a malevolent Iran with nuclear weapons.\r\n\u201cAs the next steps shift to Congress, I am committed to holding Iran accountable and will work with my colleagues toward that goal. I will consider options that strengthen pressures on Iran without violating the JCPOA and thereby increasing risks to the region and the world.\u201d\r\nSenator King carefully reviewed the JCPOA in 2015, calling it a flawed deal that is preferable to the available alternatives. During a recent hearing in the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King asked Secretary of Defense James Mattis if he believed remaining in the deal at the present time is in our national security interest, to which Secretary Mattis replied, \u201cYes, Senator, I do.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\r\nPresidential certification is required under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA) every 90 days. If the administration does not certify the agreement, under INARA, Congress may act within 60 days to re-impose sanctions lifted under the JCPOA. If Congress chooses not to re-impose sanctions, then the United States will remain in compliance with its JCPOA obligations.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-discusses-strategies-to-combat-drug-crisis-with-mount-blue-students", "King Discusses Strategies to Combat Drug Crisis with Mount Blue Students", "2017-10-11", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Discusses Strategies to Combat Drug Crisis with Mount Blue Students\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, October 11, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tFARMINGTON, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today hosted\u00a0a discussion on the state of the opioid crisis in Maine with Mount Blue High School students, school administrators, and local health professionals at Mount Blue High School in Farmington. The discussion focused on what can be done in Maine school systems to prevent opioid use and raise awareness about the issue.\r\n\u201cThe impact of the opioid crisis in Maine is staggering and affects every corner of our communities, including our schools,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cAddiction can start with something as simple as a high school sports injury, which is why it\u2019s so important we come together to discuss strategies that raise awareness about the dangers of addiction and help students and educators address this crippling issue. I am proud there are driven young people like those I met with today at Mount Blue who are committed to finding solutions to Maine\u2019s opioid epidemic and to building a bright future for generations to come.\u201d\r\nSenator King has been a leading voice in Washington on the immediate need to address the heroin and opioid epidemic and has continually fought to provide adequate funding to fight the crisis, which kills more than one person per day in Maine. This discussion marks the seventh roundtable that Senator King has convened across the state as part of his effort to tackle the opioid and heroin epidemic. He has previously held discussions in\u00a0Paris,\u00a0Portland,\u00a0Brewer, Milo and two in\u00a0Bangor\u00a0\u2013 each of which focused on a different aspect of the opioid and heroin crisis, and each of which have helped inform his work in Washington. Senator King has introduced and supported several pieces of legislation to help tackle addiction, and continues his push for emergency funding to fight the epidemic.\r\nSenator King has also been outspoken in his opposition to several proposals to repeal the Affordable Care Act, voicing specific concerns that these proposals will negatively impact Maine\u2019s fight against the opioid epidemic. The proposals would also have devastating consequences for Maine\u2019s rural hospitals and low-income and working people.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-nearly-2-million-in-grant-funding-for-saint-josephs-college", "Collins, King Announce Nearly $2 Million in Grant Funding for Saint Joseph’s College", "2017-10-10", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce Nearly $2 Million in Grant Funding for Saint Joseph\u2019s College\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, October 10, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economic Development Administration has awarded Saint Joseph\u2019s College in Standish a $1,987,512 grant for the college\u2019s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. The project, which is anticipated to create approximately 88 jobs, will foster collaboration between the public and private sectors to support local farms, food, and beverage producers and bolster the production-to-consumption value chain in southern Maine.\r\n\u201cUpon completion, the Institute for Local Food Systems will help strengthen our state\u2019s economy by supporting local food-business entrepreneurship and innovation,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cThis investment will allow the institute to provide small businesses with the resources to deliver year-round produce to the local marketplace.\u201d\r\nThis funding will help fund St. Joseph\u2019s College\u2019s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation, which will include a quarter-acre hydroponic greenhouse, a 3,400-square-foot commercial kitchen, a livestock barn, a connection to the municipal water system, and a biomass boiler system. The institute is projected to impact the regional economy with a total net gain of $16.1 million in output and $4.1 million in earnings.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-celebrates-maine-manufacturing-with-local-students-manufacturers", "King Celebrates Maine Manufacturing with Local Students, Manufacturers", "2017-10-10", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Celebrates Maine Manufacturing with Local Students, Manufacturers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTuesday, October 10, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tBIDDEFORD, ME \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined local students, teachers, and manufacturers at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick to celebrate the importance of Maine manufacturing for the state\u2019s economy and traditions and help expose students to high-tech manufacturing opportunities in Maine. The event, hosted by the Manufacturers Association of Maine and Lockheed Martin, included a Lockheed Martin F-35 Cockpit Demonstrator that students were able to test. Senator King last week cosponsored the Senate resolution to recognize October 6, 2017 as National Manufacturing Day.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cFrom jet engines to L.L. Bean boots to semiconductors to two-by-fours, Maine is uniquely positioned to leverage a wide range of manufacturing jobs that can create opportunities and help Maine people thrive,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cVirtually every business I go to in Maine, whether it be north, south, east, or west \u2013 they need good people, they need qualified workers. With over 1,000 manufacturing jobs open in our state right now, it is great to take days like today to highlight the importance of manufacturing for our economy and show young people they can find good-paying jobs right here in Maine.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s event, held during Manufacturing Month, brought about 40 students from across seven Maine schools to Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick\u2019s facility, which employs approximately 1,700 Maine people. Pratt & Whitney manufactures the F135 propulsion system for the F-35 fighter jet.\r\nFollowing the visit to Pratt & Whitney, Senator King toured York County Shelters Program in Alfred and discussed the facility\u2019s emergency shelters, medical care, psychiatric care and addiction services. Senator King ended the day at Haley\u2019s Metal in Biddeford, a 5th generation family-owned business with more than 50 employees. Senator King presented father and son Brian and Matt Haley with a Congressional Record Statement in honor of their 100th anniversary in business.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-support-for-bipartisan-bill-to-bolster-veterans-justice-program", "King Announces Support for Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Veterans Justice Program", "2017-10-05", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Support for Bipartisan Bill to Bolster Veterans Justice Program\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 5, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced his support for the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would strengthen the Veterans Justice Program to support veterans involved in the criminal justice system. The bill, introduced by Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ), John McCain (R-AZ) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), would require the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to hire at least 50 Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists, place each one at an eligible VA medical center, and ensure that they serve as part of a justice team in a veterans treatment court or other veteran-focused court.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cMaine is proud to have one of the highest percentages of veterans per capita in the country, and we have an obligation to serve them as they have served us,\u201d said Senator King in a statement. \u201cVeterans Treatment Courts work, and they ensure that veterans in need of rehabilitation have access to specialized and effective services. It is incumbent upon us to provide comprehensive, accessible care for our veterans across the state and nation and I\u2019m glad to see a commonsense bill that helps give veterans a fair shot.\u201d\r\nThe bill requires the Department of Veteran Affairs to hire additional Veterans Justice Outreach specialists to provide veterans with streamlined and personalized treatment through its Veteran Justice Outreach program. The Veterans Justice Outreach program helps to address veteran-specific health issues as a form of rehabilitation rather than criminalization. Veterans Justice Outreach specialists provide direct outreach and case management to Veterans in local courts and jails alongside partners throughout the justice system.\r\nIn February, Senator King wrote to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs urging him to fund two additional staff positions for the Veterans Justice Program in Maine to help better serve the needs of justice-involved Maine veterans confronting homelessness, mental health, or substance abuse issues.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/more-bipartisan-support-for-king-risch-bill-to-secure-energy-infrastructure", "More Bipartisan Support for King, Risch Bill to Secure Energy Infrastructure", "2017-10-05", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "More Bipartisan Support for King, Risch Bill to Secure Energy Infrastructure\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tCompanion bill introduced in the House of Representatives\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 5, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), members of both the Senate Intelligence and Energy and Natural Resources Committees, today applauded the introduction of the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) and John Carter (R-TX). The bipartisan legislation serves as a companion bill to legislation introduced by Senators King and Risch and aims to examine\u00a0solutions to defend the U.S. energy grid using a \u201cretro\u201d approach that could safeguard against cyber-attacks.\r\n\u201cOver the past several years, we have weathered numerous cyber-attacks that have targeted American businesses, people, and government agencies, with the potential for bigger and more damaging attacks growing by the day. That\u2019s why strengthening major components of our national infrastructure \u2013 like our electric grid \u2013 is critical to our national security,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cBy making our electric grid more resilient, we can mitigate the impact of major cyber-attacks on our country and protect American people. I am encouraged to see this common-sense bill has gained support in the House, and urge my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to move it through Congress.\u201d\r\n\u201cRecent cyber-attacks against the U.S. demonstrate how urgently we must act to better defend ourselves, our critical energy infrastructure and our control systems from potentially catastrophic threats,\u201d\u00a0said Senator Risch.\u00a0\u201cI appreciate Congressmen Ruppersberger\u2019s and Carter\u2019s leadership in introducing a companion version of our Senate bill in the House today. There is a clear need to develop techniques and technologies to secure our grid and I look forward to working with our partners in the House to see it through.\u201d\r\nCongressman Ruppersberger said, \u201cThe serious threats to our critical energy infrastructure continue to escalate in cyberspace at an alarming rate. We know our adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities that exist at both large and small energy companies. In a world centered on technology, we must shore up systems that protect critical resources.\u201d\r\n\u201cSecuring our country\u2019s energy infrastructure is a national security priority.\u00a0 Understanding where our system\u2019s weak spots are will only enhance efforts to support robust efforts to ensure we have the most stable and secure energy networks in the world,\u201d said Congressman Carter.\r\nThe text of the\u00a0Securing Energy Infrastructure Act\u00a0is included as part of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence\u2019s markup of the Fiscal Year 2018 Intelligence Authorization Act, which currently awaits the consideration before the full Senate. The bill was inspired in part by Ukraine\u2019s experience in 2015, when a sophisticated cyber-attack on that country\u2019s power grid led to more than 225,000 people being left in the dark.\u00a0The attack\u2019s severity was limited by Ukraine\u2019s use of manual technology to operate its grid, a concept that helped inspire the bill.\r\nMore specifically, the legislation would:\r\n \r\nEstablish a two-year pilot program within the National Laboratories to study covered entities and identify new classes of security vulnerabilities, and research and test technology \u2013 like devices engineered to be simple and secure \u2013 that could be used to isolate the most critical systems of covered entities from cyber-attacks.\r\n \r\n \r\nRequire the establishment of a working group to evaluate the technology solutions proposed by the National Laboratories and to develop a national cyber-informed strategy to isolate the energy grid from attacks. Members of the working group would include federal government agencies, the energy industry, a state or regional energy agency, the National Laboratories, and other groups with relevant experience.\r\n \r\n \r\nRequire the Secretary of Energy to submit a report to Congress describing the results of the program, assessing the feasibility of the techniques considered, and outlining the results of the working groups\u2019 evaluation.\r\n \r\n \r\nDefine \u201ccovered entities\u201d under the bill as segments of the energy sector that have already been designated as entities where a cyber-security incident could result in catastrophic regional or national effects on public health or safety, economic security, or national security.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-more-than-27-million-for-maine-veterans-homes-in-bangor", "Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $2.7 Million for Maine Veterans’ Homes in Bangor", "2017-10-05", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $2.7 Million for Maine Veterans\u2019 Homes in Bangor\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, October 5, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the State of Maine will receive up to $2,705,671.57 for a renovation and expansion project currently underway at the Maine Veterans\u2019 Home facility in Bangor. The funding was awarded through the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2019 (VA) State Home Construction Grant Program.\r\n\u201cMaine Veterans\u2019 Homes provide veterans with the high-quality care and support they have earned through their service to our country,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cWe are delighted that the VA will help fund the much-needed renovation and expansion of the Maine Veterans\u2019 Home in Bangor. These improvements will modernize the facility, provide residents with a comfortable living space, and create a safe and efficient working environment for employees.\u201d\r\nThe funding provided by the VA will partially reimburse the State of Maine for the cost of a fifty-four week renovation of the Maine Veterans\u2019 Home in Bangor that began in January. The project involves renovating a 20,000-square-foot skilled nursing unit and adding 5,000 square feet to expand the 40-bed unit. Upon completion, the Bangor facility will be equipped with a state-of-the-art nurses station and a new short-order kitchen and serving area.\r\nIn May, Senators Collins and King sent a letter along with 26 bipartisan Senators to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the MilCon-VA Appropriations Subcommittee, requesting robust funding to address a growing backlog of construction and renovation projects at State Veterans Homes across the country.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-senate-floor-king-discusses-sabotage-of-the-affordable-care-act", "On Senate Floor, King Discusses “Sabotage” of the Affordable Care Act", "2017-10-04", "2017", "2017-10", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "On Senate Floor, King Discusses \u201cSabotage\u201d of the Affordable Care Act\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cWhy does anyone want to have fewer people with insurance?\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, October 4, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to address threats to the Affordable Care Act\u2019s healthcare marketplace.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m rising today in sadness, but also in some anger because there\u2019s a lot of talk about the Affordable Care Act collapsing,\u201d said Senator King in his speech. \u201cMr. President, it is not collapsing \u2013 it\u2019s being mugged. It\u2019s being stabbed in the back. It\u2019s being sabotaged, deliberately and consciously by the actions of the Administration. And I want to emphasize \u2013 this isn\u2019t about ideology, it\u2019s not about politics\u2026 this is about people.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s about people in Maine. It\u2019s about people, many of whom got care for the first time under the Affordable Care Act. Lobstermen, small farmers, small business people, individuals, finally had a shot at reasonably healthcare. It\u2019s not perfect by any means \u2013 in fact, I\u2019ve been working on proposals since the day I got here on how to improve it\u2026but it is the law of the land, and the impacts on what we do here or don\u2019t do here fall on real people.\r\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t about ideology, this is about seeing that the laws are faithfully executed. That\u2019s why they call it the Administration \u2013 the Administration is supposed to administer the laws, not un-administer them. And we\u2019re talking about people \u2013 why does anyone want to have fewer people with insurance? I\u2019m just at a loss to understand the motivation\u2026 if you don\u2019t like the ACA, let\u2019s work together to find ways to improve it, change it \u2013 but figure out how to keep people with health insurance. The uninsured rate has fallen 50% since the Affordable Care Act. That\u2019s an enormous achievement. It\u2019s one that should be celebrated, not sabotaged.\u201d\r\nDuring his speech, Senator King listed several examples of ongoing efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act. These examples include:\r\n \r\nIn January, the administration cut previously planned advertising related to the final week of open enrollment. This played a role in the decrease in ACA enrollments in 2017 compared to the previous year.\r\nIn February, the IRS announced a decrease in enforcement for the ACA\u2019s individual mandate. With less enforcement, there is less incentive for individuals to participate in the market, in turn making the entire insurance market less viable.\r\nIn April, the Trump administration issued the first of seven threats to withhold or reduce the legally required Cost Sharing Reduction payments. These continued threats created a marketplace uncertainty, which is currently being felt in Maine. Just last week, Anthem announced they would not participate in the state\u2019s marketplace for 2018, citing this uncertainty as a factor in the decision.\r\nIn May, the Administration\u2019s budget included drastic decreases for the marketplace\u2019s call center, in-person assistance and marketing. Additionally, the budget reduces the open enrollment period by 50%, changing the period from 12 weeks to 6 weeks, making it more difficult for the American people to sign up for coverage.\r\nIn August, the Administration announced that marketplace outreach will be reduced by 90%, and navigator assistance programs to help individuals make their healthcare decisions will be reduced by 40%. Again, these cuts increase the level of difficulty to enroll in coverage through the ACA.\r\nIn September, the Department of Health and Human Services disclosed that they would be shutting down the open enrollment system for 12 hours per weekend, from midnight until noon on Sundays. This reduces available weekend hours for enrollment by 25%, adding an additional obstacle to working people who rely on days off to attend to personal matters like securing healthcare.\r\n \r\nSenator King has been a strong advocate for bipartisan solutions to stabilize the healthcare market in order to protect those who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/media/the-lobsters-economic-importance-to-maine", "The Lobster's Economic Importance to Maine", "2017-09-30", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content\n\n\t\n\n    \n    \n        \n            \n            \n                \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\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             The Lobster's Economic Importance to Maine", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-congratulate-three-maine-schools-recognized-as-national-blue-ribbon-schools", "Collins, King Congratulate Three Maine Schools Recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools", "2017-09-28", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Congratulate Three Maine Schools Recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, September 28, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applauded Fourteenth Street School in Bangor, Connors-Emerson School in Bar Harbor, and Falmouth Elementary School for being recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools. These Maine schools are three of only 342 public and private schools across the nation being recognized for this achievement in 2017.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe highly prestigious Blue Ribbon designation achieved by these three schools reflects the tireless efforts of educators who work every day to build a brighter future for Maine\u2019s youth,\u201d said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. \u201cEach of these schools is the product of community efforts, from the teachers and administrators who build strong school environments, to the families and students who keep the focus on learning even after the last bell rings. We are proud to have these schools representing Maine as 2017 Blue Ribbon schools, and we congratulate them for earning this honor.\u201d\r\nFor 35 years, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has honored public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. Blue Ribbon schools are recognized for overall academic excellence or for making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.\r\nRepresentatives from Fourteenth Street School, Connors-Emerson School, and Falmouth Elementary School are invited to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony in November. At the ceremony, each Blue Ribbon school will be presented with an award plaque and a flag.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-announces-support-for-campaign-finance-reform-legislation-", "King Announces Support for Campaign Finance Reform Legislation", "2017-09-28", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Announces Support for Campaign Finance Reform Legislation \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tBills aim to fix broken campaign finance system, restore accountability to elections, & empower voters\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, September 28, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, announced his support for a series of campaign finance bills called the We the People Democracy Reform Act of 2017. This bicameral legislation proposes a series of wide-ranging electoral reforms to restore integrity, accountability, and transparency to our broken political system.\u00a0The legislation includes proposals to comprehensively reform campaign finance laws, increase transparency and accountability in the political system, end gerrymandering, increase voter participation, and strengthen lobbying and revolving door laws. Senator King has been a long-time advocate for election transparency as a means of increasing voter faith and engagement in our electoral process.\r\n\u201cIn Maine, we still have town meetings. These meetings are the finest examples of democracy at work: anybody with an opinion can walk into the meeting and work to sway the voters to their side,\u201d said Senator King. \u201cWhat you can\u2019t do, however, is walk into the meeting with a bag over your head, or pay to anonymously plaster the room with negative ads. You have to let people know who you are and stand by your word. Unfortunately, those same rules don\u2019t apply to our current campaign finance system. Anonymous people and groups can spend huge amounts without ever revealing their true identity \u2013 it\u2019s not healthy, it\u2019s not right, and it needs to be stopped. That is why I\u2019m proud to join with my colleagues to introduce this important legislation, and will continue pushing for serious campaign finance reform \u2013 like greater transparency \u2013 as I have throughout my time in the Senate.\u201d\r\nSpecific reforms the bill aims to enact include:\r\n \r\nRequire all candidates for federal office to report major campaign contributions within 48 hours.\u00a0 This provision is similar to the Real Time Transparency Act, introduced by Senator King last year that would require all candidates for federal office, including those for the U.S. Senate, to report contributions of over $1000 to the FEC within 48 hours. Today, not all candidates for federal office report campaign contributions in real-time.\r\nRequire disclosure of donations more than $10,000 to organizations spending at least $10,000 in an election. This mirrors the DISCLOSE Act, a bill cosponsored by Senator King. Includes new provisions to prohibit domestic corporations with significant foreign control, ownership, or direction from spending money in elections. It also cracks down on shell companies, which can be used to launder foreign money into elections, by requiring companies spending money in elections to disclose the true owner of the company, so election officials and the public know who is behind the company.\r\nReplace the Federal Election Commission. This provision would replace the FEC with a newly formed Federal Election Administration. This new body would have 5 members rather than 6 in an effort to break through the FEC\u2019s existing partisan gridlock, and be given enhanced enforcement powers. This language aligns closely with the Federal Election Administration Act, which Senator King cosponsored in the 114th Congress.\r\nExpand the existing \u201cStand By Your Ad\u201d requirements. To increase transparency, this legislation would require the leader of a Super PAC, corporation or special interest group to appear in an ad to take responsibility for its content and disclose their top five donors on screen.\r\n \r\nA summary of all of the provisions are available here. We the People builds upon a number of bills introduced, cosponsored and supported by Senator King to improve our voting and political system. This package would make significant strides toward repairing our broken political system and would serve as a model for states and localities to implement reform at the local level.\u00a0\r\nThe bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.)\u00a0in the Senate and\u00a0U.S. Representative David Price (D-N.C.)\u00a0in the House of Representatives yesterday and has received\u00a0endorsements\u00a0from The Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, Democracy 21, the League of Women Voters, People for the American Way, the Center for American Progress, and Public Citizen as well as policy leaders such as Norman Eisen, board chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and chief White House ethics lawyer for President Obama (2009-2011) and Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer for President Bush (2005-2007).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-cosponsors-bipartisan-bill-to-establish-investment-tax-credit-for-energy-storage", "King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Establish Investment Tax Credit for Energy Storage", "2017-09-28", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Establish Investment Tax Credit for Energy Storage\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, September 28, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today announced his support for the \u00a0Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2017, bipartisan legislation that would establish an investment tax credit (ITC) for business and home use of energy storage. \u00a0The proposed tax incentives are modeled on the current ITCs for solar energy and would apply to either large, grid-connected energy storage systems or to smaller battery systems for residential power. Home battery storage, coupled with small wind or roof-top solar system, could be used to store energy during the day for use later in the day or during overcast skies and can help consumers reduce their energy bills.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cEncouraging storage innovation is critical to furthering energy independence and moving our country towards clean, stable energy opportunities,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cThis investment tax credit will help make energy storage technologies more affordable for Maine businesses and homes and support a more resilient electric grid.\u201d\r\nEnergy storage complements intermittent renewable resources, such as wind and solar to increase full-time availability, provide backup power in case of emergencies, and help reduce the need for high-cost power during periods of peak demand--such as during the coldest mornings or hottest afternoons. According\u00a0to a recent U.S. Department of Energy study, there are about\u00a025,000 megawatts of installed energy storage in the United States.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nHighlights of the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act\r\n \r\nBusiness Energy Investment Credit for Energy Storage\u00a0-\u00a0For commercial applications, the bill provides the same tax incentive as currently available for solar energy in section 48 of the IRS code.\u00a0 All energy storage technologies would qualify, including batteries, flywheels, pumped hydro, thermal energy, compressed air, etc.\u00a0 To qualify for the ITC, the system must have a storage capacity of at least 5 kilowatt-hours.\u00a0 The credit allowed is the same as currently available for solar energy, including the phase down, as shown in the table, below.\u00a0 The IRS currently allows an ITC for energy storage when it is installed in conjunction with a solar energy system.\u00a0 The bill would extend the ITC for any energy storage project in all applications, including consumer-owned, grid-connected, or off-grid.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\nResidential Energy Property Tax Credit for Energy Storage\u00a0-\u00a0For residential applications, the bill provides homeowners the same credit as currently available for solar energy in section 25D.\u00a0 However, only battery storage is eligible for the residential ITC, and the system must have a storage capacity of at least 3 kilowatt-hours.\u00a0 As shown in the table, the ITC phases out over five years.\u00a0\r\n \r\nSenators King and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced a version of this bill last year. In 2015, the Senators also introduced\u00a0legislation\u00a0that would set national targets for energy storage in order to meet the growing demand on the electric grid and encourage the integration of solar and wind energy. Senator King also introduced the\u00a0Free Market Energy Act, which establish a set of parameters for the governance of distributed energy resources, like storage, solar, and wind.\r\nThe legislation is also supported by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).\r\nA copy of the bill is available HERE.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-and-representative-pingree-announce-agreement-between-biw-navy-to-build-two-new-destroyers", "Senators Collins, King and Representative Pingree Announce Agreement Between BIW, Navy to Build Two New Destroyers", "2017-09-28", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senators Collins, King and Representative Pingree Announce Agreement Between BIW, Navy to Build Two New Destroyers\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, September 28, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced today that the U.S. Navy awarded contracts to Bath Iron Works to build two new DDG-51 destroyers.\r\nThe first ship will be in the Flight IIA configuration, and the second will be in the Flight III configuration. The Flight III ship will incorporate the SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) and upgrade the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes.  \u201cThese contracts to construct two new DDG-51 class destroyers in Bath demonstrates the Navy\u2019s commitment to BIW and its confidence in the highly skilled, hard-working employees at the shipyard. There is no workforce in the world better positioned to build these ships,\u201d said Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree in a joint statement. \u201cAs the workhorses of the Navy, destroyers\u2019 ability to deliver capability and presence has been demonstrated many times over. These ships will strengthen our naval fleet and allow the Navy to promote stability and security in the face of proliferating threats around the globe.\u201d\r\nAs a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins secured the $433 million in additional DDG-51 funding in the Defense Appropriations bill that became law in May 2017. The funding builds on the $1 billion Senator Collins secured toward the construction of an additional DDG-51 destroyer in 2015. One of the ship contracts awarded today to BIW is a direct result of that funding. The additional destroyer was included on the Navy\u2019s list of unmet requirements.\r\nAs a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King worked to authorize more than $5.62 billion for the Navy destroyer programs in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including more than $5 billion for the procurement of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers in fiscal year 2018 that Bath Iron Works can compete to build. He also helped secure authorization of $90.5 million for the continued production of DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are built at Bath. The Senate passed the 2018 NDAA earlier in September by a vote of 89-8.\r\nAs a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Pingree has worked with her colleagues over the past several years to advocate for the funding for the DDG-51 class destroyer program in the House passed bills. In particular, she has educated her House colleagues about the importance of accepting the funding included by Maine\u2019s Senators in the Senate FY16 bill to provide an additional DDG-51 destroyer. She was successful in her efforts in June of this year to secure language in the FY18 Department of Defense Appropriations bill to clarify the intent of the Congress on the construction of the additional DDG-51.\r\nBecause the Navy expects to release a competitive solicitation for additional DDG 51 class ships in the Flight III configuration in future years, the contract award amount is considered source selection sensitive information and is not being made public at this time.\r\nAt present, the Navy has 280 deployable battle force ships, well short of the new goal set by the Navy in December for 355 ships.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-senate-broadband-telehealth-expo-king-commends-senate-passage-of-telemedicine-legislation-", "At Senate Broadband Telehealth Expo, King Commends Senate Passage of Telemedicine Legislation", "2017-09-27", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At Senate Broadband Telehealth Expo, King Commends Senate Passage of Telemedicine Legislation \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, September 27, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 During today\u2019s telehealth expo hosted by the Senate Broadband Caucus and American Telemedicine Association, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a co-founder of the Senate Broadband Caucus, commended the Senate passage of the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act. The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Senator King and passed by the Senate on Tuesday night, would help address the needs of Medicare recipients with chronic health needs and provide more flexibility in providing telehealth services for them.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTelehealth provides a critical lifeline to people in rural Maine who may otherwise have to travel long distances to receive the care they need,\u201d Senator King said. \u201cAnd with Maine\u2019s aging population, improving the availability of telehealth technologies in the Medicare program is all the more important. By expanding telehealth opportunities, improving access to care, and lowering healthcare costs we can help bridge the digital divide in our rural communities, connect people to medical professionals and health services, and help support a 21st century economy.\u201d\r\nSpecifically, the CHRONIC Care Act seeks to improve the Medicare program through provisions targeting traditional fee-for-service, Medicare Advantage, and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) including increased chronic care at home and expanded availability of telehealth services for dialysis and stroke treatments.\r\nToday\u2019s telehealth expo, titled \u201cThe Future of Telehealth in the 21st Century,\u201d highlighted the importance of the telemedicine in today\u2019s digital world and featured demonstrations of the technologies and innovations that are changing the way health care is delivered across the country. The American Telemedicine Association, a co-host of the event, is a non-profit association based in Washington, D.C. It has a membership network of more than 10,000 industry leaders and health care professionals.\r\nSenator King is a co-founder of the Senate Broadband Caucus, a bipartisan caucus working group developing solutions and strategies to accelerate broadband deployment in order to strengthen the digital economy and to close the digital divide, especially in rural America.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-and-king-announce-more-than-300000-in-funding-to-the-aroostook-county-action-program-from-us-department-of-labor", "Collins and King Announce More Than $300,000 in Funding to the Aroostook County Action Program from U.S. Department of Labor", "2017-09-27", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins and King Announce More Than $300,000 in Funding to the Aroostook County Action Program from U.S. Department of Labor\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, September 27, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has awarded the Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) grant funding totaling $304,291. The funding, allocated through the DOL\u2019s Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program, will support women seeking training in non-traditional jobs in northern Maine.\r\n\u201cExpanding access to opportunities for women in Aroostook County strengthens our workforce and the vibrant communities in northern Maine,\u201d Senators Collins and King said. \u201cFor nearly a half century, ACAP has played a vital role in economic development initiatives that support people throughout the County and we commend the DOL for awarding ACAP with this important funding.\u201d\r\nThe Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) is a non-profit organization founded to provide Aroostook County residents with economic independence. Their workforce development program helps to pair Maine people with a job counselor who assists them with their career paths, finding open jobs, and completing schooling required for career advancement.\r\nThe Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program provides technical assistance to employers and labor unions to encourage the employment of women and create positive work environments. Apprenticeship programs are one of the workforce areas with the smallest female representation\u2014almost half of the workforce is made of women, and yet only 10 percent of apprentices are women. The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program also helps encourage women to pursue nontraditional careers for women, like technical and engineering jobs, which are some of the highest paying in the entire U.S.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-454532-in-funding-to-build-maine-mass-timber-commercialization-center-at-university-of-maine", "Collins, King Announce $454,532 in Funding to Build Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center at University of Maine", "2017-09-27", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Collins, King Announce $454,532 in Funding to Build Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center at University of Maine\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tFunding is a direct result of recommendations from Economic Development Assessment Team\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, September 27, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King today announced that the University of Maine System will receive a grant of $454,532 from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to create the Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center, which will establish a center for forest industry partners, trade organization, construction firms, architects, and other key stakeholders to revitalize and diversify Maine\u2019s forest-based economy by advancing new forest products technologies and bringing innovative mass timber manufacturing to Maine. The funding for the Center is a direct result of the Economic Development Assessment Team\u2019s (EDAT) January assessment that outlined strategies to leverage federal resources to redevelop former industrial sites and support the viability of affected mill communities to grow Maine\u2019s rural economy. The EDAT was originally requested in March 2016 by Senators Collins and King.\r\n\u201cMaine\u2019s forest products industry helps drive local economies throughout our state. By establishing the Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center, UMaine and its forest industry partners are furthering important work to discover innovative ways to develop new forest products from our natural resources,\u201d Collins and King said in a joint statement. \u201cThis grant will help strengthen Maine\u2019s forest economy, support jobs in our rural communities, and further diversify the industry. The possibilities are endless with the introduction of new technology and ingenuity.\u201d\r\nThe EDAT \u2013 an integrated, multiagency team \u2013 brought together local, state, federal, and industry partners to work together to build a bottom-up strategy to foster innovation and commercialization for the future of Maine\u2019s forest-based economy. The report released in January represented the culmination of those efforts and was accompanied by over $1.5 million in federal grants aimed at addressing critical needs.\r\nThe Maine Mass Timber Commercialization Center aims to boost the local and regional economy in Penobscot County and throughout rural Maine. The Center will partner with industrial partners in the area, construction firms and architects, trade organizations, and regional stakeholders to develop new forestry technologies.\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-statement-king-calls-on-congressional-leaders-to-work-together-to-grow-economy-and-reduce-burden-on-middle-class", "In Statement, King Calls on Congressional Leaders to Work Together to Grow Economy and Reduce Burden on Middle Class", "2017-09-27", "2017", "2017-09", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In Statement, King Calls on Congressional Leaders to Work Together to Grow Economy and Reduce Burden on Middle Class\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWednesday, September 27, 2017\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Budget, released the following statement in response to the tax plan revealed today by the Trump administration:\r\n\u201cMy approach on taxes is simple: we don\u2019t need to increase the already too-heavy burden on middle class families but, at the same time, we can\u2019t tax our companies so much that they close up shop and move overseas, taking jobs away from already strapped working families. I\u2019m hopeful that as this plan makes its way through Congress, we can work together on bipartisan ideas to reform the tax code \u2013 and consider bipartisan ideas that encourage growth, reduce burdens on the middle class, and don\u2019t add to the deficit \u2013 because, after all isn\u2019t a ballooning deficit just a tax burden we\u2019re passing on to our kids?\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cOne simple idea I\u2019ve been working on with Senator Richard Burr, a Republican from North Carolina, is an update to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. It makes it easier for working families who are taking care of their aging parents or young children to qualify for a more generous tax credit that helps pay for the cost of quality care. In effect, it encourages qualified employees to seek fulltime employment and keeps good people at hard to fill jobs \u2013 not to mention that, if we do it right, it won\u2019t add a penny to the deficit.\r\n\u201cAs Democrats, Republicans and Independents come to the table to consider updating the tax code, we will not always agree, but helping hardworking families pay for the cost of care \u2013 what\u2019s more pro-American tax reform than that?\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 429, "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": "Independent", "p1": "ME", "p2": "2017"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "Independent", "label": "Independent", "count": 429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=ME&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "ME", "label": "ME", "count": 429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Independent&year=2017", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017", "results": [{"value": "2017", "label": "2017", "count": 429, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2017-09-27,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eking~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fin-statement-king-calls-on-congressional-leaders-to-work-together-to-grow-economy-and-reduce-burden-on-middle-class", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Independent&state=ME&year=2017&_next=2017-09-27%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Eking~2Esenate~2Egov~2Fnewsroom~2Fpress-releases~2Fin-statement-king-calls-on-congressional-leaders-to-work-together-to-grow-economy-and-reduce-burden-on-middle-class&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 577.2398998960853, "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"}