{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"RI\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/happy-new-year", "Happy New Year!", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I wish you and your family a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.\n\tToday, Americans all across the country are making resolutions to improve their daily lives and the communities in which they live. We make these resolutions with a sense of hope and promise about the future and with a deep understanding of our ability to make a difference. And we make these pledges because we understand our responsibility to move forward in a positive and constructive way as we confront the challenges ahead.\n\tAs we welcome this New Year, we also welcome the start of a new Congress, and this month I will be meeting with Rhode Islanders across our state to hear from those I serve about their priorities and be sure I incorporate them in my legislative work plan for the 114th Congress. I do this with the hope and knowledge that by working together we can make this Congress more productive than the last. It\u2019s with this spirit of new beginnings, hope and determination that we can create a brighter future for all Rhode Islanders in 2015 and the years to follow.\n\tAgain, I hope you have a very happy New Year.\nWarm regards,\n\n\t  \n\tDavid Cicilline", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-welcomes-long-awaited-airline-rules-for-carry-on-instruments", "Reed Welcomes Long-Awaited Airline Rules for Carry-On Instruments", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/31/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today welcomed a final rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regarding the treatment of musical instruments on commercial airlines.\u00a0 Reed urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to issue the rule earlier this year, when media reports documented an incident in which members of the Rhode Island band Deer Tick were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage.\r\nSection 403 of the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2012 states that air carriers \u201cshall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin,\u201d provided \u201cthe instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat\u201d and that \u201cthere is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.\u201d\u00a0 The law also makes similar allowances for the transport of larger instruments in the airplane cabin when a separate ticket is purchased for the instrument.\r\nThe law was enacted in February 2012 and included a requirement that USDOT adopt regulations to carry out this provision within two years.\u00a0 The law could not become effective until the final rule has was issued, leading Reed to call on Secretary Foxx in July to end the delay and clarify the rules of the road.\u00a0 There have been numerous reports of musicians experiencing travel disruptions when attempting to board flights with their instruments, as well as accounts of loss, theft, or damage to instruments when the artists have been required to place them in in the baggage hold.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that, after nearly three years, there is a final rule that makes the FAA Modernization and Reform Act fully implemented and effective.\u00a0 It will be up to the airline industry, working with musician organizations, to familiarize airline personnel and travelers of their rights and responsibilities.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that Secretary Foxx in developing this rule brought the airlines and musicians together, and that dialogue should continue.\u00a0 We\u2019ll also need to closely evaluate the airlines\u2019 performance in handling valuable and fragile musical instruments,\u201d said Reed.\r\nIn July, after news reports that members of the band Deer Tick were detained and subsequently delayed on their return flight from Nashville to Rhode Island after they were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage, Reed sought to ensure other air travelers do not face similar problems.\u00a0 The delayed final rule, issued Tuesday by USDOT, requires that US airlines accept musical instruments as carry-on or checked baggage on commercial passenger flights, provided that certain conditions are met.\u00a0\r\n\"We have a lot of great musicians based here in\u00a0Rhode Island, and many who travel here for our world renowned music festivals.\u00a0 When they fly, they should be able to learn ahead of time how an airline will store their instruments during the flight. \u00a0If an instrument passes through security and can be stowed safely, it should permitted in the airplane cabin.\u00a0 This final rule is an important step towards a more uniform policy for musicians traveling with their instruments,\u201d added Reed.\r\nThe rule is expected to become effective in March.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/governor-chafee-rhode-island-congressional-delegation-governor-elect-raimondo-make", "Governor Chafee, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, Governor-Elect Raimondo Make an International Business Announcement", "2014-12-29", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, joined by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo, and private and public partners, announced today that five international companies are looking to establish a presence in Rhode Island.\nThis announcement is the result of a relationship Governor Chafee built with international partners in Europe during the governor\u2019s trade mission to Italy and Ireland this past April.\n\u201cI am pleased that my proactive efforts beyond our borders have resulted in economic opportunities for Rhode Islanders,\u201d Governor Chafee said. \u201cI learned during the trade mission to Europe that companies are eager to expand their operations to our state. We need to continue our work to strengthen our role in global economic discussions and entice businesses from around the world to set up shop in our cities and towns.\u201d\n\u201cThis is another positive sign for the state\u2019s economy and a reminder that we must continue to make smart investments in job training for our workforce and infrastructure upgrades like T.F. Green Airport and Quonset Point. I will continue working at the federal level to help local companies grow and attract foreign investment to Rhode Island,\u201d said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.\n\u201cI\u2019m very pleased to welcome these companies to the Ocean State,\u201d said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. \u201cThey will find world-class research universities, a long tradition of manufacturing and industrial design, arts and culture, a beautiful landscape, and a high quality of life for employees. I congratulate the leadership of our international partners on this investment, and Governor Chafee, Marcel Valois, and the team at Commerce RI for all their hard work in forging bonds that will serve the state well.\u201d\n\u201cThis is an exciting opportunity to grow the Rhode Island economy, create jobs, and continue to improve our state\u2019s reputation as a world-class destination in which to work, live, and do business,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u201cI extend my warmest welcome to these companies relocating to Rhode Island and offer my support to all businesses looking to open up shop or grow in the Ocean State. I am encouraged by this news and believe we can build upon this momentum to attract more international partners to Rhode Island.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s workers, ports, highways and other assets make it an attractive gateway for international businesses to enter the U.S. market, and I\u2019m excited to join with partners in both the public and private sectors to promote economic development opportunities that will boost Rhode Island\u2019s economy,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which oversees U.S. international economic and trade policy. \u201cThe Ocean State has great potential to capitalize on the expanding global economy, and I want to congratulate Governor Chafee for his efforts to build partnerships with companies outside the United States and look forward to working with Governor-Elect Raimondo to strengthen these relationships in the years to come.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to welcome these new businesses to Rhode Island,\u201d said Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo. \u201cI appreciate the work of Governor Chafee and Commerce RI to make this day happen, and I look forward to showing many more international businesses why Rhode Island is the right place to establish themselves as they enter the U.S market.\u201d\n\u201cI am beyond pleased to learn that these companies will be opening offices in Rhode Island,\u201d said Commerce RI Executive Director Marcel A. Valois. \u201cThis is an indication of Rhode Island\u2019s assets to help businesses, both domestic and international, grow and succeed.\u201d\n\u201cGTECH is pleased to welcome these companies to the state where we were founded and have chosen to make our global headquarters for more than 30 years,\u201d said GTECH Chairman Donald Sweitzer. \u201cI accompanied Governor Chafee on his trade mission to describe to these and other companies the advantages of locating in Rhode Island.\u201d\nThree of the five companies are headquartered in Italy. Euranet, out of Milan, is a global supply chain specialist for compliance, quality and security, with high-end clients including Gucci and Ferrari. After a visit to Rhode Island in September, the company plans to set up an office here.\nBased in Venice, Galivm is a successful, popular and fast-growing Italian restaurant franchise with four restaurants over the past two years in the Veneto Region. Locations are opening across Europe, and the company intends to set up its first North American restaurant in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee dined at Galivm during his trade mission to Italy.\nREIOS is a design consulting firm for efficient lighting systems in Novara. The company has installed LED street lights in dozens of European cities and airports. REIOS has plans to set up an LED manufacturing facility in Rhode Island with manufacturing and sales jobs.\nHeadquartered in County Mayo, Ireland, Monaghan Brothers is a leading, high-quality furniture maker specializing in the hospitality, corporate and university markets. Monaghan aims to set up a showroom and marketing office with a small team of salespeople, eventually recreating its Irish production facility, in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee visited Monaghan during his trade mission in Ireland.\nSCORE, out of Cambridge, England, is an encryption technology company that secures transmission of data, making it impenetrable to hackers, while greatly accelerating download speeds for all networks and systems. SCORE is launching an Apple app this month and has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense this past year in a national lab. A Rhode Island office would be staffed with salespeople, programmers and executives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-health-care-leaders-send-reform-recommendations-to-raimondo-and-general-assembly-leaders", "RI Health Care Leaders Send Reform Recommendations to Raimondo and General Assembly Leaders", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.23.14\n\t\t\t RI Health Care Leaders Send Reform Recommendations to Raimondo and General Assembly Leaders \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t Broad Coalition Convened by Sen. Whitehouse and Rhode Island Foundation Agrees to List of Payment Reform Goals\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Providence, RI \u2013 A broad coalition of Rhode Island health care leaders \u2013 from providers to insurers to academia \u2013 have developed recommendations on how the state can improve care and lower costs.\u00a0 The group, which was convened by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Rhode Island Foundation President Neil Steinberg, today sent a letter to Governor-elect Gina Raimondo, House Speaker Nick Mattiello, and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed laying out specific recommendations on payment reform, tracking metrics, and more.\r\nThe letter is notable for both the scope of the recommendations and of the individuals and organizations who signed it.\u00a0 The co-signers of the letter include Lt. Governor and incoming Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Elizabeth Roberts, Lifespan President and CEO Timothy J. Babineau, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI President and CEO Peter Andruszkiewicz, Care New England Health System President and CEO Dennis Keefe, United Healthcare CEO Stephen Farrell, Rhode Island Business Group Health Executive Director Al Charbonneau, and Peter Marino of Neighborhood Health Plan.\r\n\u201cBetter quality of care for Rhode Islanders at a lower cost is a vital and achievable goal for our state,\u201d said Whitehouse, who founded the Rhode Island Quality Institute during his time as Attorney General and is a leading voice in Washington for health care delivery system reform.\u00a0 \u201cThe reform goals we agreed to champion will help us move toward a system that rewards better care of patients and eliminates unnecessary and duplicative care.\u00a0 These are goals that are best achieved when we all pull together, so it is important and striking that this agreement is so widespread.\u201d\r\n\u201cThese recommendations are both practical and significant. While everyone recognizes that payment reform is crucial to ensuring we have a healthcare system that can deliver quality care over the long-term for all Rhode Islanders, consensus on how to get there is rare. One of Rhode Island\u2019s strengths is our ability to get decision-makers together face-to-face to find common ground,\u201c said the Foundation\u2019s Steinberg.\r\n\u201cI believe Rhode Island is perfectly poised to bring the health care leaders together in order to agree to implement health care delivery improvements and provider payment reforms that will benefit Rhode Islanders,\u201d said Speaker Mattiello.\r\n\u201cThe Senate both supports and commends the leadership of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Neil Steinberg in confronting one of the greatest challenges facing our health care system,\u201d said President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed.\u00a0 \u201cThe recommended reforms build upon and are consistent with the findings of the 2011 hospital study commission led by Senator Joshua Miller and subsequent Senate legislative initiatives. We support the commitment of the stakeholders to work together to implement the payment reform goals while continuing to provide high quality health care.\u201d\r\nThe letter\u2019s recommendations fall into the following categories:\r\n \r\nStatewide Payment Reform Goals\r\nStatewide Progress Targets\r\nStatewide Tracking Metrics\r\nAction Steps for State Health Care Leaders and Policymakers\r\n \r\n\u201cRhode Island is one of the states that is moving assertively to make Federal healthcare reform a reality,\u201d said Lt. Governor Roberts.\u00a0 \u201cThe payment reform and delivery system changes envisioned by our health care leaders and set forth in this Compact provide a critical roadmap to a stronger Rhode Island economy and healthier Rhode Islanders.\u201d\r\n\u201cNothing is more important to Rhode Island\u2019s economy and its residents than finding a way to lower healthcare costs and maintain quality.\u00a0 But this is an endeavor that cannot be conducted in isolation and requires sustained effort by all the players involved in healthcare delivery.\u00a0 The compact is a critical step in continuing the important efforts already underway to assure the future of affordable healthcare in Rhode Island,\u201d said BCBSRI\u2019s Andrusckeiwiz.\r\n\u201cI am very pleased that Lifespan participated in and contributed to this very important compact.\u00a0 The consensus and collaboration I witnessed was encouraging.\u00a0 I believe this concise document will provide a useful framework to help guide our elected officials as we all work to create new models of care and new models of payment to better serve our citizens of the region,\u201d said Lifespan\u2019s Babineau.\r\n\u201cWe were honored to be part of this highly collaborative process,\u201d said Care New England\u2019s Keefe, \u201cwhich closely aligns with our strategic vision and the national agenda to improve quality, the patient experience, and reducing the overall cost of care.\u201d\r\nOther signatories on the letter are Al Kurose, President & CEO of Coastal Medical; Dr. Kathleen Hittner, Health Insurance Commissioner; Peter Karczmar, President of RI Medical Society; Christina Paxson, President of Brown University; Laura Adams, President & CEO of the Rhode Island Quality Institute; Michael Fine, MD, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health; Dr. Al Puerini, RI Primary Care Physicians Corp.; Jack Elias, Dean of Medicine at Brown University; Lou Giancola, President & CEO of South County Hospital; Secretary of Health and Human Services Steven Constantino; Lou Rice, President of University Medicine Foundation; Leonard Schindel, CharterCare; Jane Hayward, RI Health Center Association; Mike Souza, Hospital Association of RI; John Keimig, Healthcentric Advisors; and Thomas Reardon, Prospect East Holdings.\r\nThe full text of the letter is below.\r\n------------------------------------------------------\r\nDecember 23, 2014\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Governor-elect Raimondo, Speaker Mattiello, and Senate President Paiva Weed: \r\nOver the past few months, believing this is a unique and critical time for the state of health care in Rhode Island,\u00a0 a group of key health care stakeholders, convened by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Rhode Island Foundation President & CEO Neil Steinberg, came together to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing our health care delivery system.\r\nThe discussions were frank and covered many aspects of Rhode Island\u2019s current health care climate. There were areas of agreement and we acknowledged our differences. Most importantly, a consensus developed centered on a belief that for fundamental change to occur, we must work to alter the way we pay for health care. As Rhode Island currently spends nearly $9 billion yearly on health care expenditures, we all believe that our current trajectory of health care spending is unsustainable in the long term. To tackle this issue effectively, it will take cooperation and commitment from the health care industry, businesses, consumers and state government.\u00a0\r\nWe would like to serve as a resource for you as the state continues to encourage and stimulate this major paradigm shift in our current health care delivery system. We acknowledge that this will not be an easy task and will require thoughtful planning, implementation and execution. Our discussions around the need for health care payment reform have led to this compact of shared goals and commitment. We are aligned in our desire to work together and with you to establish statewide payment reform goals and progress targets. Below are some recommendations that have arisen from our discussions:\u00a0\r\nEstablish Statewide Payment Reform Goals in 2015:\r\nTo achieve payment reform in the next five years, we request that\u00a0State leaders\u00a0support our commitment to work together to implement payment reform and support the following statewide payment reform goals:\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe expansion and development of alternative reimbursement models that reward value and patient-centric care delivery.\u00a0\r\nExpansion of incentives for systems of care that encourage collaboration and sharing of claims data and the sharing of health care information through CurrentCare, the statewide health information exchange, and other electronic health record systems.\r\nElimination of waste in our health care system by reducing administrative overhead and encouraging the use of best practices to improve clinical outcomes while reducing costs.\u00a0\r\n \r\nEstablish Statewide Progress Targets in 2015:\r\nAs we transition to new payment models, it is important to set specific and bold targets for the State to meet. Establishing statewide targets sends the message that Rhode Island is committed to changing the traditional payment reform structure. Recommendations for progress targets include:\r\n \r\nReduction in Fee for Service:\u00a0State and health care sector leaders should set an aggressive target and timeline to reduce traditional fee for service in Rhode Island.\r\nCost Control:\u00a0The State and health care leaders should immediately collect the necessary data to establish a strategy to control costs and examine various options, such as linking health care inflation to Gross State Product.\r\nReduce Waste and Redundancy: \u00a0Some estimates suggest that up to 30% of health care spending could be eliminated without impacting the quality of health care.\u00a0 Specific targets should be established for the increased utilization of electronic medical records and reduced administrative costs. This effort will also require increased levels of consumer engagement and cooperation from patients. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n \r\nStatewide Tracking Metrics:\r\nThere are several key benchmarks that can be tracked at both the national and state level to ensure that we are improving care as we transform the delivery system. There are various datasets available that can help track quality performance. HealthCentric Advisors, the state\u2019s Quality Improvement Organization, currently works with the State and stakeholders to generate quality reports. We will work with HealthCentric Advisors to identify six or seven important measures that can be tracked to ensure that care is being improved. Potential quality measures should include:\r\n \r\nHealthcare Acquired Infections\r\n30 Day Readmission Rates by Hospital\r\nStatewide Emergency Department Visits\r\nHealth Information Technology (HIT) Utilization\r\n \r\nRecommended Action Steps for State Health Care Leaders and Policymakers:\r\nVarious state agencies and entities are independently working on this issue, but a coordinated statewide payment reform plan is needed now. Today we propose a public-private partnership to advise on the transformation of the delivery and payment system for health care in Rhode Island with the support of health care leaders, the business community, consumers, the Governor and the legislature. This partnership should:\r\n \r\nImmediately establish a stakeholder group (providers, payers, employers and consumers) to work collaboratively with the Administration to transform Rhode Island\u2019s heath care payment system.\u00a0\r\nTo the extent there are gaps, rapidly define and collect data to create a profile of health care in RI (includes quality metrics and spending statistics).\r\nEstablish statewide baselines and goals for health care spending and quality for the next five years and report progress annually.\r\nUse existing health care spending programs to accelerate coordinated, risk based care.\r\nEncourage consumer engagement to increase the selection of high value care based on cost and quality data.\r\nReview and reform state healthcare regulations to promote efficiency.\r\nPromote better population health and personal responsibility in health care.\r\n \r\nBuilding on a Track Record of Innovation\r\nOver the last few years, Rhode Island has demonstrated a willingness to disrupt the system and develop new collaborations and partnerships. There are a number of exciting initiatives underway that are focused on reducing unnecessary care and improving the health of Rhode Islanders. Over the long term, these efforts will lower health care costs and spending. With this in mind, we need to continue, and further encourage, payment reforms we have begun to witness from many groups and organizations in our state.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nHere are a few examples:\r\n \r\nThe Rhode Island Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative, a nationally recognized patient-centered medical program, has observed an overall decrease in hospital admissions and emergency visits by their patients.\u00a0\r\nCare New England, Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation have established a three-year accountable care payment contract agreement.\r\nCoastal Medical, a participant in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, recently announced first year\u2019s savings of $7.2 million.\u00a0\r\nSeveral hospitals, including Rhode Island, Miriam, Newport and Kent, are participating in bundle payment demonstrations with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.\r\nInstitutions and providers are making significant investments in health information technology, including the Rhode Island Quality Institute and the implementation of Epic at Care New England and Lifespan.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Rhode Island Business Group on Health has initiated discussions about \u201cChoosing Wisely,\u201d an initiative to help patients, physicians and other health care providers address the overuse of health care resources in the United States.\r\nThe State has secured $20 million from a grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service to develop new models of care, including new payment initiatives.\r\n \r\nWhenever possible, we should sustain, scale and build upon these models and efforts. Rhode Island has all of the necessary ingredients \u2013 a strong commitment from hospitals, payers, providers to improve patient outcomes, an engaged business community, a thriving research base, a robust statewide health information exchange and a strong medical school.\u00a0\r\nAs leaders of key institutions, organizations and constituencies, we are committed to bringing our institutional resources to bear on the goals outlined above, and we would value the partnership of state leaders going forward. If we do not affirm a strong commitment to payment reform, we jeopardize the many achievements that have been made. Similar to the Rhode Island banking industry, our health care industry faces\u00a0the risk of losing local leadership and control as more efficient regional and national health care organizations develop formulas to deliver better care at lower costs.\r\nAs a new administration and General Assembly session begins, we strongly encourage you to continue to support the effort we have started to make health care payment reform a reality in Rhode Island.\r\n\r\nRespectfully submitted,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-collins-lead-bipartisan-coalition-of-43-senators-seeking-to-boost-liheap-fuel-assistance", "Reed, Collins Lead Bipartisan Coalition of 43 Senators Seeking to Boost LIHEAP Fuel Assistance", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0In an effort to help provide fuel assistance to households struggling with their winter heating bills, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are once again leading the effort to restore and increase federal heating assistance to low-income families and seniors to past years\u2019 levels.\r\n\r\nToday, Reed and Collins led a bipartisan coalition of 43 U.S. Senators in urging the President to provide Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at no less than $4.7 billion.\u00a0 Last year, Senators Reed and Collins successfully led the effort to increase funding for LIHEAP by $169 million as part of the 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which the President signed into law in January.\u00a0 The (FY) 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill passed by Congress this week provides $3.39 billion in LIHEAP funding through September 30, 2015.\r\n\r\nLIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months. \u00a0LIHEAP households are among the most vulnerable in the country. \u00a0According to the National Energy Assistance Director's Association, more than 90 percent of LIHEAP recipients have at least one household member who is a child, elderly, or disabled, and 20 percent of households include at least one veteran.\r\n\r\nThe current funding level is able to serve just 20 percent of the eligible population, and those who receive LIHEAP assistance have seen their average grant reduced by nearly $100 since 2010, from $520 in FY 2010 to $424 in FY 2014.\u00a0 With the average LIHEAP grant estimated to cover less than half of the average home heating costs for a household this winter, many low-income families and seniors will struggle to pay for the basic necessity of home energy and will have fewer resources available to meet other essential needs.\r\n\r\n\u201cFunding for LIHEAP is not keeping up with demand.\u00a0 We are doing everything we can to stretch these federal dollars, but more families are in need and we need to protect them during the cold winter months.\u00a0 We must keep the pressure on this Administration to robustly fund this critical program so that thousands of families can keep their heat on in the winter.\u00a0 We must also continue making smart investments in weatherizing more homes to try to reduce both energy bills and fuel consumption,\u201d said Senator Reed, noting that\u00a0LIHEAP helped about 34,000 Rhode Islanders with their energy bills last year.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe LIHEAP program is one of our most effective tools to help senior citizens and less-fortunate households keep warm during the winter,\u201d said Senator Collins.\u00a0 \u201cEnergy costs remain high and LIHEAP funding is a vital lifeline that helps prevent people from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\nText of the letter is provided below:\r\n\r\nDecember 19, 2014\r\n\r\nPresident Barack Obama\r\n\r\nThe White House\r\n\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\r\n\r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\n\r\nDear Mr. President,\r\n\r\nWe are writing to request that you prioritize the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in your Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 budget proposal by including no less than $4.7 billion for this program that provides critical support to our most vulnerable citizens.\r\n\r\nLIHEAP is the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, providing vital assistance during both the cold winter and hot summer months. LIHEAP households are among the most vulnerable in the country. According to the National Energy Assistance Director's Association, more than 90 percent of LIHEAP recipients have at least one household member who is a child, elderly, or disabled, and 20 percent of households include at least one veteran. For these households, LIHEAP funding has been a lifeline during challenging economic times. Access to affordable home energy is not a luxury. It is a matter of health and safety.\r\n\r\nWe understand the ongoing discretionary budget challenges. However, we are deeply concerned that the number of households eligible for LIHEAP assistance continues to exceed available funding while the average cost of home heating is expected to remain unaffordable for millions of households nationwide. In fact, the current funding level is able to serve just 20 percent of the eligible population, and those who receive LIHEAP assistance have seen their average grant reduced by nearly $100 since 2010, from $520 in FY 2010 to $424 in FY 2014.\r\n\r\nAdditionally, the purchasing power of LIHEAP has declined in recent years. Since FY 2010, the average LIHEAP grant has fallen from about 60 percent to 44 percent of the cost of home heating. For households using delivered fuels, this decline is even more dramatic, covering just 18 percent of heating oil and propane costs. With the average LIHEAP grant estimated to cover less than half of the average home heating costs for a household this winter, many low-income families and seniors will struggle to pay for the basic necessity of home energy and will have fewer resources available to meet other essential needs.\r\n\r\nAs you finalize your FY 2016 budget request, we ask that you take into account the high demand for LIHEAP assistance. We urge you to reprioritize this program within your FY 2016 budget and restore funding to this program to a level no less than $4.7 billion.\r\n\r\nThank you for your attention to and consideration of this important request.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-durbin-to-health-secretary-more-needs-to-be-done-to-address-heroin-epidemic", "Reed, Durbin to Health Secretary: More Needs to be Done to Address Heroin Epidemic", "2014-12-22", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/22/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) led a group of twenty-one Senators today in calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize programs that reduce heroin and other opioid overdose deaths in its national strategy to curb prescription drug abuse. \u00a0In a letter to Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the Senators urged the Department to coordinate with the White House to ensure that opioid abuse prevention priorities continue to be reflected in the 2015 National Drug Control Strategy and the Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal. \u00a0Today\u2019s letter also highlighted the need for expanded access to overdose education, naloxone distribution, and access to substance abuse treatment services and other follow-up care.\r\n\u201cDespite the life-saving capabilities of naloxone, its use in overdose prevention is not widespread,\u201d wrote the Senators.\u00a0 \u201cA comprehensive plan for reducing overdose deaths should include adequate financial assistance for state and local governments, as well as community organizations, to purchase and distribute naloxone to first responders, law enforcement officials, medical facilities, and\u00a0trained and qualifiedmembers of at-risk individuals\u2019 communities.\u00a0\u00a0 We know that expanding naloxone access to a broader population can reverse drug overdoses and save lives, particularly when accompanied by education and training in overdose prevention and naloxone use.\u201d\r\nToday\u2019s letter was signed by:\u00a0U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI),\u00a0U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders (D-VT), U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN), U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), U.S. Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).\r\nNaloxone is a medication that can reverse the effects of an overdose from opioids, including heroin and prescription painkillers, if it is administered in a timely way. \u00a0Naloxone has no side effects or potential for abuse, and is widely recognized as an important tool to help prevent drug overdose deaths. \u00a0However, many communities struggle to get naloxone to those on the front lines who need it most.\u00a0 Illinois, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and other states have been leaders in implementing programs that distribute naloxone and other similarly effective drugs to law enforcement, first responders, providers, nonprofit organizations, family, and friends.\r\nEarlier this year, Reed and Durbin were joined by U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ed Markey (D-MA) in introducing the Overdose Prevention Act, which would expand access to naloxone, as well as drug overdose prevention programs that have been proven to save lives. \u00a0The Overdose Prevention Act aims to decrease the rate of drug overdose deaths by improving access to naloxone, supporting overdose prevention programs, enhancing surveillance of overdose occurrences, and establishing a coordinated federal plan of action to address the epidemic.\r\nPrescription narcotic drugs are the number one cause of overdoses in the United States, with more than 22,000 reported deaths due to prescription drug related overdoses in 2012. \u00a0\r\nThe full text of today\u2019s letter is available below:\r\nDecember 22, 2014\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Sylvia Mathews Burwell\r\nSecretary\r\nU.S. Department of Health and Human Services\r\n200 Independence Avenue, SW\r\nWashington, DC 20201\r\n\r\nDear Secretary Burwell:\r\nWe commend the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for its commitment to develop a multi-pronged national strategy aimed at preventing opioid abuse.\u00a0 Given our shared concern about the growing rate of overdose deaths associated with heroin and prescription painkillers, we urge HHS to ensure that overdose prevention, specifically through the use of naloxone and other similarly effective drugs, figures prominently in the department\u2019s strategy. We also ask that the department coordinate with the White House to ensure that opioid abuse prevention priorities continue to be reflected in the 2015 National Drug Control Strategy, as well as the Fiscal Year 2016 budget proposal.\u00a0 We look forward to a strong focus on overdose education, naloxone distribution, and access to substance abuse treatment services and other follow-up care.\r\nDespite the life-saving capabilities of naloxone, its use in overdose prevention is not widespread.\u00a0 A comprehensive plan for reducing overdose deaths should include adequate financial assistance for state and local governments, as well as community organizations, to purchase and distribute naloxone to first responders, law enforcement officials, medical facilities, and trained and qualified members of at-risk individuals\u2019 communities.\u00a0\u00a0 We know that expanding naloxone access to a broader population can reverse drug overdoses and save lives, particularly when accompanied by education and training in overdose prevention and naloxone use.\r\nWe also encourage HHS to expand surveillance and data collection around opioid abuse and best practices in the field.\u00a0 In addition to focusing on preventing prescription drug misuse, abuse, and diversion, the national strategy HHS is developing should also explicitly focus on gaining a better understanding of how local efforts \u2013 and federal programs and policies \u2013 can prevent these unnecessary opioid overdose deaths and it is our hope that the FY2016 budget will support these efforts.\r\nThe plan should also include innovative ways to integrate naloxone into the health care delivery system.\u00a0 For example, HHS could establish best practices for co-prescribing naloxone with opioids for high-risk populations and ensure Medicaid coverage for all forms of naloxone.\u00a0 Another component of the plan should address recent price increases for commonly used formulations of naloxone by seeking to secure stable and affordable supplies of the drug.\r\nMoreover, HHS should implement measures that connect overdose survivors and others in need of treatment with broader systems of care.\u00a0 While demand for services has grown dramatically, provider shortages, coverage barriers, and affordability prevent many from getting treatment.\u00a0 Initial reforms could include removing government restrictions that prevent drug treatment centers with more than 16 beds from billing Medicaid for services provided to beneficiaries, issuing guidance to payers regarding policies for lengths of stay and treatment intensity at substance abuse treatment facilities, and addressing policies that limit healthcare professionals from treating patients in need of medication assisted therapies for addiction.\u00a0 While the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act ensures higher levels of coverage for these services, the law does not provide details on duration or intensity of treatment, resulting in variable and insufficient treatment policies across payers.\r\nToo many Americans have been lost to opioid overdose. We look forward to your leadership in developing a strategy that provides resources to improve overdose education, naloxone distribution, and substance abuse treatment services.\u00a0 We appreciate your consideration of these proposals and look forward to your response.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/president-signs-reeds-blackstone-river-national-historical-park-act-into-law", "President signs Reed’s Blackstone River National Historical Park Act into Law", "2014-12-20", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/20/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0With the stroke of the President\u2019s pen, Rhode Island is now home to America's newest national historical park.\u00a0 Yesterday, President Obama signed U.S. Senator Jack Reed\u2019s (D-RI) legislation, the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act, into law, creating a national historical park in the area that gave birth to America\u2019s Industrial Revolution.\r\nThe multi-site park will encompass areas of the Blackstone River and Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket, as well as significant sites in nearby mill towns, including Slatersville (in North Smithfield) and Ashton (in Cumberland) in Rhode Island and Whitinsville and Hopedale in Massachusetts.\r\nThe President signed Reed\u2019s measure as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which Senator Reed, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, was instrumental in crafting.\r\nReed, who also serves as the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment, wrote the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act (S. 371) to establish a new unit of the National Park System within the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.\u00a0\u00a0 The law also makes the corridor eligible for six more years of federal funding while organizers work on creating the new national historical park.\r\n\u201cThe Blackstone Valley is a national treasure that is finally getting the recognition it deserves.\u00a0 It is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and this new park will help preserve the character and historical significance of the area and tell visitors about an important chapter in American history.\u00a0 Ultimately, we want it to be a place that enhances tourism, educational, environmental, and recreation opportunities, while preserving this unique piece of American history,\u201d said Reed.\r\nDesignated as a National Heritage Corridor in 1986 by Congress, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor links twenty-four communities along the Blackstone River from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts.\u00a0 The corridor was twice reauthorized by Congress and renamed for John H. Chafee in 1999.\u00a0\r\nIn 2005, Senator Reed pushed legislation authorizing the National Park Service to conduct a Special Resource Study (SRS) to evaluate the eligibility of resources in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor for possible inclusion in the national park system.\u00a0 The study process began in March 2007 in consultation with the Heritage Corridor Commission and its staff.\u00a0 In 2008, a team of academic scholars visited the region and offered recommendations.\u00a0 In June 2010, the National Park Service prepared preliminary study findings which laid out a variety of options.\r\nIn 2011, Jack Reed ascended to the chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, which oversees the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service.\u00a0 Federal support for the Corridor was expected to sunset in October 2011, at which point the area retains its National Heritage Corridor designation, but federal funding would end.\u00a0 However, Senator Reed was able to successfully extend the authorization to October 2012 in the final Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution signed into law in April; thus keeping the Corridor eligible for future federal funding.\u00a0 And over the years, Senator Reed has brought multiple U.S. Secretaries of the Interior up to Rhode Island to see firsthand the proposed park area and the importance of preserving the Blackstone River Valley.\u00a0\r\n\u201cDesignating this area as a national historical park and making it a permanent part of the National Park System is a fitting way to honor our industrial heritage and give Rhode Island the recognition it deserves in shaping our nation\u2019s history,\u201d said Reed. \u00a0\u201cThis designation will help preserve key historical, cultural, and environmental resources for future generations.\u00a0 It will help educate people about our past and contribute to our economic future by supporting tourism and recreational opportunities.\u201d\r\nNow that the bill has been signed into law, the National Park Service will begin to lay the groundwork for developing a general management plan to guide long-term management of the park and determine the scope of its boundaries with the input of the states, local communities, and interested stakeholders.\u00a0 Congress must also appropriate federal funding for the park.\u00a0\r\nIn a separate bill that recently passed Congress and was signed into law -- the 2015 Omnibus Appropriation Act -- Reed included $20.3 million in federal funding for national heritage areas, which ensures that the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor will receive $650,000 in FY 2015, instead of the cut proposed in the President\u2019s budget request.\r\nReed says he expects the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park will be run collaboratively through a special partnership that would allow the National Park Service to manage and operate the facilities and provide educational services within the park in partnership with regional and local preservation groups who would continue to lead the efforts to preserve the surrounding rural and agriculture landscape within the existing corridor.\r\n\u201cThis is a significant milestone in the process, but we still have more work to do.\u00a0 We want to continue to work in a collaborative nature and ensure public input every step of the way,\u201d said Reed.\r\nIn 1872, Congress designated Yellowstone as the world\u2019s first national park.\u00a0 Today, the National Park System includes over 400 diverse units administered by the National Park Service, including 46 national historical parks.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-obamas-appointment-avril-haines", "Langevin Statement on Obama's Appointment of Avril Haines", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) issued the following statement in response to the appointment of Avril Haines as assistant to the President of the United States and Deputy National Security Advisor for President Barack Obama:\n\u201cAvril Haines is an extremely qualified, intelligent, and dedicated public servant who has a wealth of experience that crosses agency boundaries and spans multiple administrations. She is a consummate professional who has devoted her career to tackling highly challenging, sensitive issues in the interest of protecting our national security. I have had the pleasure of working with Avril in the past and I have every confidence that she is the right person for this position. I commend President Obama for selecting Avril. I know she will do great things and I wish her all the best.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-calls-for-a-stronger-emphasis-on-cyber-security-and-an-appropriate-response-to-north-koreas-attack-on-sony", "Reed Calls for a Stronger Emphasis on Cyber Security and an “Appropriate Response” to North Korea’s Attack on Sony", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/19/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after the FBI today acknowledged it has extensive evidence that the North Korean government organized the cyber attack on Sony Pictures:\r\n\u201cThe North Korean government\u2019s cyber attack on Sony is a serious national security issue.\u00a0 It goes beyond a movie and it demands an appropriate response.\u00a0 We don\u2019t want to see copycat attacks like this in the future.\r\n\u201cCyber security is a critically important issue.\u00a0 We need to better protect the American people and our digital assets in both the public and private sectors, and we must do so in a smart, balanced way that also protects our civil liberties and the free flow of information on the Internet.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAs the incoming ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am committed to strengthening our national cyber defenses.\u00a0 I look forward to working with incoming Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) in addressing this very critical national security priority.\u201d\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/governor-chafee-rhode-island-congressional-delegation-governor-elect-raimondo-make", "Governor Chafee, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, Governor-Elect Raimondo Make an International Business Announcement", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, joined by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo, and private and public partners, announced today that five international companies are looking to establish a presence in Rhode Island.\nThis announcement is the result of a relationship Governor Chafee built with international partners in Europe during the governor\u2019s trade mission to Italy and Ireland this past April.\n\u201cI am pleased that my proactive efforts beyond our borders have resulted in economic opportunities for Rhode Islanders,\u201d Governor Chafee said. \u201cI learned during the trade mission to Europe that companies are eager to expand their operations to our state. We need to continue our work to strengthen our role in global economic discussions and entice businesses from around the world to set up shop in our cities and towns.\u201d\n\u201cThis is another positive sign for the state\u2019s economy and a reminder that we must continue to make smart investments in job training for our workforce and infrastructure upgrades like T.F. Green Airport and Quonset Point. I will continue working at the federal level to help local companies grow and attract foreign investment to Rhode Island,\u201d said U.S. Senator Jack Reed.\n\u201cI\u2019m very pleased to welcome these companies to the Ocean State,\u201d said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. \u201cThey will find world-class research universities, a long tradition of manufacturing and industrial design, arts and culture, a beautiful landscape, and a high quality of life for employees. I congratulate the leadership of our international partners on this investment, and Governor Chafee, Marcel Valois, and the team at Commerce RI for all their hard work in forging bonds that will serve the state well.\u201d\n\u201cThis is an exciting opportunity to grow the Rhode Island economy, create jobs, and continue to improve our state\u2019s reputation as a world-class destination in which to work, live, and do business,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u201cI extend my warmest welcome to these companies relocating to Rhode Island and offer my support to all businesses looking to open up shop or grow in the Ocean State. I am encouraged by this news and believe we can build upon this momentum to attract more international partners to Rhode Island.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s workers, ports, highways and other assets make it an attractive gateway for international businesses to enter the U.S. market, and I\u2019m excited to join with partners in both the public and private sectors to promote economic development opportunities that will boost Rhode Island\u2019s economy,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which oversees U.S. international economic and trade policy. \u201cThe Ocean State has great potential to capitalize on the expanding global economy, and I want to congratulate Governor Chafee for his efforts to build partnerships with companies outside the United States and look forward to working with Governor-Elect Raimondo to strengthen these relationships in the years to come.\u201d\n\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to welcome these new businesses to Rhode Island,\u201d said Governor-Elect Gina M. Raimondo. \u201cI appreciate the work of Governor Chafee and Commerce RI to make this day happen, and I look forward to showing many more international businesses why Rhode Island is the right place to establish themselves as they enter the U.S market.\u201d\n\u201cI am beyond pleased to learn that these companies will be opening offices in Rhode Island,\u201d said Commerce RI Executive Director Marcel A. Valois. \u201cThis is an indication of Rhode Island\u2019s assets to help businesses, both domestic and international, grow and succeed.\u201d\n\u201cGTECH is pleased to welcome these companies to the state where we were founded and have chosen to make our global headquarters for more than 30 years,\u201d said GTECH Chairman Donald Sweitzer. \u201cI accompanied Governor Chafee on his trade mission to describe to these and other companies the advantages of locating in Rhode Island.\u201d\nThree of the five companies are headquartered in Italy. Euranet, out of Milan, is a global supply chain specialist for compliance, quality and security, with high-end clients including Gucci and Ferrari. After a visit to Rhode Island in September, the company plans to set up an office here.\nBased in Venice, Galivm is a successful, popular and fast-growing Italian restaurant franchise with four restaurants over the past two years in the Veneto Region. Locations are opening across Europe, and the company intends to set up its first North American restaurant in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee dined at Galivm during his trade mission to Italy.\nREIOS is a design consulting firm for efficient lighting systems in Novara. The company has installed LED street lights in dozens of European cities and airports. REIOS has plans to set up an LED manufacturing facility in Rhode Island with manufacturing and sales jobs.\nHeadquartered in County Mayo, Ireland, Monaghan Brothers is a leading, high-quality furniture maker specializing in the hospitality, corporate and university markets. Monaghan aims to set up a showroom and marketing office with a small team of salespeople, eventually recreating its Irish production facility, in Rhode Island. Governor Chafee visited Monaghan during his trade mission in Ireland.\nSCORE, out of Cambridge, England, is an encryption technology company that secures transmission of data, making it impenetrable to hackers, while greatly accelerating download speeds for all networks and systems. SCORE is launching an Apple app this month and has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense this past year in a national lab. A Rhode Island office would be staffed with salespeople, programmers and executives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/bicameral-task-force-on-climate-change-applauds-administrations-new-nepa-guidance", "Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Applauds Administration’s New NEPA Guidance", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.18.14\n\t\t\t Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change Applauds Administration\u2019s New NEPA Guidance \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today the White House Council on Environmental Quality reissued its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance on Consideration of the Effects of Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.\u00a0 Under the proposed guidance, federal agencies would assess greenhouse gas emissions associated with proposed federal actions that are subject to NEPA review.\r\nLast year, the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change encouraged the Administration to finalize its NEPA guidance as part of a set of recommendations about how best to implement the President\u2019s Climate Action Plan.\u00a0 In a white paper issued to the Department of Interior the Task Force wrote, \u201cEstimating the greenhouse gas effects of projects undergoing NEPA review will help the federal government and public understand the full range of impacts associated with energy development on federal lands.\u201d\u00a0\r\nToday the Task Force\u2019s members are applauding the reissuance and once again calling for the guidance to be finalized.\r\n\u201cThis is a big step forward.\u00a0 Agency heads and the public will now be informed about the climate consequences of federal decisions,\u201d said Rep. Henry A. Waxman.\u00a0 \u201cThis is another milestone in implementing the President's Climate Action Plan.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe effects of climate change on our communities and on public health is serious, and should always be considered when we evaluate major federal projects,\u201d said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cI thank the White House for issuing this proposed guidance today, and I hope it will be finalized and implemented in the near future.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe National Environmental Protection Act is one of our nation\u2019s most important policy tools for ensuring the protection, maintenance, and enhancement of our environment,\u201d said incoming Bicameral Task Force Co-Chair Congressman Chris Van Hollen.\u00a0 \u201cAs we accelerate our efforts to meet the world\u2019s growing climate challenge, it\u2019s critical that an analysis of greenhouse gas impacts become a standard feature of NEPA review.\u00a0 Today\u2019s proposed guidance from the White House in this area is most welcome.\u201d\r\n\u201cPublic health and our economic security are intertwined with how we address the very real threats from climate change. The federal government should continue to be a leader in setting standards for reducing greenhouse gas pollution. Considering scientific research before proceeding with federal projects, is the right thing to do,\u201d said Sen. Ben Cardin.\r\n\u201cAs America enters into a New Energy Renaissance, it is important to make sure that we have in place safeguards that will protect our land, air, and water,\u201d said Rep. Bobby L. Rush.\u00a0 \u201cI continue to applaud the White House for the steps that it is taking to ensure a safe and clean environmental future for generations to come.\u201d\r\n\u201cIf you accept modern science, you cannot deny that climate change is happening.\u00a0 It\u2019s already affecting our communities and will have extremely serious impacts going forward,\u201d said Rep. Earl Blumenauer.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s critically important that the federal government consider greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts of federal projects as part of a larger strategy to address climate change. I applaud the draft plan released today and look forward to its future implementation.\u201d\r\nThe Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, founded in January 2013, focuses on drawing congressional and public attention to climate change and developing effective policy responses to this urgent challenge.\u00a0 The current co-chairs are Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Bobby L. Rush, Sen. Ben Cardin, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, and Sen. Ed Markey.\u00a0 Rep. Van Hollen is an incoming co-chair, taking Rep. Waxman\u2019s place starting in January.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-applauds-major-health-care-grant", "RI Delegation Applauds Major Health Care Grant", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "State Wins up to $20 Million in CMS Funding to Improve Delivery of Health Care\n\u00a0\nWashington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline applauded an award worth up to $20 million for Rhode Island from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement and test the\u00a0state\u2019s Health Care Innovation Plan.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe funding comes as part of CMS\u2019s State Innovation Models (SIM) initiative.\u00a0 Created as part of the Affordable Care Act, SIM grants encourage states to generate health care payment and service delivery models that promote better quality care at lower cost for beneficiaries of federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Children\u2019s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). \u00a0\n\u00a0\nRhode Island was among the states previously selected for the \u201cdesigning\u201d phase of the SIM initiative, where recipients prepared a comprehensive\u00a0Health Care Innovation Plan for reforminghealth care payment and delivery.\u00a0 Rhode Island is now among eleven states to receive the second round of SIM funding, to implement its plan across the state\u2019s health care system.\u00a0 Rhode Island and CMS will now work together over the next four years to align health care quality measures, make better use of health information technology and information exchanges, and evaluate health care innovation efforts in the state.\n\u00a0\n\u201cRhode Island health care leaders have worked hard on reforms that improve the quality of care and can lower costs for Rhode Island patients, and this award shows their work is paying off.\u00a0 Not only will this funding improve our health care system here in Rhode Island, it will ultimately help us lower health care costs that burden our economy.\u00a0 We congratulate Lt. Governor Roberts, Rhode Island\u2019s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and everyone who worked on these important reforms and look forward to seeing them implemented,\u201d said the Rhode Island congressional delegation.\n\u00a0\nRhode Island has been leading the way in several areas of health care reform. \u00a0The Rhode Island Quality Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving health care through health care information technology, has created a nationally recognized health information exchange called CurrentCare, which links all Rhode Island hospitals and many health care providers around the state to better coordinate patient care. \u00a0The state\u2019s Chronic Care Sustainability Initiative has established a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) for Rhode Island patients; PCMHs help ensure that everyone in the health care delivery system \u2013 from doctors and nurses to front desk staff and home care agencies \u2013 work together when providing care. \u00a0Rhode Island\u2019s\u00a0Quality Improvement Organization, Healthcentric Advisors, has been repeatedly recognized as one of the top performers in the country, and has received a contract to help all six New England states improve the care delivered to residents with Medicare.\u00a0 Rhode Island is also home to one of the top-performing health insurance marketplaces in the country, HealthSource RI, an organization that has helped thousands of Rhode Islanders purchase quality, affordable health insurance.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-new-policy-us-cuban-relations", "Langevin Statement on New Policy for U.S.-Cuban Relations", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Langevin Statement on New Policy for U.S.-Cuban Relations           \t\t  \n          \t\t  \n           \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t \t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDec 17, 2014\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIssues: International Human Rights\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n\t\t  \n               \n                                            \n          \n        \n        \n          \n  \n    \n    \n    Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama\u2019s announcement regarding relations with Cuba:\n\u201cFirst and foremost, I am pleased to hear that Alan Gross has been freed after five years of imprisonment in Cuba. His release is long overdue, and my thoughts are with him and his family as they are reunited.\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement by President Obama represents the largest shift in U.S. policy towards Cuba in more than 50 years. It has been clear for some time that our past policy of isolation was not accomplishing its objectives, and was instead impairing and constraining American policy options towards Cuba and throughout the Western Hemisphere. I am hopeful that the announced steps will serve to strengthen the channels of communication and cultivate a new level of engagement between our two nations. However, this cooperative spirit must extend to the larger challenges of addressing continued human rights violations and promoting the democratic reforms that will prove critical to a free and independent society for Cubans.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-applauds-changes-in-us-cuba-policy", "Sen. Whitehouse Applauds Changes in U.S.-Cuba Policy", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Applauds Changes in U.S.-Cuba Policy \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Today the Obama Administration announced a series of changes to our nation\u2019s policies regarding Cuba, including an effort to re-establish diplomatic relations and expanded travel between the two nations.\u00a0 The Administration also announced the humanitarian release of Alan Gross, an American who had been imprisoned in Cuba since 2009.\r\nU.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who traveled to Cuba with a congressional delegation in 2013 whose leaders met with Gross, issued the following statement applauding today\u2019s announcement:\r\n\u201cMore than fifty years since the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, and more than 20 years since the close of the Cold War, we are finally beginning the process of re-engaging with our Cuban neighbors.\u00a0 Our nations will continue to have disagreements, but it\u2019s time to begin cooperating on issues of shared interest like protecting our oceans, expanding commerce, and enabling Cuban-Americans to visit their loved ones.\u00a0 I am also hopeful that the prospect of reestablishing diplomatic relations between our two countries will open new channels to increase engagement on human rights issues and promote democratic reforms in Cuba.\u00a0 The release of Alan Gross is particularly good news, and my best wishes go to him and his family as he returns to America.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-statement-on-tax-extenders-vote", "Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Tax Extenders Vote", "2014-12-17", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.17.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Tax Extenders Vote \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Last night the U.S. Senate passed legislation to extend a number of expired tax provisions.\u00a0 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined eight Democrats and eight Republicans in opposing the package.\r\n\u201cThe so-called \u2018tax extenders\u2019 package includes the one-year extension of a hodgepodge of over four dozen tax provisions.\u00a0 This extension is not for the year ahead of us, as one might reasonably expect, but rather for the year that\u2019s mostly past us.\u00a0 In other words, we will be extending for 2014 tax programs that expired at the end of 2013.\u00a0 This means that, for the most part, the bill will offer credits and deductions to reward things that have already happened while doing absolutely nothing to help businesses and individuals plan for the future,\u201d Whitehouse said in a statement submitted to the Congressional Record.\r\n\u201cIn total, there are 50 or so extensions in this bill, and the only thing they seem to have in common is that Congress repeatedly packages them together.\u00a0 It\u2019s truly a mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly,\u201d Whitehouse continued.\u00a0 After noting good provisions like clean energy incentives and a tax credit for hiring veterans, Whitehouse went on to cite \u201cunjustifiable tax giveaways\u201d for \u201cNASCAR tracks and racehorses,\u201d and ugly provisions \u201cthat reward U.S. corporations for shifting money overseas to avoid paying taxes.\u201d\r\nThe full text of Whitehouse\u2019s statement is below.\r\n-----------------------------------------\r\nFloor Statement of Sheldon Whitehouse\r\nOn H.R. 5771\u00a0 \r\nDecember 16, 2014\r\nMr. WHITEHOUSE.\u00a0 Mr./Madame President, later this week, the Senate will likely take up and pass legislation to extend several dozen expired tax provisions.\u00a0 While I support a number of the individual provisions extended by this bill, I rise today to explain why I reluctantly plan to oppose it.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe so-called \u201ctax extenders\u201d package includes the one-year extension of a hodgepodge of over four dozen tax provisions.\u00a0 This extension is not for the year ahead of us, as one might reasonably expect, but rather for the year that\u2019s mostly past us.\u00a0 In other words, we will be extending for 2014 tax programs that expired at the end of 2013.\u00a0 This means that, for the most part, the bill will offer credits and deductions to reward things that have already happened while doing absolutely nothing to help businesses and individuals plan for the future.\r\nIf tax policy is intended to influence behavior, the extenders bill is a double failure: it spends money rewarding things that have already happened and offers no incentives for businesses and individuals for the year ahead.\u00a0\r\nLet\u2019s take for example the production tax credit for wind energy, a program I strongly support that encourages the construction of wind farms.\u00a0 The provision in the extenders bill offers this incentive for properties for which construction has commenced by the end of 2014.\u00a0 That\u2019s three weeks from now.\u00a0 Instead of giving energy companies time to plan and prepare wind projects, we\u2019re saying: if you happen to have one ready to go, you\u2019ve got until the end of the holiday season to break ground.\u00a0 The clock is ticking.\r\nIn contrast to Congress\u2019s temporary, year-to-year treatment of the wind tax credit and other incentives for renewable energy, Big Oil and Gas enjoy permanent subsidies in the tax code.\u00a0 It\u2019s long past time to reform the tax code so it reflects America\u2019s 21st Century energy priorities.\u00a0 Permanent incentives for oil and gas and temporary programs for renewable energy is simply upside-down public policy.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIn total, there are 50 or so extensions in this bill, and the only thing they seem to have in common is that Congress repeatedly packages them together.\u00a0 It\u2019s truly a mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly.\u00a0 Let\u2019s start with some of the good provisions.\u00a0 In addition to clean energy incentives, the bill extends a popular tax credit that encourages businesses to hire veterans, a host of incentives for energy efficiency, and a provision that ensures that families that lose their homes in foreclosure don\u2019t incur tax bills for the deficiencies.\u00a0 These provisions have strong bipartisan support.\r\nThen there\u2019s the bad: the unjustifiable tax giveaways.\u00a0 These include so-called \u201cbonus depreciation,\u201d a program that allows corporations to deduct the costs of equipment right away instead of spreading out the deductions over the life of the equipment.\u00a0 Congress first included this provision in 2009 in the Recovery Act when it made some sense.\u00a0 The idea was to encourage businesses to accelerate their purchases when the economy most needed the investments.\u00a0 We\u2019ve extended it so many times, though, that now we\u2019re just giving money away to corporations for buying things they would have bought anyway.\u00a0 That\u2019s a nice subsidy for the businesses, but not a wise use of taxpayer dollars.\r\nThe bill also includes tax giveaways for NASCAR tracks and racehorses.\u00a0 While I know these sports are popular, it\u2019s hard to justify subsidizing them with taxpayer dollars at a time when we\u2019re running large deficits and face the prospect of more budget sequestration.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nAnd then there\u2019s the ugly, the stuff that does actual harm.\u00a0 There\u2019s a pair of provisions in the bill--the \u201cactive financing\u201d and \u201ccontrolled foreign corporation look through\u201d provisions--that reward U.S. corporations for shifting money overseas to avoid paying taxes.\u00a0 Sadly, there are already a number of provisions in the tax code that encourage companies to move operations and assets overseas.\u00a0 We should repeal those provisions, not enhance them as the extenders bill does.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThis one-year, retroactive mixed bag of extensions will increase the budget deficit by over $41 billion.\u00a0 To put that figure into perspective, that\u2019s more than the annual budget for the entire Department of Homeland Security.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nEarlier this year, my senior Senator from Rhode Island, Jack Reed, lead an effort to extend unemployment benefits for the millions of Americans who have struggled to find work in this uneven economic recovery.\u00a0 Republicans repeatedly filibustered his unemployment insurance legislation, with many citing the $17 billion price tag and the offsets included to pay for it.\u00a0\r\nI expect many of these same Republicans will vote to pass the $41 billion tax extenders bill, legislation which is not offset and will add to the deficit.\u00a0 If Republicans are truly as worried about the deficit as many of them claim to be, they need to raise these concerns consistently and not forget them when it\u2019s convenient.\u00a0 Spending through the tax code is still spending, and we should offset it.\r\nMr./Madame President, next year this body will have new leadership and a fresh opportunity to tackle our nation\u2019s problems.\u00a0 I hope Senate Republicans will show us they can exercise the power of being in the majority responsibly.\u00a0 President Obama says he is eager to work with the Republican majority on several major bills including tax reform.\u00a0 I too am eager to work with Republicans on sensible, responsible tax reform\u2014reform that ends the era of year-to-year extensions, eliminates wasteful tax spending, and decreases the deficit.\u00a0 I thank the chair, and I yield the floor.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-condemns-taliban-massacre-of-schoolchildren-in-pakistan", "Reed Condemns Taliban Massacre of Schoolchildren in Pakistan", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/16/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement after a Pakistani Taliban attack on a Peshawar school killed over 140 people, including many schoolchildren and teachers:\r\n\u201cI am outraged and heartbroken by the horrific terrorist attack today on a school in Northwest Pakistan that killed scores of innocent children and their teachers.\u00a0 The murder of these kids at the hands of Taliban gunmen is an unconscionable act of cowardice.\u00a0\r\n\u201cToday, we stand with the victims, their families, and the people of Pakistan.\u00a0\r\n\u201cEducation is a powerful tool against extremism and the United States should do its part to ensure that boys and girls in this region have a chance to get an education, improve their lives, and build a brighter, more peaceful future.\u201d\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-oceans-caucus-co-chairs-urge-fishing-community-to-submit-comments-on-new-pirate-fishing-regulations", "Senate Oceans Caucus Co-Chairs Urge Fishing Community to Submit Comments on New Pirate Fishing Regulations", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.16.14\n\t\t\t Senate Oceans Caucus Co-Chairs Urge Fishing Community to Submit Comments on New Pirate Fishing Regulations \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Today, President Obama\u2019s Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud announced new recommendations to combat practices that harm American fishermen.\u00a0 The recommendations include strengthening enforcement tools to combat IUU fishing and seafood fraud, and creating a tracking program to ensure that illegal seafood products are kept out of the U.S. supply chain.\u00a0\r\nWith the Task Force now seeking public comments on its recommendations, the U.S. Senate Oceans Caucus is urging U.S. fishermen, processors, importers and other interested parties to make their voices heard.\u00a0 The Caucus\u2019s lead co-chairs, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), released the statement below:\r\n\u201cPirate fishing, seafood fraud, and other illegal practices put American fishermen and seafood dealers who are playing by the rules at a disadvantage.\u00a0 We are encouraged that the President\u2019s Task Force is taking these threats seriously, and we urge fishermen, seafood purveyors, and other interested parties to carefully examine the recommendations and submit comments.\u00a0 We hope that, with the input of the fishing and seafood community, these recommendations will lead to actions that protect American jobs in the fishing and seafood industries, protect American consumers, and help end illegal fishing worldwide.\u201d\r\nThe recommendations are available online here.\u00a0 People interested in submitting comments will be able to do so here after Thursday.\u00a0 Written comments can be mailed to Carrie Selberg, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-2014-could-be-the-hottest-year-on-record", "Time to Wake Up: 2014 Could be the Hottest Year On Record", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.16.14\n\t\t\t Time to Wake Up: 2014 Could be the Hottest Year On Record \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As delivered on the Senate floor\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Mr. President, We are winding down the end of this year in Congress and indeed the end of this Congress, and I am here today for the last \u201cTime to Wake Up\u201d speech in this Congress. And I\u2019m particularly pleased to be delivering it while my friend is presiding, who actually took the trouble to come to Rhode Island and hear firsthand about what is happening in my state on those issues. The year that is ending now ushered in some mighty dubious milestones:\u00a0 January through November, 2014, the year so far, were the hottest first eleven months of any year recorded, and unless nothing dramatic changes in December, and 2014 is on track to be the hottest year since we began keeping records in 1880. That would mean that fourteen of the warmest fifteen years on record were in this century. \u00a0According to the World Meteorological Organization, Secretary General, There is no standstill in global warming.\u201d\r\nThis chart shows the decades-long rise in the ocean\u2019s heat content from the surface down to a depth of 2000 meters. A little over a mile. Look at 2005-2014, the red part. \u00a0NASA estimates the amount of energy needed to account for that much warming in that much ocean is equivalent to four magnitude-6.0 earthquakes occurring every second for those nine years.\u00a0 Four 6.0 earthquakes every second for nine years would create the kind of energy needed to create that much.\r\nWell obviously it wasn\u2019t earthquakes that did it; we would have known about that, the first Law of Thermodynamics, conservation of energy, decrees that all of that heat in the ocean had to come from somewhere.\u00a0 The near certain source of that heat is increased greenhouse gases, mostly carbon pollution, trapping heat from the sun.\r\nSince the rise of fossil fuel energy, we have been on a carbon binge.\u00a0 As long as humans have been on the Earth, we\u2019ve existed safely in a range of about 170 to 300 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.\u00a0 This year, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere measured at the famous Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii exceeded 400 parts per million for more than three months.\u00a0 Now, archaeologists estimate that our species, our human species has been around about 200,000 years.\u00a0 The Earth last saw such high levels of carbon, at 400 parts per million for that long of a period, more than 800,000 years ago.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nOceans have absorbed more than 90 percent of the excess heat that the carbon has trapped.\u00a0 And, as seawater warms, we all know by the Law of Thermal Expansion, it expands, and sea levels, as a result rise. \u00a0Satellite measurements show that in this period global average sea level rose about an inch from 2005-2013.\u00a0 NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory attributes about a third of the global mean sea level rise to the warming of the upper ocean.\u00a0\u00a0 Combine that with the melting of glaciers on land and you see that climate change is significantly increasing sea level worldwide. \u00a0In my home state, I see this, and the Presiding Officer was there. \u00a0The Newport tide gauge records nearly ten inches more water than it did in the 1930s. \u00a0\r\nCarbon pollution in the atmosphere also dissolves in the ocean, it doesn\u2019t just warm it up, it dissolves in it, and when it dissolves in it, it makes it more acidic. \u00a0Indeed, he extra carbon dioxide humans have pumped into the oceans has caused a nearly 30 percent increase in the acidity of the upper ocean, which means a lot for say, shellfish, like mussels, clams, and oysters that make their shells from calcium carbonate, because calcium carbonate dissolves in acidified sea water.\r\nIn July 2014, a Maine oyster farmer, a guy named \u00a0Bill Mook, came to the Environment and Public Works Committee and described for us the difficulty his oyster crop, his oyster spat they call it, \u00a0had maturing. Here\u2019s what he said. \u201cThrough observation, trial, and error,\u201d he told us, \u201cwe reached the same conclusion made by researchers using controlled, replicated, experimentation. \u00a0Acidification is not a future problem,\u201d he told us\u00a0 \u201cIt is a problem now, and it will only get worse.\u201d \u201cA problem now and it will only get worse.\u201d\r\nMr. President, measures of the atmosphere and ocean tells us that climate change is real.\u00a0 And we already see the harms connected with it, in storm-damaged homes and flooded cities; in drought-stricken farms and raging wildfires; in fish disappearing from warming, acidifying waters; in shifting habitats and migrating contagions.\u00a0 Climate change loads the dice for these events, which carry real costs to homeowners, business owners, and taxpayers.\u00a0 And a key cause is undeniably carbon pollution.\r\nSome of my Republican colleagues continue to deny that climate change is even happening or at best, stand mute in the face of the changes we see, in the face of so much evidence.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m not a scientist\u201d is all we get from some. \u00a0Well, if they\u2019re not scientists, maybe they should ask one. Ask NOAA, ask NASA, or ask our National Academies.\u00a0 If you\u2019re a senator and you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about, then study up. That\u2019s our job.\u00a0 If they can\u2019t be bothered to ask a scientist, then look at what at what the military is saying about climate change, or what the businesses community is saying.\u00a0\r\nThe military\u2019s 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, for example, offers a straightforward assessment of the threat climate change poses to national and international security.\u00a0 Even in Pentagon bureaucratese, the assessment is pretty harsh: \u201cClimate change poses [a] significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. . . . Climate change may exacerbate water scarcity and lead to sharp increases in food costs.\u00a0 The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world.\u201d\u00a0\r\nThe Pentagon also released a Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap this year, detailing the military\u2019s plans for a changing climate.\u00a0 The report states, in no uncertain terms, and I quote \u201cClimate change will affect the Department of Defense\u2019s ability to defend the Nation and poses immediate risks to U.S. national security.\u201d Climate change will affect the Department of Defense\u2019s ability to protect the nation and poses immediate risks to U.S. national security. Climate change will affect the Department of Defense\u2019s ability to protect the nation and poses immediate risks to U.S. national security. That would seem to me to be a phrase worth listening to.\r\nThe business and financial community sees climate risk too.\u00a0 Former Bush Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson teamed up with former New York City Mayor and business tycoon, Michael Bloomberg, former Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, and others to put together an evidence-based assessment of the risks posed by climate change to the United States economy.\u00a0 The report found that between $66 billion and $106 billion worth of existing American coastal property will likely be below sea level by mid-century.\u00a0 That price tag could top $500 billion by the end of the century. $500 billion dollars\u2019 worth of property below sea level by 2100. \u00a0Extreme heat they also found could reduce labor productivity of outdoor workers by as much as 3 percent by the end of the century.\u00a0 They found that shifting agricultural patterns could cause states in the Southeast, in the lower Great Plains, and in the Midwest to see a 50 percent to 70 percent loss in average annual crop yields.\u00a0 It\u2019s a risk we\u2019d be reckless to ignore.\r\nOne bright light of 2014 has been the proposed limits on carbon emissions from existing coal plants announced this year by the Obama Administration. That new standard will not only reduce emissions, it will change the way the polluters think. \u00a0Now, it\u2019s no longer going to be free to pollute.\u00a0 Now that it\u2019s no longer going to be free, I suspect that some new thinking by polluters will come, and some new thinking by polluters, I expect, \u00a0will be followed in short order by some new thinking on the other side of the aisle here in the Senate.\u00a0\r\nAnother bright light was the Obama Administration\u2019s carbon-reduction agreement with China, the world\u2019s largest carbon polluter now, followed by news this weekend from Lima, that every nation in the world is expected to put forward a plan to rein in its carbon pollution. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe public is with us on this too.\u00a0 A recent poll released by the insurance firm Munich Re showed that 83 percent of Americans believe the climate is changing.\u00a0 Seven Americans in ten say we should use more solar and wind power to battle climate change.\u00a0 An AP poll released this week said that half of Republicans favor regulations on carbon dioxide emissions.\u00a0\r\nMr. President, in 2014, the physical evidence of climate change continued to mount.\u00a0 Our military, our business leaders, our President, and the American people all affirmed their commitment to fending off the worst effects of carbon pollution.\u00a0 So, in 2015, Congress needs to step up to the plate.\u00a0\r\nI\u2019ve introduced carbon fee legislation that would provide a practical tool for getting this done.\u00a0 By charging a fee on carbon pollution, we can correct the market failure that lets polluters unload the costs of their pollution on the rest of us, and compete unfairly in energy markets.\u00a0 And, we can use the proceeds to reduce other taxes.\u00a0 Most important, we can significantly reduce harmful carbon pollution. \u00a0We just need to wake up. Maybe 2015 will be the year.\r\nI thank the Senator from Oklahoma for his courtesy, and I yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/officials-outline-plans-to-prepare-ri-workers-for-high-level-jobs", "Officials Outline Plans to Prepare RI Workers for High-Level Jobs", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/15/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0LINCOLN, RI \u2013 In an effort to help more Rhode Islanders find good-paying, sustainable jobs, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined with Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, Director of the RI Department of Labor and Training Charles Fogarty, and business, education, and community leaders to outline plans for a $7.5 million federal grant that will help support local workforce partnerships and discuss new plans to prepare local workers for high-level jobs in technology-related fields. \u00a0\r\nIn October, Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston and The Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island received $7,516,324 in federal H1-B Visa funds to team up with Tech Collective -- Rhode Island's technology industry association -- to develop a job training pipeline for middle and high-skill job placements in the Information Technology (IT) field.\u00a0 The goal of the program is to help unemployed Rhode Island workers, particularly those who have been out of work for an extended period of time, land high-tech jobs available here and in the area through a program that provides intensive outreach, support, and skills training.\r\n\"The Ready to Work Partnership Grant is part of a broader effort to revamp our workforce development programs \u2013 to encourage better collaboration and coordination, and connect employers to workers with the skills needed to help their businesses thrive.\u00a0 This program will help more Rhode Islanders learn new skills and successfully compete for good-paying jobs in high-growth industries.\u00a0 I commend Mayor Fung and Mayor Tavares, along with our workforce investment boards, the partner colleges and universities, Tech Collective, and other local training providers who are part of this endeavor.\u00a0 They are working overtime to try to help connect the long-term unemployed to job openings and I will continue doing all I can to support their efforts,\u201d said U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.\u00a0\r\nThe project will target long-term unemployed Rhode Islanders for middle to high level skills positions in the IT industry.\u00a0 The program will employ three rapid reemployment strategies: intensive coaching and other short-term services leading directly to job placement; short or long-term skills training; and IT on Demand, a training program that combines soft skills with technical training.\r\n\u201cThe Ready to Work Partnership grant is a perfect example of a collaborative effort between federal, state and municipal agencies working together to put Rhode Islanders back to work in the highly desirable IT field.\u00a0 This is a great opportunity for our residents to gain the skills that employers have identified as necessary to fill these well-paying positions.\u00a0 I would like to thank Senator Jack Reed for his strong support of the application submitted by Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston,\u201d said Cranston Mayor Allan Fung.\r\n\u201cThis is a great example of the power of partnerships.\u00a0 Through the work of the two local workforce investment boards (Providence/Cranston and Greater RI) and the information technology industry partner for RI, Tech Collective, many Rhode Islanders will be given an opportunity for training that will lead to mid-level employment opportunities in the information technology sector,\u201d said Nancy Olson, Executive Director of the Workforce Partnership of Greater RI.\r\n\u201cTech Collective is proud to be working with Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston and the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island on the recently announced $7.5-million Ready to Work Partnership federal grant. \u00a0Programs and services will focus on developing the workforce pipeline for Rhode Island\u2019s information technology industry, which currently employs 13,500 professionals and growing,\u201d said Kathie Shields, Executive Director of Tech Collective.\u00a0 \u201cThis funding will not only benefit Rhode Island\u2019s unemployed, but our companies across all industries, our economy, and our communities. \u00a0We look forward to getting these activities underway and delivering tangible, impactful results for Rhode Island.\u201d\r\nThe federal funds may be used for programs that focus on employer engagement, individualized career counseling, job placement assistance, and work-based training that facilitate hiring for jobs where employers currently use foreign workers on H-1B visas.\u00a0 Rhode Island was among 21 states that submitted successful applications for the U.S. Department of Labor\u2019s (DOL) Ready to Work Partnership grant.\r\nA study released by the Economic Policy Institute this month highlights the critical need for the workforce development programs Reed has championed.\u00a0 According to the study, Rhode Island ranked eighth in the nation in terms of jobs lost to China from 2001 to 2013.\u00a0 Rhode Island lost 13,200 jobs, or 2.58 percent of its total, the majority of them in manufacturing.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-statement-on-government-funding-vote", "Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Government Funding Vote", "2014-12-14", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.14.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Government Funding Vote \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Last night the U.S. Senate passed legislation to continue funding the federal government through the end of the fiscal year.\u00a0 U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding the vote:\r\n\u201cThis legislation accomplishes the bare minimum needed to avert a government shutdown, but it also includes provisions to further degrade our campaign finance laws, to allow government bailouts for banks engaged in risky trading, and to cut retirement benefits for over a million Americans.\u00a0 These provisions were slipped in at the last minute with no opportunity for debate, against the best traditions of the Senate.\u00a0 I voted against this bill because Rhode Islanders deserve a government that works to solve real problems for real people, not one that sneaks in special deals for special interests.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-last-minute-riders-made-government-funding-bill-a-bad-deal-for-the-middle-class", "Reed: Last Minute Riders Made Government Funding Bill a Bad Deal for the Middle-Class", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/13/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment & Related Agencies, today issued the following statement after voting against final passage of the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill to fund the government through September 2015:\r\n\u201cWhen you have divided government, neither side is going to get everything they want, but you work together to try and reach a principled compromise.\u00a0 For months, I have worked hard alongside Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL), and our colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee to craft a bipartisan, balanced agreement to fund the government and strengthen our economy.\r\n\u201cWe put together a compromise appropriations package making critical investments in creating jobs and improving our infrastructure.\u00a0 While imperfect, the bill includes federal funds I advocated for that will help boost economic and community development projects in Rhode Island, as well as key education, transportation, and environmental initiatives.\r\n\u201cBut regrettably, several extraneous and objectionable policy provisions were inserted into the bill outside of the established process, and without thorough consideration and debate.\r\n\u201cThese last minute additions include changes of a nature that demand the highest and most transparent level of consideration.\u00a0 Laws that impact pension recipients, provisions to weaken Wall Street reforms, and a roll back of campaign finance laws are not appropriations matters.\u00a0 They are significant changes, and their inclusion here further erodes people\u2019s faith in government.\r\n\u201cBecause we were unable to strip out these harmful provisions, I opposed final passage.\u00a0 Simply put, these particular riders are a bad deal for the middle-class and the American people deserve better.\u201d\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-house-passage-cromnibus-bill", "Cicilline Statement on House Passage of Cromnibus bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u00a0\u2013 U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives approved a $1.1 trillion government funding bill that contains several policy riders:\u00a0\n\u201cTonight's vote was a huge giveaway to Wall Street and encourages the unscrupulous speculation and excessive greed that nearly brought our economy to its knees. The Republican-led House approved this spending bill that was crafted behind closed doors, does the bidding of the biggest banks on Wall Street and could put taxpayers on the hook for the risky behavior of large financial institutions -- the same type of reckless behavior that resulted in the financial crash of 2008. Another provision allows wealthy, powerful special interests to buy more influence in Washington by pouring more money into our elections and drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans in our democracy. The spending measure also compromises our national security by failing to provide long term funding for the Department of Homeland Security. This bill represents a big giveaway to the most powerful special interests in this country at the expense of everyday Americans and I could not, in good conscious, support this bill.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-passage-omnibus-spending-bill", "Langevin Statement on Passage of an Omnibus Spending Bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) issued the following statement in response to House passage of a $1.1 trillion spending bill by a vote of 219-206:\n\u201cI applaud the work Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Lowey and their staffs put towards drafting legislation to fund the federal government. Sadly, I cannot support the finished product due to extraneous provisions that have no business being in an appropriations bill. These riders, included at the last minute with no debate and no input from Democratic members, circumvent the will of American voters, harm retirees, put taxpayer dollars at risk, and allow a privileged few to have even more influence over our elections.\u00a0\n\u201cThese extraneous provisions have nothing to do with funding the government. Instead, they will cut benefits to seniors and roll back critical Dodd-Frank provisions to protect taxpayer dollars. They will also increase the amount of money that special interests, private corporations, and wealthy donors can spend on political conventions and other election activities, when we know that more money in politics is not the solution, it\u2019s the problem.\n\u201cRhode Islanders are still recovering from the financial crisis of 2008, and I cannot vote for a return to the status quo, which helped bring about the crisis in the first place. The derivatives provision is a Christmas gift to big banks at the expense of American taxpayers. It would remove restrictions included in Dodd-Frank that prevent these banks from gambling with our constituents\u2019 money by using taxpayer-insured bank deposits in risky derivatives transactions.\n\u201cI am greatly disappointed that I am not able to support what is in many other ways a solid bill. This legislation includes funding for important investments to our infrastructure, the National Institutes of Health, Ebola response efforts, spinal cord injury research, the peerless Virginia-class submarines, and so many other initiatives and programs that are critical to our national defense and our future as a nation \u2013 not to mention that it provides for the brave men and women in our armed services and intelligence community who are in harm\u2019s way even as we speak.\u00a0 Regrettably, these priorities were eclipsed by poisonous provisions that could greatly undermine the important work voters elected us to do -- restore the economic certainty we need to keep our economy growing and our businesses hiring.\u00a0\n\u201cMr. Speaker, I have supported numerous bipartisan efforts in the past to fund the government, and I know what can be accomplished when Democrats and Republicans sit down and negotiate in good faith. But the price Republicans are trying to exact this time is simply too high, and I will not sacrifice my principles and the interests of my constituents.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/congress-approves-wood-pawcatuck-watershed-protection-act", "Congress Approves Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Rhode Island\u2019s Beaver, Chipuxet, Pawcatuck, Queen, and Wood rivers and their watershed are closer to permanent federal protection today, thanks to a legislative initiative included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\u00a0\r\nAuthored by Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) in the U.S. House of Representatives, with companion legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) in the U.S. Senate, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act paves the way for the Pawcatuck River and other South County and Southeast Connecticut waterways to receive federal funds and protections under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.\r\n\u201cAfter House passage last week, I am thrilled that Senator Reed saw this effort through to the finish line on the Senate side. This legislation has been a long time coming, and its passage finally recognizes the important role these waterways play in the Rhode Island and Connecticut economies,\u201d said Congressman Langevin, who first introduced the legislation in 2010. \u201cWe must preserve the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed for the sake of our tourism, fishing and recreation industries, and extending the protections provided by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to this area would ensure the long-term health of this important natural resource.\u201d\r\nThe legislation mandates a study on the rivers contained within the 300 square mile Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed in Rhode Island and Connecticut to determine if any portions are appropriate for classification under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.\u00a0 A Wild and Scenic designation would make federal resources available to preserve and protect these rivers. The legislation is supported by the State of Rhode Island\u2019s Department of Environmental Management, the State of Connecticut\u2019s Department of Environmental Protection, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, the Nature Conservancy and Save the Bay.\r\n\u201cCongressman Langevin is an environmental champion who knows how important clean, healthy rivers are to Rhode Island\u2019s economy and our quality of life.\u00a0 I commend Congressman Langevin for his leadership and tireless efforts to get this study done and bring us another step closer to including segments of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed for potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.\u00a0 This initiative could help develop a collaborative river management plan to address issues ranging from fish passages to the restoration of wetlands to assistance with flood mitigation,\u201d said Senator Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment.\r\n\u201cPursuing a Wild and Scenic designation was the catalyst for the creation of the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) in the early 1980\u2019s,\u201d said Christopher J. Fox, WPWA Executive Director.\u00a0 \u201cI am very pleased that progress toward obtaining this designation has finally been achieved and I am proud of our staff, partners, and the Rhode Island and Connecticut Congressional delegation\u2019s tireless efforts to reach this milestone.\u00a0 I am most thankful to Congressman Langevin and Courtney for their drafting and sponsorship of the Wood Pawcatuck Protection Act and to Senators Reed and Whitehouse who worked diligently to assure passage in the Senate this year.\u00a0 The passage of this Act provides protection for rivers that generate significant tourism and recreation revenue for the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut.\u00a0\u00a0 A Wild and Scenic designation further supports the ongoing revitalization of the Pawcatuck River and its tributaries as a prime destination for migratory fish.\u00a0 I feel extremely fortunate to have a hand in facilitating the river\u2019s transformation from primarily serving industry, to evenly serving the people and the wildlife that rely on them.\u201d\r\nThe bill was approved in the House on December 4 and cleared the U.S. Senate today.\u00a0 The bill now goes to the President to be signed into law.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reeds-plan-for-ris-first-national-historical-park-passed-by-congress", "Reed’s Plan for RI’s First National Historical Park Passed by Congress", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/12/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 More than 220 years ago, laborers working for Samuel Slater built a water-powered mill along the Blackstone River, sparking America\u2019s Industrial Revolution.\u00a0 Now, the area of Rhode Island will soon be home to America's next national historical park.\r\nAfter years of community-based collaboration, environmental study and historical analysis, and working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service, U.S. Senator Jack Reed\u2019s (D-RI) legislation to establish Rhode Island\u2019s first national historical park has finally been approved by Congress.\u00a0 The multi-site park will encompass areas of the Blackstone River and Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket as well as significant sites in nearby mill towns, including Slatersville (in North Smithfield) and Ashton (in Cumberland) in Rhode Island and Whitinsville and Hopedale in Massachusetts.\r\nReed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior & Environment, wrote the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act (S. 371) to establish a new unit of the National Park System within the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 Reed\u2019s legislation was approved today by the full U.S. Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\u00a0 The bill now goes to the President to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cToday we are preserving a piece of American history, our cultural landscape, and the natural beauty of the Blackstone River Valley.\u00a0 We\u2019re also bringing greater recognition to Rhode Island\u2019s history and creating new opportunities for tourism, education, and recreation,\u201d said Reed, the driving force in Congress to turn the area into a national historical park.\u00a0 \u201cThe Blackstone Valley is a national treasure that deserves to be preserved.\u00a0 It is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and this new park will be a place where people can come and explore the roots of modern-day America.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe story of the Blackstone Valley is as iconic and important to the American identity as that of Plymouth Rock and Independence Hall.\u00a0 I am so glad that the region will have this special recognition as a new National Park and be able to tell many more Americans about the birthplace of industry in the United States,\u201d said Charlene Perkins Cutler, Executive Director of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc.\u00a0 \u201cI commend Senator Reed for his continued leadership to help get this initiative through Congress and permanently preserve this special place as part of the National Park System.\u201d\r\nDesignated as a National Heritage Corridor in 1986 by Congress, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor links twenty-four communities along the Blackstone River from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts.\r\nIt was twice reauthorized by Congress and renamed for John H. Chafee in 1999.\u00a0\r\nIn 2005, Senator Reed pushed legislation authorizing the National Park Service to conduct a Special Resource Study (SRS) to evaluate the eligibility of resources in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor for possible inclusion in the national park system.\u00a0 The study process began in March 2007 in consultation with the Heritage Corridor Commission and its staff.\u00a0 In 2008, a team of academic scholars visited the region and offered recommendations.\u00a0 In June 2010, the National Park Service prepared preliminary study findings which laid out a variety of options.\r\nIn 2011, Jack Reed ascended to the chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, which oversees the U.S. Department of Interior and the National Park Service.\u00a0 Federal support for the Corridor was expected to sunset in October 2011, at which point the area retains its National Heritage Corridor designation, but federal funding would end.\u00a0 However, Senator Reed was able to successfully extend the authorization to October 2012 in the final Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution signed into law in April; thus keeping the Corridor eligible for future federal funding.\u00a0 And over the years, Senator Reed has brought multiple U.S. Secretaries of the Interior up to Rhode Island to see firsthand the proposed park area and the importance of preserving the Blackstone River Valley.\u00a0\r\n\u201cDesignating this area as a national historical park and making it a permanent part of the National Park System is a fitting way to honor our industrial heritage and give Rhode Island the recognition it deserves in shaping our nation\u2019s history,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0 \u201cThis designation will help preserve key historical, cultural, and environmental resources for future generations.\u00a0 It will help educate people about our past and contribute to our economic future by supporting tourism and recreational opportunities.\u201d\r\nAfter the legislation designating the park is signed into law, the National Park Service will begin to lay the groundwork for developing a general management plan to guide long-term management of the park and determine the scope of its boundaries with the input of the states, local communities, and interested stakeholders.\u00a0 Congress must also appropriate federal funding for the park.\u00a0\r\nReed says he expects the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park would be run collaboratively through a special partnership that would allow the National Park Service to manage and operate the facilities and provide educational services within the park in partnership with regional and local preservation groups who would continue to lead the efforts to preserve the surrounding rural and agriculture landscape within the existing corridor.\r\n\u201cNow that we have gotten the bill through Congress, we still have work to do.\u00a0 We want to continue to work in a collaborative nature and ensure public input every step of the way,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0 \u201cThis park is going to be a truly special place and it has a very bright future.\u201d\r\nAccording to the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, to date, more than $25 million has been spent on preserving historic buildings, creating museums, constructing visitor centers, and building permanent exhibits in the Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 Since 2002, Senator Reed helped secured over $11 million in federal funding for the Corridor and an additional $6.9 million for the Blackstone River Valley Bikeway.\r\nIn 1872, Congress designated Yellowstone as the world's first national park.\u00a0 Today, the National Park System includes 401 diverse units administered by the National Park Service, including 46 national historical parks.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/congress-passes-whitehouse-bill-to-protect-servicemembers-from-foreclosure", "Congress Passes Whitehouse Bill to Protect Servicemembers from Foreclosure", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Congress Passes Whitehouse Bill to Protect Servicemembers from Foreclosure \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 The House and Senate have both unanimously approved legislation by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to protect servicemembers from foreclosure.\u00a0 The measure will extend until January 2016 a provision that ensures troops who serve active duty are protected against losing their home for one year following the completion of their service in the field.\u00a0 The protection was set to expire at the end of this year.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAfter fighting for our country overseas, our troops shouldn\u2019t have to fight to keep a roof over their heads when they return home,\u201d said Whitehouse. \u201cServicemembers returning from active duty often need time to regain their financial footing, particularly those in the National Guard and Reserves who give up their full-time jobs to fight for our freedom.\u00a0 We should ultimately pass legislation to make this protection permanent, but I\u2019m glad we were able to secure peace of mind for our veterans for one more year.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse\u2019s bill was approved by unanimous consent in the Senate last night.\u00a0 The House of Representatives, which convened for a 10-minute session today, also approved the measure by unanimous consent.\r\nIn 2008, Congress first extended the period of foreclosure protection under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) from 90 days to 9 months in response to a report by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves.\u00a0 The report found that \u201cthe threat of foreclosure is a stressor that need not be placed on members of the armed forces during the first months of their return to civilian life.\u201d\r\nIn 2012, Senator Whitehouse successfully fought to extend the period of foreclosure protection even further, pushing it to one year.\u00a0 If Congress had failed to act that provision would have expired at the end of this year, and the period of foreclosure protection would have reverted back to just 90 days starting in 2015.\r\nWhitehouse has also been pushing for passage of Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act, which would make the year-long foreclosure protection permanent.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-approves-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-consumers-from-steroids", "Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Protect Consumers from Steroids", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Protect Consumers from Steroids \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved legislation to end a loophole that allows designer anabolic steroids to easily be found online, in gyms, and even in retail stores.\u00a0 The Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act, sponsored by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), will help protect consumers from these harmful products by properly classifying them as controlled substances and impose civil penalties for importing, manufacturing, or distributing them under false labels.\r\nThe bill was approved by the House of Representatives in September, and will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.\r\n\u201cThe world\u2019s top athletes are subject to strict guidelines and rigorous testing to prevent the use of steroids, as they should be.\u00a0 At the same time, many American citizens may be unknowingly dosing themselves with these harmful substances,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cAmerican consumers deserve to know what is in the products they purchase.\u00a0 This bill will help prevent the sale of falsely labeled steroids, and I\u2019m glad it will become law.\u00a0 I thank Senator Hatch for his support and Judiciary Chairman Leahy for enabling this bill to move forward.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis is a commonsense bill that will protect consumers by giving DEA the tools and authority to remove dangerous steroids from the market,\u201d said Hatch.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m pleased Senator Whitehouse and I could work together in bipartisan fashion to help make this important law a reality.\u201d\r\nDesigner steroids are produced by reverse engineering existing illegal steroids and then slightly modifying their chemical composition, so the resulting product is not on the Drug Enforcement Administration\u2019s (DEA) list of controlled substances.\u00a0 When taken by consumers, designer steroids can cause serious medical harm, including liver injury and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.\u00a0 They may also lead to aggression, hostility, and addiction.\r\nThe Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act would:\r\n \r\nImmediately place 25 known designer anabolic steroids on the list of controlled substances;\r\nGrant the DEA authority to temporarily schedule new designer steroids on the controlled substances list, so that if bad actors develop new variations, these products can be removed from the market;\r\nCreate new penalties for importing, manufacturing, or distributing anabolic steroids under false labels; and\r\nAuthorize the Attorney General to publish a list of products containing an anabolic steroid that are not properly labeled.\r\n \r\nThe legislation was supported by a coalition of organizations, including:\r\nAmerican Academy of Family Physicians\r\nAmerican Association of Nurse Practitioners\r\nAmerican Pharmacists\u2019 Association\r\nCouncil for Responsible Nutrition\r\nUnited States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-passage-of-defense-authorization", "Whitehouse Statement on Passage of Defense Authorization", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.12.14\n\t\t\t Whitehouse Statement on Passage of Defense Authorization \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Today the U.S. Senate passed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). \u00a0The bill includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse requiring the Department of Defense to plan for its cyber security education needs, which will help prepare our military for success in the cyber domain.\u00a0 It also contains several provisions that will directly benefit Rhode Island: it establishes a unit of the National Park System within the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor; it contains a provision paving the way for adding parts of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and authorizes funding for the Virginia Class and Ohio Replacement submarine programs, which are important to the Rhode Island economy.\r\nSenator Whitehouse released the following statement applauding the bill\u2019s passage:\r\n\u201cThis bill takes several big steps forward for Rhode Island. \u00a0Thanks to the leadership of Jack Reed and David Cicilline, and with my and Jim Langevin\u2019s enthusiastic support, it helps preserve some of the Blackstone Valley\u2019s most significant natural and historical places.\u00a0 It funds key submarine programs that will create hundreds of jobs in Quonset and benefit our state\u2019s economy as a whole. \u00a0And it also makes important progress in readying our armed forces to address cyber threats today and into the future.\u00a0 I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to the citizens of Rhode Island,\u201d Whitehouse said.\r\nThe bill passed the Senate by a vote of 89 to 11\u00a0and will now be sent to the President to be signed into law.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-applauds-passage-cybersecurity-legislation", "Langevin Applauds Passage of Cybersecurity Legislation", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, applauded today\u2019s House passage of several pieces of legislation that will improve the nation\u2019s ability to defend against cyberattack.\n\u201cI believe that cybersecurity is one of the defining national security challenges of our time. No other issue affects our national defense, our economic well-being, and our individual lives as cybersecurity does. With each day\u2019s news rife with stories of cyberattacks and data breaches that target our agencies, companies, citizens and allies, we as policymakers have a responsibility to act,\u201d Langevin said. \u201cI have made no secret of the frustration I have felt for the past several years as Congress has failed to act to shore up our cybersecurity. This week, with these bills and others, we are making a down payment on what must be a sustained level of attention and effort. The challenge we face demands no less.\u201d\nThe National Cybersecurity Protection Act establishes the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) within the Homeland Security Department (DHS) as a federal-civilian information-sharing body. The Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act requires DHS to create a plan assessment to ensure that the department has the skilled cyber workforce necessary to tackle the tremendous challenges posed in cyberspace. The plan would identify cybersecurity positions and evaluate whether or not these employees have received sufficient training. The Federal Information Security Modernization Act will change the way government agencies manage their networks and respond to data breaches. And the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Act includes provisions that help the Department of Homeland Security recruit and retain cybersecurity professionals.\n\u201cThis is an important start, but so very much more needs to be done \u2013 and soon. I am extremely disappointed that the Senate has failed to pass information sharing legislation that was approved by the House, legislation that the private sector and government agencies agree is long overdue,\u201d Langevin continued. \u201cThe bills passed over the last two days are important, but even these measures are limited in scope. In particular, they do not address any organizational changes within the executive branch that I firmly believe are necessary, such as the creation of a National Office for Cyberspace within the Executive Office of the President, with budgetary oversight powers, able to coordinate and oversee the security of agency information systems and infrastructure across government. Still, these pieces of legislation move the ball forward in key areas, and above all end the inaction on cybersecurity issues that has gripped this Congress for far too long. I applaud my House and Senate colleagues for their efforts, and look forward to continuing this fight in the 114th Congress.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/senators-applaud-fhfas-move-to-fill-affordable-rental-housing-funds", "Senators Applaud FHFA’s Move to Fill Affordable Rental Housing Funds", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/11/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 After the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) took a major step toward making affordable renting housing more available to American families, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today applauded FHFA\u2019s decision to end the temporary suspension of contributions to the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) and the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF).\u00a0 The CMF was also designed to increase investment in related economic development activities or community service facilities, such as workforce development centers.\r\n\u201cThis is a smart step toward strengthening our economy and increasing the supply of affordable rental housing across the country.\u00a0 It will allow more renters to find the homes they need at prices they can afford and will help with economic development initiatives in low income or rural areas,\u201d said Senator Reed, who first began working on affordable housing trust fund legislation back in 2000 and led the effort to create the NHTF and the CMF in 2008 as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act.\r\n\"I am delighted by Director Watt's decision to fully fund the Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund which will help millions of families find affordable rental housing,\" said Senator Boxer.\r\n\"FHFA's decision to restart funding for the National Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund is great news for families in Massachusetts and around the country,\" said Senator Warren. \"Making sure people have access to housing must be a top priority, and these important funds will provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for families in need.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis is really excellent news,\u201d added Senator Sanders.\u00a0 \u201cIt is no secret that over the past decade, incomes have not come close to keeping pace with the escalating costs of housing.\u00a0 At a time when millions of families are struggling to get by, and when many households are spending 50 percent or more of their limited income on housing, the Trust Fund will provide resources to build the affordable housing we desperately need and create thousands of good-paying jobs.\u201d\u00a0 Sanders first introduced Housing Trust Fund legislation in 2001 when he served in the House of Representatives.\r\nTo date, neither the NHTF nor the CMF have been consistently funded as intended.\u00a0\u00a0 However, because FHFA has determined that the financial operations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have stabilized to a sufficient level, the FHFA has determined that they may now begin setting aside money for the affordable-rental housing funds.\r\nAffordable rental housing has become scarce for extremely low-income households, defined as those who make no more than 30 percent of the median family income in their communities. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated that in 2012 there were only 3.2 million rental housing units that were available and affordable for the 10.3 million extremely low-income rental households that need them.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-introduces-bill-protect-children-identity-theft", "Langevin Introduces Bill to Protect Children from Identity Theft", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today introduced legislation to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to address the growing problem of child identity theft that can go unnoticed for years and have a devastating effect on a victim\u2019s credit score.\n\u201cChildhood identity theft can decimate an individual\u2019s credit score and put them at a personal and professional disadvantage before they ever strike out on their own. A young person\u2019s ability to pay for college, purchase a vehicle or move out of their childhood home could all be impaired through no fault of their own,\u201d said Langevin. \u201cThe protections provided by this bill would safeguard our young people until such time that they can be reasonably expected to monitor their credit history.\u201d\nThe Children\u2019s Credit Report bill, which has been endorsed by Consumers Union and the National Consumer Law Center, would add a section to the Fair Credit Reporting Act to give parents and guardians the ability to create a protected, frozen credit file for children. Several states have already passed laws enabling parents and guardians to do this, including Utah, Oregon, Delaware, Texas and Illinois. Langevin\u2019s legislation would expand that protection to all states and territories. The bill would also direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to establish procedures for creating these frozen accounts, including setting fees and prohibiting the charging of fees in the event that a minor does become a victim of identity theft. The blocked file would be unblocked on the date of the minor\u2019s 18th birthday, or upon request by a guardian.\n\u201cTheft of children\u2019s identities can go unnoticed for years because young people rarely use their Social Security number. Criminals, however, can use these Social Security numbers to open new lines of credit or apply for government benefits, unbeknownst to guardians who are unlikely to monitor their child\u2019s credit score,\u201d Langevin continued. \u201cWe must do more to protect our children and ensure that they have a clean slate when they reach adulthood.\u201d\nLangevin, who is a member of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, has championed the issue of identity theft prevention before. In 2011, Langevin successfully fought for a proposal to mandate free credit checks for foster youth over 16 years old, before they age out of the system. His amendment to the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act also required that foster youth receive assistance in clearing inaccuracies from their records.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-nominates-charlestowns-stewart-united-states-naval-academy", "Langevin Nominates Charlestown's Stewart to USNA", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) has given North Kingstown High School graduate and current Naval Academy Prep School student Benjamin Stewart a principal nomination to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Stewart, the son of Sandra Stewart of Charlestown and the late David Stewart, said he is motivated by his desire to help others and to serve his country. At North Kingstown High School, Stewart was on the Honor Roll every year and was a member of the Foreign Honors Society and the Leadership Academy. He participated in Student Government and the Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse group, and was honored with the Civic Leadership Award. He competed in indoor and outdoor track, and enjoys sailing. Stewart graduated from North Kingstown in 2014 and has been with the Naval Academy Prep School for the past three months.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-passing-lila-sapinsley", "Langevin Statement on the Passing of Lila Sapinsley", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) issued the following statement in response to the passing of former State Senator Lila M. Sapinsley:\n\u201cMy thoughts go out to the family and friends of Lila Sapinsley, whose infallible spirit touched the lives of so many Rhode Islanders. News of Lila\u2019s passing leaves me with a heavy heart, but I take comfort in knowing that she leaves behind her a lifetime of leadership, public service and a tireless commitment to education.\n\u201cI was fortunate to serve with Lila on the 1986 Constitutional Convention, and I was inspired by her intelligence and her never-ending desire to improve our state. Her contributions to Rhode Island are many, but are perhaps nowhere more prevalent than in our state\u2019s system of higher education. As a fellow Rhode Island College graduate, I am so grateful for her commitment to the arts, and for countless other Rhode Islanders, they can thank Lila for the education and training they received from the Community College of Rhode Island that she helped to establish. Lila was a pioneer for female leaders past and present, and her legacy will never be forgotten.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-wins-federal-grant-improve-expand-preschool-programs", "RI Wins Federal Grant to Improve & Expand Preschool Programs", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rhode Island\u2019s Congressional delegation today congratulated the state for winning a major federal grant to support early childhood education and expand access to high-quality pre-K for children throughout the state. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) will receive $2,290,840 in federal funds this year through the $250 million Preschool Development Grants competition, which U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline helped authorize through last year\u2019s Omnibus Appropriations bill.\nThe Preschool Development Grant Program is designed to support building, developing, and expanding voluntary, high-quality preschool programs, with a particular emphasis on getting more children from low and moderate income families to enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school.\nThe award could be worth up to $9.1 million over four years if Congress continues to appropriate funds for the program.\n\u201cI worked hard to make this federal funding available and I am glad Rhode Island now has the chance to expand educational opportunities for our youngest students. Enrolling more kids in high-quality pre-K gives them an academic head start and a brighter future. This is a smart investment that has positive long-term economic benefits for the state,\u201d said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.\n\u201cProviding access to good pre-school education is one of the most solid investments we can make for our students,\u201d said Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. \u201cPre-k programs give children the tools they\u2019ll need to learn, and that leads to better outcomes in the classroom and beyond. I\u2019m proud to see this funding headed to Rhode Island, and of the considerable progress we\u2019ve made on early childhood programs.\u201d\n\u201cEarly childhood education is crucial to igniting a passion for learning and building a solid educational foundation,\u201d said Congressman Langevin. \u201cThis $2.29 million federal grant is a huge victory toward increasing access to quality education, particularly in high-need communities where early intervention can make an enormous difference in the long-term success of a child. These funds will help to close the achievement gap and strengthen an already-outstanding pre-kindergarten program that continues to grow in Rhode Island.\u201d\n\u201cHigh quality preschool programs give children the educational foundation they need to succeed in the classroom. I\u2019m thrilled Rhode Island received these federal funds to develop high-quality preschool programs that will expand education opportunities for low-income families and make our children better off,\u201d said Cicilline, who advocated in support of this grant award.\nA total of 35 states and Puerto Rico applied for a share of the $250 million Preschool Development Grants program, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. Awards are being granted to 18 states to expand the reach of their high-quality preschool programs in over 200 high-need communities, to enroll over 33,000 additional children.\u00a0 Winning states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.\nCurrently in its sixth year of operation, Rhode Island\u2019s pre-kindergarten program is one of only four in the U.S. to meet all recommended, research-based quality benchmarks, including:\n A class size of no more than 18 children\n\tA teacher with a bachelor\u2019s degree and certification in early childhood education for each classroom\n\tA teaching assistant with at least 12 credits in early childhood education for each classroom\n\tA 6 hour day for 180 days with available wrap around child care\n In a letter supporting the state\u2019s application, the four members of the Congressional delegation wrote: \u201cProviding high-quality learning opportunities for children in the early years is an important step towards creating a foundation for success in school and life. Funding of this grant will provide RIDE with the resources necessary to address language and literacy skills and close the achievement gap between low-income and more affluent children.\u201d\nThis federal grant comes on the heels of the state receiving $50 million in 2011 in federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds to help boost Rhode Island\u2019s early care and education programs. And last month, Congress re-authorized the Child Development Block Grant, which provides billions of dollars to states annually to help low-income working families pay for child care.\nThere are currently 17 Rhode Island State Pre-K classrooms in eight communities (Cranston, Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket) serving over 300 children. Children who live in the State Pre-K communities are selected to participate through a state-supervised lottery with children from families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level prioritized for enrollment based on the proportion of low-income children in the local school district.\nAccording to a report by the President\u2019s Council of Economic Advisers, early learning initiatives would provide benefits to society of roughly $8.60 for every $1 spent, about half of which comes from increased earnings for children when they grow up.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-wins-federal-grant-to-improve-and-expand-preschool-programs", "RI Wins Federal Grant to Improve & Expand Preschool Programs", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/10/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Rhode Island\u2019s Congressional delegation today congratulated the state for winning a major federal grant to support early childhood education and expand access to high-quality pre-K for children throughout the state.\u00a0 The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) will receive $2,290,840 in federal funds this year through the $250 million Preschool Development Grants competition, which U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline helped authorize through last year\u2019s Omnibus Appropriations bill.\r\nThe Preschool Development Grant Program is designed to support building, developing, and expanding voluntary, high-quality preschool programs, with a particular emphasis on getting more children from low and moderate income families to enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school.\r\nThe award could provide RIDE with up to $19.03 million over four years under the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s current guidelines.\u00a0 However, funding levels for future years is subject to Congress appropriating funds for the program.\u00a0 The fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Act making its way through Congress contains $250 million for the program, which could provide RIDE with a projected $5,773,871 for next year.\u00a0 In years three and four, if Congress continues that level of investment at $250 million, RIDE could receive as much as $6,043,131 in fiscal year 2016, followed by a total of $4,923,691 in fiscal year 2017.\u00a0 Final funding levels will be determined not only by future appropriations but also by the program meeting performance bench marks.\r\n\u201cI worked hard to make this federal funding available and I am glad Rhode Island now has the chance to expand educational opportunities for our youngest students.\u00a0 Enrolling more kids in high-quality pre-K gives them an academic head start and a brighter future.\u00a0 This is a smart investment that has positive long-term economic benefits for the state,\u201d said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.\r\n\u201cProviding access to good pre-school education is one of the most solid investments we can make for our students,\u201d said Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. \u201cPre-k programs give children the tools they\u2019ll need to learn, and that leads to better outcomes in the classroom and beyond.\u00a0 I\u2019m proud to see this funding headed to Rhode Island, and of the considerable progress we\u2019ve made on early childhood programs.\u201d\r\n\u201cEarly childhood education is crucial to igniting a passion for learning and building a solid educational foundation,\u201d said Congressman Langevin. \u201cThis $2.29 million federal grant is a huge victory toward increasing access to quality education, particularly in high-need communities where early intervention can make an enormous difference in the long-term success of a child. These funds will help to close the achievement gap and strengthen an already-outstanding pre-kindergarten program that continues to grow in Rhode Island.\u201d\r\n\u201cHigh quality preschool programs give children the educational foundation they need to succeed in the classroom. I\u2019m thrilled Rhode Island received these federal funds to develop high-quality preschool programs that will expand education opportunities for low-income families and make our children better off,\u201d said Cicilline, who advocated in support of this grant award.\r\nA total of 35 states and Puerto Rico applied for a share of the $250 million Preschool Development Grants program, which is jointly administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services.\u00a0 Awards are being granted to 18 states to expand the reach of their high-quality preschool programs in over 200 high-need communities, to enroll over 33,000 additional children.\u00a0 Winning states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia.\r\nCurrently in its sixth year of operation, Rhode Island\u2019s pre-kindergarten program is one of only four in the U.S. to meet all recommended, research-based quality benchmarks, including:\r\n \r\nA class size of no more than 18 children\r\nA teacher with a bachelor\u2019s degree and certification in early childhood education for each classroom\r\nA teaching assistant with at least 12 credits in early childhood education for each classroom\r\nA 6 hour day for 180 days with available wrap around child care\r\n \r\nIn a letter supporting the state\u2019s application, the four members of the Congressional delegation wrote: \u201cProviding high-quality learning opportunities for children in the early years is an important step towards creating a foundation for success in school and life.\u00a0 Funding of this grant will provide RIDE with the resources necessary to address language and literacy skills and close the achievement gap between low-income and more affluent children.\u201d\r\nThis federal grant comes on the heels of the state receiving $50 million in 2011 in federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds to help boost Rhode Island\u2019s early care and education programs.\u00a0 And last month, Congress re-authorized the Child Development Block Grant, which provides billions of dollars to states annually to help low-income working families pay for child care.\r\nThere are currently 17 Rhode Island State Pre-K classrooms in eight communities (Cranston, Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, West Warwick, and Woonsocket)\u00a0 serving\u00a0 over 300 children.\u00a0 Children who live in the State Pre-K communities are selected to participate through a state-supervised lottery with children from families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level prioritized for enrollment based on the proportion of low-income children in the local school district.\r\nAccording to a report by the President\u2019s Council of Economic Advisers, early learning initiatives would provide benefits to society of roughly $8.60 for every $1 spent, about half of which comes from increased earnings for children when they grow up.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/speeches/reed-urges-passage-of-the-fy2015-national-defense-authorization-act", "Reed Urges Passage of the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/10/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0SENATE FLOOR STATEMENT:\r\nMr. REED. Madam President, I rise today in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. I commend the work of my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee--especially the chairman, Senator Carl Levin of Michigan--on reaching an agreement with the House to complete this important legislation.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0It is also appropriate that this legislation be named in honor of both Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Buck McKeon, the chairmen of their respective committees who this year are retiring after extraordinary service and dedication to the Nation and particularly to the men and women of the armed services. It is another reason why this bill is particularly special--because it represents the culmination of the work of these two extraordinary gentlemen.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0For over 50 consecutive years this Senate has passed a defense authorization bill. I hope we will be able to send the bill before us to the President for his signature. We owe it to our servicemembers to pass a law that will support them and enable the DOD to execute this year's budget efficiently and effectively.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0This year, once again we have had to make very difficult decisions, especially because of the economic circumstances we face as a nation, the resources, and the threats which are challenging at this moment in our history. But this bill will allow the Department of Defense to combat these current threats, plan for future threats, and provide for the welfare of our brave service members and their families.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0While it is disappointing that we are not able to bring this bill to the floor for amendments in regular order because time really is running out, this is a very good bill which is based on the principle of compromise between many parties. It is critical at this moment that we pass it for the men and women in uniform for the United States.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I wish to point out a few highlights of the bill.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0First, it authorizes a 1-percent across-the-board pay raise and reauthorizes over 30 types of bonuses and special pays for our men and women in uniform.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0It includes numerous provisions that build on the reforms we passed last year to further strengthen and improve sexual assault prevention and response programs. It is unacceptable and it is completely antithetical to the ethic of the military that anyone in uniform would be a predator. To be a soldier, to be a marine, to be a sailor, to be an airmen--it is about your subordinates, your comrades, helping them and sacrificing for them, not using them. So we can do more, and we must do more, but I am pleased to see that we have taken important steps and we are following through on these steps.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0The legislation in general improves the ability of the Armed Forces to counter emerging and nontraditional threats, particularly cyber warfare. This is a new dimension of warfare. It is one we are coping with, but I don't think anyone should feel we have the technology, the techniques, the operations, and the insights to feel fully competent. This legislation will help us move in that direction.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0The legislation also authorizes the full request of $4.1 billion for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund to sustain the Afghan National Security Forces as the U.S. and coalition forces shift our mission to training, advising, and assisting these forces, letting them take the lead in combat operations. It is very essential.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0It also authorizes several train-and-equip programs to assist foreign militaries conducting counterterrorism and counternarcotics operations. Of particular note are programs and resources that will go to Iraq and Syria, where we face serious challenges, where we have to provide the kind of support that is indicated in this legislation.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0This year I once again had the honor of serving as the chairman of the Seapower Subcommittee alongside Senator John McCain, the ranking member. Our subcommittee focused on the needs of the Navy, Marine Corps, and strategic mobility forces. We put particular emphasis on supporting Marine and Navy forces engaged in combat operations, improving efficiencies, and applying the savings to higher priority programs. Specifically, the bill includes the required funding for two Virginia-class submarines and a moored training ship and approves other major shipbuilding programs, including funding for two DDG-51 destroyers, the aircraft carrier replacement program, and three littoral combat ship vessels, and it permits incremental funding for another amphibious transport dock ship.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I am particularly pleased about the funding for the Virginia-class submarines and the DDG-1000 destroyers. So many Rhode Islanders build them, design them, and they are an incredible part of our national security. So we are reinforcing shipbuilding programs that are not only under budget and ahead of schedule but are vitally important to the security of the United States.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0Along these same lines, I am pleased to note that the bill establishes the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund to provide resources and to manage the construction of the Ohio-class replacement ballistic missile submarine program. According to testimony provided to the Armed Services Committee, the Ohio-class replacement is the Navy's highest priority program. We are currently constructing attack submarines. These submarines are designed to go against other submarines, to deliver special operations troops, and to conduct fire missions from the sea.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0The Ohio class will replace our ballistic missile submarines, which are part of our deterrence forces. These submarines have nuclear weapons and are part of our triad, our architecture to deter the use of nuclear weapons; we have to replace them. It cannot be done just with Navy resources because it is not just a Navy program, it is a national security program embracing our nuclear deterrence. This fund is a good starting point for that process, and I am very pleased to see it in the legislation.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0Working together with Senator McCain, particularly following Senator McCain's lead, this bill increases accountability for the taxpayers' dollars spent on several major Navy programs. For example, the bill includes a provision to require the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation to submit a report of the current LCS test and evaluation master plan for seaframes and mission modules. The report would provide an assessment of whether completion of the test and evaluation master plan will demonstrate operational effectiveness and operational suitability for both seaframes and each mission module.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0This is a very important program. We want to make sure we get it right. We want to make sure we build in efficiencies where we can, and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation will help us do that.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0The bill also includes language that will continue support of and advance planning for the refueling of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and preclude the Navy from spending any funds to inactivate this ship. Again, this goes to the congressional mandate of having a specified number of aircraft carrier battle groups, and without refueling the Washington, we will not meet that legislative mandate.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0So we hope we will go forward this year and provide the requisite funding to complete the refueling, but at least we are moving in the right direction. I think that is important.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I particularly want to voice my thanks to Senator McCain and other members of the Seapower Subcommittee for their diligence, for their leadership, for their assistance in not only giving what our Navy and Marines need, but also making sure that the taxpayers are protected as best we can. And, frankly, we have to do more with respect to efficiencies, economies, and being wise in our allocation of resources.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0Before I conclude with my remarks regarding the traditional defense programs, I want to touch on two other aspects of the legislation, one in particular with respect to the Defense act. I am pleased that it includes the HAVEN Act. This is bipartisan legislation that I introduced with Senator Johanns to help more veterans with critical repairs and modifications for their homes so they are safer and more accessible.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0This program is directed at our disabled and low income veterans. They find themselves out of the service, they have benefits, but they have needs to fix their homes and this program will help them do that. It establishes a competitive pilot program allowing nonprofit organizations throughout the country to apply for grants administrated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help make key improvements to the houses of veterans with disabilities, or low-income veterans.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0It is fitting we take this step to give back to those who have made a personal sacrifice for our Nation, and I am particularly delighted I was able to work with Senator Johanns. As I noted in my remarks yesterday, he is retiring, but his decency, integrity, intelligence, and commitment to his constituents and also to the men and women of the Armed Forces will be missed here.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I am also glad that, on a topic not usually found in the defense authorization bill, we reached a bipartisan agreement on a package of public land bills, including two longstanding priorities for my State. For years, I have supported the preservation and renewed development of the Blackstone River Valley and have led the effort to designate parts of that area as a national park, which the bill before us will finally establish.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0In 1793, Samuel Slater began the American industrial revolution in Rhode Island when he built his historic mill on the Blackstone River--really the first industrial-scale operation in the United States--and from that, much has ensued. Today, the mills and villages throughout what is now known as the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Rhode Island and Massachusetts stand as witness to this important era of our history.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0Much credit has to go to Senator John H. Chafee, who picked up the ball from those who preceded him. In fact, I was told last weekend that this attempt to get recognition goes back as far as a letter to Lady Bird Johnson in the 1960s, asking if she could help get land in the Blackstone Valley preserved. So it has been a long and winding road, and John Chafee was a key person in that process.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0Creating a national historic park within the existing corridor would preserve the industrial, natural, and cultural heritage of the Blackstone Valley for future generations. It will improve the use and enjoyment of the natural resources, including outdoor education for young people; it will assist local communities while providing economic development opportunities; and it will increase the protection of the most important and nationally significant cultural and natural resource of the Blackstone River Valley.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I can recall last year inviting Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell to Rhode Island, and we kayaked along the Blackstone River. When I was young, in the 1950s and 1960s, the idea of going into the Blackstone River, which was then frankly an industrial waste zone, would have been ridiculous. Today, we not only use the Blackstone River for recreation but, with this national park designation, we will be able to do so much more.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0The public lands package also includes legislation to authorize the National Park Service to look at another river system in Rhode Island and adjacent Connecticut--specifically rivers within the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed--for potential inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. These rivers are, again, so important to Rhode Island.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0One of the things you discover as you go around Rhode Island, particularly after a storm when you can see the true power of these rivers, is that development during the industrial revolution was centered around rivers because water was a source of energy. As a result, many of our communities are clustered around the rivers and have great historic, cultural, recreational, and environmental value.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0So let me thank not only my colleagues here but in the House, Congressmen David Cicilline and Jim Langevin, for their great effort; also the Members of the Massachusetts delegation, because the Blackstone runs into Massachusetts; and I particularly want to thank Sheldon Whitehouse, a stalwart when it comes to all these issues--anything to do with the environment, particularly Rhode Island's environment. His leadership and his support were absolutely critical in getting this measure today included in this bill. I would also like to thank the countless number of stakeholders in Rhode Island and Massachusetts who have tirelessly advocated for the preservation of the Blackstone River Valley all these years.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0We have a good national defense authorization bill before the Senate, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it. I look forward to being able to witness, even remotely, the signing of the Levin-McKeon national defense authorization.\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0I yield the floor.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-a-carbon-fee-is-not-a-war-on-coal", "Time to Wake Up: A Carbon Fee is Not a War on Coal", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.10.14\n\t\t\t Time to Wake Up: A Carbon Fee is Not a War on Coal \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As delivered on the Senate floor\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Thank you, Mr. President, I am here this evening for \u201cTime to Wake Up\u201d speech number eighty-two.\u00a0\r\nScientists tell us that the evidence for climate change is \u201cunequivocal\u201d, \u201cunequivocal\u201d\u2014not a word often used in scientific writing\u2014and the American people know that climate change is real.\u00a0 In a new poll released by the insurance firm Munich Re, eight out of ten Americans believe the climate is changing. They see it happening right around them. \u00a0\r\nThe American people also know we need to cut our carbon pollution if we are to avoid the worst effects of climate change\u2014we can\u2019t keep burning carbon-polluting fossil fuels indiscriminately.\u00a0 Seven out of ten Americans put using more carbon-free energy, like solar and wind, among the best ways to battle climate change.\u00a0\r\nChanging the way we generate power will help cut emissions from the largest sources of carbon pollution in the country, our coal-fired power plants.\u00a0 The Energy Information Administration notes that coal generates less than 40 percent of our country\u2019s electricity, while it generates 75 percent of the carbon pollution from the power sector.\u00a0 The fifty dirtiest coal plants in America emit more carbon pollution than all of South Korea or all Canada. \u00a0\r\nWhich brings us to the \u201cWar on Coal.\u201d\r\nEvery effort to protect the American people from coal pollution has been denounced by the fossil fuel industry and its various mouthpieces as a \u201cWar on Coal.\u201d\u00a0 When EPA proposed limits on emissions from new power plants, you heard, \u201cWar on Coal!\u201d \u00a0When EPA proposed limits on emissions from existing power plants, \u201cWar on Coal!\u201d\u00a0 For mercury limits, ozone limits, particulate limits\u2014always, \u201cWar on Coal.\u201d\r\nMr. President, the War on Coal is a fabrication. \u00a0The denial machine funded by fossil fuel money literally owns, owns the War on Coal.\u00a0 The website WarOnCoal.com is owned by American Commitment, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that has been funded by the Koch Brothers-backed group Freedom Partners.\u00a0 War on Coal; it\u2019s a public relations strategy, a catch-phrase, a gimmick that serves to distract people from the harm coal reeks on us.\r\nDr. Drew Shindell is a professor at Duke University. \u00a0He worked at NASA for two decades. \u00a0\u00a0Last week in the Environment and Public Works Committee, he said, I\u2019ll quote him: \u201cWe hear a lot up here on Capitol Hill about the war on coal; what we forget about is coal\u2019s war on us.\u201d\r\nSo, let\u2019s talk about the War on Coal, so called, versus coal\u2019s war on us. When Republicans talk about President Obama\u2019s War on Coal, they leave a lot out.\u00a0 They leave out that coal companies have shifted to big open-top mines, what is called mountaintop removal, so they can lay off miners and still produce the same amount of coal. \u00a0They leave out that coal simply can\u2019t compete with today\u2019s cheaper, cleaner-burning natural gas.\u00a0\r\nIn 2012, Duke Energy\u2019s own CEO acknowledged that EPA\u2019s proposed climate rule for new power plants was not to blame.\u00a0 \u201cThe new climate rule,\u201d he said, \u201cis in line with market forces anyway. \u00a0We\u2019re not going to build any coal plants in any event. We\u2019re not going to build any coal plants in any event.,\u201d \u00a0he said.\u201c You\u2019re going to choose to build gas plants every time, regardless of what the rule is.\u201d\r\nThat, Mr. President, is \u00a0not a regulatory War on Coal.\u00a0 That is the free market operating.\r\nEPA\u2019s proposed Clean Power Plan for existing power plants is the newest PR front in the imaginary \u201cWar on Coal.\u201d\u00a0 EPA projects that the clean power plan will yield between $55 billion and $93 billion in benefits per year by 2030, compared to $7-9 billion to comply with the rule.\u00a0 That math makes it a winner for the American people.\u00a0 Some War on Coal, what would they expect us to do? Give up $90 billion in benefits for the American people at the high end, in order to avoid a $9 billion compliance cost, again at the high end? $90 billion for the American people, $9 billion in compliance. Who wouldn\u2019t take that deal?\r\nIf the Obama Administration is waging a War on Coal, it has a funny way of going about it.\u00a0 Coal exports grew by 44 percent from 2008 to 2012. \u00a0The Administration keeps opening up federal lands to coal extraction, awarding many leases at below-market rates. \u00a0\r\nIt actually took a federal judge in Colorado to tell the Obama Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to factor the costs of climate change into their cost-benefit analysis of coal mining leases.\u00a0 \u00a0The federal agencies had looked at only one side the ledger: they counted the economic benefits of mining coal, but not the costs. Some War on Coal.\r\nTwo years ago, the Obama Army Corps of Engineers fast-tracked environmental review of a proposed coal export terminal on the Columbia River in Oregon.\u00a0 Local communities and tribes objected, and the State of Oregon denied the permit for the project.\u00a0\r\nIf that's what a federal War on Coal looks like, somebody didn\u2019t get the memo.\r\nOn the other side, let's look at what coal\u2019s war on us looks like.\u00a0 Evidence that mining and burning coal harms our health and our environment and our oceans is undeniable. \u00a0It\u2019s this other side of the coal ledger that hits home in Rhode Island, and Connecticut, and many other states, and it\u2019s the side polluters want to ignore, and obscure with \u201cWar on Coal\u201d rhetoric.\r\nBurning coal releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.\u00a0 That warms our atmosphere, bringing changes we are already seeing in seasons, weather, \u00a0and storms.\u00a0 There\u2019s a strong association between global warming and the sort of rainbursts that flooded homes and businesses in Rhode Island in 2010, for instance.\r\nCoal burning contributes to the formation of toxic ground-level ozone, which is a cause of the \u201cbad air days\u201d in my home state of Rhode Island.\u00a0 Kids with asthma in the emergency room in Rhode Island are connected with Midwestern power plants that burn coal and pump often unscrubbed emissions up smokestacks designed to move the problem downwind\u2014out of state, out of mind.\u00a0\r\nAnd don\u2019t overlook our oceans, which absorb about a third of the carbon pollution being emitted and most of the excess heat. \u00a0As a result, oceans are becoming more acidic, water temperatures are \u00a0rising, and sea levels are rising across the globe.\u00a0 In Rhode Island, the sea is up nearly ten inches at the tide gauge at Naval Station Newport since the 1930s, when we had our Great Hurricane of 1938.\r\nSo whether you\u2019re a flooded home, or a mom with a child in athsma in the emergency room, or somebody with coastal property facing 10 inches higher seas. There are costs to coal. This is all virtually indisputable, and follows immutable laws of nature.\r\nDamage to coastal homes and infrastructure from rising seas and erosion; asthma attacks in children triggered by smog; forests dying from beetle infestations and unprecedented wildfire seasons; farms ravaged by worsened drought and flooding; these are all real costs to Americans.\u00a0 This other side of the coal ledger counts too.\r\nIt even hits home in coal country, where blowing up mountain tops pollutes streams, and harms folks around the mining operations.\u00a0 West Virginia University has linked the dust thrown up by these mountaintop mines to lung cancer among nearby residents.\u00a0\r\nCoal-fired power plants are the biggest sources of mercury pollution in the United States, and they also emit arsenic, acid gases, and other toxins.\u00a0 Dr. Shindell, who I mentioned earlier, is an expert in atmospheric chemistry and health, here\u2019s what he told the EPW Committee last week, I will quote:\r\n\u201cOf all of the sources of the emissions that lead to poor air quality in the United States, coal \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0burning is the single largest, causing by my calculations about 47,000 premature deaths per year. \u00a0That happens to be larger than the total number of Americans killed in all of the years of the Vietnam War by hostile fire.\u201d\r\nIf you look at the casualties, Mr. President, the federal government isn\u2019t waging a War on Coal. If there\u2019s any war, coal is waging a war on us.\r\nThis is business as usual for the polluter industry and its propaganda apparatus.\u00a0 Coal companies have long fought public health standards, mineworker protections, and compensation for ailments like black lung disease, as well as efforts to address acid rain or reduce toxic pollutants like mercury that cause brain damage in kids.\r\nIn 1989, Southern Company CEO Edward Addison testified that acid-rain controls would increase electricity rates in states with the most coal power by 10 to 20 percent by 2009.\u00a0 Well, we couldn\u2019t evaluate such predictions then, but now we can. \u00a0In the ten states with the most coal, rates actually fell. \u00a0Big Coal\u2019s war on the truth has a long and sordid history.\u00a0\r\nMr. President, I recently had the opportunity to visit West Virginia with Senator Manchin to learn about what coal means to the Mountain State economy.\u00a0 I get it. We need to care about the miners, truckers, power-plant operators, engineers and others who make their living in this industry.\u00a0 It would be wrong to ignore their plight, just as it\u2019s wrong when the coal industry tries to ignore the effects of its carbon pollution.\u00a0\r\nI think we need a carbon fee to correct the market and to slow climate change.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll hear that\u2019s a War on Coal.\u00a0 It\u2019s not.\u00a0 It\u2019s simple fairness.\u00a0 It means simply paying for the mess you cause.\u00a0 That\u2019s not war.\u00a0 It\u2019s not even punishment. \u00a0It\u2019s just fair accounting\u2014taking both sides of the ledger into account.\r\nWhen people do that, economists and scientists calculate the cost of carbon pollution as what they call the \u201csocial cost of carbon.\u201d\u00a0 The Administration estimates the social cost of carbon at around forty dollars per ton of carbon pollution. Forty dollars per ton. The effective cost to polluters for causing that mess is zero.\r\nMy carbon fee bill would correct that, correct what even economists at groups as conservative as the American Enterprise Institute agree is a market failure, and would then return every dollar of the fee to the American people.\u00a0 That could include transition assistance for coal workers\u2014and assistance for communities far from coal mines, like in Rhode Island, facing these costs of climate change.\u00a0\r\nIt\u2019s also becoming increasingly clear that a revenue-neutral carbon fee will spur innovation, create jobs, and boost the economy nationwide.\u00a0\r\nIt\u2019s time to end the polluters\u2019 holiday from responsibility.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to see through their fanciful \u201cWar on Coal,\u201d and protect those facing the effects of coal\u2019s war on us, and coal\u2019s war on the truth.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to seize the economic benefit of a clean energy economy. It is time to wake up.\u00a0\r\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-cia-torture-report", "Cicilline Statement on CIA Torture Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement on the release of the Senate Intelligence Committee\u2019s report on the Central Intelligence Agency\u2019s Detention and Interrogation Program:\n\u201cThe Senate Intelligence Committee\u2019s report is deeply disturbing. Among the many findings, this report reveals that the CIA employed more brutal interrogation techniques than had been previously detailed publicly, deliberately misled Congress and the White House about the program\u2019s effectiveness, and damaged the United States\u2019 reputation around the world. These abuses are a violation of basic human rights and are in stark contrast to our values as a nation, and this report provides further confirmation that these techniques simply fail to provide results that strengthen our national security. I applaud the members of the Senate Intelligence Committee for their efforts to provide the American people with an account of the actions carried out in their name. It is now our duty as elected officials, and American citizens who believe in the values upon which our nation was founded, to ensure serious violations such as this never occur again.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-passing-of-lila-sapinsley", "Reed Statement on Passing of Lila Sapinsley", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed today issued the following statement on the passing of former state senator Lila M. Sapinsley:\r\n\u201cLila Sapinsley was not only a trailblazer, she was one of the most gifted and public minded leaders of her time.\u00a0 In so many different dimensions she contributed to the political and civic life of Rhode Island.\u00a0 Her thoughtful and dynamic presence will be missed.\u201d\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-release-of-declassified-cia-interrogation-report", "Reed Statement on Release of Declassified CIA Interrogation Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, after the Senate Intelligence Committee issued a comprehensive report on the CIA\u2019s detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists in the aftermath of 9/11, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cWe are a nation of laws and principles.\u00a0 This report highlights a systemic failure to uphold those laws and principles.\r\n\u201cIt is troubling and difficult to digest, but it\u2019s important to have all the facts to prevent a repeat of these mistakes.\r\n\u201cThe use of torture is abhorrent and stands in stark contrast to our constitution and values.\u00a0 It is not an effective tool to obtain reliable intelligence.\r\n\u201cAs we continue to confront the threat of terrorism at home and abroad, we are reminded that we are stronger as a nation when we remain true to our democratic principles.\u201d\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/speeches/reed-discusses-intelligence-committee-study-of-cia-detention-and-interrogation-program", "Reed Discusses Intelligence Committee Study of CIA Detention & Interrogation Program", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0SENATE FLOOR STATEMENT\r\nMr. Reed. Let me conclude on a slightly different topic; that is, to commend Senator Rockefeller again and Senator Feinstein for their extraordinary leadership today in bringing forward to the American public the Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's interrogation program.\r\nBut I particularly want to commend and thank Senator McCain. For many years, Senator McCain has spoken out, and many times alone, against the despicable and heinous actions that have been illustrated today. He has led our efforts. No one has led them more vigorously and more intensely and more successfully than John McCain--to prohibit the use of torture and abusive methods by the United States of America, to remind us that our highest ideals require us to do something else--something better--and also to remind us that what is at stake--very much at stake--are the lives and the health of our soldiers.\r\nWe cannot expect others to follow the law if we do not. We cannot expect our forces to be treated according to the conventions and laws that govern civilized society if we depart from them. That is a powerful message. It is no surprise coming from someone whose personal experience, whose personal courage lends incredible credibility, incredible support to these efforts.\r\nTo these three colleagues, I extend my thanks.\r\nI yield the floor.\u00a0\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/speeches/reed-offers-tribute-to-departing-senate-colleagues", "Reed Offers Tribute to Departing Senate Colleagues", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/09/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0SENATE FLOOR STATEMENT\r\nMr. REED. Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to salute my colleagues who are departing the Senate at the end of this year with the conclusion of the 113th Congress: Mark Begich of Alaska, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Carl Levin of Michigan, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Mark Udall of Colorado, and John Walsh of Montana.\r\nThey have all worked hard, ceaselessly giving their energy and considerable time and service to their constituents, to their home States and to our country. I want to thank them for their service and for their kindness to me over many, many years in so many cases. In particular, I want to say a few words about these colleagues.\r\nMARK BEGICH\r\nMark Begich and I worked together to address the challenges facing the fishing industry, which is vital to both of our States. He has continually fought to address the unique challenges facing Alaskans, particularly with respect to access to VA health care. I salute him and wish him the best.\r\nSAXBY CHAMBLISS\r\nI have served with Saxby Chambliss on the Armed Services Committee and joined him in his efforts to support the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. Saxby has been a strong supporter of our men and women in uniform. He has also been a leader on homeland security and intelligence matters. I wish him well.\r\nTOM COBURN\r\nTom Coburn has always been passionate on the issues he cares about. We have engaged in vigorous debate, demonstrating, I hope, that principled disagreement can lead ultimately to principled progress. My thoughts are with him, particularly as he battles health issues, his cancer. I hope and wish him success and much happiness as he moves forward.\r\nKAY HAGAN\r\nI have served with Kay Hagan on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and on the Armed Services Committee. We have worked together on a number of initiatives, including efforts to keep student loan interest rates low. We traveled together to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in 2010. She has been a tremendous advocate, especially for our military families and for small businesses.\r\nTOM HARKIN\r\nTom Harkin has been a great friend, a longtime advocate for students, for workers, for individuals with disabilities. As Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, he has worked to end the logjam and pass reauthorizations of our childcare programs and the workforce investment system, and he recently worked with me to pass a bipartisan bill I helped author to ensure consumers have access to the safest, most effective sunscreens available.\r\nHe has been a steadfast advocate for increasing our investment in medical research at the NIH. An extraordinary Senator, we have so much to thank him for on behalf of every American. His legacy is going to be so profound. It is hard to pick one. But his efforts, along with Arlen Specter's, to double NIH funding was a landmark in terms of not only successful investment in programs that matter to Americans and the world but bipartisan efforts to lead the country forward.\r\nMIKE JOHANNS\r\nI have been proud to work with Mike Johanns, an extraordinary Senator and an extraordinary gentleman, on a number of issues. We were particularly happy--both of us--when the HAVEN Act was incorporated into the pending version of the National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation will allow disabled and low-income veterans the ability to finance improvements to their homes so they are safer and more accessible. We also worked together on healthy housing efforts and to reduce lead hazards. This is consistent with so many things he has done, particularly with respect to veterans. Again, I wish him the best as he goes forward.\r\nTIM JOHNSON\r\nTim Johnson and I served in the House of Representatives together. We came to the Senate together in 1997. As chairman of the banking committee, he has been an extraordinary leader. He has dedicated himself particularly to community banks and to rural housing, which is consistent with the interests of his constituents in South Dakota.\r\nHe has worked to build bipartisan compromise on issues like TRIA and FHA reform, among so many other matters. As the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies he has been a tireless advocate for our military personnel. I thank him.\r\nMARY LANDRIEU\r\nMary Landrieu and I also came to the Senate together in 1997. We served together on the Appropriations Committee, where she has been an extraordinary advocate for Louisiana, particularly after Hurricane Katrina. In fact, her efforts have been so profoundly influential in her home State, she is one that we all look to as a model for what it is to be an advocate for your constituents. She has done it so well.\r\nMARK PRYOR\r\nMark Pryor and I have worked together on the Appropriations Committee. We have worked together on a number of initiatives. I want to thank him particularly for his role in trying to help states like Rhode Island be included in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. I thank Mark for that. I offer him my fondest wishes.\r\nJAY ROCKEFELLER\r\nToday, we are recognizing the work of Jay Rockefeller as chairman of the Intelligence Committee, along with Senator Feinstein. But he has been such a stalwart in so many different areas: as chairman of the commerce committee, someone who has championed the Children's Health Insurance Program, someone who has been in the lead with respect to advocacy for the E-Rate, which helps bring broadband connectivity to all of our libraries and schools, to EPSCoR. I can go on and on for a remarkable career by a remarkable individual, a real gentleman, someone whom I am proud to call a friend and am deeply indebted to his friendship.\r\nMARK UDALL\r\nMark Udall and I served together on the Armed Services Committee. I am grateful to have traveled with him also to Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2011. Again, he is committed to our troops, committed to our national security, committed to his home State. He has been an advocate for clean energy, for natural resources, for things that will be a legacy for generations to come in Colorado and throughout the United States.\r\nJOHN WALSH\r\nJohn Walsh is a friend that I met and served with over the last several years. I want to salute him, not only as a Senator but as a combat veteran. He has had the greatest privilege that I believe any American has--the privilege to lead American soldiers. He did it well. I thank him for that.\r\nCARL LEVIN\r\nBut let me say, especially, a few words about my dear, dear friend Carl Levin. For 18 years, Carl Levin has either been chairman or ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. The U.S. military, the most powerful and professional force in the world, has in countless ways been shaped because Carl Levin repeatedly helped form a new common ground to move us forward as a Nation for the benefit of our men and women in uniform and for the benefit of us all.\r\nCARL and I have traveled many times together--Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, Syria, Colombia. We were there to visit with commanders and local leaders, but especially to see our troops and to thank them. In the faces of those troops I saw the trust and respect they felt--some to their own surprise--when they met the chairman--the powerful chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He was there. He had traveled across the globe to listen to them, to work for them, and to thank them.\r\nIt was profoundly moving to me to see this--inspiring indeed. As the chairman of one of the other major committees, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, he has pursued the powerful on behalf of the powerless, on behalf of the people. He has not only uncovered abuse, but he has sent a powerful message to an increasingly discouraged America that there is someone who will fight for them, who understands that everyone deserves a fair chance at a better future.\r\nCarl Levin has been a friend, a role model. I will miss working with him.\r\nAlong with all of my other colleagues who are leaving us at the conclusion of the 113th Congress, let me thank them for their service, their dedication to improving the lives of Americans, and on a very personal level for their friendship. I wish them all well.\u00a0\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-statement-on-declassified-torture-report", "Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Declassified Torture Report", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Declassified Torture Report \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Today the executive summary of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee\u2019s study of the Bush-era CIA Detention and Interrogation Program was declassified and made available to the public.\u00a0 U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a former member of the Intelligence Committee who was involved in the preparation of the report and who has advocated for its declassification, released the statement below:\r\n\u201cAfter years of effort and millions of documents reviewed, the Senate report at last lays out in painstaking detail how the CIA under President Bush and Vice President Cheney turned down the dark path to torture, and then to cover its tracks misled Congress and executive officials about the efficacy of the torture program.\u00a0 These are hard facts to face as Americans, but it\u2019s important that the facts be known.\u00a0 Chairman Feinstein and our Intelligence Committee staff deserve our country's deep appreciation for their extraordinary efforts.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse served on the Intelligence Committee from 2007 until 2011 and was deeply involved in the early stages of compiling the torture report.\u00a0 He currently serves as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime & Terrorism of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he chaired a Judiciary Committee hearing in 2009 titled \u201cWhat Went Wrong: Torture and the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senate-panel-examines-role-of-law-enforcement-in-campus-sexual-assault-cases", "Senate Panel Examines Role of Law Enforcement in Campus Sexual Assault Cases", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Senate Panel Examines Role of Law Enforcement in Campus Sexual Assault Cases \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 With some estimates indicating that nearly one in five women experience some form of sexual assault in college but that the vast majority go unreported, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism today held a hearing about the role of law enforcement in campus sexual assault cases.\u00a0 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) chaired the hearing, which examined whether victims of sexual assaults should be encouraged to report their experiences to the police; why victims feel uncomfortable or unsafe reporting crimes; and what steps can be taken to respect the needs of student victims who choose to report while also bringing their perpetrators to justice.\r\n\u201cAs a former U.S. Attorney and Attorney General for my state, I am concerned that law enforcement is being marginalized when it comes to the crime of campus sexual assault,\u201d Whitehouse said.\u00a0 \u201cMarginalizing the men and women who are trained professionals in the task of investigation is a move in the wrong direction.\u00a0 If we don\u2019t increase and improve the role of the criminal justice system in these cases, victims will pay the price.\u00a0 Equally important to early law enforcement involvement in these crimes is the quality of the law enforcement response.\u201d\r\nWitnesses testifying at today\u2019s hearing were:\r\n \r\nSenator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), cosponsor of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act\r\nSenator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), cosponsor of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act\r\nAngela Fleischer, Assistant Director of Student Support and Intervention for Confidential Advising for Oregon State University\r\nChief Kathy Zoner, Cornell University Police\r\nPeg Langhammer, Executive Director of Day One, a Rhode Island organization working to prevent sexual assaults and support victims\r\n \r\n\u201cWhat we can do is make sure that information now provided to survivors in the military is available to young women and men who are assaulted on college campuses,\u201d said McCaskill, a former courtroom prosecutor of sex crimes. \u201cSo they know what their choices are at the moment of reporting. So they understand what the consequences are if they decline to go to the hospital, or if they decline to talk to law enforcement, that they are taking on a chance that justice will never truly be obtained in terms of holding their perpetrator accountable. So it\u2019s in that framework that we\u2019ve tried to work out a bill that will strengthen the support services for victims. A victim who is assaulted on a Friday night needs to know, on that Friday night, where she can call and where she can go for confidential support and good information, which we hope gives her the encouragement to make the choice to move forward in the criminal justice system.\u201d\r\n\u201cI want to thank Senator Whitehouse for his leadership on this issue and holding today\u2019s hearing. There is no doubt the problem of sexual assaults on college campuses is real, it is pervasive and Congress must do its part to reform a broken system,\" said Senator Gillibrand. \"There is a critical role for law enforcement to play in combating campus sexual assaults. By creating an environment that encourages reporting of sexual assaults, police departments can help bring these cases out of the shadows and hold more offenders accountable. It is time to end the scourge of rape and sexual assault at America\u2019s colleges, provide survivors with the resources they need to recover, and hold offenders accountable.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe barriers that keep survivors from coming forward are many but are often surmountable, if we are able to focus our efforts on offering choice and providing trauma informed care,\u201d Fleischer said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd when we increase at least initial reporting, the resulting benefits to individual victims and to our community are profound.\u00a0 By utilizing specially trained individuals in the response to reports of sexual assault, survivors are given access to accurate, complete information and options, and communities become safer as we learn to identify the offenders within, most of whom will continue to commit sexual offenses if left unidentified.\u201d\r\nChief Zoner spoke about the challenges of coordinating investigations into alleged assault cases between both university and police personnel, saying, \u201cConcurrent investigations raise tricky issues for law enforcement and campus adjudicators to navigate.\u201d\u00a0 She also discussed recommendations to address these issues.\r\n\u201cIf we expect victims to report these crimes, we need a system that works for them, one in which they are believed, supported, and can be confident in a just outcome,\u201d said Langhammer.\u00a0 \u201cWe owe it to our students to provide the best possible response to all sexual assaults. Without that, we are sending a message not to bother reporting this crime.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse closed the hearing by asking Langhammer, who also has extensive experience working on domestic abuse issues, whether there are any lessons she has learned from dealing with domestic abuse case that could be applied to campus sexual assaults.\u00a0 \u201cWith both issues\u2026 the lessons are that we need to really listen to victims.\u00a0 We need to listen to what they\u2019re saying.\u00a0 And we need to train our personnel \u2013 law enforcement, prosecution, anyone who is interacting with a victim \u2013 in trauma-informed forensic interviewing so that they really learn to understand how that victim is impacted\u2026\u00a0 I think the more we learn to listen to what the victim experience is, the more as law enforcement, as university administrators, we will craft our approach to really be in tune with what the victim needs.\u201d\r\nVideo of the hearing will be archived here.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-arts-humanities-groups-receive-176000-federal-grants", "RI Arts & Humanities Groups Receive $176,000 in Federal Grants", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced over $176,000 in federal funding for Rhode Island organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).\u00a0\n$136,000 in NEA funding will go to five recipients in Rhode Island for theatre productions, research, and instruction and mentorships programming for young people. \u00a0$40,322 in competitive grants from the NEH will go to three recipients for digital projects and preservation.\n\u201cI am pleased that Rhode Island arts and humanities organizations have been selected to receive these federal grants to help build stronger communities and boost economic growth and education through the arts and cultural engagement,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, who has led efforts in Congress to support NEA and NEH funding.\u00a0 This summer, Senator Reed brought NEA Chairman Jane Chu to Rhode Island to meet with members of Rhode Island\u2019s arts community.\n\u201cIn Rhode Island, we have top-notch arts and humanities groups,\u201d said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an ex-officio member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the NEA. \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s why\u00a0I\u2019m glad to see this federal funding come to Rhode Island. \u00a0It will strengthen organizations that make Rhode Island such a vibrant and distinctive place, and provide an important boost to our economy.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s vibrant arts scene is a huge part of what makes this state an exciting place to live and visit,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u00a0\u201cThese federal funds will further enhance an already-thriving industry. I am particularly pleased to see a strong focus on youth programming, inspiring the next generation of talent in the Ocean State.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island arts and humanities organizations support creative thinking, enhance culture, and provide significant economic benefits to cities and towns throughout the state,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline. \u201cAs a longtime advocate for robust arts and humanities programs, I\u2019m delighted these funds will provide effective federal support to enrich Rhode Island communities.\u201d\nThe arts grants are among the first to be issued this fiscal year following the NEA\u2019s review of over 3,400 applications for funding.\u00a0 NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, \u201cSince coming to the NEA, I have met with many NEA grantees and have seen first-hand the positive impact they have on their communities. \u00a0These new projects will continue to demonstrate the power the arts have to deepen value, build connections, and foster an atmosphere of creativity and innovation both at the community level and with individuals throughout the nation.\u201d\nThe NEA and NEH were established through legislation championed by former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell.\nNEA recipients include:\nThe Everett Company (in partnership with Brown University) \u2013 $10,000 for Everett\u2019s \u201cFreedom Project\u201d theatre production;\nThe Alliance of Artists Communities \u2013 $40,000 for research into connections between art and science;\nThe Trinity Repertory Company \u2013 $20,000 for a theatre production;\nProvidence City Arts for Youth, Inc. \u2013 $55,000 for instruction and mentorships in music, dance, theater, creative writing, visual arts, and design;\nNew Urban Arts \u2013 $11,000 for instruction in photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion design, printmaking, screen-printing, poetry/spoken-word, video, and digital media.\nNEH recipients include:\nBrown University \u2013 $29,755 for a digital history project entitled, \u201cExploring the Four Elements: Toward a Digital Environmental History of the Americas\u201d;\nNewport Art Museum and Art Association \u2013 $4,984 to improve lighting at the Newport Art Museum;\nPreserve Rhode Island \u2013 $5,583 to develop an environmental monitoring program for the Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-helps-launch-shop-local-campaign-to-promote-ri-retailers", "Reed Helps Launch ‘Shop Local’ Campaign to Promote RI Retailers", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0EAST GREENWICH, RI \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed is urging Rhode Islanders to add \u201cshop local\u201d to their holiday shopping lists.\u00a0 During a tour of Main Street businesses, shops, and boutiques in East Greenwich today, Reed encouraged fellow Rhode Islanders to support independent retailers across the state and discussed legislative efforts to help local businesses thrive.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSmall business owners and their employees are the heart and soul of our local economy, and it\u2019s critical that we support them.\u00a0 Shopping at these neighborhood stores can have a ripple effect throughout the entire economy, so I urge Rhode Islanders to shop local this holiday season and throughout the year.\u00a0 Every dollar we keep in the state pays dividends to the greater community,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0 \u201cEast Greenwich has a lot of great, unique, family-owned businesses.\u00a0 The town and the business community do a great job of promoting the retail area and we need to replicate that type of teamwork and partnership throughout the state.\u201d\r\nAccording to buylocalri.org: \u201cLocal businesses often keep your money local, investing in local supplies, wages, services, taxes, and community donations. \u00a0This strengthens Rhode Island\u2019s economic and tax base. \u00a0A study in Austin, Texas found that $100 spent at a local bookstore produced $45 worth of local economic activity, and $100 at a chain bookstore brought back only $13.\u201d\r\nAnd the Providence Journal reported that \u201cif Rhode Islanders shifted 10 percent of what they buy from large, out-of-state chain stores to locally owned businesses, it could pump $373 million into the state\u2019s economy.\u201d\r\n\u201cMy top priority is growing jobs and opportunities in Rhode Island.\u00a0 Congress needs to do more to help small businesses grow and that means investing in our workforce, infrastructure, and education system.\u00a0 It also means creating incentives for businesses to hire, cutting red tape, and providing increased access to capital,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0\r\nReed noted that last year, the United States Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act, which would level the playing field for Main Street retailers like those in East Greenwich by requiring all retailers, regardless of where they are located, to play by the same rules.\u00a0 Under current law, online sales tax disparities cause Rhode Island to lose approximately $70 million per year.\u00a0 The bipartisan Marketplace Fairness Act gives states the ability to enforce their own sales tax laws and would help states and cities collect billions in unpaid taxes already owed, reducing the need to raise new taxes on small businesses and citizens.\u00a0 Several governors across the country, including Governor Lincoln Chafee, have pledged to use the new revenue to provide broad tax relief to businesses and consumers.\r\nThe tour kicked off at the Greenwich Odeum Theatre, where Senator Reed was joined by community and business leaders, including Jennifer Cervenka, President of the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce; Steve Lombardi, Executive Director of the Chamber; East Greenwich Town Manager Tom Coyle; East Greenwich Town Council President Michael Isaacs; and local business owners.\r\n\u201cThe East Greenwich Chamber is thrilled to have Senator Reed back in East Greenwich and to have him visit some of our wonderful small businesses,\u201d said Steve Lombardi, Executive Director of the Chamber.\u00a0 \u201cShopping and buying local is so important to our community as there are many economic and social reasons to do so.\u00a0 Last weekend we celebrated Small Business Saturday and had our first Holiday Stroll of the season.\u00a0 We are delighted that Senator Reed is such a strong proponent of small business and shopping local.\u00a0 We are confident that he will see a terrific variety of small businesses thriving in East Greenwich.\u00a0 We welcome the Senator back to East Greenwich.\u201d\r\nTogether the group visited more than a dozen shops on Main Street including: International Motor Group; Bags by Iris; Hair Plus/Colonial Shoe; Lina Piccolina; Main Street Coffee; Jigger\u2019s; Rasa; Norman\u2019s; Zuzu\u2019s; Time for Design; David-Max; Twigs Florist; Scribe; Shimmer\u2019s; and Hill and Harbor Veterinary.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-sba-commerceri-team-up-to-help-ri-small-businesses-compete-for-more-government-work", "Reed, SBA, CommerceRI Team Up to Help RI Small Businesses Compete for More Government Work", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0PROVIDENCE, RI \u2013 The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is partnering with the CommerceRI and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center to provide free counseling and training programs to the Rhode Island small business community on various aspects of federal, state and local procurement.\r\nThe co-sponsorship agreement was signed this morning by SBA Regional Administrator Seth Goodall and John (JR) Pagliarini, CommerceRI Chief of Staff, and SBA resource partners Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) and the RI Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and is effective immediately.\r\nFifteen workshops are included in the series and will cover topics ranging from marketing to the government, GSA schedules and Construction contracting for the Federal Government.\r\n\u201cThe SBA, CommerceRI, and PTAC are joining forces to provide even more effective managerial, technical, and contractual assistance to small businesses here in Rhode Island.\u00a0 The programs they offer can help companies looking to do business with the federal government, especially with the Department of Defense.\u00a0 I commend these organizations for working together to help local businesses pursue new contract opportunities, and ultimately help generate new jobs and a stronger economy.\u00a0 We want to ensure that more Rhode Island companies like Pilgrim Screw can compete and succeed,\u201d said US Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Armed Services Committee who has championed the PTAC program through his career and helped authorize $35.7 million for PTACs across the country in the latest National Defense Authorization Act.\r\nWorkshops will be held around the state to encourage more small business owners to get involved in government contracting.\u00a0 \u201cThis co-sponsorship agreement outlines how the SBA and CommerceRI will work to reach the business community and provide assistance in marketing, veterans\u2019 verification and cost and pricing methods,\u201d said Marcel Valois, Commerce RI Executive Director.\u00a0 \u201cWe know that this will be a springboard for many opportunities in Federal, State and local contracting,\u201d added Valois.\r\n\u201cSBA welcomes the opportunity to work with Bristol officials and our resource partners to bring these workshops and counseling opportunities to small businesses,\u201d said Seth Goodall, SBA Regional Administrator.\u00a0 \u201cThe workshops will be presented by instructors with a wealth of subject knowledge and I urge small business owners and managers to take advantage of these session.\u201d\r\nThe workshop series is also cosponsored by the Center for Women & Enterprise and the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center.\r\nAll workshops are open to the public and preregistration is required.\u00a0 To view the list of workshops and to register online, visit www.riptac.org/training or call PTAC at (401) 278-9173.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-nomination-of-ash-carter-to-be-secretary-of-defense", "Reed Statement on Nomination of Ash Carter to be Secretary of Defense", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/05/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement:\r\n\u201cAsh Carter is a strong choice for Secretary of Defense.\u00a0 He brings vast experience to the Pentagon, having served as Deputy Secretary of Defense, among other roles at the Pentagon, as well as extensive experience in the private sector and academia.\r\n\u201cAsh is an effective leader who has demonstrated a firm sense of integrity and sound judgment throughout his career in public service.\u00a0 His command of national security policy and his commitment to our men and women in uniform will serve him well as our next Secretary of Defense.\r\n\u201cI look forward to working with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee to ensure Ash receives a fair and expeditious nomination process.\u201d\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-approves-bill-establish-national-park-blackstone-river-valley", "House Approves Bill to Establish National Park in the Blackstone River Valley", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 In a victory for Rhode Island families and advocates for environmental protection and historic preservation, the U.S. House of Representatives today approved legislation to make the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Corridor a unit of the National Park System. U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) introduced the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act along with co-sponsors Richard E. Neal (D-MA), James McGovern (D-MA), and James Langevin (D-RI) to preserve the natural and historical significance of important sites along the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Corridor. This legislation was also introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).\n\u201cThis is great news for Rhode Island. The Blackstone River Valley is home to the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and it\u2019s long past time that this national treasure take a permanent place in the National Park System to preserve its historical significance for future generations of Rhode Islanders and visitors to enjoy,\u201d said Cicilline.\n\u201cI have been an enthusiastic supporter of the Blackstone Valley National Park Initiative for many years. In my opinion, the corridor is a special place that deserves to be part of a system that includes Yosemite, Acadia and the Grand Tetons. With this vote, we are one step closer to having the volunteers and professionals of the park system safeguard this magnificent natural resource in the center of New England,\u201d said Congressman Richard E. Neal.\n\u201cThis action represents a significant step in our efforts to preserve the history and ecology of the Blackstone Valley,\u201d Rep. McGovern said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long time coming, and I commend Congressman Cicilline and Senator Reed for their leadership.\u00a0 I look forward to seeing the Blackstone in our National Park System.\u201d\n\u201cThe Blackstone Valley is rich with natural resources, vibrant culture and historic significance. It is a source of pride for Rhode Islanders, and I am thrilled that the area is finally getting the recognition it deserves, thanks in large part to the leadership of my colleague, Congressman Cicilline,\u201d said Langevin.\nIn 2011, Cicilline introduced the House companion measure to the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act. Last year, Cicilline testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources\u2019 Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation in support of this legislation and in September the bill passed a critical hurdle when the House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act. Cicilline also worked with House lawmakers to include the legislation in the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was approved by the House today.\nSpanning from Worcester, MA to Providence, RI, the Blackstone River Valley is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. The Valley\u2019s beauty and history embodies a landscape rich in natural, historic, and cultural treasures. The legislation will help preserve these icons of industry, environment, and history for generations to come.\nNow that the FY15 NDAA bill has passed the House it must be approved by the U.S. Senate before being sent to the president\u2019s desk to become law. The Senate is expected to vote on this legislation next week.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-applauds-bipartisan-consensus-reached-national-defense-authorization-act", "Langevin Applauds Bipartisan Consensus Reached on National Defense Authorization Act", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, applauded today\u2019s passage of the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA, which passed the House by a vote of 300-119, authorizes $577.1 billion in spending for national defense programs for the fiscal year that began on October 1.\n\u201cThe National Defense Authorization Act is essential to our national security and to our ability to support our men and women in uniform. This bill represents a bipartisan compromise and will steer our defense goals and policies going forward, as the United States faces unprecedented challenges at home and abroad,\u201d said Langevin. \u201cI fought hard on behalf of Rhode Island, and this bill ensures the future success of the Virginia-class submarine program and our overall defense industry, which is central to our state\u2019s economy.\u201d\nThe NDAA restores $818 million in cuts made to base-budget readiness accounts, allowing military services to make necessary repairs and upgrades to facilities and infrastructure. It invests in crucial counterterrorism efforts, including the continued training of Syrian rebels, $1.6 billion to train and equip the Iraqi army, and a flexible $1.3 billion Counter Terrorism Partnership Fund that supports U.S. Building Partnership Capacity programs to combat terrorism in the Middle East and Africa.\n\u201cISIL poses a serious threat to our nation and to our allies around the globe, and it is imperative that we support the international coalition that is currently fighting to bring down this ruthless group of terrorists. I am pleased that the NDAA makes targeted investments to support that coalition of allies,\u201d Langevin continued.\nLangevin is the ranking member of the Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities (IETC) Subcommittee, and worked diligently to include investments for emerging technologies like electric weapons and broad-based R&D that will support the next generation of technologies.\nAs co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, Langevin is particularly encouraged to see additional provisions relating to cybersecurity. The legislation empowers the Department of Defense to recruit and retain a skilled cyber workforce, and increases transparency surrounding the ongoing efforts to strengthen the nation\u2019s cyber defenses. Langevin applauded the inclusion of language to address economic and industrial espionage, which is an insidious and pervasive threat to our national well-being.\nLangevin lauded the robust support of the nation\u2019s undersea capabilities contained within in the bill, which reflects years of sustained effort. The legislation authorizes the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines in 2015, and fully supports both the Block IV multiyear contract completed earlier this year to build ten submarines between 2014-2018 at a rate of two per year and the Virginia Payload Module program, which is the lowest risk, lowest cost, and best path for maintaining critical undersea strike capabilities.\u00a0 It also fully authorizes the budget request for the Ohio Replacement Program and creates a National Sea-Based Deterrent Fund.\nAdditional provisions Langevin championed in the bill include those that address psychological health challenges in the Special Operations community, emphasize the importance of adequate testing and assessment of ballistic missile defense system elements before final production or deployment, provide greater support for counter-proliferation efforts, and highlight the roles of the Guard and Reserve in cyberspace. He also noted the exclusion of troublesome provisions that he fought against, including those that would have critically hampered the Navy\u2019s ability to train its future nuclear-qualified personnel and placed rigid requirements on the nation\u2019s nuclear deterrent structure.\nThe NDAA provides $1.19 billion for military family housing, includes a 1 percent pay raise for American troops, and ensures that servicemembers have access to education and training that will ease their transition back into civilian life at the completion of their service. In particular, the bill enhances authorities to help servicemembers obtain professional credentials and aids them in their pursuit of higher education through the GI Bill and federal financial aid resources.\n\u201cWe have a responsibility to support the men and women who protect this country, and that includes providing sufficient resources to allow them to assimilate back into our communities and lead productive, healthy lives,\u201d Langevin said. \u201cIt is unacceptable that any returning veteran should face unemployment or homelessness. We must hold up our end of the bargain, and I am glad that the NDAA provides supports that will help ensure the long-term success of our veterans.\u201d\nThe legislation affords significant resources for the health and safety of servicemembers. It includes measures to prevent sexual assault in the military, protect victims of assault and prosecute offenders, requiring the establishment of a Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces. It also ramps up efforts to fight mental illness and reduce suicide rates among military members. The Secretary of Defense would be required to provide a person-to-person mental health assessment for active duty and selected reserve members each year. Additionally, there are provisions to better identify and treat mental health conditions and traumatic brain injuries, and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.\n\u201cThis bill is not perfect, but it is the result of healthy and lengthy debate and compromise. As long as sequestration remains in place, military readiness will continue to be hindered, and I believe we need a better long-term strategy to address the financial constraints we face,\u201d Langevin said. \u201cThis bill reflects our continued commitment to our troops, and it is a critical enabler of our military\u2019s continued efforts to fight our enemies and further protect our nation. I am grateful to Chairman Buck McKeon and Ranking Member Adam Smith, as well as my IETC Subcommittee Chairman Mac Thornberry for their leadership on this legislation and on all national security issues.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-courtney-cicilline-applaud-passage-wood-pawcatuck-watershed-protection-act", "Langevin, Courtney, Cicilline Applaud Passage of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI), Joe Courtney (D-CT) and David Cicilline (D-RI) applauded today\u2019s passage of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act, legislation that Langevin and Courtney first introduced in 2010. Langevin reintroduced the bill with Courtney and Cicilline in the House in 2013. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.\nThe Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act, which passed today as part of the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act, will pave the way for the Pawcatuck River and other South County and Southeast Connecticut waterways to receive federal funds and protections under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.\n\u201cThis legislation has been a long time coming, and its passage finally recognizes the important role these waterways play in the Rhode Island and Connecticut economies,\u201d said Langevin. \u201cWe must preserve the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed for the sake of our tourism, fishing and recreation industries, and extending the protections provided by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to this area would ensure the long-term health of this important natural resource.\u201d\n\u201cThe Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed is one of our region\u2019s greatest natural treasures, and I am thrilled that our many years of advocacy for the watershed are paying dividends. Our coastal communities would benefit greatly from the environmental preservation funding that comes with a Wild and Scenic River designation, and I look forward to seeing this process move forward,\u201d said Courtney.\n\u201cThe Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed and all of Rhode Island\u2019s waterways give an economic boost to local communities and provide residents and visitors access to the natural beauty of our state. This bill will provide effective federal support to ensure our rivers stay healthy for years to come,\u201d said Cicilline. \u201cI congratulate my colleague Congressman Langevin whose strong advocacy was essential in advancing this legislation.\u201d\nThe legislation mandates a study on the rivers contained within the 300 square mile Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Any portions that are deemed appropriate for classification under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System would then be eligible for existing federal funds. The legislation is supported by the State of Rhode Island\u2019s Department of Environmental Management, the State of Connecticut\u2019s Department of Environmental Protection, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, the Nature Conservancy and Save the Bay.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/key-defense-bill-moves-another-step-closer-to-final-passage", "Key Defense Bill Moves Another Step Closer to Final Passage", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/04/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 After months of hearings and bipartisan negotiations, Congress is poised to pass the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\u00a0 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the $521 billion NDAA authorization to help maintain a strong, flexible military while providing critical support for U.S. troops and their families, as well as additional funds for conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and countering ISIL.\u00a0\r\nThe bipartisan agreement includes a number of key provisions that were sponsored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Committee, and recognizes the increasing strategic importance Rhode Island plays in our national defense.\r\nAs the Chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, Reed authored key sections of the NDAA designed to strengthen our nation\u2019s naval readiness and boost submarine manufacturing, which is a vital part of Rhode Island\u2019s defense industry.\u00a0 Reed helped ensure the 2015 Defense Authorization bill includes full funding for the continuation of two Virginia-class submarines, which is critical given the cost savings achieved, the efficiencies gained in the production schedule, and the projected shortfall in attack submarines over the next decade.\r\n\u201cThis is a balanced investment in maintaining a strong national defense and addressing future national security challenges.\u00a0 The NDAA seeks to better align American military strategy to available resources and I commend Chairman Levin and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working together on this bipartisan blueprint,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0 \u201cI am pleased the House voted on a bipartisan basis and I look forward to the Senate debating and passing the bill next week.\u201d\r\nReed noted that as part of the strategy laid out in the NDAA, submarines\u2019 unique capability for stealth, strike capacity, and ability to deliver special forces personnel into difficult environments make them an extremely effective force multiplier and deterrent to our adversaries: \u201cAs our strategy focuses more on the Asia Pacific region, it is vital we have a robust submarine fleet.\u00a0 This legislation authorizes full funding for the continuation of the Virginia-class submarine, a critical component of both our national defense capabilities and the Rhode Island economy,\u201d said Reed.\r\nA number of Rhode Island-related projects are set to receive federal funding under this bipartisan defense legislation now making its way through the Senate, including:\r\n \r\n$5.9 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, including two submarines in 2015, and advance procurement funding for two ships planned in 2016.\u00a0 The bill supports the ten boat, multi-year contract that the Navy and Electric Boat signed in April.\r\nFull funding to continue development of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine replacement, and establishment of a National Sea-based Deterrence Fund to provide resources for ensuring that the Ohio-class replacement program is implemented at the appropriate level of priority assigned to it by the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations.\r\nFull funding for the continued research and development of the Virginia Payload Module.\r\n$801.7 million for a Moored Training Ship.\r\n$419.5 million for the DDG-1000 destroyer program.\r\n$35.7 million for the Procurement Technical Assistance Program, which assists small businesses in contracting with DOD.\r\nRestores $25 million in funding to STARBASE, a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education program.\r\n$5 million in Impact Aid for schools with military dependent children with severe disabilities.\r\n \r\nThe NDAA also includes the HAVEN Act, bipartisan legislation that Reed introduced last year to create a competitive pilot program allowing non-profit organizations to apply for grants administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help make home repairs and improvements for disabled or low-income veterans.\u00a0 The work would include simple repairs to help keep veterans safe, such as repairing roofs, floors, walls, electrical wiring, and plumbing; replacing leaky or damaged doors and windows; and installing wheelchair ramps and widening doorways and passageways.\u00a0 In order to extend the reach of this federal funding, grant recipients would be expected to either match federal funding or make in-kind contributions, such as through encouraging volunteers to help make repairs or engaging businesses to donate needed supplies.\r\nOther key provisions Reed supported in the NDAA include:\r\nSexual Assault Reform: Further improves DOD\u2019s programs to prevent sexual assaults, assist victims, and more strongly punish offenders.\u00a0 The bill includes several provisions from the Victims Protection Act, which passed the Senate by a vote of 97-0 in March.\r\nPay Raise for Service Members: Authorizes a 1 percent across-the-board pay raise for all members of the uniformed services, consistent with the President\u2019s request.\r\nPublic Lands Bills: In an effort to preserve an important piece of American history and invest in Rhode Island\u2019s future, the bill includes a number of bipartisan public lands bills, including Reed\u2019s Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act to establish a new unit of the National Park System along the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 The multi-site park will include areas of the Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket and nearby mill towns, including Slatersville (in North Smithfield) and Ashton (in Cumberland) in Rhode Island and Whitinsville and Hopedale in Massachusetts.\u00a0\r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives voted 300-119 to pass the NDAA bill today.\u00a0 The full U.S. Senate is expected to take up the bill early next week, with a vote on final passage later in the week.\u00a0 Once both chambers approve the measure it will then be sent to the President to be signed into law.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-urges-congress-to-pass-able-act", "Reed Urges Congress to Pass ABLE Act", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/04/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 In an effort to help individuals with long-term disabilities become more financially independent, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is urging Congress to pass the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which would allow tax advantaged savings accounts for care of those with disabilities and help parents of individuals with disabilities to save for their child\u2019s future needs.\r\nCurrent law makes it difficult for many adults with long-term disabilities such as Down syndrome or autism to save money to cover costs related to their disability without becoming ineligible for important support and benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, if they hold more than $2,000 in total assets.\u00a0\r\nThe ABLE Act would allow individuals with disabilities or their beneficiaries to create a savings account similar to the 529 College Savings Account, which allow families to set aside money for a child's college investment fund.\u00a0 Under the Reed-backed ABLE Act, individuals could save up to $14,000 per year in their ABLE accounts, removing disincentives to work and allowing them to pay for their own health care and other long-term support services.\u00a0 ABLE accounts would supplement coverage already provided to Americans with disabilities under Medicaid and other assistance programs and help cover qualified expenses such as education, housing, medical, and transportation needs.\r\nInterest earned on savings within the ABLE accounts would be tax-free.\r\n\u201cCongress must work together to increase opportunities for citizens with disabilities.\u00a0 The ABLE Act would remove an outdated barrier and help more people with disabilities save for their future and reach their full potential,\u201d said Reed, an original cosponsor of the ABLE Act.\u00a0 \u201cFamilies should be able to equally care for their children and adults with disabilities, just like they can for their other family members.\u201d\r\nIn order to qualify, beneficiaries must have been diagnosed with a disability by age 26, and beneficiaries may only have one account.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe ABLE Act is about ensuring fairness in the tax code and encouraging Americans with disabilities and their families to save for their future needs.\u00a0 I hope the Senate will soon vote on final passage of the bill before Congress adjourns for the year,\u201d concluded Reed.\r\nLast night the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill with a strong bipartisan vote of 404-17.\u00a0 Now the U.S. Senate must act before Congress adjourns or the bill will go back to square one in the new Congress.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-blumenthal-and-eshoo-renew-push-against-misleading-practices-by-outlet-stores", "Whitehouse, Blumenthal & Eshoo Renew Push Against Misleading Practices by Outlet Stores", "2014-12-04", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.04.14\n\t\t\t Whitehouse, Blumenthal & Eshoo Renew Push Against Misleading Practices by Outlet Stores \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 With the holiday shopping season upon us, three Members of Congress are renewing their call for action against misleading marketing practices by outlet stores across the United States.\u00a0 In a letter sent today to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) expressed their \u201ccontinued concern regarding the use of deceptive reference pricing practices at both online and brick-and-mortar outlet stores.\u201d\r\nThe Members first wrote to Ramirez in January, urging the agency to look into claims that merchants may be selling lower quality items produced specifically for outlet stores without properly informing consumers about the difference between those items and higher-quality products found in regular retail stores.\u00a0 Following the January letter, the FTC published this blog post providing tips to consumers.\u00a0 Today\u2019s letter follows up on the Members\u2019 initial request.\r\n\u201cWhile we recognize that outlet and off-price stores can benefit consumers by providing access to lower-cost merchandise, they should not do so through deceptive pricing practices.\u00a0 The FTC is obligated to protect consumers by ensuring that retailers present truthful and accurate information regarding the merchandise they sell,\u201d they wrote today.\u00a0 \u201cWith the holiday season upon us, and in light of recent lawsuits, we respectfully request an update of the work the FTC is doing to combat deceptive practices at outlet and off-price stores.\u201d\r\nThe full text of the letter is below.\r\n-------------------------------\r\nDecember 04, 2014  The Honorable Edith Ramirez  Chairwoman  Federal Trade Commission  600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\r\nDear Chairwoman Ramirez:\r\nAs consumers begin their holiday shopping season, we write to express our continued concern regarding the use of deceptive reference pricing practices at both online and brick-and-mortar outlet stores.\r\nWe first wrote to you about unfair practices at outlet stores on January 30, 2014. Since then, at least eleven class action lawsuits alleging deceptive pricing policies have been filed against seven different retailers. While we do not comment on the merits of the individual cases, we believe these allegations warrant the Federal Trade Commission\u2019s (FTC) attention.\r\nAt least one retailer has already been found guilty of fraudulent and misleading practices. In August, a California court, in the case of the People of California v. Overstock.com, ordered the online off-price retailer Overstock.com to pay $6.8 million in civil penalties for violating state consumer protection statutes regarding false advertising and unlawful business practices. The court concluded, \u201cOverstock has consistently used [advertised reference prices] in a manner designed to overstate the amount of savings to be enjoyed by shopping on the Overstock site.\u201d\r\nCurrently, many retailers sell different lines of goods at retail mall stores and outlet mall stores.\u00a0 For a hypothetical example, a better known \u201cQuality Clothes, Inc.\u201d with stores in retail malls might have sister stores at outlet malls using the label \u201cQuality Clothes Factory, Inc.\u201d\u00a0 These similar names can obscure the fact that the vast majority of merchandise sold at most outlet stores was manufactured specifically for outlet sales.\u00a0 Customers are too often unaware that the merchandise for sale in outlet stores is of a lower quality than similar goods sold by affiliated retail store brands.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nTo make matters worse, outlet stores commonly list \u201creference prices\u201d on their price tags\u2014numbers that suggests they are selling merchandise at a discount.\u00a0 Often a reference price is listed as a \u201cretail price\u201d even though the good was manufactured specifically for the outlet and was never sold at the purported \u201cretail price.\u201d By citing a \u201cretail price\u201d ungrounded in fact, outlet sellers may suggest they offer better deals than they do. We continue to believe that these practices may be a violation of the FTC\u2019s Guides Against Deceptive Pricing (16 CFR 233).\r\nWhile we recognize that outlet and off-price stores can benefit consumers by providing access to lower-cost merchandise, they should not do so through deceptive pricing practices. The FTC is obligated to protect consumers by ensuring that retailers present truthful and accurate information regarding the merchandise they sell.\r\nWith the holiday season upon us, and in light of recent lawsuits, we respectfully request an update of the work the FTC is doing to combat deceptive practices at outlet and off-price stores.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSen. Richard Blumenthal\r\nSen. Sheldon Whitehouse\r\nRep. Anna Eshoo\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/as-supreme-court-hears-pregnancy-discrimination-case-reed-urges-congress-to-protect-expecting-mothers", "As Supreme Court Hears Pregnancy Discrimination Case, Reed Urges Congress to Protect Expecting Mothers", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/03/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 With the U.S. Supreme Court today hearing oral arguments in a pregnancy discrimination case of Peggy Young v. UPS, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is calling on Congress to better protect working pregnant women across the United States.\u00a0 Today, the Court heard the case of Peggy Young, a United Parcel Service (UPS) package driver who was forced off the job while she was pregnant, when she requested a temporary light-duty position.\u00a0 The case could determine whether and when the landmark Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires an employer to make reasonable accommodations for a pregnant worker out of a medical need.\r\nSenator Reed is a cosponsor of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (S. 942), which would strengthen the rights of pregnant workers to request accommodations during their pregnancy without fear of retribution.\u00a0 The bill\u2019s goal is to ensure employers make reasonable accommodations to help women stay on the job if they choose to work while pregnant.\r\n\u201cRegardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court\u2019s decision, most Americans agree that a woman shouldn\u2019t have to choose between her job and her pregnancy.\u00a0 Congress should work together and pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to sensibly update the law and ensure all women have the opportunity to work during pregnancy,\u201d said Reed.\u00a0 \u201cAdopting these types of reasonable accommodations to enable pregnant women to stay on the job makes good sense for businesses, families, and our economy.\u00a0 Our nation\u2019s economic health and physical health are strengthened by smart, family-friendly policies that meet the needs of working mothers.\u201d\r\nMore than 40 percent of mothers are now the sole or primary source of income for the household, according to a June 2014 report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors.\r\nThe Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would secure the right of a pregnant worker to ask for workplace accommodations without fear of retribution.\r\nCurrently, pregnant working women around the country are often denied simple adjustments \u2013 permission to use a stool while working a cash register, or to carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated, or temporary reassignment to lighter duty tasks \u2013 that would keep them working and supporting their families while maintaining healthy pregnancies. \u00a0The legislation will close legal loopholes and ensure that pregnant women are treated fairly on the job.\r\nThe bill would also bar employers from denying employment opportunities to women based on their need for reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.\r\n\u201cThis bill would ensure pregnant workers have on-the-job protections.\u00a0 I hope Congress can quickly get it passed and help more working moms and moms-to-be,\u201d concluded Reed.\r\nPresident Obama has endorsed the bill and indicated that if Congress passes the legislation he would sign it into law.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/congress-set-to-approve-reeds-bill-to-create-a-new-national-historical-park-unit-within-the-blackstone-river-valley", "Congress Set to Approve Reed’s Bill to Create a New National Historical Park Unit Within the Blackstone River Valley", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/03/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 In an effort to preserve an important piece of American history and invest in Rhode Island\u2019s future, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, successfully attached two key public lands initiatives for Rhode Island to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which should be approved by both houses of Congress by next week.\u00a0\r\nThe bill includes Reed\u2019s Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park Establishment Act to establish a new unit of the National Park System along the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 The multi-site park will include areas of the Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket and nearby mill towns, including Slatersville (in North Smithfield) and Ashton (in Cumberland) in Rhode Island and Whitinsville and Hopedale in Massachusetts.\u00a0\r\n\u201cI am pleased we were able to reach a bipartisan agreement on a package of long-standing public lands bills, including two key Rhode Island public lands priorities.\u00a0 The Blackstone Valley is a national treasure that deserves to be preserved.\u00a0 It is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and includes thousands of acres of beautiful, undeveloped land, and waterways that are home to diverse wildlife, cultural sites, and numerous recreational opportunities for Rhode Islanders.\u00a0 For years, I have led the effort to have the area recognized as a national historical park,\u201d said Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, which oversees federal funding for the National Park Service.\u00a0 \u201cThis is an important step toward permanently preserving nationally significant sites within the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor as part of the National Park System.\u00a0 This designation could help bring more visitors to Rhode Island and ensures the federal government will partner with the state and local communities to protect these resources.\u00a0 I appreciate the efforts of Congressman Cicilline and all the members of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts delegations who supported this.\u201d\r\nDesignated as a National Heritage Corridor in 1986 by Congress, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor links twenty-four communities along the Blackstone River from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts.\r\nIf approved by Congress and signed into law by President Obama, the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park likely would be run collaboratively through a special partnership that would allow the National Park Service to manage and operate the facilities and provide educational services in the park in partnership with regional and local preservation groups who would lead the efforts to preserve the surrounding rural and agriculture landscape within the existing corridor.\r\nOver the years, Senator Reed has brought multiple U.S. Secretaries of the Interior up to Rhode Island to see the proposed park area and the importance of preserving it.\u00a0 He also led the successful effort to keep the Corridor eligible for federal funding.\u00a0 Last year, Reed secured $650,000 in federal funding for the Blackstone Heritage Corridor through the National Heritage Area program.\r\nAccording to the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, to date, more than $25 million has been spent on preserving historic buildings, creating museums, constructing visitor centers, and building permanent exhibits in the Heritage Corridor.\u00a0 Since 2002, Senator Reed helped secured over $11 million in federal funding for the Corridor and an additional $6.9 million for the Blackstone River Valley Bikeway.\r\nThe NDAA bill also includes Senator Reed and Congressman Jim Langevin\u2019s (D-RI) Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act to make federal restoration and conservation resources available to the Pawcatuck River, as well as other South County and Southeast Connecticut streams.\r\n\u201cThe Wood and Pawcatuck Rivers are important to Rhode Island\u2019s economy and environment and we must protect these natural resources.\u00a0 I commend Congressman Langevin for his efforts to get this bill done.\u00a0 This initiative could help develop a collaborative river management plan to address issues ranging from fish passages to the restoration of wetlands to assistance with flood mitigation,\u201d said Reed.\r\nThe U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote first on the NDAA, followed by the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 The bill could be sent to the President to be signed into law as early as next week.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/newsletters/tis-season", "'Tis the Season", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dear Friends, \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCan you believe it\u2019s December? The holidays are around the corner, and 2014 will be over before we know it. It is a busy time of year, so I was glad for the chance to really appreciate the small businesses that make up the backbone of Rhode Island\u2019s economy.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSmall Business Saturday is an effort to encourage consumers to buy local, and I helped to kick off the local initiative. It reminded me how important it is to support our locally-owned shops and restaurants. My late father ran a hardware store for many years, and it took a toll on him when the big box stores put him out of business. Over the years, my parents owned several small businesses, and I saw firsthand how challenging it can be. The work is hard, but also fulfilling, both as an owner and as a customer.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen you shop local, more of your money is staying in the community. It is easy to run down your shopping list with a few clicks of the mouse, but this holiday season, I encourage you to join me and shop small and dine small. It\u2019s good for our economy, and it\u2019s good for the soul.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTo learn more about my work, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-arts-humanities-groups-receive-176000-federal-grants", "RI Arts & Humanities Groups Receive $176,000 in Federal Grants", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced over $176,000 in federal funding for Rhode Island organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).\n$136,000 in NEA funding will go to five recipients in Rhode Island for theatre productions, research, and instruction and mentorships programming for young people. $40,322 in competitive grants from the NEH will go to three recipients for digital projects and preservation.\n\u201cI am pleased that Rhode Island arts and humanities organizations have been selected to receive these federal grants to help build stronger communities and boost economic growth and education through the arts and cultural engagement,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, who has led efforts in Congress to support NEA and NEH funding. This summer, Senator Reed brought NEA Chairman Jane Chu to Rhode Island to meet with members of Rhode Island\u2019s arts community.\n\u201cIn Rhode Island, we have top-notch arts and humanities groups,\u201d said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an ex-officio member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the NEA. \u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m glad to see this federal funding come to Rhode Island. It will strengthen organizations that make Rhode Island such a vibrant and distinctive place, and provide an important boost to our economy.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s vibrant arts scene is a huge part of what makes this state an exciting place to live and visit,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u201cThese federal funds will further enhance an already-thriving industry. I am particularly pleased to see a strong focus on youth programming, inspiring the next generation of talent in the Ocean State.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island arts and humanities organizations support creative thinking, enhance culture, and provide significant economic benefits to cities and towns throughout the state,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline. \u201cAs a longtime advocate for robust arts and humanities programs, I\u2019m delighted these funds will provide effective federal support to enrich Rhode Island communities.\u201d\nThe arts grants are among the first to be issued this fiscal year following the NEA\u2019s review of over 3,400 applications for funding. NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, \u201cSince coming to the NEA, I have met with many NEA grantees and have seen first-hand the positive impact they have on their communities. These new projects will continue to demonstrate the power the arts have to deepen value, build connections, and foster an atmosphere of creativity and innovation both at the community level and with individuals throughout the nation.\u201d\nThe NEA and NEH were established through legislation championed by former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell.\nNEA recipients include:\n The Everett Company (in partnership with Brown University) \u2013 $10,000 for Everett\u2019s \u201cFreedom Project\u201d theatre production;\n\tThe Alliance of Artists Communities \u2013 $40,000 for research into connections between art and science;\n\tThe Trinity Repertory Company \u2013 $20,000 for a theatre production;\n\tProvidence City Arts for Youth, Inc. \u2013 $55,000 for instruction and mentorships in music, dance, theater, creative writing, visual arts, and design;\n\tNew Urban Arts \u2013 $11,000 for instruction in photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion design, printmaking, screen-printing, poetry/spoken-word, video, and digital media.\n NEH recipients include:\n Brown University \u2013 $29,755 for a digital history project entitled, \u201cExploring the Four Elements: Toward a Digital Environmental History of the Americas\u201d;\n\tNewport Art Museum and Art Association \u2013 $4,984 to improve lighting at the Newport Art Museum;\n\tPreserve Rhode Island \u2013 $5,583 to develop an environmental monitoring program for the Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-arts-and-humanities-groups-receive-176000-in-federal-grants", "RI Arts & Humanities Groups Receive $176,000 in Federal Grants", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/02/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced over $176,000 in federal funding for Rhode Island organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).\u00a0 \r\n$136,000 in NEA funding will go to five recipients in Rhode Island for theatre productions, research, and instruction and mentorships programming for young people. \u00a0$40,322 in competitive grants from the NEH will go to three recipients for digital projects and preservation.\r\n\u201cI am pleased that Rhode Island arts and humanities organizations have been selected to receive these federal grants to help build stronger communities and boost economic growth and education through the arts and cultural engagement,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior & Environment, who has led efforts in Congress to support NEA and NEH funding.\u00a0 This summer, Senator Reed brought NEA Chairman Jane Chu to Rhode Island to meet with members of Rhode Island\u2019s arts community.\r\n\u201cIn Rhode Island, we have top-notch arts and humanities groups,\u201d said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, an ex-officio member of the National Council on the Arts, the advisory body of the NEA. \u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s why\u00a0I\u2019m glad to see this federal funding come to Rhode Island. \u00a0It will strengthen organizations that make Rhode Island such a vibrant and distinctive place, and provide an important boost to our economy.\u201d\r\n\u201cRhode Island\u2019s vibrant arts scene is a huge part of what makes this state an exciting place to live and visit,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u00a0\u201cThese federal funds will further enhance an already-thriving industry. I am particularly pleased to see a strong focus on youth programming, inspiring the next generation of talent in the Ocean State.\u201d\r\n\u201cRhode Island arts and humanities organizations support creative thinking, enhance culture, and provide significant economic benefits to cities and towns throughout the state,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline. \u00a0\u201cAs a longtime advocate for robust arts and humanities programs, I\u2019m delighted these funds will provide effective federal support to enrich Rhode Island communities.\u201d\r\nThe arts grants are among the first to be issued this fiscal year following the NEA\u2019s review of over 3,400 applications for funding.\u00a0 NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, \u201cSince coming to the NEA, I have met with many NEA grantees and have seen first-hand the positive impact they have on their communities. \u00a0These new projects will continue to demonstrate the power the arts have to deepen value, build connections, and foster an atmosphere of creativity and innovation both at the community level and with individuals throughout the nation.\u201d\r\nThe NEA and NEH were established through legislation championed by former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell.\r\nNEA recipients include:\r\nThe Everett Company (in partnership with Brown University) \u2013 $10,000 for Everett\u2019s \u201cFreedom Project\u201d theatre production;\r\n\r\nThe Alliance of Artists Communities \u2013 $40,000 for research into connections between art and science;\r\nThe Trinity Repertory Company \u2013 $20,000 for a theatre production;\r\nProvidence City Arts for Youth, Inc. \u2013 $55,000 for instruction and mentorships in music, dance, theater, creative writing, visual arts, and design;\r\nNew Urban Arts \u2013 $11,000 for instruction in photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, fashion design, printmaking, screen-printing, poetry/spoken-word, video, and digital media.\r\n\u00a0\r\nNEH recipients include:\r\nBrown University \u2013 $29,755 for a digital history project entitled, \u201cExploring the Four Elements: Toward a Digital Environmental History of the Americas\u201d;\r\n\r\nNewport Art Museum and Art Association \u2013 $4,984 to improve lighting at the Newport Art Museum;\r\nPreserve Rhode Island \u2013 $5,583 to develop an environmental monitoring program for the Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum.\r\n\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205205744/http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/video-audio/sen-whitehouse-remarks-at-senate-addiction-forum", "Sen. Whitehouse Remarks at Senate Addiction Forum", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "As Sheldon travels the ocean state, he\u2019s been hearing from middle-class families, seniors, small business owners \u2013 taking that information back to Washington and standing up for Rhode Island.\nWe invite you to use the resources in this section to learn more about Sheldon\u2019s latest efforts for the Ocean State.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find video, press releases, speeches and more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-host-bipartisan-forum-on-collateral-consequences-of-addiction", "Senators Host Bipartisan Forum on “Collateral Consequences” of Addiction", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.02.14\n\t\t\t Senators Host Bipartisan Forum on \u201cCollateral Consequences\u201d of Addiction \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Today a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators co-hosted a forum in the U.S. Capitol entitled \u201cAddiction: Understanding the Science and Addressing Collateral Consequences.\u201d\u00a0 U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) convened the forum, which featured panel discussions on the science of addiction and the ways in which current laws can create \u201ccollateral consequences\u201d for individuals in recovery by establishing barriers to education and employment.\r\n\u201cIndividuals who have been convicted of drug crimes, have served their sentences, and have completed the path to recovery too often face additional penalties long after their release.\u00a0 From barriers to affordable housing and education, to limitations on employment options, these \u2018collateral consequences\u2019 can linger years after an individual has committed an offense,\u201d Whitehouse said.\u00a0 \u201cAs a whole, the collateral consequences of drug convictions impose costs not only on those directly affected, but on society as a whole.\u00a0 If education and employment are the best predictors of successful re-entry into society, we all pay the price of limiting their accessibility.\u201d\r\n\u201cAs a former prosecutor, I\u2019ve seen firsthand the devastating consequences of drug addiction,\u201d Klobuchar said. \u201cFrom undermining education and employment to tearing apart families, addiction has far-reaching impacts that hurt communities across the country. We need to do everything we can to fight this growing epidemic, and I\u2019ll continue pushing efforts to expand the use of proven tools in the fight against addiction.\u201d\r\n\u201cJust last week, I met with a New Hampshire family who tragically lost their 20-year-old daughter to a heroin overdose.\u00a0 Too many families in New Hampshire and across the country are finding themselves in the same place as this family,\u201d said Senator Ayotte.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s bipartisan forum was an important opportunity to share insights and expertise as we look for the most effective ways to help our communities fight addiction and help individuals in recovery. We cannot arrest our way out of this problem \u2013 we need to take a multi-faceted approach that includes law enforcement, prevention, treatment, and education.\u201d\r\nIn September the Senators introduced the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, along with Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).\u00a0 The bill would encourage states to adopt comprehensive responses to the nation\u2019s opioid abuse crisis, including steps designed to mitigate collateral consequences for drug offenders.\r\nIn addition to the Senators, speakers at the forum also included Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.\u00a0\r\nThe day\u2019s first panel discussion, \u201cUnderstanding the Science of Addiction,\u201d was moderated by Peter Palanca, COO of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) Illinois and featured Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Dr. A. Thomas McLellan, Chair of the Board and Co-Founder of the Treatment Research Institute.\r\nThe day\u2019s second panel discussion, \u201cAddressing Collateral Consequences of Addiction,\u201d was moderated by Carol McDaid from Faces and Voices of Recovery.\u00a0 Participants included Amy Solomon, Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice\u2019s Office of Justice Programs; Gary C. Mohr, Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections; Bill Williams and Margot Head, New York residents whose son died from heroin use; Danielle Tarino, Public Health Advisor at the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration; and Linda Hurley, Director of Clinical Services and Chief Operating Officer at CODAC Behavioral Healthcare in Rhode Island.\r\nToday\u2019s event was the third in a series of bipartisan briefings looking at ways to better support addiction treatment and recovery.\u00a0 Earlier this summer, a briefing hosted by the Senators focused on Women and Addiction.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/van-hollen-to-serve-as-new-co-chair-of-bicameral-task-force-on-climate-change", "Van Hollen to Serve as New Co-Chair of Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.09.14\n\t\t\t Van Hollen to Serve as New Co-Chair of Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Last year, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) founded the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change, and have served as the group\u2019s lead co-chairs \u2013 organizing policy discussions, holding public events, and releasing white papers outlining policy options for the Executive Branch.\u00a0 Now, with Rep. Waxman retiring at the end of this Congress, he and Sen. Whitehouse today announced that Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) will be joining the Task Force as its new lead co-chair in the House of Representatives.\r\n\u201cChris Van Hollen will be an outstanding leader of the Task Force,\u201d said Rep. Waxman.\u00a0 \u201cHe is one of the most effective and hardest working members in Congress.\u00a0 The task force will take a strong leadership role on climate change with Chris joining Senator Whitehouse, Senator Markey, and Senator Cardin in the Senate and Congressman Rush and Congressman Blumenauer in the House.\u201d\r\n\u201cHenry Waxman is one of the most forceful advocates for progressive causes our nation has ever known, and working with him to push for action on climate change has been one of the great honors of my time in the Senate,\u201d said Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cWhile we will miss Henry\u2019s leadership in Congress, I can\u2019t imagine a better partner to carry on his climate legacy in the House than Chris Van Hollen.\u00a0 I look forward to working with him and all of our colleagues on the Task Force to bring more attention to the climate threat and develop effective policy solutions.\u201d\r\n\u201cCombating climate change is a national security, environmental, and moral battle, and out of this great challenge comes great economic opportunity for the United States if we lead the charge,\u201d said Congressman Van Hollen.\u00a0 \u201cHenry Waxman has been a champion of the environment and public health for his entire career and no one can fill his shoes alone, but I look forward to working with Sheldon Whitehouse and our co-chairs to build on the great work he\u2019s done to elevate the climate threat as a national priority and turn the tide on one of humanity\u2019s greatest collective challenges.\u201d\r\nIn addition to Whitehouse and Van Hollen, Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Bobby L. Rush, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer will continue to serve as Task Force co-chairs in the new Congress.\u00a0\r\n\u201cHenry Waxman has been a close friend and colleague for many years and it has been a privilege to work side-by-side with him in our effort to address the threats of climate change,\u201d said Cardin.\u00a0 \u201cChris Van Hollen understands that science-driven policy to address climate change is essential.\u00a0 As Marylanders, we see the threats climate change pose to our state where 70 percent of residents live within coastal areas and the prospect of sea level rise and intense storms pose a serious risk.\u00a0 Chris has demonstrated his leadership on this issue by proposing cap and dividend legislation, as well as a strong track record working to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.\u00a0 I look forward to our work together on the Task Force.\u201d\r\n\u201cI fought alongside Henry Waxman for decades, and his record on the environment is unmatched,\" said Markey. \"Chris Van Hollen is a budget whiz, so he recognizes when the numbers aren\u2019t right. That\u2019s why his voice in this climate fight, when pollution levels and temperatures continue to rise, is so credible and important. Representative Van Hollen knows our planet is in the red, and it\u2019s going to take a huge effort in Congress to fight back against the polluting interests who block climate change action.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cCongressman Waxman has been a tireless champion for the environment and for combating climate change,\u201d said Blumenauer.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s been a pleasure to work with him and he be missed in his role as a fellow co-chair on the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change.\u00a0 Congressman Van Hollen is a wonderful choice to fill this spot, and I look forward to working with him in this capacity to build awareness and advocate for solutions to one of the most pressing challenges of our time.\u201d\r\nOver the past two years the Task Force has hosted a series of roundtable discussions highlighting the effects of climate change on different communities and the work professional sports leagues, major corporations, our nation\u2019s military, and others are doing to address these threats.\u00a0 The Task Force has also released two white papers recommending specific steps the Departments of Energy and Interior can take in carrying out the President\u2019s Climate Action Plan.\u00a0 The group will continue to carry out similar activities in the new Congress.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-to-epa-the-public-is-with-you", "Sen. Whitehouse to EPA: The Public is With You", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.01.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse to EPA: The Public is With You \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t RI Senator Submits Formal Comments on EPA\u2019s Proposed Limits on Carbon Pollution from Power Plants\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t Washington, DC \u2013 In June, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants, which are scheduled to be finalized after public comment and subsequent review.\u00a0 With the public comment period closing today, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is submitting formal comments urging EPA to strengthen its proposal and to ensure that fear mongering from opponents doesn\u2019t derail its efforts.\r\n\u201cYou have the moral, economic, scientific, and popular high ground,\u201d Whitehouse wrote.\u00a0 \u201cEPA\u2019s carbon pollution standards for existing power plants are one of the most important standards to ever have been developed by your agency.\u00a0 As you move forward, please remember that the public is relying on you to address the climate threat and to remain strong.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse\u2019s letter also asks EPA to expand the final standards to incentivize even more renewable energy and energy efficiency and to explicitly recognize the potential of emerging technologies to reduce carbon pollution.\u00a0 For example, Whitehouse notes that EPA recognizes carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a potential compliance option in its proposed rule, but makes no mention of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies, such as algae.\u00a0\r\nWhitehouse included this request after visiting BioProcess Algae in Portsmouth, RI with Senator Joe Manchin in October.\u00a0 The company has developed a process for converting carbon pollution into eco-friendly products such as animal feed and biodiesel.\u00a0\r\n\u201cEPA should send a signal that CCU and not simply CCS would be a welcome means of compliance for states,\u201d Whitehouse wrote.\r\nWhitehouse concluded his comments by urging EPA to thoroughly consider comments submitted by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) \u2013 a regional cap-and-trade system that Rhode Island participates in \u2013 to ensure that market-based programs like RGGI can be used to achieve compliance with the final power plants standards.\u00a0 He also urged EPA to consider steps to enable states to comply with the standards using carbon taxes or fees.\u00a0 Last month, Whitehouse introduced legislation that would establish a nationwide carbon fee.\r\nThe full text of Whitehouse\u2019s letter is below.\r\n-----------------------------------------\r\nDecember 1, 2014\r\nThe Honorable Gina McCarthy  Administrator  Environmental Protection Agency  1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW  Washington, DC 20460\r\nDear Administrator McCarthy:\r\nCongratulations on the release of the first-ever carbon pollution limits for the biggest emitters \u2013 power plants.\u00a0 The Environmental Protection Agency is involved in a significant and consequential regulatory enterprise, as the fifty worst American power plants together emit more carbon pollution than all of South Korea or all of Canada.\r\nIt is also an enterprise that puts EPA into battle with a desperately motivated adversary.\u00a0 The carbon polluters are fighting to protect a loophole that even economists at groups as conservative as the American Enterprise Institute count as a \u201cmarket failure.\u201d\u00a0 This market failure allows these polluters to impose billions of dollars in costs and harm on their fellow Americans, without economic consequence to themselves.\u00a0 They will fight desperately to continue this harmful behavior; we know this because they already are fighting desperately in the legislative, judicial, and public relations arenas.\u00a0 The polluters have had a long, happy holiday from responsibility for the harms they are causing, and they don\u2019t want that holiday to end.\r\nFor the rest of us \u2013 coastal states facing rising and acidifying seas; agricultural states facing drought and flood; timber states facing massive forest die-offs; northern states facing snowpack collapse; states across the country facing more heat waves and diminished air quality \u2013 the end of their holiday from responsibility cannot come soon enough.\u00a0 Unless we act now to cut carbon pollution, these effects will only grow worse, and our children and grandchildren will suffer the consequences.\r\nEPA is addressing these threats, and the public is with you.\u00a0\u00a0 Americans feel far better about the EPA than they do about Congress.\u00a0 Americans understand the need to curb carbon pollution.\u00a0 Indeed, most are surprised there aren\u2019t already limits in place for carbon pollution.\u00a0 You have the moral, economic, scientific, and popular high ground.\u00a0\r\nEPA\u2019s proposed carbon pollution standards offer polluters an opportunity to work with their states, and even across multiple states, to design plans to reduce carbon emissions, including cap-and-trade programs and similar regimes.\u00a0 The proposal provides flexibility to states to adopt reasonable strategies according to their circumstances, needs, and priorities.\u00a0 Rhode Island and other states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have already shown that cap-and-trade can achieve both carbon reductions and economic growth.\u00a0 According to the Acadia Center, since RGGI began, \u201cemissions in the region [have] dropped 2.7 times faster than the rest of the country . . . even as RGGI states\u2019 economies have grown 2.5 times faster than other states.\u201d\u00a0 In Rhode Island, RGGI has generated millions of dollars in new revenues since 2008, enabling more investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other programs that benefit the state\u2019s citizens.\u00a0 These investments and similar ones made by other RGGI states to date are projected to return more than $2 billion in lifetime energy bill savings to more than 3 million households and 12,000 businesses in the region.\u00a0\r\nEven greater benefits can be achieved through national carbon pollution standards, yet EPA\u2019s efforts are under attack by the polluters and their Republican allies in Congress.\u00a0 Industry has a long history of muddling the science, manufacturing false doubt, and exaggerating the regulatory costs, all to undermine the development of public health standards.\u00a0 They have engaged in a massive and complex propaganda effort to mislead the public about the realities of climate change.\u00a0 They look with equanimity on the serious harms and perils that they impose on their fellow citizens, whether it\u2019s a Rhode Island child on a nebulizer in the emergency room for an asthma attack triggered by smog, or a farmer looking out at his parched or flooded fields exacerbated by carbon-driven climate change.\u00a0\r\nYou must not allow these forces to derail your efforts.\u00a0 In fact, I urge EPA to do more.\u00a0 In its final standards, EPA must ensure that necessary and cost-effective carbon pollution reductions are not left on the table.\u00a0 While EPA\u2019s proposal will incentivize new investments in clean energy, still greater investments can be made to cut carbon pollution at a tremendous benefit to the American people.\u00a0 EPA should ensure that its final proposal captures the full technical and economic potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce emissions, and that all proven and effective measures are incorporated into its power plant standards.\u00a0 EPA should also explicitly recognize the potential of emerging technologies that are not included in its determination of the best system of emission reduction (BSER) to reduce emissions, if states choose to invest in them.\u00a0 In its proposal, EPA recognizes carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a potential compliance option, yet makes no mention of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies, such as algae, which could transform CO2 from a costly waste disposal issue into an economic resource that will benefit industry, the environment, and ratepayers.\u00a0 EPA should send a signal that CCU and not simply CCS would be a welcome means of compliance for states.\u00a0\r\nFinally, I urge EPA to thoroughly consider RGGI\u2019s comments on the proposed standards to ensure that market-based programs like RGGI can be used to achieve compliance with EPA\u2019s final standards.\u00a0 EPA should also carefully consider comments from the Brookings Institution, R Street Institute, and others on steps EPA could take to enable states to comply using carbon taxes or fees.\r\nEPA\u2019s carbon pollution standards for existing power plants are one of the most important standards to ever have been developed by your agency.\u00a0 As you move forward, please remember that the public is relying on you to address the climate threat and to remain strong.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nSincerely,\r\nSheldon Whitehouse  United States Senator\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-awarded-nearly-341000-federal-traffic-safety-funding", "RI Awarded Nearly $341,000 in Federal Traffic Safety Funding", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013\u00a0U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation\u2019s Office on Highway Safety has been awarded over $340,000 in fiscal year 2015 funds by the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support traffic and vehicle safety programs throughout the state.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThese federal funds will help support critical traffic safety programs and enhance safety conditions for Rhode Island drivers and pedestrians,\u201d said Senator Reed.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThese commonsense investments in prevention and awareness will help reduce accidents and make our Ocean State roads safer for everyone,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\n\u00a0\n\u201cI am excited to announce these federal funds, which will be used to educate and empower motorists to make smart decisions, and will help make Rhode Island's roads safer,\u201d said Congressman Langevin.\n\u00a0\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted Rhode Island received these federal funds to keep motorists safe,\u201d said Congressman Cicilline.\u00a0 \u201cRhode Islanders travel daily to work, school and shopping centers on our state\u2019s roads and highways, and we must do everything we can to keep the drivers of our local economy and communities safe.\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe safety of the traveling public is RIDOT\u2019s top priority, and we thank the Congressional delegation for their hard work in securing these funds,\u201d RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. \u201cThe traffic safety campaigns conducted by our Office on Highway Safety are proven best practices in helping to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the road. We look forward to working with all of our partners to continue this investment, which ultimately helps save lives.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe federal grant funds may be use to improve prevention efforts in traffic safety priority areas such as seat belt use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, and educating young drivers. The programs awarded funding include:\n\u00a0\nImpaired Driving Countermeasures:\u00a0$215,208\nOccupant Protection:\u00a0$68,905\nState Traffic Safety Information Systems:\u00a0$59,978\nMotorcyclist Safety:\u00a0$6,781\n\u00a0\nTOTAL: $340,873", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-awarded-nearly-341000-federal-traffic-safety-funding", "RI Awarded Nearly $341,000 in Federal Traffic Safety Funding", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation\u2019s Office on Highway Safety has been awarded over $340,000 in fiscal year 2015 funds by the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support traffic and vehicle safety programs throughout the state.\n\u201cThese federal funds will help support critical traffic safety programs and enhance safety conditions for Rhode Island drivers and pedestrians,\u201d said Senator Reed.\n\u201cThese commonsense investments in prevention and awareness will help reduce accidents and make our Ocean State roads safer for everyone,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\n\u201cI am excited to announce these federal funds, which will be used to educate and empower motorists to make smart decisions, and will help make Rhode Island\u2019s roads safer,\u201d said Congressman Langevin.\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted Rhode Island received these federal funds to keep motorists safe,\u201d said Congressman Cicilline. \u201cRhode Islanders travel daily to work, school and shopping centers on our state\u2019s roads and highways, and we must do everything we can to keep the drivers of our local economy and communities safe.\u201d\n\u201cThe safety of the traveling public is RIDOT\u2019s top priority, and we thank the Congressional delegation for their hard work in securing these funds,\u201d RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. \u201cThe traffic safety campaigns conducted by our Office on Highway Safety are proven best practices in helping to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the road. We look forward to working with all of our partners to continue this investment, which ultimately helps save lives.\u201d\nThe federal grant funds may be use to improve prevention efforts in traffic safety priority areas such as seat belt use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, and educating young drivers. The programs awarded funding include:\n Impaired Driving Countermeasures: $215,205\n\tOccupant Protection: $68,905\n\tState Traffic Safety Information Systems: $59,978\n\tMotorcyclist Safety: $6,781", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-durbin-lead-40-us-senators-in-backing-dod-plan-to-better-protect-military-families-from-abusive-financial-practices", "Reed, Durbin Lead 40 U.S. Senators in Backing DOD Plan to Better Protect Military Families from Abusive Financial Practices", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/25/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a group of 40 Senate colleagues in supporting the Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) plan to update the Military Lending Act (MLA) and close existing loopholes in order to better protect soldiers and their families from abusive financial practices.\u00a0 The letter, sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, expresses strong support for the proposed new rule to help prevent lenders from charging excessive fees and taking advantage of military families.\r\nFollowing a 2006 Pentagon report that found that \u201cpredatory lending undermines military readiness, harms the morale of troops and their families, and adds to the cost of fielding an all-volunteer fighting force,\u201d Congress passed the MLA.\u00a0 This law capped the annual interest rates for consumer credit to service members and their dependents at 36% while giving DOD the authority to define what loans should be covered.\u00a0 The DOD\u2019s 2007 implementing regulations narrowly included only three types of loans: (1) payday loans: closed-end loans with terms of 91 days or fewer, for $2,000 or less; (2) auto title loans: closed-end loans with terms of 181 days or fewer; and (3) refund anticipation loans: closed-end credit.\r\nIn the proposed changes to the MLA, first announced in September, DOD seeks to close existing loopholes in the current MLA rule.\u00a0 Today\u2019s letter voices strong support for the proposed rule, arguing that the changes strike a better balance between protecting service members and their families while maintaining access to good credit.\u00a0\r\nReed and Durbin were joined by Senators Mark Udall (D-CO), Levin (D-MI), Brown (D-OH), Hirono (D-HI), Manchin (D-WV), Warner (D-VA), Franken (D-MN), Baldwin (D-WI), Nelson (D-FL), Murphy (D-CT), Blumenthal (D-CT), Merkley (D-OR), Heinrich (D-NM), Warren (D-MA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Murray (D-WA), Whitehouse (D-RI), King (I-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Kaine (D-VA), McCaskill (D-MO), Shaheen (D-NH), Schatz (D-HI), Markey (D-MA), Bennet (D-CO), Coons (D-DE), Donnelly (D-IN), Feinstein (D-CA), Cardin (D-MD), Carper (D-DE), Wyden (D-OR), Heitkamp (D-ND), Tester (D-MT), Boxer (D-CA), Hagan (D-NC), Harkin (D-IA), and Schumer (D-NY) in signing onto the letter.\u00a0 The signatories include every Democratic member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\r\n\u201cAs our service members are asked to take on even more tasks in defense of our nation, we should take every opportunity to protect them and their families here at home, especially from unscrupulous lenders,\u201d the Senators wrote.\u00a0 \u201cWe strongly support the proposed MLA rule and urge that the final MLA rule be similarly robust in enhancing protections for service members and their families, producing significant cost savings for DOD, and improving military readiness.\u201d\r\nIn addition to supporting the original MLA in 2006, Senator Reed has led efforts to strengthen it and protect military families.\r\nHe wrote the law creating the Office of Servicemember Affairs within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to serve as a watchdog for military personnel.\u00a0 This office educates and empowers service members and their families to make better-informed decisions regarding consumer financial products and services.\r\nReed also included language in the FY2013 Defense Authorization Act requiring the Pentagon to study the effectiveness of the MLA, which contributed to the current proposed rule-making process, and authorizing all federal agencies responsible for federal credit laws to use their civil enforcement capabilities to enforce the 36% interest rate cap required by the MLA.\r\n\u201cPredatory lending, unfortunately, continues to evolve, and we need to strengthen our consumer protections to keep up.\u00a0 Plugging these MLA loopholes is an important step toward protecting our service members and their families.\u00a0 It sends unscrupulous lenders a clear message: we will not allow our troops to be exploited, especially while they are fighting to protect us, and we are cracking down on abusive practices in order to preserve our military readiness,\u201d said Reed.\r\nThe comment period, which was recently extended, for the proposed rule ends on December 26, 2014.\r\nThe full text of the letter follows:\r\nThe Honorable Chuck Hagel\r\nSecretary\r\nU.S. Department of Defense\r\n1000 Defense Pentagon\r\nWashington, D.C. 20301-1000\r\n\u00a0\r\nRe: Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service members and Dependents\r\nDocket ID: DoD-2013-OS-0133\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Mr. Secretary:\r\nWe are writing in response to the Department of Defense (DOD) proposal to update the implementing rules for the Military Lending Act (MLA).\r\nBy enacting the MLA as part of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, Congress sent a clear bipartisan message that protecting service members and their families from predatory and high cost lending was of paramount importance to their financial security and military readiness.\r\nThis concern was reiterated in the Conference Report for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which stated that \u201cthe conferees are concerned that the Department must remain vigilant to eliminate continuing, evolving predatory lending practices targeting service members and their families, and believe the Department should review its regulations implementing section 987, to address changes in the industry and the evolution of lending products offered since 2007, continuing use of predatory marketing practices, and other abuses identified by consumer protection advocates, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau\u2019s Office of Servicemember Affairs.\u201d\r\nAs a result of this required review of the current MLA rule, DOD in its proposal now recommends closing existing MLA loopholes.\u00a0 We believe this strikes a significantly better balance than the current MLA rule between protecting service members and their families on the one hand and maintaining access to non-predatory credit on the other.\u00a0 As such, this proposal also does a much better job of reflecting Congressional intent.\u00a0\r\nSpecifically, we support the proposal to expand the MLA\u2019s \u201cdefinition of \u2018consumer credit\u2019 to cover a broader range of closed-end and open-end credit products.\u201d\u00a0 In so doing, the rule proposes that these products be treated in a manner generally consistent with the decades-old requirements of the Truth in Lending Act.\u00a0\r\nThis comprehensive approach is essential to preventing future evasions.\u00a0 As DOD notes in its proposed rule, \u201cthe extremely narrow definition of \u2018consumer credit\u2019 permits creditors to structure credit products in order to reduce or avoid altogether the obligations of the MLA.\u201d\u00a0 For example, MLA protections currently can be avoided by simply adding a day to the term of a payday loan or by lending just one additional cent so that the payday loan no longer qualifies as \u201cconsumer credit\u201d subject to the MLA protections. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nContrary to Congressional intent, these evasions threaten military readiness.\u00a0 According to DOD, \u201ceach separation of a service member is estimated to cost the Department $57,333, and the Department estimates that each year approximately 4,703 to 7,957 service members are involuntarily separated due to financial distress.\u201d\u00a0 In addition to the estimated cost savings DOD has identified, we give great weight and deference to DOD\u2019s statement that the proposed MLA rule \u201cwould reduce non-quantifiable costs associated with financial strains on service members. High-cost debt can detract from mission focus, reduce productivity, and require the attention of supervisors and commanders.\u201d\u00a0 As a result, we strongly agree with DOD\u2019s view that the proposed MLA rule not only has the potential to produce substantial cost savings, but also enhance military readiness.\r\nIn August of last year, a number of us wrote, \u201cservice members and their families deserve the strongest possible protections and swift action to ensure that all forms of credit offered to members of our armed forces are safe and sound.\u201d\u00a0 Indeed, as our service members are asked to take on even more tasks in defense of our nation, we should take every opportunity to protect them and their families here at home, especially from unscrupulous lenders.\u00a0\r\nFor all these reasons, we strongly support the proposed MLA rule and urge that the final MLA rule be similarly robust in enhancing protections for service members and their families, producing significant cost savings for DOD, and improving military readiness.\r\nSincerely,\r\nReed\r\nDurbin\r\nMark Udall\r\nLevin\r\nBrown\r\nHirono\r\nManchin\r\nWarner\r\nFranken\r\nBaldwin\r\nNelson\r\nMurphy\r\nBlumenthal\r\nMerkley\r\nHeinrich\r\nWarren\r\nGillibrand\r\nMurray\r\nWhitehouse\r\nKing\r\nKlobuchar\r\nTom Udall\r\nKaine\r\nMcCaskill\r\nShaheen\r\nSchatz\r\nMarkey\r\nBennet\r\nCoons\r\nDonnelly\r\nFeinstein\r\nCardin\r\nCarper\r\nWyden\r\nHeitkamp\r\nTester\r\nBoxer\r\nHagan\r\nHarkin\r\nSchumer\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-awarded-nearly-341000-in-federal-traffic-safety-funding", "RI Awarded Nearly $341,000 in Federal Traffic Safety Funding", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/25/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation\u2019s Office on Highway Safety has been awarded over $340,000 in fiscal year 2015 funds by the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to support traffic and vehicle safety programs throughout the state.\r\n\u201cThese federal funds will help support critical traffic safety programs and enhance safety conditions for Rhode Island drivers and pedestrians,\u201d said Senator Reed.\r\n\u201cThese commonsense investments in prevention and awareness will help reduce accidents and make our Ocean State roads safer for everyone,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\r\n\u201cI am excited to announce these federal funds, which will be used to educate and empower motorists to make smart decisions, and will help make Rhode Island's roads safer,\u201d said Congressman Langevin.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m delighted Rhode Island received these federal funds to keep motorists safe,\u201d said Congressman Cicilline.\u00a0 \u201cRhode Islanders travel daily to work, school and shopping centers on our state\u2019s roads and highways, and we must do everything we can to keep the drivers of our local economy and communities safe.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe safety of the traveling public is RIDOT\u2019s top priority, and we thank the Congressional delegation for their hard work in securing these funds,\u201d RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. \u201cThe traffic safety campaigns conducted by our Office on Highway Safety are proven best practices in helping to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on the road. We look forward to working with all of our partners to continue this investment, which ultimately helps save lives.\u201d\r\nThe federal grant funds may be use to improve prevention efforts in traffic safety priority areas such as seat belt use, impaired driving, motorcycle safety, and educating young drivers. The programs awarded funding include:\r\nImpaired Driving Countermeasures: $215,208\r\nOccupant Protection: $68,905\r\nState Traffic Safety Information Systems: $59,978\r\nMotorcyclist Safety: $6,781\r\nTOTAL: $340,873\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/videos/reed-appears-on-cnbc-to-discuss-bill-to-increase-accountability-at-ny-fed", "Reed Appears on CNBC to Discuss Bill to Increase Accountability at NY Fed", "2014-11-25", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Reed appeared on CNBC's \"Closing Bell\" on November 21 to discuss his legislation to make the Federal Reserve Bank of New York more accountable to tax...", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-statement-president%E2%80%99s-address-executive-order-immigration", "Cicilline Statement on Presidents Address on Executive Order on Immigration", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, tonight released the following statement in response to President Obama\u2019s national address on immigration:\n\t\u201cTonight, President Obama took a historic step in addressing our broken immigration system and outlined a bold plan to keep families together by providing relief to millions of individuals working to build a better life for themselves and their families. In addition, his plan will help to secure our border, grow the economy and set the right priorities for the law enforcement community. A majority of Americans agree that we must act on immigration reform in a way that reflects our values and reinforces the promise that America is a land of hope and opportunity, and I applaud President Obama\u2019s decision to take executive action to align our immigration policy with our national values.\u00a0\n\t\u201cThe President\u2019s executive order, when implemented, will provide temporary protection and relief to immigrant families that have been forced to live in the shadows. Congress, of course, has the power and responsibility to provide a lasting solution and a pathway to citizenship for aspiring Americans. I will continue to press Speaker Boehner to allow a vote on the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate 17 months ago. Every day House Republicans fail to act, millions of hardworking immigrants and their families continue to suffer. To be sure, with House Republicans standing in the way of congressional action, President Obama has the legal authority and moral responsibility to use his constitutional powers to provide the necessary and appropriate relief to families.\u201d\n\t\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s decision tonight reflects the best of our American values: that we are a country of opportunity, built by immigrants, and strengthened by our commitment to basic notions of justice and fairness.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-response-president-obamas-executive-order-immigration", "Langevin Statement in Response to President Obama's Executive Order on Immigration", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) issued the following statement in response to President Obama\u2019s Executive Order on immigration:\n\u201cMeaningful and decisive action to fix our broken immigration system is long overdue. This is a matter of national security, as well as a humanitarian crisis and an economic challenge of enormous significance. Although I have always said that Congress bears the ultimate responsibility for enacting immigration reform, House Republican leaders have refused to allow a vote on bipartisan legislation that was approved by the Senate more than 500 days ago, or on any other comprehensive alternative.\n\u201cMy constituents deserve an open, transparent debate, and I have long been eager to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a solution that reflects the shared values of this nation and fixes our broken immigration system once and for all. I do not support amnesty, but I do support providing a path for immigrants to reside here legally, provided that they meet a strict set of eligibility requirements.\n\u201cIn the absence of genuine Congressional action, I understand the President\u2019s desire to bring millions of hard-working, law-abiding immigrant families out of the shadows, allowing them to work, pay taxes and contribute productively to our society. This does not absolve Congress of its responsibility to address the underlying problem, however, and we have the power to enact our own vision for immigration reform. I strongly believe we must continue to strengthen border security and prioritize enforcement against criminals who pose a genuine threat to community safety and national security.\n\u201cMy constituents have made their concerns clear, and they expect their elected representatives to work together to pass a comprehensive reform package. According to independent Congressional analysts, passage of the Senate-approved bill would reduce our national deficit by $197 billion over the next 10 years. However, despite repeated promises to bring an immigration bill to the floor, Speaker Boehner has taken no action. I urge my colleagues to finish what they started and bring immigration reform to the House floor for a vote, where I am confident it would pass with strong bipartisan support.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-helps-advance-ebola-emergency-response-act", "Cicilline Helps Advance Ebola Emergency Response Act", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Legislation includes provision authored by Cicilline honoring health workers\nWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 The House Foreign Affairs Committee today advanced the Ebola Emergency Response Act which outlines the steps needed for the U.S. government to effectively respond to the West African Ebola outbreak, especially in Liberia where the most Ebola cases have been reported. \u00a0\nThe bill includes a provision U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, authored to acknowledge and thank medical professionals and volunteers for their extraordinary courage in responding to the Ebola outbreak.\n\u201cThe Ebola outbreak is having horrific effects on individuals, families and public health infrastructure. This bill provides a comprehensive response strategy to stem the spread of this awful disease and prevent future outbreaks,\u201d said Cicilline. \u201cI\u2019m especially thankful to the health workers, military personnel, and volunteers who are risking their lives in responding to the Ebola outbreak and glad this bill honors their tremendous work and sacrifice.\u201d\nDespite Ebola outbreaks historically having a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent, as of November 10, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has received nearly 4,800 self-nominated, non-vetted requests through the usaid.gov online registration portal for healthcare volunteers, and is passing these contacts to interested aid organizations working in the region for vetting, possible selection, and training. These volunteers face dangerous and life-threatening conditions and according to the World Health Organization, over 540 health workers in West Africa, including several Americans, have already been infected in the current outbreak. Cicilline\u2019s provision expresses the sense of Congress that \u201chealth workers deserve our profound gratitude and respect for their commitments and sacrifices in addressing the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.\u201d\nIn addition to Cicilline\u2019s provision, the Ebola Emergency Response Act:\n Authorizes funding of the International Disaster Assistance account at the higher FY2014 level\u2014an additional $500 million\u2014to effectively combat Ebola.\n  Directs the President to coordinate with the governments of affected African countries, the private sector, regional and international financial institutions and international organizations, civil society, and nongovernmental organizations to implement a comprehensive Ebola control strategy and assist affected populations; and use U.S. influence at the United Nations (U.N.) to ensure that the U.N. Mission in Liberia is protecting individuals under its care and playing an active emergency response role, and ensuring that the U.N. Mission for the Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) is playing an effective role in aligning donors around a plan to detect, contain, treat, and deter Ebola\u2019s further spread.\n  Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should work with other donors, including international financial institutions, to encourage them to: (1) help the governments of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone mitigate the risks of economic collapse and related civil unrest by providing access to emergency grants and financing tools to address fiscal issues that are the direct result of the Ebola crisis; and (2) assist with post-crisis economic recovery.\n Now that the bill has cleared the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it must be approved by the Full House.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-rigell-press-house-leaders-adopt-stronger-ethics-training-rules", "Cicilline, Rigell Press House Leaders to Adopt Stronger Ethics Training Rules", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 With more than 50 newly elected members of the House of Representatives in the upcoming 114th Congress, U.S. Representatives David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Scott Rigell (R-VA) urged the House Rules Committee to include the bipartisan Ensuring Trust and Honorability In Congressional Standards (ETHICS) Act in the Rules package for the 114th Congress to strengthen ethics requirements for lawmakers. The ETHICS Act would amend and expand current law to require House Members, who are currently exempt from annual ethics training, to take annual ethics courses.\u00a0According to the Washington Post, since the Office of Congressional Ethics was established in 2008 to review allegations of misconduct for referral to the House Ethics Committee, the number of actions taken by the committee has quadrupled.\nIn the letter to the House Rules Committee, the lawmakers wrote: \u201cIt is our belief that a change in House Rules will help increase understanding and reduce confusion of the rules, help decrease the number of future ethics violations by Members, and, most importantly, help restore the public\u2019s faith and trust in Congress.\u201d\u00a0\nAt the start of each Congress, the House Committee on Rules adopts a new set of guidelines for the upcoming 2-year session, and has the power to incorporate language from the ETHICS Act into the new House rules.\nIn 2007, the U.S. Senate passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, which legally required Senators and their staff to take \u201congoing\u201d ethics training, in response to a culture of corruption on Capitol Hill that led to the convictions of former Representative Bob Ney and lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Despite passing the House with nearly unanimous bipartisan support, the mandatory ethics training provisions in the bill only applied to the Senate. The ETHICS Act would amend and expand current law to require House Members to take annual ethics training.\u00a0\nUnder current law, all Senators and Senate staff are required to take ethics training every year. In addition, all House staff are required under House Rules to complete annual ethics training. Specifically, the ETHICS Act would make ethics training and awareness programs mandatory for House Members, Delegates and the Resident Commissioner of the House of Representatives beginning January 3, 2015 and:\n Training will be completed no later than 60 days after starting service, and;\nTraining will be completed during each new session of\u00a0 Congress beginning with the 1st session of the 114th Congress.\n Text of the letter follows:\nDear Chairman Sessions and Ranking Member Slaughter:\nWe are writing to ask that you include a provision requiring that all House Members complete annual ethics training offered by the House Ethics Committee in the upcoming Rules package for the 114th Congress.\u00a0 This issue is crucial to restoring the American people\u2019s confidence and trust in Congress.\nIn 2007, Congress passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (P.L. 110-81), which required that all Senators and their staff complete \u201congoing ethics training.\u201d\u00a0 In addition, current rules of the House of Representatives require that all House staff, and officers of the House, complete annual ethics training offered by the House Ethics Committee. Despite these requirements, federal law and House Rules remain silent in regards to Members of the House. That is why we introduced H.R. 5095, the Ensuring Trust and Honorability in Congressional Standards (ETHICS) Act, on July 14, 2014. This common sense, bipartisan legislation would permanently fix this issue by requiring all House Members to complete annual ethics training.\nAccording to the Washington Post, since the Office of Congressional Ethics was established in 2008 to review allegations of misconduct for referral to the House Ethics Committee, the number of actions taken by the committee has quadrupled.\u00a0 It is our belief that a change in House Rules will help increase understanding and reduce confusion of the rules, help decrease the number of future ethics violations by Members, and, most importantly, help restore the public\u2019s faith and trust in Congress.\u00a0 We respectfully ask that you include this common sense provision in any final House Rules package for the 114th Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-epilepsy-awareness-month", "Langevin Statement on Epilepsy Awareness Month", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In recognition of Epilepsy Awareness Month, Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) offered the following remarks lauding the actions of the Matty Fund, Rhode Island\u2019s leading epilepsy resource.\nCongressman Jim Langevin\n\tRemarks on Epilepsy Awareness Month\n\tNovember 20, 2014\nMister Speaker, I rise in recognition of November as Epilepsy Awareness Month. Each year, more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with Epilepsy, yet research for this condition remains vastly underfunded, impeding scientific advancements for better treatments and a potential cure.\nWe are extremely lucky to have organizations like the Epilepsy Foundation and the Matty Fund active in Rhode Island. They help raise awareness, provide support, promote safety and improve the quality of life for children and families living with Epilepsy. The Matty Fund is the product of two loving and dedicated parents who lost their five-year-old son, Matty Siravo, on Mother\u2019s Day 2003, following a grand mal seizure.\nThe Siravos honor their son\u2019s memory every day by continuing to raise awareness about Epilepsy. I am so proud to represent such an inspiring family. I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on what they can do to support Epilepsy awareness, not just in November, but every day of the year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/gao-report-inaction-on-climate-change-could-increase-costs-to-taxpayers", "GAO Report: Inaction on Climate Change could Increase Costs to Taxpayers", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/20/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressional inaction on climate change is likely to increase costs to taxpayers for the federal flood and crop insurance programs according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by a group of lawmakers including Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). \u00a0The report concluded that, if left unchecked, climate change and related increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather will likely greatly increase insured and uninsured financial losses across the country.\r\nReed and Whitehouse requested the report along with their colleagues Tom Harkin (D-IA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR).\r\n\u201cFrom rising sea levels and coastal erosion to devastating floods caused by historic storms, climate change is having a tangible impact on Rhode Island\u2019s communities.\u00a0 Today\u2019s GAO report provides further evidence that climate change is compounding the risks and costs to individuals and society, not only threatening our environment but our economy, as well.\u00a0 It\u2019s a reminder that we must begin to meet the challenge of climate change without delay,\u201d said Senator Reed.\r\n\u201cClimate change is loading the dice in favor of severe weather, and that puts property and crops at risk all over the country,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cIn Rhode Island in 2010, we experienced historic flooding that cost the state over $200 million in damage to our homes, businesses, and infrastructure.\u00a0 We need to prepare for catastrophes like the 2010 floods and account for the costs severe weather could impose on important federal programs like flood and crop insurance.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to wake up to the effects of climate change, including the effects on our nation\u2019s finances.\u201d\r\nThe report finds that between 2007 and 2013, the risk to taxpayers through the federal flood and crop insurance programs has increased 8 percent to $1.4 trillion and is likely to increase dramatically in the future.\r\nClimate disruptions to agriculture, including drought, flooding, and elevated temperatures, have also increased over the last 40 years and are expected to increase in frequency and severity over the next 25 years. \u00a0At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, costs to taxpayers for the federal crop insurance program have increased 68 percent since 2007, and actual costs for subsidies and losses have more than doubled since 2001, reaching $7.6 billion in 2012.\u00a0 The expected rise in temperatures and changes in precipitation could substantially increase the risk to taxpayers through the federal crop insurance program.\r\nFEMA is already $24 billion in debt due to extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy that wreaked havoc along the Eastern seaboard. \u00a0Additionally, the GAO in 2006 labeled the National Flood Insurance Program as \u201chigh risk\u201d for long-term insolvency. \u00a0According to GAO, hurricane-related fiscal losses due to increased storm severity and climate change could increase up to 50 percent by 2040 and 110 percent by 2100.\r\nThe GAO made two recommendations for FEMA and USDA to better manage the risk to taxpayers:\r\n \r\nFEMA should update building standards for floodplain management, including additional flood-proofing for resilience to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.\r\nUSDA should incorporate climate change resilient agricultural practices into their \u201cgood farming practices\u201d guidance, such as conservation tillage, water conservation, and modified crop planting dates to sustain long-term production in a changing climate.\r\n \r\nIn addition to the guidance from the GAO to help address the sustainability of the insurance programs, the lawmakers believe Congress must act to address the underlying problem \u2013 climate change \u2013 to tackle the immediate and long-term risks to taxpayers.\r\nClick here to download the full report.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-applauds-dhs-temporary-protected-status-designations-for-liberia-guinea-and-sierra-leone", "Reed Applauds DHS Temporary Protected Status Designations for Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/20/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today commended a decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to designate nationals from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 months.\u00a0 Due to the outbreak of Ebola virus in these West African countries, eligible individuals from these countries who are currently residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).\r\nThe TPS designations for the three countries are effective November 21, 2014 and will be in effect for 18 months. \u00a0The designations mean that eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, as well as people without nationality who last routinely resided in one of those three countries, will not be removed from the United States and are authorized to work and obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).\r\nThe 180-day TPS registration period begins November 21, 2014 and runs through May 20, 2015.\u00a0 Interested, eligible individuals can find out more about details and procedures for applying for TPS at www.uscis.gov/tps\r\n\u201cGranting temporary protected status is the right thing to do, and I commend the Department of Homeland Security for taking this step.\u00a0 Many of these inidviduals are already coping with tragic news of family members and friends affected by the Ebola epidemic in their home country, and it would be wrong to send more individuals into the hardest-hit areas of this disaster.\u00a0 This temporary protection will only be extended to qualified individuals, and they will undergo a full background check.\u00a0 In many instances, these folks are already part of our communities in Rhode Island and across the country, and we welcome them here as their home countries work to address a terrible epidemic,\u201d said Reed.\r\nTo be eligible for TPS, applicants must demonstrate that they satisfy all eligibility criteria and undergo security checks.\u00a0 Those with certain criminal records or who pose a threat to national security are not eligible for TPS.\r\nRhode Island has one of the largest populations of Liberians per capita, and Reed has worked for years to allow this community to legally reside in the U.S., while conditions in their home country made it too dangerous to return, most recently through a program called Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).\u00a0 Senator Reed worked behind the scenes with White House, Homeland Security, and State Department officials earlier this year on behalf of the Liberian community to secure a two-year DED extension from the Obama Administration, which took effect on September 30, 2014.\u00a0 Senator Reed has also introduced the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act, a bill to grant permanent residency to qualifying Liberians living legally in the United States.\u00a0\r\nLiberians currently covered under the two-year extension of Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) based on President Obama\u2019s September 26, 2014 decision may also apply for TPS and are encouraged to apply within the initial 180-day registration period. \u00a0Liberians covered by DED who already possess or have applied for an EAD do not need to also apply for one related to this TPS designation. \u00a0However, such individuals who are granted TPS may request a TPS-related EAD at a later date as long as the TPS designation for Liberia remains in effect.\r\nAll USCIS forms are free. \u00a0Applicants can download these forms from the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/forms or request them by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-immigration-executive-actions-announced-by-the-president", "Reed Statement on Immigration Executive Actions Announced by the President", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/20/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) released the following statement reacting to the executive actions on immigration announced tonight by President Barack Obama:\r\n\u201cThe President\u2019s interim step is about trying to fix a broken system that hurts our economy, families, and border security.\r\n\u201cThe ideal action is the bipartisan, Senate-passed legislation, but that bill has been blocked and ignored by House Republicans.\u00a0 Sadly, for 511 days they\u2019ve had no realistic response to the Senate\u2019s bill, which includes $46.3 billion to strengthen the border, bigger penalties for those who come illegally, and a tough but fair pathway to citizenship for immigrants already here who have become part of our communities and our economy.\r\n\u201cMy hope is that rather than threatening to shut down the government and the like, my Republican colleagues will instead respond to the President\u2019s announcement by passing the bill, written by Senator McCain and others, to comprehensively fix our broken immigration system.\u201d\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141205205759/http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/gao-report-inaction-on-climate-change-could-increase-costs-to-taxpayers_", "GAO Report: Inaction on Climate Change could Increase Costs to Taxpayers", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Federal flood, crop insurance programs may be unsustainable, could increase deficit if U.S. doesn\u2019t act to address climate change\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThursday, November 20, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Congressional inaction on climate change is likely to increase costs to taxpayers for the federal flood and crop insurance programs according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by a group of lawmakers including Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). \u00a0The report concluded that, if left unchecked, climate change and related increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather will likely greatly increase insured and uninsured financial losses across the country.\nReed and Whitehouse requested the report along with their colleagues Tom Harkin (D-IA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR).\n\u201cFrom rising sea levels and coastal erosion to devastating floods caused by historic storms, climate change is having a tangible impact on Rhode Island\u2019s communities.\u00a0 Today\u2019s GAO report provides further evidence that climate change is compounding the risks and costs to individuals and society, not only threatening our environment but our economy, as well.\u00a0 It\u2019s a reminder that we must begin to meet the challenge of climate change without delay,\u201d said Senator Reed.\n\u201cClimate change is loading the dice in favor of severe weather, and that puts property and crops at risk all over the country,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cIn Rhode Island in 2010, we experienced historic flooding that cost the state over $200 million in damage to our homes, businesses, and infrastructure.\u00a0 We need to prepare for catastrophes like the 2010 floods and account for the costs severe weather could impose on important federal programs like flood and crop insurance.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to wake up to the effects of climate change, including the effects on our nation\u2019s finances.\u201d\nThe report finds that between 2007 and 2013, the risk to taxpayers through the federal flood and crop insurance programs has increased 8 percent to $1.4 trillion and is likely to increase dramatically in the future.\nClimate disruptions to agriculture, including drought, flooding, and elevated temperatures, have also increased over the last 40 years and are expected to increase in frequency and severity over the next 25 years. \u00a0At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, costs to taxpayers for the federal crop insurance program have increased 68 percent since 2007, and actual costs for subsidies and losses have more than doubled since 2001, reaching $7.6 billion in 2012.\u00a0 The expected rise in temperatures and changes in precipitation could substantially increase the risk to taxpayers through the federal crop insurance program.\nFEMA is already $24 billion in debt due to extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy that wreaked havoc along the Eastern seaboard. \u00a0Additionally, the GAO in 2006 labeled the National Flood Insurance Program as \u201chigh risk\u201d for long-term insolvency. \u00a0According to GAO, hurricane-related fiscal losses due to increased storm severity and climate change could increase up to 50 percent by 2040 and 110 percent by 2100.\nThe GAO made two recommendations for FEMA and USDA to better manage the risk to taxpayers:\n \nFEMA should update building standards for floodplain management, including additional flood-proofing for resilience to sea-level rise and extreme weather events.\nUSDA should incorporate climate change resilient agricultural practices into their \u201cgood farming practices\u201d guidance, such as conservation tillage, water conservation, and modified crop planting dates to sustain long-term production in a changing climate.\n \nIn addition to the guidance from the GAO to help address the sustainability of the insurance programs, the lawmakers believe Congress must act to address the underlying problem \u2013 climate change \u2013 to tackle the immediate and long-term risks to taxpayers.\nClick here to download the full report.\n\u00a0-end-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/president-signs-reed-backed-bill-to-improve-child-day-care-quality-into-law", "President Signs Reed-Backed Bill to Improve Child Day Care Quality into Law", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/19/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 A measure to overhaul a federal child care grant program and help ensure high-quality child care for more children in Rhode Island was signed into law today, eighteen years after the program was last reauthorized.\r\nU.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) worked to include key provisions of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014, which provides funds to states to help low-income families afford child care while a parent works or is in an educational or job training program.\u00a0 This new legislation reauthorizes CCDBG for the first time in eighteen years, and makes national improvements to child care quality and enhances safety measures like facility inspections and background checks to give working parents the confidence of knowing that their children are receiving the proper care.\r\n\u201cEnsuring working moms and dads have access to high-quality, affordable child care is essential to our economy.\u00a0 For many families, child care is their single biggest household expense.\u00a0 Making child care more accessible and affordable for working parents and ensuring safe, enriching learning environments for kids is a smart investment that builds a strong foundation for future academic success,\u201d said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who helped increase funding for CCBDG this year by $154 million nationwide.\r\nThe bipartisan law backed by Reed and other lawmakers authorizes approximately $15 billion over six years in CCDBG funds for states, with annual funding starting at $2.4 billion for fiscal year 2015 and gradually increasing each year, up to $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2020.\u00a0\r\nFor fiscal year 2014, Rhode Island received a total of $17 million in federal child care subsidies from the Child Care and Development Fund to help an average of 5,600 children per month. \u00a0The state of Rhode Island administers the program and provides subsidies to families below 180 percent of the federal poverty level, or 46 percent of the state median income, while families are expected to contribute to the cost of care on a sliding scale. \u00a0Eligible families select the child care provider of their choice.\u00a0 Currently, CCDBG serves more than 1.5 million children every month nationwide.\r\nCCDBG incorporates provisions from Reed\u2019s previously introduced Child Care Quality Incentive Act. \u00a0Specifically, the legislation requires states to pursue a market-based and quality-based process for setting payment rates and set aside more money to improve the care children receive. \u00a0It also mandates stronger safety requirements for child care providers, including better background checks, annual inspections, and health and safety standards, such as first aid and CPR training for staff.\r\n\u201cThis is about ensuring more kids have a safe, healthy environment to learn and grow and that parents can focus on work knowing their kids will be well cared for,\u201d said Reed. \u00a0\u201cIf we can provide parents with flexible and affordable child care options that meet their needs, we can build a stronger workforce in Rhode Island and a stronger future for our children.\u00a0 I am pleased we were able to reach a principled, bipartisan agreement to help families find child care that meets their needs and will raise the standard of care at all child care facilities.\u201d\r\nA recent national report on child care centers by the non-profit advocacy group Child Care Aware of America ranked Rhode Island the 13th least affordable state for infant child care services and 9th least affordable state for child care for the average 4 year old, relative to family income.\u00a0 According to the survey, the average price of infant care in Rhode Island tops $13,000 a year. \u00a0It can eat up nearly 13 percent of an average couple\u2019s income and about 47 percent of a single parent\u2019s income.\u00a0 And Rhode Island KIDS COUNT notes that the average annual cost of child care for two children (an infant and a preschooler) in Rhode Island is more than twice the state\u2019s median annual rent.\r\nPresident Obama signed the bill into law this morning following a conference with educators at the White House.\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141120043638/http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/introducing-the-american-opportunity-carbon-fee-act", "Introducing the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "As Prepared for Delivery\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, November 19, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMr./Madam President, I rise today for the eightieth time to ask this body to wake up to the growing threat of global climate change.\u00a0 I rise today also to introduce the American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act.\nCarbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is changing the atmosphere and the oceans.\u00a0 We see it everywhere.\u00a0 We see it in storm-damaged homes and flooded cities.\u00a0 We see it in drought-stricken farms and raging wildfires.\u00a0 We see it in fish disappearing from warming, acidifying waters.\u00a0 We see it in shifting habitats and migrating contagions.\u00a0\nAll these things we see carry costs\u2014real economic costs\u2014to homeowners, business owners, and taxpayers.\u00a0 That cost is known as the \u201csocial cost of carbon.\u201d \u00a0It\u2019s the damages people and communities suffer from carbon pollution and climate change. \u00a0\u00a0\nNone of those costs from carbon pollution are factored into the price of the coal, oil, or natural gas that releases this carbon.\u00a0 The fossil fuel companies have offloaded those costs onto society.\u00a0\nThat\u2019s just not fair. \u00a0If you rake your lawn, you don\u2019t get to dump the leaves over the fence for your neighbor to clean up.\u00a0 If you\u2019re located on a river, you don\u2019t get to dump your garbage for the downstream landowners to clean up.\u00a0 Yet carbon polluters transfer the costs of climate change to everyone else. \u00a0\nThe U.S. government estimates the social cost of carbon pollution to be around forty dollars per ton of carbon dioxide, an amount that rises over time as carbon pollution creates more and more harm. \u00a0So a climbing forty dollars per ton is the cost; the current effective price on carbon pollution is zero.\u00a0\nBy making their carbon pollution free, we subsidize fossil fuel companies to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually.\u00a0 By making their carbon pollution free, we rig the game, giving polluters an unfair advantage over newer and cleaner technologies. \u00a0It\u2019s a form of cheating, and corporate polluters love it because it gives them advantage.\u00a0 But it\u2019s wrong.\nAs University of Chicago Economics Professor Michael Greenstone recently explained, this concept is widely accepted:\n\"The media always reports that there\u2019s near consensus amongst scientists about the fact that human activity impacts climate change.\u00a0 What does not receive as much attention is that there\u2019s even greater consensus amongst economists, starting from Milton Friedman and moving into the most left-wing economists that you could find, that the obvious correct public policy solution to this is to put a price on carbon.\u00a0 It\u2019s not controversial.\"\nToday I am introducing a bill to put a price on carbon emissions. \u00a0It\u2019s simple.\u00a0 It will require the polluters to pay a fee for their pollution.\u00a0 All of the revenue generated will return to the American people.\nI thank Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii for cosponsoring this measure.\u00a0 He\u2019s been a great colleague on environmental issues and against climate change.\u00a0\nThe bill we introduce today establishes an economy-wide fee on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, tracking the social cost of carbon:\u00a0 starting at forty-two dollars a ton and going up by 2 percent per year plus inflation.\nWe know how much carbon dioxide each unit of coal, oil, and natural gas produces, so we assess the fee on fossil fuel producers, processors, and importers.\u00a0 That makes it simple to administer.\u00a0 The whole bill is only twenty-nine pages long.\nFor other varieties of greenhouse gases and non-fossil-fuel sources of CO2, we assess our fee only on the largest emitters\u2014those emitting more than 25,000 tons a year.\u00a0 This is the same universe of companies we already require to monitor and report on their emissions.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\nWe recognize that a significant greenhouse gas concern is the methane that escapes throughout production and distribution.\u00a0 To address this, we require annual reports on methane leakage and direct the Treasury Secretary to adjust the fees on fossil fuels to account for it. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nThis fee will promote innovation to help further reduce carbon emissions.\u00a0 Fossil fuel companies that capture and sequester carbon dioxide, or innovate ways to encapsulate it in materials or products, get credits to offset the carbon fee.\u00a0\nWe also take care to ensure that American manufacturers are not put at a competitive disadvantage globally.\u00a0 Imports from nations that don\u2019t price emissions will face a tariff that the Treasury Secretary is authorized to impose at the border.\u00a0 Likewise, the Secretary is authorized to rebate American producers on their exports.\u00a0\u00a0\nSince regulation is usually a response to market failure, a well-designed carbon fee would also open a conversation about whether carbon regulations are still needed.\u00a0 A carbon fee would be much more efficient and predictable than complex regulations.\nThat\u2019s it.\u00a0 It\u2019s that simple.\u00a0 Make the polluters pay the full costs of their products.\u00a0 Level the playing field for other forms of energy like wind and solar to fairly compete.\u00a0 Keep the fee mechanism simple.\u00a0 Maintain a border adjustment that keeps American goods competitive.\nOn the flip side, the carbon fee will generate significant new federal revenue.\u00a0 The technicians are still working on the official revenue estimate for the bill, but it should be at least $1.5 trillion, and perhaps more than $2 trillion, over the first decade.\u00a0 Whatever the exact number is, all of it should be returned to the American people.\nThe bill establishes an American Opportunity Trust Fund to return the revenue to the American people.\u00a0 This could include tax cuts, student loan debt relief, increased Social Security benefits for seniors, transition assistance to workers in fossil-fuel industries, or even direct dividends to American families.\u00a0 I look forward to deciding with my colleagues on the best way to return the revenue, but I believe that every dollar should go back to the American people in some form.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nHere\u2019s one example to consider: we could cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 30 percent.\u00a0 That\u2019s estimated to cost about $600 billion.\u00a0\nThen we could give every single American worker an annual $500 payroll tax rebate for about $700 billion.\u00a0\nThere would even be enough money from the fee to pay for the corporate and payroll tax cuts and on top of that to boost the Earned Income Tax Credit by hundreds of dollars a year for millions of lower-income families.\nThe American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act would promote market-based innovations to solve our carbon pollution problem.\u00a0 Its revenue could make our companies more competitive, give every single worker a tax cut, and boost benefits for low-income families.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nLast month, the former editorial-page editor of the Des Moines Register wrote a column titled: \u201c\u2018Carbon tax\u2019 would help Iowa, planet.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cThe United States could take the lead by acting on its own, watch its economy grow, and let the rest of the world catch up,\u201d he wrote. \u00a0\u201cIn the process, the United States would gain mastery of the sustainable-energy technology that will drive economic growth in the future.\u201d\u00a0\nMr./Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that this column be entered into the Record.\nGeorge W. Bush\u2019s Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson gave the same message earlier this year, saying, \u201cA tax on carbon emissions will unleash a wave of innovation to develop technologies, lower the costs of clean energy and create jobs as we and other nations develop new energy products and infrastructure.\n\u201cRepublicans must not shrink from this issue,\u201d he continued. \u00a0\u201cRisk management is a conservative principle.\u201d\u00a0\nHank Paulson is not alone.\u00a0 Conservative figures like George Shultz, Secretary of State under President Reagan, emphatically support a carbon fee as the best way to address carbon pollution.\nArt Laffer, one of the architects of President Reagan\u2019s economic plan, had this to say about a carbon tax and related payroll tax cut: \u201cI think that would be very good for the economy and as an adjunct, it would reduce also carbon emissions into the environment.\u201d\nIn a 2013 New York Times op-ed, four former Republican EPA Administrators\u2014Bill Ruckelshaus, Christine Todd Whitman, Lee Thomas, and William Reilly\u2014wrote, \u201cA market-based approach, like a carbon tax, would be the best path to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.\u201d \u00a0I ask unanimous consent that their op-ed be entered into the Record.\nI know the big carbon polluters want this issue ignored.\u00a0 They want to squeeze one more quarter, one more year of subsidy from the rest of us.\u00a0 Lunch is good when someone else picks up the check.\nBut I still believe this is a problem we can solve.\u00a0 Mr./Madam President, not long ago, this would have been a bipartisan bill.\u00a0 Not long ago, leading Republican voices agreed with Democrats that the dangers of climate change were real.\u00a0 Leading Republican voices agreed that carbon emissions were the culprit.\u00a0 And leading Republican voices agreed that Congress had the responsibility to act.\u00a0\nOne Republican senator won his party\u2019s nomination for president on a solid climate change platform.\u00a0 A number of our Republican colleagues in the Senate introduced, cosponsored, or voted for climate legislation in the past.\u00a0 Some of the proposals were market-based, revenue-neutral tools, aligned with Republican free-market values.\nThe junior Senator from Arizona, a Republican, was an original cosponsor of a carbon fee bill when he served in the House of Representatives.\u00a0 That proposal, introduced with former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis, would have placed a $15-per-ton fee on carbon pollution in 2010, more than $20 in 2015, and $100 in 2040.\u00a0 At the time, our colleague from Arizona had this to say: \u201cIf there is one economic axiom, it\u2019s that if you want less of something, then you tax it. . . . Clearly it\u2019s in our interest to move away from carbon.\u201d\nWe simply need conscientious Republicans and Democrats to work together, in good faith, on a platform of fact and common sense.\u00a0 We know it can be done, because it\u2019s been done.\u00a0\nAt the end of a speech about the American Revolution, the historian David McCullough was asked why it was that our Founding Fathers had the courage to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the cause of independence.\u00a0 He answered simply: \u201cIt was a courageous time.\u201d\u00a0\nIn courageous times, Americans have done far more than stand up to polluters to serve this Great Republic.\u00a0 It only takes courage to make this a courageous time, too.\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sens-whitehouse-and-schatz-introduce-carbon-fee-legislation", "Sens. Whitehouse and Schatz Introduce Carbon Fee Legislation", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.19.14\n\t\t\t Sens. Whitehouse and Schatz Introduce Carbon Fee Legislation \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 As President Obama and Senate Democrats continue to make clear that they are not backing off in the fight against climate change following the election, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today unveiled legislation that would reduce carbon pollution and generate as much as $2 trillion dollar over ten years \u2013 all of which would be returned to the American people.\u00a0 Whitehouse\u2019s American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act, which is cosponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), would correct a market failure that currently allows polluters to push the costs of their pollution onto everyone else.\r\n\u201cRight now we are subsidizing big polluters to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually by allowing them to pollute for free,\u201d said Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cWe all pay the costs of this subsidy through higher health costs, property damage from rising seas, warming waters that affect our fishing industry, and more.\u00a0 This legislation will put the costs of carbon pollution back on the polluters, and in doing so, will generate significant revenue \u2013 all of which will be returned to the American people.\u201d\r\n\u201cWith this bill we can take control of our economic future.\u00a0 This is one of the most straightforward solutions to climate change, and has growing support across the ideological spectrum,\u201d said Schatz.\u00a0 \u201cRepublicans in the Congress are going to take some time to warm up to this proposal, but I am confident that they will listen to their consciences and their constituents, and join us on the right side of history.\u201d\r\nThe American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act would require polluters to pay a fee for every ton of carbon pollution they emit.\u00a0 The fee would start at $42 per ton in 2015 and increase annually by an inflation-adjusted 2 percent.\u00a0 The price of the fee follows the Obama Administration\u2019s central estimate of the \u201csocial cost of carbon,\u201d the value of the harms caused by carbon pollution including falling agricultural productivity, human health hazards, and property damages from flooding.\r\nThe fee would be assessed on all coal, oil, and natural gas produced in or imported to the U.S. and cover large emitters of non-carbon greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide from non-fossil-fuel sources.\u00a0 The U.S. Department of Treasury would assess and collect the fee, working with the Environmental Protection Agency and Energy Information Administration to ensure the best research methods and data are used.\r\nA study from Resources for the Future, a non-partisan think tank, estimates that a carbon fee tracking the social cost of carbon would reduce carbon pollution by about 50% within a decade from the electricity sector alone compared to business-as-usual. The electricity sector is the largest source of carbon pollution, emitting about 40% of annual emissions.\r\nAll revenue generated by the carbon pollution fee \u2013 which could exceed $2 trillion over ten years \u2013 would be credited to an American Opportunity Fund to be returned to the American people.\u00a0 Possible uses include:\r\n \r\nEconomic assistance to low-income families and those residing in areas with high energy costs\r\nTax cuts\r\nSocial security benefit increases\r\nTuition assistance and student debt relief\r\nInfrastructure investments\r\nDividends to individuals and families\r\nTransition assistance to workers and businesses in energy-intensive and fossil-fuel industries\r\nClimate mitigation or adaptation\r\nReducing the national debt\r\n \r\nSenator Whitehouse spoke at length about this legislation on the Senate floor in introducing it.\u00a0 Video of his remarks can be seen here, and text is available here.\u00a0\r\nTo download a copy of the bill, click here.\r\n\u00a0###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-house-members-celebrate-white-house-display-armenian-orphan-rug", "Cicilline, House Members Celebrate White House Display of Armenian Orphan Rug", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) today spoke at the opening of the Armenian Orphan Rug display, which will be showcased at the White House Visitor\u2019s Center today through November 23rd. Last year, Cicilline and 31 of his House colleagues sent a letter urging President Obama to release the Armenian Orphan Rug for public exhibition. The following are Cicilline\u2019s remarks as prepared for delivery:\n\u201cI want to thank Congressman Schiff, Valadao and all my colleagues for their incredible efforts to display the Armenian Orphan Rug at the White House. I also want to thank the Armenian-American community leaders who made this display possible.\n\u201cRhode Island is home to a vibrant community of Armenian-Americans. I\u2019ve seen firsthand the significant contributions this community has made to our state in business, culture, academia, government, and the arts, and I want to express my deep gratitude to all the Armenian-Americans who live across our country.\n\u201cToday we celebrate the display of the Armenian Orphan Rug at the White House Visitor Center. This great artifact is both a symbol of the strong relationship between Armenia and the U.S. and a stark reminder about the first genocide of the modern era where 1.5 million Armenians perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.\n\u201cIn 1925, President Calvin Coolidge was presented with a hand woven rug by orphans survivors of the Armenian Genocide. The Ghazir rug, commonly known as the Armenian Orphan Rug, represented a token of appreciation for the generosity of the United States toward survivors and orphans of this genocide.\n\u201cLast year, it was reported that the White House would not allow the rug to be loaned to Smithsonian Institution to be displayed for a public event. In November of 2013, my colleagues and I joined together and urged President Obama to allow the rug to be displayed publicly, as it is an essential part of American and Armenian history. Together with leaders in the American-Armenian community we successfully worked with the White House to make sure the rug and its historical meaning were shared with the country.\n\u201cAs a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee\u00a0 and Congressional Armenian Caucus, I had the opportunity to travel to Armenia earlier this year where I observed the annual Remembrance Day Event to commemorate the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide.\n\u201cThe United States has a responsibility to condemn acts of religious intolerance and to protect and promote human rights across the globe. My experience in Armenia served as an important reminder that we must do more to honor the survivors and their families and to ensure a tragedy such as the Armenian Genocide never occurs again. Today we have made a small, but important step toward honoring their memories.\n\u201cThere is still more work to be done. In the past year, I have supported appropriations requests for aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. I voted to pass the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act to return church properties to their rightful owners and protect religious minority groups from unfair discrimination. And, I\u2019ve fought to ensure the U.S. recognizes the Armenian Genocide.\n\u201cAs a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, I will continue to fight to strengthen relations between the U.S. and Armenia.\n\u201cToday I am proud to stand with all of you to celebrate this great achievement and to remember all the lives lost during the horrific Armenian Genocide.\n\u201cThank you.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-lauds-approval-block-island-wind-farm-transmission-line", "RI Delegation Lauds Approval of Block Island Wind Farm Transmission Line", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Yesterday the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (Deepwater Wind) for the Block Island Transmission System (BITS).\u00a0 The announcement paves the way for the installation of a transmission line to carry energy from the Block Island Wind Farm to the Rhode Island mainland, and to give island residents access to the mainland electric grid.\nU.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, strong supporters of the offshore wind project, released the statements below praising the announcement:\n\u201cThis decision by the BOEM marks the first right-of-way grant offered in federal waters for renewable energy transmission, a significant distinction for Rhode Island.\u00a0 As the country reduces its dependence on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, Rhode Island has the potential to benefit from this emerging renewable energy industry, while helping to chart its future,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).\n\u201cThe Block Island Wind Farm will bring cleaner and more affordable energy to Block Island\u2019s residents while helping Rhode Island access the tremendous economic and environmental potential of our offshore wind,\u201d said Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a milestone in our nation\u2019s transition to a clean energy economy, and I\u2019m proud that Rhode Island is leading the way.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island has championed so many environmental conservation efforts and we are truly leading by example with the country's first offshore wind farm. \u00a0This exciting news from BOEM is further evidence of our state's important role in a nationwide movement to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure now and for the future,\u201d said Congressman Langevin, a founding member and energy task force chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.\n\u201cRhode Island is leading the way in a clean energy future and this announcement marks important progress in the Ocean State and across the nation in harnessing renewable energy sources,\u201d said Cicilline. \u00a0\u201cI'm pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting this project, and I look forward to charting the economic and environmental progress this project represents in the coming years.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-lauds-approval-block-island-wind-farm-transmission-line", "RI Delegation Lauds Approval of Block Island Wind Farm Transmission Line", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Yesterday the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (Deepwater Wind) for the Block Island Transmission System (BITS). The announcement paves the way for the installation of a transmission line to carry energy from the Block Island Wind Farm to the Rhode Island mainland, and to give island residents access to the mainland electric grid.\nU.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, strong supporters of the offshore wind project, released the statements below praising the announcement:\n\u201cThis decision by the BOEM marks the first right-of-way grant offered in federal waters for renewable energy transmission, a significant distinction for Rhode Island. As the country reduces its dependence on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, Rhode Island has the potential to benefit from this emerging renewable energy industry, while helping to chart its future,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).\n\u201cThe Block Island Wind Farm will bring cleaner and more affordable energy to Block Island\u2019s residents while helping Rhode Island access the tremendous economic and environmental potential of our offshore wind,\u201d said Whitehouse. \u201cIt\u2019s a milestone in our nation\u2019s transition to a clean energy economy, and I\u2019m proud that Rhode Island is leading the way.\u201d\n\u201cRhode Island has championed so many environmental conservation efforts and we are truly leading by example with the country\u2019s first offshore wind farm. This exciting news from BOEM is further evidence of our state\u2019s important role in a nationwide movement to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure now and for the future,\u201d said Congressman Langevin, a founding member and energy task force chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.\n\u201cRhode Island is leading the way in a clean energy future and this announcement marks important progress in the Ocean State and across the nation in harnessing renewable energy sources,\u201d said Cicilline. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting this project, and I look forward to charting the economic and environmental progress this project represents in the coming years.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-bill-seeks-to-make-new-york-federal-reserve-bank-more-accountable-to-taxpayers", "Reed Bill Seeks to Make New York Federal Reserve Bank More Accountable to Taxpayers", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/18/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Seeking to increase accountability at the powerful New York Federal Reserve Bank, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced legislation that would require the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to undergo a public confirmation process including appointment by the President of the United States and approval by the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 The bill seeks to subject the influential institution to enhanced public scrutiny, given the pivotal role the New York Fed plays in implementing the nation\u2019s monetary policy and enforcing U.S. banking laws.\r\n\u201cIf the Governors of the Federal Reserve System are required to be confirmed by the Senate, then the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, who played a central and perhaps more powerful role in overseeing taxpayer dollars during the financial crisis, should also be subject to the same public confirmation process,\u201d said Reed, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.\u00a0 \u201cMore must be done to make this extremely powerful position truly accountable to taxpayers.\u201d\r\nThe legislation is being introduced ahead of a November 21 hearing by the Banking Committee\u2019s panel on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, where Mr. William C. Dudley, the sitting president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, is expected to testify and discuss ways to improve supervision of financial institutions.\r\nReed successfully added similar legislation in the Senate-passed version of the 2010 Dodd\u2013Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, but the language was not included in the final version of the law, a move Reed has called \u201ca crucial mistake.\u201d\u00a0 Currently, the President of the New York Fed, like other regional Federal Reserve Banks, is appointed to a five-year term by a subset of the board of directors of the regional Reserve Bank, with the approval of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.\r\nAs the response to the financial crisis showed, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is unlike any of the other eleven regional Federal Reserve Banks, and is entrusted with unique responsibilities.\u00a0 For instance,\r\n \r\nThe president of the New York Fed is not only a permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which establishes the Federal Reserve System\u2019s monetary policy, but also acts as the FOMC\u2019s Vice-Chairman.\r\nThe Federal Reserve Bank of New York is solely responsible for implementing an aspect of monetary policy known as open market operations, through which U.S. Treasury securities are purchased and sold in the secondary market to influence the levels of bank reserves.\r\nThe New York Fed is entrusted with protecting the U.S. Dollar in foreign exchange markets.\u00a0\r\nThe New York Fed is the largest Reserve Bank in terms of assets and volume of activity, charged with supervising some of the largest banks and most active financial institutions in the country.\r\n \r\nIn addition to Senate confirmation of the Bank\u2019s president, Reed\u2019s legislation would require the head of the New York Fed to testify before the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee at least once per year, ensuring oversight of the institution on an annual basis.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSomeone at this institution needs to be directly accountable to Congress, and this important oversight begins with the confirmation process, which gives the Senate a vital opportunity to evaluate whether a nominee has the experience, character, judgment, and skills to serve effectively as one of the most powerful banking regulators in the country, if not the world,\u201d added Reed.\u00a0 \u201cSimply put, this legislation is about holding the New York Fed accountable.\u00a0 It plays a pivotal role in implementing our nation\u2019s monetary policy and enforcing our banking laws, and it\u2019s just too powerful to be left unchecked.\u201d\r\nLast month, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System described the New York Fed\u2019s oversight efforts with respect to one large banking institution that eventually suffered billions of dollars in trading losses as a \u201cmissed opportunity.\u201d\u00a0 At least one media report cast doubt on whether the New York Fed has changed enough, or been proactive enough, since the 2008 financial crisis to protect the financial system from future disaster.\r\nProtecting consumers and bringing transparency and accountability to Wall Street is a lasting priority for Reed. \u00a0He helped write several key pieces of the historic Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, including a provision establishing the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).\u00a0 He also closed dangerous loopholes and gaps in financial oversight by requiring advisers to hedge funds and private equity funds to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/ri-delegation-lauds-approval-of-block-island-wind-farm-transmission-line", "RI Delegation Lauds Approval of Block Island Wind Farm Transmission Line", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/18/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Yesterday the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (Deepwater Wind) for the Block Island Transmission System (BITS).\u00a0 The announcement paves the way for the installation of a transmission line to carry energy from the Block Island Wind Farm to the Rhode Island mainland, and to give island residents access to the mainland electric grid.\r\nU.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, strong supporters of the offshore wind project, released the statements below praising the announcement:\r\n\u201cThis decision by the BOEM marks the first right-of-way grant offered in federal waters for renewable energy transmission, a significant distinction for Rhode Island.\u00a0 As the country reduces its dependence on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, Rhode Island has the potential to benefit from this emerging renewable energy industry, while helping to chart its future,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).\r\n\u201cThe Block Island Wind Farm will bring cleaner and more affordable energy to Block Island\u2019s residents while helping Rhode Island access the tremendous economic and environmental potential of our offshore wind,\u201d said Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a milestone in our nation\u2019s transition to a clean energy economy, and I\u2019m proud that Rhode Island is leading the way.\u201d\r\n\u201cRhode Island has championed so many environmental conservation efforts and we are truly leading by example with the country's first offshore wind farm. \u00a0This exciting news from BOEM is further evidence of our state's important role in a nationwide movement to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure now and for the future,\u201d said Congressman Langevin, a founding member and energy task force chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.\r\n\u201cRhode Island is leading the way in a clean energy future and this announcement marks important progress in the Ocean State and across the nation in harnessing renewable energy sources,\u201d said Cicilline. \u00a0\u201cI'm pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting this project, and I look forward to charting the economic and environmental progress this project represents in the coming years.\u201d\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-lauds-approval-of-block-island-wind-farm-transmission-line", "RI Delegation Lauds Approval of Block Island Wind Farm Transmission Line", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.18.14\n\t\t\t RI Delegation Lauds Approval of Block Island Wind Farm Transmission Line \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 Yesterday the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (Deepwater Wind) for the Block Island Transmission System (BITS).\u00a0 The announcement paves the way for the installation of a transmission line to carry energy from the Block Island Wind Farm to the Rhode Island mainland, and to give island residents access to the mainland electric grid.\r\nU.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, strong supporters of the offshore wind project, released the statements below praising the announcement:\r\n\u201cThis decision by the BOEM marks the first right-of-way grant offered in federal waters for renewable energy transmission, a significant distinction for Rhode Island.\u00a0 As the country reduces its dependence on oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, Rhode Island has the potential to benefit from this emerging renewable energy industry, while helping to chart its future,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).\r\n\u201cThe Block Island Wind Farm will bring cleaner and more affordable energy to Block Island\u2019s residents while helping Rhode Island access the tremendous economic and environmental potential of our offshore wind,\u201d said Whitehouse.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a milestone in our nation\u2019s transition to a clean energy economy, and I\u2019m proud that Rhode Island is leading the way.\u201d\r\n\u201cRhode Island has championed so many environmental conservation efforts and we are truly leading by example with the country's first offshore wind farm. \u00a0This exciting news from BOEM is further evidence of our state's important role in a nationwide movement to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure now and for the future,\u201d said Congressman Langevin, a founding member and energy task force chair of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.\r\n\u201cRhode Island is leading the way in a clean energy future and this announcement marks important progress in the Ocean State and across the nation in harnessing renewable energy sources,\u201d said Cicilline. \u00a0\u201cI'm pleased to join with my colleagues in supporting this project, and I look forward to charting the economic and environmental progress this project represents in the coming years.\u201d\r\n\u00a0###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-statement-on-keystone-vote", "Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Keystone Vote", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "01.29.15\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Statement on Keystone Vote \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 The U.S. Senate today passed legislation to approve the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.\u00a0 U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a strong opponent of the pipeline who voted no on the bill, released the statement below regarding the vote:\r\n\u201cNow that we have burned through three weeks of the Senate\u2019s time, Senate Republicans have succeeded in passing their first piece of legislation: a gift for Big Oil that the President has already said he will veto.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad the President will veto this bill because the Keystone XL pipeline would be a disaster for our health and environment \u2013 enabling expanded development of one of the dirtiest fuels on the planet and exacerbating climate change.\u00a0 I hope we can now put this debate behind us and move on to more serious legislative efforts to address the major issues facing our country.\u201d\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-bass-introduce-congressional-resolution-honor-health-workers-responding", "Cicilline, Bass Introduce Congressional Resolution to Honor Health Workers Responding to Ebola", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Representatives David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and Karen Bass (D-CA) today introduced a congressional resolution to acknowledge and thank medical professionals and volunteers for their extraordinary courage in responding to the Ebola outbreak. The new congressional resolution expresses \u201cthe sense of Congress that health workers deserve our profound gratitude and respect for their commitments and sacrifices in addressing the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.\u201d\nDespite Ebola outbreaks historically having a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent, as of November 10, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has received nearly 4,800 self-nominated, non-vetted requests through the usaid.gov online registration portal for healthcare volunteers and is passing these contacts to interested aid organizations working in the region for vetting, possible selection, and training. These volunteers face dangerous and life-threatening conditions and according to the World Health Organization, over 540 health workers in West Africa, including several Americans, have already been infected in the current outbreak.\n\u201cHealth workers and volunteers who are on the frontlines combatting the Ebola virus are risking their lives to treat patients and stop the spread of this terrible and deadly disease. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude for their bravery,\u201d said Cicilline.\n\u201cCongress should properly commend the hundreds of healthcare workers in the United States and those working in West Africa whose bravery is not only saving lives, but they are keeping the Ebola virus from spreading further. It was embarrassing how leaders treated Maine nurse Kaci Hickox after she returned from treating Ebola victims in West Africa. These healthcare workers are heroes--putting their own lives in danger to care for and treat people who are most in need,\u201d said Bass.\nMany non-governmental organizations such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, American Jewish World Service, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Partners in Health, Samaritan\u2019s Purse, Global Communities, and others are responding to the Ebola crisis. The United States is helping to train health workers from African Union member states to directly respond to medical needs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, but more trained workers are still needed.\nAt the time the outbreak began, many health workers in West Africa did not have proper training or experience to recognize, diagnose, and care for Ebola patients and prevent contraction. For example, in 2003 after 14 years of civil war, Liberia had only 30 doctors serving a country of 3 million people. When the outbreak began, Liberia had only 50 doctors. Experts have stated that the greatest barrier to ending the outbreak in West Africa is an insufficient number of health workers.\nThe full text of the congressional resolution is below:\nExpressing the sense of Congress that health workers deserve our profound gratitude and respect for their commitments and sacrifices in addressing the Ebola epidemic in West Africa\nWhereas the current Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone is the first Ebola outbreak in West Africa and by far the largest Ebola outbreak ever;\nWhereas the Ebola Virus Disease is a severe acute viral illness that has symptoms that are also common to other viruses, such as fever, muscle pain, and intestinal problems, making it difficult to properly identify;\nWhereas Ebola outbreaks are characterized by human-to-human transmission of the virus through direct contact with blood, body fluids, and tissues of infected people such as through needle sticks, unprotected care of infected individuals, and unsafe funeral preparation or burial ceremonies;\nWhereas Ebola outbreaks historically have a case fatality rate of up to 90 percent;\nWhereas there is currently no licensed vaccine or treatment for Ebola other than supportive care;\nWhereas according to the World Health Organization, as of November 12, 2014, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have reported 14,098 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases since December 2013;\nWhereas the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that for every case reported, an additional 1.5 cases are not recorded;\nWhereas second order impacts of the Ebola outbreak are threatening local public health systems, economic and food security, and political stability;\nWhereas the Ebola virus threatens to destabilize the nascent political systems in affected countries and disrupt the free flow of people and goods in a globalized world economy;\nWhereas the United States cannot truly protect itself from the Ebola crisis without ending the outbreak in West Africa;\nWhereas the United States has addressed the crisis by disbursing over $414 million to date,\u00a0 deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to coordinate the U.S. government response in West Africa, sending U.S. military and broader uniformed services to support logistics, training, and engineering;\nWhereas the Continuing Appropriations Resolution for Fiscal Year 2015 included $88 million to support the international response to the outbreak and to invest in the research and development of Ebola vaccines and treatments;\nWhereas at the time of the initial outbreak, many health workers in West Africa did not have proper training or experience to recognize, diagnose, and care for Ebola patients and prevent transmission;\nWhereas the United States is helping to train health workers from member states of the African Union to directly respond to medical needs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, but more trained workers are still needed;\nWhereas non-governmental organizations such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, American Jewish World Service, International Medical Corps, International Rescue Committee, Partners in Health, Samaritan\u2019s Purse, Global Communities, , and many more are responding to the crisis;\nWhereas the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Center for International Disaster Information operate a database for medical professionals in the United States who are willing to go overseas to fight Ebola;\nWhereas as of November 10, 2014, USAID has received nearly 4,800 self-nominated, non-vetted volunteers through the usaid.gov online registration portal for healthcare volunteers and is passing these contacts to interested aid organizations working in the region for vetting, possible selection, and training; \nWhereas MSF has said what is needed most to fight the epidemic in West Africa is not cash contributions, but rather additional health workers;\nWhereas according to the World Health Organization, over 540 health workers in West Africa, including several Americans, have been infected in the current outbreak and over 310 have died;\nWhereas two nurses contracted Ebola while treating a patient in the United States, and have since recovered;\nWhereas the U.S. Government, in cooperation with international partners, must do everything possible to protect health workers who may come in contact with Ebola, such as by procuring additional units of personal protective equipment (PPE) and investing in research and development of better methods of protection; \nNow, therefore, be it\nResolved, That Congress--\n Recognizes and honors the commitment, courage and sacrifices made by medical professionals,\u00a0 national and community health care workers, government officials, military personnel, nongovernmental organizations, members of civil society, faith leaders, and volunteers engaged in the\u00a0 effort to combat and contain the Ebola Virus Disease, thereby saving\u00a0 countless lives; \nCalls on research and development groups and medical device companies to develop better ways to protect health workers from Ebola infection; \nRemains committed to mobilizing the resources and personnel necessary to help fight the spread of this disease to save lives and to protect the national security and global health interests of the United States;\nCalls on the international community to increase its commitments of resources, services, and personnel to assist affected nations in addressing the current epidemic; and\nRecognizes the need to address long-term solutions to the Ebola epidemic, including by helping to build resilient public health systems.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-collins-seek-to-strengthen-bipartisan-ties-in-the-next-congress", "Reed, Collins Seek to Strengthen Bipartisan Ties in the Next Congress", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/14/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to build stronger and more productive relationships among all members of the U.S. Senate, two leading Senators from New England, Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI), today joined with Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and 26 of their Senate colleagues in calling for monthly bipartisan lunches between their caucuses in the next Congressional session.\r\n\"We believe that regular bipartisan meetings like the one in July 2013 can help foster the kind of productive relationships that will be critical for the Senate to live up to its reputation as the world's most deliberative body,\" the Senators wrote in their letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. \"It is our hope that our respective leadership teams take concrete steps to broaden the relationships and deepen the rapport among members.\u00a0 Specifically, we believe that monthly bipartisan lunches would serve this goal.\"\u00a0\r\nThe letter was also signed by: Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).\r\nThe full text of the letter is below, and a PDF is available to the right of your screen:\r\n\u00a0\r\nNovember 14, 2014\r\n\u00a0\r\nThe Honorable Harry Reid\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Honorable Mitch McConnell\r\nMajority 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 \u00a0Republican Leader\r\nUnited States 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 United States 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\u00a0Washington, DC 20510\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Leader Reid and Leader McConnell:\r\nAs both the Senate and the nation look toward the 114th Congress and beyond, we believe that better functioning relationships in this body will be a necessary prerequisite in order to meet our common challenges.\r\nLast year, under your leadership, members from both sides of the aisle were able to come together and have a frank, open and fruitful discussion during the Joint Caucus meeting in the Old Senate Chamber.\u00a0 As you know, nearly half of the members of the Senate are currently serving their first term, a level not seen in 30 years.\u00a0 Soon more new members will join our ranks.\u00a0 We believe that regular bipartisan meetings like the one in July 2013 can help foster the kind of productive relationships that will be critical for the Senate to live up to its reputation as the world's most deliberative body.\r\nIt is our hope that our respective leadership teams take concrete steps to broaden the relationships and deepen the rapport among members.\u00a0 Specifically, we believe that monthly bipartisan lunches would serve this goal.\u00a0 Given that our caucuses already meet separately at least twice weekly, surely scheduling a bipartisan lunch just once a month would make for a workable option.\r\nWe appreciate your time and consideration.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/house-approves-national-estuary-program-funding-bill", "House Approves National Estuary Program Funding Bill", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s National Estuary Program (NEP), which awards grants to the nation\u2019s 28 national estuaries to safeguard the health of important coastal ecosystems across the country, including Rhode Island\u2019s Narragansett Bay Estuary Program. U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (D-RI) noted that the program has a long history of bipartisan support and was first established in 1987 by Rhode Island\u2019s Republican Senator John Chafee.\n\u201cThe Narragansett Bay is an essential part of Rhode Island\u2019s economy and culture, and connects Rhode Islander\u2019s with nature and the sea. It\u2019s important that we continue to protect this natural treasure for future generations to enjoy and reauthorizing the National Estuary Program will provide critical funds for the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program to continue its important work,\u201d said Cicilline.\nIn Fiscal Year 2014 the National Estuary Program was funded at $25.1 million. This legislation would authorize $27 million for the program through FY2018 and prioritize funding within the NEP to meet high priority needs, including sea grass loss, reoccurring harmful algal blooms and invasive exotic species or jellyfish proliferation. These awards would be provided on a competitive basis and would not impact the amount of base grants for estuaries.\nNow that the bill has passed the House it must be approved by the full Senate before it can be signed into law by the President.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/congress-passes-reeds-sunscreen-innovation-act", "Congress Passes Reed’s Sunscreen Innovation Act", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11/13/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) scored another key victory for consumers today when the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Reed-authored Sunscreen Innovation Act (S. 2141) by unanimous consent.\u00a0 Reed\u2019s bill, the result of a years-long campaign for stronger sunscreen standards and labeling, is designed to address a regulatory backlog that is preventing U.S. consumers from having access to advanced, effective sunscreens that are widely available in the rest of the world.\u00a0 The U.S. Senate passed the bill in September, and the measure now heads to President Obama\u2019s desk where it is expected to become law.\r\nThe Sunscreen Innovation Act will help the U.S. catch up to other countries in sunscreen technology by expediting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) review process for active ingredients in sunscreens that have long been approved for use in places like Europe and Canada.\u00a0 Some of these sunscreen ingredients have been safely used overseas for years, but have had their applications pending before the FDA for over a decade.\u00a0 The Sunscreen Innovation Act also seeks to shed some light on the FDA\u2019s review process by requiring the agency to periodically report to Congress on the progress of this effort.\r\n\u201cPassage of this bill is good for American consumers and public health, and it\u2019s an example of the type of bipartisan achievements that are possible when both sides come together.\u00a0 The Sunscreen Innovation Act will help ensure U.S. consumers have access to the safest, most effective sunscreens available.\u00a0 While the FDA must do its due diligence to ensure the safety of these products, they should do it in a timely manner.\u00a0 Americans shouldn\u2019t have to wait decades for access to the most advanced, effective sunscreens as they try to better protect themselves from skin cancer.\u00a0 We want Americans to follow safe sun practices and benefit from the latest advances in sun care products and research,\u201d said Reed (D-RI), who originally introduced the legislation back in March.\r\nReed\u2019s bill was backed by a bipartisan coalition of 19 U.S. Senators, including his lead cosponsor, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who is a melanoma survivor.\u00a0 Other key cosponsors included Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-TN).\u00a0 Other cosponsors included:\u00a0 Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Burr (R-NC), Thomas R. Carper (D-DE), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rand Paul (R-KY),\u00a0 Rob Portman (R-OH), Pat Robert (R-KS), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).\r\nIn the House, Reed worked on the bill with Congressmen Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and John D. Dingell (D-MI).\u00a0 The legislation also received strong backing from leading skin cancer groups and environmental advocates.\r\nSkin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 2 million cases diagnosed every year. \u00a0A report from the Surgeon General released this summer stated that nearly 5 million people in the United States are treated for skin cancers every year, with an annual cost estimated at $8.1 billion.\u00a0 Many of these cases could be prevented by protecting skin from sun exposure, according to the American Cancer Society.\r\nReed has long been a champion of efforts to help Americans better protect themselves from skin cancer.\u00a0 He led the successful fight to strengthen the FDA\u2019s labeling and testing standards for sunscreen products and has also fought for better consumer disclosures on indoor tanning devices.\r\nTo spur the FDA to enact stronger sunscreen standards and oversight, Reed wrote the proposed Sunscreen Labeling Protection (SUN) Act.\u00a0 After years of delay, the FDA finally implemented new rules requiring sunscreen manufacturers to be clearer about how much protection their products really offer.\u00a0 The products must state whether they protect against both sunburn-causing ultraviolet B rays and the deeper-penetrating ultraviolet A linked to skin cancer and premature aging.\u00a0 They may no longer make misleading claims about being \u201cwaterproof\u201d or \u201csweatproof.\u201d\r\nReed also authored the Tanning Accountability and Notification (TAN) Act, which was signed into law in 2007, directing the FDA to review the warning labels on indoor tanning beds and approve a safe and effective national standard to educate consumers about the risks of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light.\u00a0 Earlier this year, the FDA announced plans to reclassify sunlamp products and ultraviolet (UV) lamps intended for use in sunlamp products and tanning beds as Class II medical devices.\u00a0 Reclassifying these ultraviolet tanning devices as moderate risk devices (Class II) will require them to bear warning labels about the risk of cancer, alerting people to the dangers associated with their use.\u00a0 The manufacturers of these sunlamp products will now include a visible black-box warning on the device that explicitly states that the sunlamp product should not be used on persons under the age of 18 years.\u00a0 In addition, certain marketing materials for sunlamp products and UV lamps must include specific warning statements.\r\nEarlier this year Reed teamed up with the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Rhode Island Hospital for the \u201cSun Smarts\u201d campaign, which offered free skin cancer screenings at local beaches around the state.\u00a0 The goal of the free screenings was to raise awareness about skin cancer and help catch cases of skin cancer in their earliest, most treatable stages and educate the public about effective sun protection.\r\nNow that it is has been passed by the full U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, the bill will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141113193359/http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/video-audio/time-to-wake-up-not-a-scientist-ask-one", "Time to Wake Up: Not a Scientist? Ask One.", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "As Sheldon travels the ocean state, he\u2019s been hearing from middle-class families, seniors, small business owners \u2013 taking that information back to Washington and standing up for Rhode Island.\nWe invite you to use the resources in this section to learn more about Sheldon\u2019s latest efforts for the Ocean State.\u00a0 You\u2019ll find video, press releases, speeches and more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141113193148/http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/not-a-scientist-ask-one", "Not a Scientist? Ask One.", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "As delivered on the Senate floor\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, November 12, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMr. President, we are now reconvened from the election recess and I\u2019m back on the Senate floor for the seventy-ninth consecutive week of Senate session to draw the attention of this body to the growing threat of global climate change.\u00a0\nLet me first \u00a0congratulate my Republican colleagues on achieving a majority in the Senate in the coming Congress.\u00a0 With control of the House, and a majority in the Senate, Republicans now have great power in Congress.\u00a0 As the well-known saying goes, however, \u201cwith great power comes great responsibility.\u201d\nThe hallmark of the Republican minority was obstruction, often pointless obstruction, obstruction for obstruction\u2019s sake.\u00a0 A rational and fact-based focus on the issues has not been, to put it mildly, their hallmark.\u00a0\nThat was their choice, and it is the privilege of the minority party in the Senate to behave that way.\u00a0 The minority party can choose to simply make themselves antagonists, with no policy responsibility.\u00a0\u00a0 And I have to say, they did an amazing job of that.\nBut now my colleagues have a majority, and they have the power\u2014and responsibility\u2014that comes with that, beginning in January.\u00a0\nMr. President, the touchstone of responsibility is to be responsible.\u00a0\u00a0 And I\u2019ll concede, this Senate actually could become a better place if the new majority, when it comes in, chooses to be responsible, and the uniquely partisan obstruction that characterized their role as the Senate minority passes away as they move to the majority.\nA key test, however, will be whether the Republicans here in the Senate choose to become responsible about climate change\u2014about what carbon pollution is doing, all around us, \u00a0\u00a0to our atmosphere and our oceans.\u00a0 About what happens when carbon concentrations in the atmosphere that have varied between 170 and 300 parts per million for as long as we have been a species on this planet suddenly surge to 400 and beyond.\u00a0\u00a0 About what happens when scientific laws that have been understood since Abraham Lincoln was riding around Washington D.C. in his top hat begin to impose their inexorable effects on our world.\nIn the minority, they pretended it wasn\u2019t real.\u00a0 Some even said climate change was a hoax.\u00a0 Many said they were not scientists and so couldn\u2019t do anything about it. \u00a0(I\u2019d note that they are not gynecologists either, but many have no hesitation about trying to regulate that area.) \u00a0\nNo one would work on doing anything serious about carbon dioxide emissions.\nIt was not always like this.\u00a0 Republican Senator John Warner was the lead sponsor of the Warner/Lieberman climate bill.\u00a0 Republican Senator John McCain ran for president on a solid climate change platform.\u00a0 Republican Senator Susan Collins coauthored an important cap and dividend climate bill with Senator Cantwell.\u00a0 Republican Senator Mark Kirk voted for the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill in the House of Representatives.\u00a0 Republican Senator Jeff Flake was an original cosponsor of a carbon fee bill, led by former Republican Congressman Bob Inglis, that would have placed a $15-per-ton fee on carbon pollution in 2010, more than $20- per-ton in 2015, and $100-per-ton in 2040.\u00a0\u00a0\nWell, all of that ended, that and more, ended shortly after the Citizens United decision, when our elections for the first time were flooded with polluter money and dark money, which is probably polluter money, but because it\u2019s dark and anonymous, you don\u2019t really know.\nBut say you\u2019re not a scientist; isn\u2019t the responsible thing to sound out scientific opinion?\nScientific opinion about climate change is now firmly settled.\u00a0 Climate change is caused by the massive carbon pollution we have unleashed.\u00a0 Every major scientific society in our country knows this and has said so.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a list, if you want to check in with them yourself. This is a list from a letter, dated October 21, 2009, more than five years ago. We have been fiddling around on this since the science was so clear. I ask unanimous consent that this letter be made addendum to my remarks in the Congressional Record.\nI could start with the body that is chartered one hundred fifty years ago, actually, to provide us independent, objective scientific advice: the National Academy of Sciences. \u00a0If that doesn\u2019t suit, try the American Association of the Advancement of Science, the American Physical Society, or the American Meteorological Society, or the American Geophysical Union, or the American Medical Association, or the American Chemical Society, or the Geological Society of America. If you\u2019re not a scientist, check it out. Ask the responsible scientists. Ask the leading scientific societies.\nIf you don\u2019t believe them, measurements, measurements confirm what the scientists know.\u00a0 Sea level is rising and the rise is accelerating.\u00a0 You measure that with a glorified yardstick.\u00a0 It\u2019s already up nearly ten inches at the Newport Naval Station since the 1930s, when we in Rhode Island had the devastating Hurricane of 1938.\u00a0 It\u2019s similar at Fort Pulaski in Georgia.\u00a0 And go visit Miami Beach, where they just spent hundreds of millions of dollars installing huge, 14,000-gallon-per-minute pumps to keep the city dry, as the rising tides flood in\nThe ocean is warming.\u00a0 You measure that with a thermometer.\u00a0 Narragansett Bay is nearly four degrees Fahrenheit warmer, mean winter water temperature, than fifty years ago.\u00a0 That is an ecosystem shift, and it has wreaked havoc with our winter flounder catch, for instance.\u00a0 Warmer waters aren\u2019t just in Rhode Island; they\u2019ve brought the snook, a gamefish from the Florida Keys, up into Georgia waters.\nThe ocean is more acidic, and it\u2019s getting more acidic, at the fastest rate measured looking back millions of years in the geologic record.\u00a0 If you doubt that the ocean is acidifying, ask the oyster growers in the Pacific Northwest and Maine.\u00a0 Ask the scientists who study Alaska\u2019s salmon fishery about what\u2019s happening to the pteropod, a key food source for salmon.\nHere\u2019s my challenge to my Republican colleagues who say they are not scientists:\u00a0 ask the scientists. Ask the scientists at your own home state universities, and ask the folks, by the way, employed by your outdoors industries, the people see the changes happening around them.\u00a0 Ask your park rangers. Ask your forest rangers.\nIf you\u2019re from North Carolina, ask the scientists at the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences.\nIf you\u2019re from Colorado, ask the scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.\nIf you\u2019re from Iowa, ask the scientists at the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research at the University of Iowa.\nIf you\u2019re from Arizona, ask the scientists at the University of Arizona, which hosts the Climate Assessment for the Southwest program.\nIf you\u2019re from Florida, ask the scientists at the University of Florida\u2019s Climate Institute.\nIf you\u2019re from Texas, ask the scientists at the Texas Center for Climate Studies at Texas A&M. The Aggies get climate change. Check it out.\nIf you\u2019re from New Hampshire, ask biologist Eric Orff, who worked for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department for thirty years, what\u2019s happening to your moose, and ask Mike Bartlett of the New Hampshire Audubon Society what\u2019s happening to your purple finch, your state bird.\nIf you\u2019re from Utah, ask the Park City Foundation and, while you\u2019re at it, employees at Alta Ski Area, Canyons Resort, Deer Crest, Deer Valley, or Park City Mountain Resort what they foresee for that industry.\nIf you\u2019re from Idaho, ask University of Idaho Professor Jeffery Hicke how rising temperatures let loose the bark beetle and decimated almost 1000 square miles of your iconic mountain pine forests.\nIf you like big business, if f you think that only the private sector knows anything, then ask the big property casualty reinsurers like Munich Re or Swiss Re, who have billions of dollars at stake, and have to get this right.\nIf you\u2019re from Georgia, ask the folks from Coca-Cola.\u00a0 If you\u2019re from Arkansas, ask the folks from WalMart.\u00a0 If you\u2019re from North Carolina, ask the folks at $30 billion-dollar clothing maker VF Corporation.\u00a0 They all have a lot of money riding on getting this right, and they\u2019re making decisions based on business not ideology.\u00a0 So, ask them.\nAnd if you trust the military, ask Admiral Samuel Locklear, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, who says climate risk is the most dangerous long-term challenge we face in the Pacific.\u00a0\nIf you\u2019re looking for some pretty good, high level scientists you might want to ask NASA and NOAA.\u00a0 Remember, NASA, they put a rover down safely on Mars and they\u2019re driving it around on Mars.\u00a0 You think they \u00a0might know what they\u2019re talking about?\nAnd if you need to hear it from Republicans?\u00a0 Ask former Republican Treasury Secretaries like George Schultz and Hank Paulson. \u00a0Ask former Republican EPA Administrators like Bill Ruckelshaus, Christine Todd Whitman, William Reilly, and Lee Thomas. \u00a0Ask James Brainard, the Republican Mayor of Carmel, IN. \u00a0Ask Bob Dixon, the Republican Mayor of Greensburg, KS. \u00a0Ask Betsy Price, the Republican Mayor of Fort Worth, TX. \u00a0Ask Republican Mayor Silvia Murphy and County Commissioner George Neugent of Monroe County, FL.\nIf you\u2019re not a scientist, just ask.\u00a0 Do your homework.\u00a0 Exercise this new great responsibility that will come with the great power you have won.\nBut don\u2019t pretend climate change isn\u2019t real.\u00a0\u00a0 Even your own young voters know better than that.\u00a0 A majority of Republican voters under age 35 think a politician who denies climate change is \u201cignorant,\u201d \u201cout of touch\u201d,\u201d or \u201ccrazy.\u201d Those were the words checked off in the poll\u00a0 To paraphrase Michael Corleone in that great movie, \u201cdon\u2019t tell me it isn\u2019t real, because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry.\u201d\nTo Republicans, I say I want to be your best friend in all of this; the kind of best friend who tells you when you\u2019re in no shape to drive and should hand over the keys to your car until you\u2019re sober enough to drive safely, even if it makes you mad to hear it. The kind of friend who will tell you the truths you need to hear, but don\u2019t want to hear.\u00a0 And let me say, friends don\u2019t let friends deny climate change.\nI know the big carbon polluters want this issue to be ignored.\u00a0 But responsibility is knowing when to tell even your friends \u201cno.\u201d\u00a0 Responsibility is doing what is factual and based in real science and measurement.\u00a0 Responsibility is doing what is right for your state and for your country in the long run, not just what rewards your supporters\u2014even those really, really big supporters\u2014in the short run.\nMaybe, as their friends, you might even want to have a little conversation with them.\u00a0 Because, this is only going one way.\u00a0 As Pope Francis just said, God is not \u201ca magician with a magic wand.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He put laws of the universe, laws of nature, in place, and we don\u2019t get a pass on them just because it is politically convenient.\nHow long does ExxonMobil think it can pursue unsustainable fossil fuel goals by fixing the politics?\u00a0 Laws of nature can\u2019t be bought or repealed.\u00a0 The Koch Brothers are rich enough to buy virtually anything, but even they can\u2019t buy new laws of nature.\u00a0 BP went and quietly shut down its solar and wind programs, but carbon still does what carbon does.\u00a0 As your friends, they might need a little intervention from you.\nAnd just so you know, I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got homes and businesses being swept into the ocean in my state.\u00a0 I\u2019ve got fishermen who tell me that \u201cit\u2019s getting weird out there\u201d in Rhode Island Sound; that the lobsters and fish aren\u2019t where they\u2019re supposed to be when they\u2019re supposed to be there; that they\u2019re catching kinds of fish their fathers and grandfathers never saw in their nets. It\u2019s getting weird out there.\nI'm not going anywhere.\u00a0 My state is small and coastal, and worse, bigger storms put us in serious danger.\u00a0 I am not ever going to ignore that.\u00a0\nI\u2019m never going to \u00a0walk away from this issue.\u00a0 I will never deny what Rhode Islanders see right in front of their face, and what all our expert warnings tell us are only going to get worse.\u00a0\nAnd if you are going to be responsible and not just powerful, you won\u2019t deny this issue and walk away either.\u00a0 One way or another, we are going to get this done.\nI yield the floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/congressman-cicilline-honors-our-nations-veterans", "Congressman Cicilline Honors Our Nation's Veterans", "2014-11-11", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PAWTUCKET, RI \u2013 Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) issued the following statement in commemoration of Veteran\u2019s Day:\n\u201cToday we join as a nation to honor the lives and sacrifices of the brave men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces. Throughout our history, United States\u2019 veterans have bravely stood watch, keeping our country safe and protecting the liberties we hold dear. As Americans, we live in a free and safe society because of their valiant efforts and extraordinary sacrifices. For the brave acts of patriotism from those who have served our nation, we owe a debt we can never fully repay.\n\u201cThis week I am lucky to be spending time with Rhode Island veterans around the state to salute their service and sacrifice \u2014 yesterday I joined with students at the Community College of Rhode Island in Lincoln to honor their peers who have served and today I joined with veterans and constituents for ceremonies in Woonsocket and Cumberland, and heard female soldiers share their experiences at a luncheon in their honor hosted by Operation Stand Down Rhode Island. Our troop, veterans, and their families deserve our utmost gratitude and deep respect, and we must ensure they are provided for with the exceptional care and benefits they have earned defending our great nation. I will continue to fight in Congress to fulfill the obligations our government has promised to those who have served, and I want to offer my humblest gratitude to the veterans in Rhode Island and around the nation for their service.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-statement-on-new-climate-commitments-from-us-and-china", "Sen. Whitehouse Statement on New Climate Commitments from U.S. and China", "2014-11-11", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.11.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Statement on New Climate Commitments from U.S. and China \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tProvidence, RI \u2013 Tonight President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping together announced new commitments to address climate change.\u00a0 U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the statement below regarding their announcement:\r\n\u201cThe US and China\u2019s joint announcement of carbon pollution reduction plans sends an important message: the world\u2019s top two emitters are committed to working together to avert the worst effects of climate change.\u00a0 President Obama\u2019s commitment to reduce US carbon pollution by up to 28 perecent by 2025 is an ambitious plan, as is China's commitment to a timetable for carbon pollution reductions, clean energy generation, and significant new investments in renewable energy.\u00a0 I thank President Obama for continuing to mobilize the global community to address the climate threat while cutting carbon pollution and stimulating the clean energy economy here at home.\u201d\r\nSenator Whitehouse is the chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, and is a co-chair of the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change and the Senate Climate Action Task Force.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-applauds-presidents-defense-of-net-neutrality", "Sen. Whitehouse Applauds President’s Defense of Net Neutrality", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.10.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Applauds President\u2019s Defense of Net Neutrality \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tProvidence, RI \u2013 Today President Barack Obama released a statement calling on the Federal Communications Commission to ensure a free and open internet by upholding the principles of net neutrality and reclassifying consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act \u2013 a step which would enable the FCC to prevent internet service providers from creating \u201cfast lanes\u201d for certain websites.\u00a0 U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who joined 11 other Senators on a letter to the FCC supporting Title II reclassification, released the statement below applauding the President\u2019s action:\r\n\u201cA free and open internet that functions equally for all users and developers \u2013 from the biggest businesses to the smallest startups \u2013 is absolutely essential.\u00a0 It\u2019s this principle that enabled Google to go from a small operation in a garage to one of the world\u2019s iconic corporations, and that will allow the web to continue to serve as an incubator for innovation for generations to come.\u00a0 I thank the President for supporting this goal and for his strong advocacy on behalf of net neutrality.\u201d\r\n\u00a0###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/congressman-cicilline-mourns-passing-former-boston-mayor-tom-menino", "Congressman Cicilline Mourns Passing of Former Boston Mayor Tom Menino", "2014-10-30", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "David Cicilline", "C001084", "cicilline.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "PAWTUCKET, RI \u2013 Congressman David N. Cicilline issued the following statement in honor of long-serving Boston Mayor Tom Menino, who passed away today after battling cancer:\n\u201cMayor Tom Menino was an outstanding Mayor of the City of Boston, a city he deeply loved, for more than 20 years. \u00a0He was a wonderful friend and a generous mentor to me, particularly in my early days as Mayor. \u00a0I was proud to be part of the organizing group of Mayor's Against Illegal Guns, when Tom first formed this organization with Mayor Bloomberg. \u00a0 He is recognized as one of America's greatest Mayors. He loved his city and served the people of Boston with passion and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the residents he served.\u00a0\nHis passing is a great loss for Boston and the entire nation, and my sincerest sympathies are with his wife Angela, his entire family and the people of Boston. As Mayor, Tom believed strongly that the key to a prosperous country \u00a0was creating healthy, vibrant cities, and Boston now bears his legacy as a shining example of that leadership. His strong work ethic, legendary commitment to public service and his visionary leadership made him one of America\u2019s greatest mayors. Rest in peace, my friend.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/sen-whitehouse-delivers-keynote-address-at-nyu-conference-on-climate-policy", "Sen. Whitehouse Delivers Keynote Address at NYU Conference on Climate Policy", "2014-10-28", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "10.28.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Delivers Keynote Address at NYU Conference on Climate Policy \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t RI Senator Announces Plan to Introduce Carbon Fee Legislation Next Month\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t New York, NY \u2013 Today U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse delivered the keynote address at the annual New York University Institute for Policy Integrity fall conference and announced that he will soon introduce legislation to establish a fee on carbon pollution.\u00a0 This year\u2019s conference was entitled \u201cThe Future of U.S. Climate Policy: Coal, Carbon Markets, and the Clean Air Act.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse, a leading voice for action on climate change and the Chairman of the Senate\u2019s Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, spoke about the harmful effects of climate change and the need to put a proper price on the carbon pollution that causes it.\r\n\"Pollution-driven climate change hurts our economy, damages our infrastructure, and harms public health.\u00a0 However, none of these costs are factored into the price of the coal or oil that\u2019s burned to release this carbon,\u201d Whitehouse said.\u00a0 \u201cThe big oil and coal companies have offloaded those costs onto society.\u00a0 Economics 101 tells us that\u2019s a market failure; in the jargon, that negative externalities are inefficient.\u00a0 If a company participates in an activity that causes harm, it should have to compensate those harmed.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse went on to note that, \u201cI am preparing a carbon fee bill, which I plan to introduce next month, and I look forward to announcing more details about that in the weeks ahead\u2026\u00a0 My legislation will generate significant new federal revenue\u2014perhaps as much as two trillion dollars over the first decade.\u00a0\u00a0 Every dollar of this revenue should be returned to the American people.\u201d\r\nWhitehouse also spoke about the refusal of Republicans to take the climate threat seriously and the role of post-Citizens United election spending in stifling progress.\r\nThe text of Whitehouse\u2019s speech, as prepared for delivery, is below.\u00a0\r\n--------------------------------------------\r\nI\u2019m happy to be with you today, here in New York City.\u00a0 Just a few weeks ago, four hundred thousand people marched in this great city to demand action on climate change.\u00a0 I was honored to be among them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe world has just set some dubious records.\u00a0 Five of the past six calendar months\u2014April, May, June, August, and September\u2014were each the hottest ever recorded.\u00a0 (July came in at fourth hottest.)\u00a0 2014 is on pace to tie or become the hottest year on record.\u00a0 This decade was warmer than the last, which was warmer than the one before that, which was warmer than the one before that.\u00a0 This is what climate change looks like.\u00a0\r\nThe reason is clear.\u00a0 Scientists tell us with near certainty that the flood of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is changing the atmosphere and the oceans.\u00a0\r\nLook at what carbon pollution is doing in our oceans.\u00a0 We know that the oceans are warming.\u00a0 That\u2019s not a theory, that\u2019s a measurement.\u00a0 It\u2019s done with thermometers.\u00a0 We know that as polar ice melts and as ocean water warms and expands, sea level is rising.\u00a0 That\u2019s another measurement.\u00a0 You can do it with a yard stick.\u00a0 We know that as the oceans absorb more carbon, they are becoming more acidic.\u00a0 Every American with an aquarium can measure acidity with litmus paper.\u00a0 Again, simple measurements, proven facts.\u00a0\r\nWe everywhere see the harm carbon pollution is causing.\u00a0 We see it all around us, in storm-damaged homes and flooded cities; in drought-stricken farms and raging wildfires; in fish disappearing from warming, acidifying waters; in shifting habitats and migrating contagions.\u00a0 These changes carry real economic costs to homeowners, business owners, and taxpayers.\u00a0 And they come as a result of carbon pollution.\r\nPollution-driven climate change hurts our economy, damages our infrastructure, and harms public health.\u00a0 However, none of these costs are factored into the price of the coal or oil that\u2019s burned to release this carbon.\u00a0 The big oil and coal companies have offloaded those costs onto society.\u00a0 Economics 101 tells us that\u2019s a market failure; in the jargon, that negative externalities are inefficient.\u00a0 If a company participates in an activity that causes harm, it should have to compensate those harmed.\r\nTorts 101 tells us the same thing.\u00a0 Seventy years ago, a soda bottle exploded and injured the hand of a waitress named Gladys Escola.\u00a0 In a famous concurrence in the case of Escola v Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Justice Traynor said that economic common sense made the bottler responsible for the exploding bottle, to create the incentive not to make exploding bottles.\u00a0 As the judge said it, \u201cpublic policy demands that responsibility be fixed wherever it will most effectively reduce the hazards.\u201d\u00a0 So this idea that you shouldn\u2019t be able to offload your costs\u2014and in this case have Ms. Escola pay the price\u2014is not new or unusual.\u00a0 It\u2019s really Fairness 101.\u00a0\r\nIf we expect any measure of integrity in energy policy, we must incorporate these climate change costs into the price of fossil fuels to correct the market failure.\u00a0\r\nThe financial burden borne by people living in a changing climate is known as the \u201csocial cost of carbon.\u201d\u00a0 It is the sum total of costs like property loss from sea level rise, the increased cost of treating mosquito-borne diseases, and loss from heat waves, drought, and other extreme weather.\u00a0 A recent study of the economic risks posed by climate change showed that sea level rise, for instance, will inundate up to $100 billion of U.S. real estate by mid-century.\u00a0 That is part of the social cost of carbon.\u00a0\r\nScientists and economists will tell you that some costs of climate change are hard to quantify.\u00a0 How do you calculate the cost of an extinct species?\u00a0 What does it cost to leave future generations with warmer, more acidic, less bio-diverse oceans?\u00a0 It is hard to price it all out, but the costs are still real.\u00a0\r\nU.S. government estimates of the social cost of carbon are just over forty dollars per ton of carbon dioxide emitted today.\u00a0 The current price on carbon pollution is effectively zero.\u00a0\r\nBy making carbon pollution free, we subsidize fossil fuel companies to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually.\u00a0 By making carbon pollution free, we fix the game, favoring polluters over newer and cleaner technologies that harvest the wind, sun, and waves.\u00a0 Corporate polluters, not bearing the costs of their products, are in effect cheating their competitors.\u00a0\r\nAs University of Chicago Economics Professor Michael Greenstone recently explained, this concept is widely accepted in his field:\r\nThe media always reports that there\u2019s near consensus amongst scientists about the fact that human activity impacts climate change.\u00a0 What does not receive as much attention is that there\u2019s even greater consensus amongst economists, starting from Milton Friedman and moving into the most left-wing economists that you could find, that the obvious correct public policy solution to this is to put a price on carbon.\u00a0 It\u2019s not controversial.\r\nOnce upon a time, climate change wasn\u2019t so controversial in Washington either.\u00a0 Not long ago, Republicans joined Democrats in pushing for action on climate.\u00a0 Leading Republican voices agreed that the dangers of climate change were real. Leading Republican voices agreed that carbon emissions were the culprit. And leading Republican voices agreed that Congress had the responsibility to act.\u00a0 I have Republican colleagues in the Senate who introduced, cosponsored, or voted for climate legislation in the past.\u00a0 Some of the proposals were market-based, revenue-neutral, tools, aligned with Republican free-market values.\u00a0 Some called for a fee on carbon pollution to cut income taxes.\u00a0 There was a steady pulse of activity\u2014an exchange of ideas and real debate.\u00a0\r\nThen, the heartbeat flatlined.\u00a0 Republican calls for climate action fell silent.\u00a0 Something happened, right around 2010.\u00a0\r\nIt was the Supreme Court\u2019s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission\u2014one of the Court\u2019s most disgraceful decisions.\r\nIn a nutshell, Citizens United says this: corporations are people; money is speech; so there can be no limit to corporate money influencing American elections.\u00a0 If that doesn\u2019t seem right, it\u2019s because it\u2019s not.\r\nImproper fact-finding by the five conservative activists on the Supreme Court concluded that corporate spending could not ever corrupt elections\u2014just couldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 By some magic, it\u2019s pure.\u00a0\r\nThat\u2019s a bad enough finding on its face, but they also didn\u2019t get that limitless, untraceable political money doesn\u2019t have to be spent to damage our democracy.\u00a0 Unlimited corporate spending in politics can corrupt publicly, through the floods of anonymous attack advertisements we all see; it can also corrupt, secretly and more dangerously, through threat of that spending.\u00a0 What Citizens United gave corporations the power to do, it also gave them the power to threaten to do.\r\nAs Senator John McCain and I wrote in an amicus brief in another campaign finance case, \u201cThe dominating influence of super PACs makes it all the easier for those seeking legislative favors and results to discreetly threaten such expenditures if Members of Congress do not accede to their demands.\u201d\r\nBear in mind that since Citizens United, a lot of this special interest money has been used against Republicans.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had Republican friends ask me, \u201cWhat are you complaining about?\u00a0 They\u2019re spending more against us, than against you.\u201d\u00a0 When the Koch Brothers\u2019 attack machine can come in and bombard you in a small Republican primary election, that\u2019s pretty scary.\u00a0\r\nThe timing is telling.\u00a0 Before Citizens United, there was an active heartbeat of Republican activity on climate change.\u00a0 The evidence of climate change has only mounted, along with sea levels.\u00a0\u00a0 But after Citizens United uncorked all that big, dark money, and allowed it to cast its bullying shadow of intimidation over our democracy, Republicans have backed away from any real work on major climate legislation.\r\nI work alongside Republican Senators who represent historic native villages, now washing into the rising sea.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators who represent great American coastal cities, now overwashed by high tides.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators representing states swept by drought and wildfire.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose home-state forests\u2014by the hundreds of square miles\u2014are being killed by the marauding pine beetle.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose home states\u2019 glaciers are disappearing.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose states are having to jack up bridges and highways above the reach of intensifying storm surges.\u00a0\r\nYet none will work on a carbon price bill.\u00a0 Most won\u2019t even utter the words \u201cclimate change\u201d on the floor of the Senate at all.\u00a0 It\u2019s not safe to, ever since Citizens United allowed the bullying, polluting special interests to bombard our elections with their attack ads and their threats.\u00a0\r\nYet, despite the Citizens United debacle, I remain confident\u2014for several reasons\u2014that eventually Republicans will have to turn back toward policy integrity and political integrity.\u00a0\r\nThe first source of my confidence is the Obama Administration regulations that will for the first time limit carbon pollution from our power plants.\u00a0 Our fifty worst-emitting power plants alone put out more carbon than all of Canada or Korea.\u00a0\u00a0 The new standard will not only reduce those emissions, it will change the way the polluters think. Once it\u2019s no longer free to pollute, the whole equation changes for them.\u00a0 And I suspect that some new thinking by polluters will be followed in short order by some new thinking on the other side of the aisle in the Senate.\u00a0\r\nThe second reason is the politics of climate change.\u00a0 The public is with us\u2014even increasing numbers of Republicans.\u00a0 Sixty-one percent of Americans agree that climate change is occurring and that action should be taken, and 67 percent of Americans support the Administration\u2019s proposed rule to limit carbon pollution from power plants.\u00a0 Another poll found that more than half of young Republican voters\u201453 percent of Republicans under the age of thirty-five\u2014would describe a politician who denies climate change is happening as \u201cignorant,\u201d \u201cout-of-touch,\u201d or \u201ccrazy.\u201d\r\nA modern political party that has built its climate change policy on a theory of denial that its own young voters think is ignorant, out of touch, or crazy\u2014that is a castle built on sand, doomed to fall.\u00a0\r\nA third factor is what\u2019s happening with American businesses.\u00a0 Yes, the fossil fuel polluters control the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal, and they are vocal players in the opposition to responsible climate policy.\u00a0 But look at big brand name American corporations, like Coke and Pepsi, Apple and Google, WalMart and Target, Mars and Nestle, UPS and Federal Express, GM and Ford.\u00a0 Look at the property casualty insurance industry, or the great bulk of the electric utility industry.\u00a0 These corporate leaders recognize that climate change is a real problem; they understand the undeniable science of what carbon pollution does to the Earth\u2019s atmosphere and oceans; and they are becoming more active. So, by the way, is the U.S. Military.\u00a0 That difference will help us tear down the denial castle.\u00a0\r\nAnd when the denial castle falls, a fee on carbon pollution is the answer.\u00a0 I am preparing a carbon fee bill, which I plan to introduce next month, and I look forward to announcing more details about that in the weeks ahead.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Harvard School of Public Health estimates that such a fee could reduce carbon emissions by up to 59 percent from 2005 levels.\u00a0 The improvements in air quality from the transition away from dirty power would decrease hospitalizations and prevent an estimated 3,200 premature deaths from heart attack, asthma, and respiratory disease every year.\u00a0 Honestly tallying the costs of carbon pollution on the ledgers will let market forces lead toward more balanced and efficient use of fossil fuels and toward carbon-free renewable energy.\r\nThen there are the financial benefits.\u00a0 My legislation will generate significant new federal revenue\u2014perhaps as much as two trillion dollars over the first decade.\u00a0\u00a0 Every dollar of this revenue should be returned to the American people.\u00a0 We can do this lots of ways:\u00a0 cutting personal or corporate taxes, relieving student loan debt, boosting Social Security benefits to seniors, providing transition assistance to workers in fossil-fuel industries, or even paying out direct dividends to families.\u00a0 The list goes on.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIt\u2019s win-win-win. We can use this revenue to do big things; repair a marketplace failure; and guide the economy toward lower emissions, enhanced productivity, and a sustainable future.\u00a0\r\nDespite all the dark money, despite the threats and intimidation, I still believe this can be achieved.\u00a0 We simply need conscientious Republicans and Democrats to work together, in good faith, on a common platform of fact and common sense.\u00a0 Congress needs to shed the shackles of corrupting influence and rise to our duty.\u00a0\r\nIn courageous times, Americans have done far more than stand up to polluters to serve this Great Republic.\u00a0 We know it can be done, because it\u2019s been done.\u00a0\r\nAt the end of a speech about the American Revolution, the historian David McCullough was asked why it was that our Founding Fathers had the courage to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the cause of independence.\u00a0 He answered simply: \u201cIt was a courageous time.\u201d\u00a0 It only takes courage to make this a courageous time.\r\n\u00a0###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/sen-whitehouse-speech-at-nyu-institute-for-policy-integrity-fall-conference", "Sen. Whitehouse Speech at NYU Institute for Policy Integrity fall conference", "2014-10-28", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Sheldon Whitehouse", "W000802", "www.whitehouse.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "10.28.14\n\t\t\t Sen. Whitehouse Speech at NYU Institute for Policy Integrity fall conference \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t As Prepared for Delivery\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t I\u2019m happy to be with you today, here in New York City.\u00a0 Just a few weeks ago, four hundred thousand people marched in this great city to demand action on climate change.\u00a0 I was honored to be among them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe world has just set some dubious records.\u00a0 Five of the past six calendar months\u2014April, May, June, August, and September\u2014were each the hottest ever recorded.\u00a0 (July came in at fourth hottest.)\u00a0 2014 is on pace to tie or become the hottest year on record.\u00a0 This decade was warmer than the last, which was warmer than the one before that, which was warmer than the one before that.\u00a0 This is what climate change looks like.\u00a0\r\nThe reason is clear.\u00a0 Scientists tell us with near certainty that the flood of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is changing the atmosphere and the oceans.\u00a0\r\nLook at what carbon pollution is doing in our oceans.\u00a0 We know that the oceans are warming.\u00a0 That\u2019s not a theory, that\u2019s a measurement.\u00a0 It\u2019s done with thermometers.\u00a0 We know that as polar ice melts and as ocean water warms and expands, sea level is rising.\u00a0 That\u2019s another measurement.\u00a0 You can do it with a yard stick.\u00a0 We know that as the oceans absorb more carbon, they are becoming more acidic.\u00a0 Every American with an aquarium can measure acidity with litmus paper.\u00a0 Again, simple measurements, proven facts.\u00a0\r\nWe everywhere see the harm carbon pollution is causing.\u00a0 We see it all around us, in storm-damaged homes and flooded cities; in drought-stricken farms and raging wildfires; in fish disappearing from warming, acidifying waters; in shifting habitats and migrating contagions.\u00a0 These changes carry real economic costs to homeowners, business owners, and taxpayers.\u00a0 And they come as a result of carbon pollution.\r\nPollution-driven climate change hurts our economy, damages our infrastructure, and harms public health.\u00a0 However, none of these costs are factored into the price of the coal or oil that\u2019s burned to release this carbon.\u00a0 The big oil and coal companies have offloaded those costs onto society.\u00a0 Economics 101 tells us that\u2019s a market failure; in the jargon, that negative externalities are inefficient.\u00a0 If a company participates in an activity that causes harm, it should have to compensate those harmed.\r\nTorts 101 tells us the same thing.\u00a0 Seventy years ago, a soda bottle exploded and injured the hand of a waitress named Gladys Escola.\u00a0 In a famous concurrence in the case of Escola v Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Justice Traynor said that economic common sense made the bottler responsible for the exploding bottle, to create the incentive not to make exploding bottles.\u00a0 As the judge said it, \u201cpublic policy demands that responsibility be fixed wherever it will most effectively reduce the hazards.\u201d\u00a0 So this idea that you shouldn\u2019t be able to offload your costs\u2014and in this case have Ms. Escola pay the price\u2014is not new or unusual.\u00a0 It\u2019s really Fairness 101.\u00a0\r\nIf we expect any measure of integrity in energy policy, we must incorporate these climate change costs into the price of fossil fuels to correct the market failure.\u00a0\r\nThe financial burden borne by people living in a changing climate is known as the \u201csocial cost of carbon.\u201d\u00a0 It is the sum total of costs like property loss from sea level rise, the increased cost of treating mosquito-borne diseases, and loss from heat waves, drought, and other extreme weather.\u00a0 A recent study of the economic risks posed by climate change showed that sea level rise, for instance, will inundate up to $100 billion of U.S. real estate by mid-century.\u00a0 That is part of the social cost of carbon.\u00a0\r\nScientists and economists will tell you that some costs of climate change are hard to quantify.\u00a0 How do you calculate the cost of an extinct species?\u00a0 What does it cost to leave future generations with warmer, more acidic, less bio-diverse oceans?\u00a0 It is hard to price it all out, but the costs are still real.\u00a0\r\nU.S. government estimates of the social cost of carbon are just over forty dollars per ton of carbon dioxide emitted today.\u00a0 The current price on carbon pollution is effectively zero.\u00a0\r\nBy making carbon pollution free, we subsidize fossil fuel companies to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars annually.\u00a0 By making carbon pollution free, we fix the game, favoring polluters over newer and cleaner technologies that harvest the wind, sun, and waves.\u00a0 Corporate polluters, not bearing the costs of their products, are in effect cheating their competitors.\u00a0\r\nAs University of Chicago Economics Professor Michael Greenstone recently explained, this concept is widely accepted in his field:\r\n\"The media always reports that there\u2019s near consensus amongst scientists about the fact that human activity impacts climate change.\u00a0 What does not receive as much attention is that there\u2019s even greater consensus amongst economists, starting from Milton Friedman and moving into the most left-wing economists that you could find, that the obvious correct public policy solution to this is to put a price on carbon.\u00a0 It\u2019s not controversial.\"\r\nOnce upon a time, climate change wasn\u2019t so controversial in Washington either.\u00a0 Not long ago, Republicans joined Democrats in pushing for action on climate.\u00a0 Leading Republican voices agreed that the dangers of climate change were real. Leading Republican voices agreed that carbon emissions were the culprit. And leading Republican voices agreed that Congress had the responsibility to act.\u00a0 I have Republican colleagues in the Senate who introduced, cosponsored, or voted for climate legislation in the past.\u00a0 Some of the proposals were market-based, revenue-neutral, tools, aligned with Republican free-market values.\u00a0 Some called for a fee on carbon pollution to cut income taxes.\u00a0 There was a steady pulse of activity\u2014an exchange of ideas and real debate.\u00a0\r\nThen, the heartbeat flatlined.\u00a0 Republican calls for climate action fell silent.\u00a0 Something happened, right around 2010.\u00a0\r\nIt was the Supreme Court\u2019s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission\u2014one of the Court\u2019s most disgraceful decisions.\r\nIn a nutshell, Citizens United says this: corporations are people; money is speech; so there can be no limit to corporate money influencing American elections.\u00a0 If that doesn\u2019t seem right, it\u2019s because it\u2019s not.\r\nImproper fact-finding by the five conservative activists on the Supreme Court concluded that corporate spending could not ever corrupt elections\u2014just couldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 By some magic, it\u2019s pure.\u00a0\r\nThat\u2019s a bad enough finding on its face, but they also didn\u2019t get that limitless, untraceable political money doesn\u2019t have to be spent to damage our democracy.\u00a0 Unlimited corporate spending in politics can corrupt publicly, through the floods of anonymous attack advertisements we all see; it can also corrupt, secretly and more dangerously, through threat of that spending.\u00a0 What Citizens United gave corporations the power to do, it also gave them the power to threaten to do.\r\nAs Senator John McCain and I wrote in an amicus brief in another campaign finance case, \u201cThe dominating influence of super PACs makes it all the easier for those seeking legislative favors and results to discreetly threaten such expenditures if Members of Congress do not accede to their demands.\u201d\r\nBear in mind that since Citizens United, a lot of this special interest money has been used against Republicans.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had Republican friends ask me, \u201cWhat are you complaining about?\u00a0 They\u2019re spending more against us, than against you.\u201d\u00a0 When the Koch Brothers\u2019 attack machine can come in and bombard you in a small Republican primary election, that\u2019s pretty scary.\u00a0\r\nThe timing is telling.\u00a0 Before Citizens United, there was an active heartbeat of Republican activity on climate change.\u00a0 The evidence of climate change has only mounted, along with sea levels.\u00a0\u00a0 But after Citizens United uncorked all that big, dark money, and allowed it to cast its bullying shadow of intimidation over our democracy, Republicans have backed away from any real work on major climate legislation.\r\nI work alongside Republican Senators who represent historic native villages, now washing into the rising sea.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators who represent great American coastal cities, now overwashed by high tides.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators representing states swept by drought and wildfire.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose home-state forests\u2014by the hundreds of square miles\u2014are being killed by the marauding pine beetle.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose home states\u2019 glaciers are disappearing.\u00a0 We have Republican Senators whose states are having to jack up bridges and highways above the reach of intensifying storm surges.\u00a0\r\nYet none will work on a carbon price bill.\u00a0 Most won\u2019t even utter the words \u201cclimate change\u201d on the floor of the Senate at all.\u00a0 It\u2019s not safe to, ever since Citizens United allowed the bullying, polluting special interests to bombard our elections with their attack ads and their threats.\u00a0\r\nYet, despite the Citizens United debacle, I remain confident\u2014for several reasons\u2014that eventually Republicans will have to turn back toward policy integrity and political integrity.\u00a0\r\nThe first source of my confidence is the Obama Administration regulations that will for the first time limit carbon pollution from our power plants.\u00a0 Our fifty worst-emitting power plants alone put out more carbon than all of Canada or Korea.\u00a0\u00a0 The new standard will not only reduce those emissions, it will change the way the polluters think. Once it\u2019s no longer free to pollute, the whole equation changes for them.\u00a0 And I suspect that some new thinking by polluters will be followed in short order by some new thinking on the other side of the aisle in the Senate.\u00a0\r\nThe second reason is the politics of climate change.\u00a0 The public is with us\u2014even increasing numbers of Republicans.\u00a0 Sixty-one percent of Americans agree that climate change is occurring and that action should be taken, and 67 percent of Americans support the Administration\u2019s proposed rule to limit carbon pollution from power plants.\u00a0 Another poll found that more than half of young Republican voters\u201453 percent of Republicans under the age of thirty-five\u2014would describe a politician who denies climate change is happening as \u201cignorant,\u201d \u201cout-of-touch,\u201d or \u201ccrazy.\u201d\r\nA modern political party that has built its climate change policy on a theory of denial that its own young voters think is ignorant, out of touch, or crazy\u2014that is a castle built on sand, doomed to fall.\u00a0\r\nA third factor is what\u2019s happening with American businesses.\u00a0 Yes, the fossil fuel polluters control the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal, and they are vocal players in the opposition to responsible climate policy.\u00a0 But look at big brand name American corporations, like Coke and Pepsi, Apple and Google, WalMart and Target, Mars and Nestle, UPS and Federal Express, GM and Ford.\u00a0 Look at the property casualty insurance industry, or the great bulk of the electric utility industry.\u00a0 These corporate leaders recognize that climate change is a real problem; they understand the undeniable science of what carbon pollution does to the Earth\u2019s atmosphere and oceans; and they are becoming more active. So, by the way, is the U.S. Military.\u00a0 That difference will help us tear down the denial castle.\u00a0\r\nAnd when the denial castle falls, a fee on carbon pollution is the answer.\u00a0 I am preparing a carbon fee bill, which I plan to introduce next month, and I look forward to announcing more details about that in the weeks ahead.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Harvard School of Public Health estimates that such a fee could reduce carbon emissions by up to 59 percent from 2005 levels.\u00a0 The improvements in air quality from the transition away from dirty power would decrease hospitalizations and prevent an estimated 3,200 premature deaths from heart attack, asthma, and respiratory disease every year.\u00a0 Honestly tallying the costs of carbon pollution on the ledgers will let market forces lead toward more balanced and efficient use of fossil fuels and toward carbon-free renewable energy.\r\nThen there are the financial benefits.\u00a0 My legislation will generate significant new federal revenue\u2014perhaps as much as two trillion dollars over the first decade.\u00a0\u00a0 Every dollar of this revenue should be returned to the American people.\u00a0 We can do this lots of ways:\u00a0 cutting personal or corporate taxes, relieving student loan debt, boosting Social Security benefits to seniors, providing transition assistance to workers in fossil-fuel industries, or even paying out direct dividends to families.\u00a0 The list goes on.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\r\nIt\u2019s win-win-win. We can use this revenue to do big things; repair a marketplace failure; and guide the economy toward lower emissions, enhanced productivity, and a sustainable future.\u00a0\r\nDespite all the dark money, despite the threats and intimidation, I still believe this can be achieved.\u00a0 We simply need conscientious Republicans and Democrats to work together, in good faith, on a common platform of fact and common sense.\u00a0 Congress needs to shed the shackles of corrupting influence and rise to our duty.\u00a0\r\nIn courageous times, Americans have done far more than stand up to polluters to serve this Great Republic.\u00a0 We know it can be done, because it\u2019s been done.\u00a0\r\nAt the end of a speech about the American Revolution, the historian David McCullough was asked why it was that our Founding Fathers had the courage to pledge their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to the cause of independence.\u00a0 He answered simply: \u201cIt was a courageous time.\u201d\u00a0 It only takes courage to make this a courageous time.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://langevin.house.gov/press-release/rhode-island-receive-over-8-million-housing-grants", "Rhode Island to Receive Over $8 Million in Housing Grants", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jim Langevin", "L000559", "langevin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced over $8 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for the cities of Providence and East Providence.\nThe funding will go to help the cities improve housing and expand economic opportunity in their communities; help homeless residents find shelter and access services; fund local programs and partnerships with non-profit organizations that supply affordable housing; and support state, local, and non-profit organizations that provide housing services to members of the community diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.\n\u201cThis is a flexible source of federal funding that will help create jobs and boost economic development in Providence and East Providence. It may be used for a range of initiatives to upgrade our infrastructure, increase affordable housing, improve public facilities, and partner with non-profits to address some of the greatest community needs,\u201d said Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the Banking Committee, which oversees these HUD programs, and a member of the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds these HUD programs.\n\u201cRhode Islanders are still dealing with a housing downturn that left many homeowners owing more than their house is worth, and renters all over the state are seeing their rents climb much faster than their paychecks,\u201d said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. \u201cThat\u2019s why federal investment in affordable housing and supportive services is so important. These funds will provide much-needed help to Rhode Island communities, and I congratulate all of today\u2019s grant recipients.\u201d\n\u201cToo many Rhode Islanders are just one paycheck away from homelessness. A safe place to call home is the cornerstone to opportunity in our communities, and affordable housing is the antidote to homelessness,\u201d said Congressman Jim Langevin. \u201cThis grant funding will increase availability of and access to affordable housing, providing much-needed support and security for Rhode Island families.\u201d\n\u201cThis funding will help end homelessness in Rhode Island and provide low-income families with affordable housing options. We need to make sure that Rhode Islanders have a safe and affordable roof over their heads,\u201d said Congressman David Cicilline. \u201cThe Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award will also help local businesses grow and expand, investing in rebuilding and strengthening our local communities.\u201d\nProvidence and East Providence have been awarded $5,028,707 and $673,082 respectively from HUD\u2019s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which aims to grow affordable housing and retain and expand local businesses in urban communities. The CDBG program gives local governments flexibility to use the funds for a wide array of community development purposes.\u00a0\nProvidence will receive $1,151,171 from the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, which funds housing initiatives, often in partnership with non-profit housing organizations. Grantees may use the funds for direct rental assistance to low-income residents; building new affordable housing stock; or rehabilitating existing housing for affordable rent or homeownership.\nProvidence will also receive $419,904 from the Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program and $867,427 from the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program. Formerly known as the Emergency Shelter Grants Program, ESG provides funds to combat homelessness through rehabilitating or operating homeless shelters and providing social services for those who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness. HOPWA funds state and local governments and non-profit groups working to address the housing needs of residents living with HIV/AIDS and their families.\nThe federal government considers a household that devotes more than 30 percent of its income to mortgage or rent payments to be \u201ccost burdened,\u201d meaning it risks sacrificing spending on other essentials like food, clothing, medical care, or transportation. According to an analysis of U.S. Census data by the non-profit housing coalition HousingWorks RI, more than a third of Rhode Island households are cost burdened, and 15 percent are considered \u201cseverely\u201d cost burdened, spending more than half their income on a mortgage, rent, and utilities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 740, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "RI", "p1": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 740, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 740, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "RI", "label": "RI", "count": 740, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 740, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=RI", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-10-21,http~3A~2F~2Flangevin~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Frhode-island-receive-over-8-million-housing-grants", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=RI&year=2014&_next=2014-10-21%2Chttp~3A~2F~2Flangevin~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Frhode-island-receive-over-8-million-housing-grants&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 143.06837832555175, "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"}