Press releases
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724 rows where chamber = "House", state = "RI" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending
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| url | title | date ▲ | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/memo-rhode-island-media-cicilline-2020-fighting-people | Cicilline in 2020: Fighting For the People | 2020-12-31 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | To: Rhode Island Editors, Editorial Writers, Reporters From: The Office of Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) Re: 2020 End of Year Report Date: December 31, 2020 Overview In 2020, U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) once again delivered on his promises to fight For The People of Rhode Island. Most notably, as a member of House Leadership during an unprecedented public health crisis, he played a key role in ensuring that Rhode Island state and local officials received the federal resources they needed to take on the pandemic. COVID Relief for Rhode Island Families From the moment COVID-19 swept through the country and began wreaking havoc, I started working with my colleagues to ensure we addressed Rhode Islanders' urgent needs: Keeping your family healthy Since we first learned that the pandemic had hit our shores, I fought for a national testing strategy. The HEROES Act would have supported testing, tracing and treatment, by providing $75 billion in funding for coronavirus testing, contact tracing and isolation measures, ensuring every American can access free coronavirus treatment, and supporting hospitals and providers, as well as making improvements to our testing infrastructure. The House passed the HEROES Act on May 15, 2020, but the bill never became law because Senator Mitch McConnell refused to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote. The CARES Act, passed into law in March, requires that private insurance plans cover COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, and provided $1.3 billion in emergency funding for Community Health Centers, which are responsible for providing health care services for approximately 28 million Americans. On March 18, 2020, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which mandates free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test. This law also included $82 million to the Department of Defense TRICARE health program to carry out detection of COVID-19 and testing related visits; $64 million for the Indian Health Services for COVID-19 diagnosis … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-cnn-newsroom | Cicilline on CNN Newsroom | 2020-12-25 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) joined CNN Newsroom this morning to discuss last night's House vote increasing survival checks from $600 to $2,000. Click the following image to watch Cicilline's interview in full. Excerpts of Cicilline's remarks are embedded below. We did two important things yesterday. We overrode the President's veto of the National Defense Authorization bill to be sure, our troops get the pay raise they deserve, that we take care of our veterans, that we protect the defense of our country. And we also passed in a bipartisan way with over two thirds vote of the House to raise the survival checks to $2,000. The president says he supports that. He should be pressuring Mitch McConnell to bring that bill to the floor for a vote. People are struggling. They're facing difficulties paying their bills, or paying rent or mortgage, putting food on the table. We're in the worst economic crisis of our lifetime, the worst pandemic health crisis in 100 years. The federal government needs to do more to help struggling families. The $2,000 again is a down payment, but I hope the Senate will quickly pass it and give badly needed relief to the American people. Mitch McConnell has been a sort of Grim Reaper of legislation historically. There are hundreds of bills that we've passed out of the House that are sitting on his desk that he refuses to bring to the floor. This is just the most recent example, and I think whatever method they can use to force the vote on both those things is a good idea. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/597500-eda-grants-slater-technology-fund-ri-bio-will-boost-health-care-startups-ri | $597,500 in EDA Grants for Slater Technology Fund, RI Bio Will Boost Health Care Startups in RI | 2020-09-18 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | September 17, 2020 Washington, D.C.U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that two Rhode Island organizations have received a total of $597,500 in grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration's 2020 Build to Scale Capital Challenge. Providence-based Slater Technology Fund has been awarded a $300,000 grant to partner with Brown University on a new initiative to boost health care-related technology startups. RI Bio won a $297,500 grant to launch a program aimed at commercializing and expanding life science startup activity in Rhode Island. This is a cost-effective investment in encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation here in Rhode Island. Slater Technology Fund, Brown University, RI Bio and their partners will use this federal funding to help health-tech and life science startups achieve lift off and translate their scientific discoveries into commercial products. Developing these companies and accelerating medical solutions can have major benefits for patients and economic development benefits as well, said Senator Reed. With world-class universities and top-notch health care providers, Rhode Island has a solid foundation for growing our health technology sector, said Senator Whitehouse. Slater Technology Fund, Brown University, and RI Bio will put these federal funds to work helping local health care and life sciences startups bring their businesses to scale, add jobs, and make much-needed investments in the local economy. Rhode Island has a wealth of talent and renowned institutions to lead cutting-edge medical research that can improve lives and boost our local economy, said Congressman Langevin. The grant funding awarded to Slater Technology Fund, Brown University, and RI Bio is a direct investment into the long-term success of Rhode Island. Through this type of support the Ocean State can continue to be a hub for innovation. Rhode Island's emerging startup and growing life science sectors are already creating jobs and gen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/597500-in-eda-grants-for-slater-technology-fund-ri-bio-will-boost-health-care-startups-in-ri | $597,500 in EDA Grants for Slater Technology Fund, RI Bio Will Boost Health Care Startups in RI | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.17.20 $597,500 in EDA Grants for Slater Technology Fund, RI Bio Will Boost Health Care Startups in RI Federal grants will launch new partnership to support translational research companies and a program to grow life science startups Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that two Rhode Island organizations have received a total of $597,500 in grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration's 2020 Build to Scale Capital Challenge. Providence-based Slater Technology Fund has been awarded a $300,000 grant to partner with Brown University on a new initiative to boost health care-related technology startups. RI Bio won a $297,500 grant to launch a program aimed at commercializing and expanding life science startup activity in Rhode Island. This is a cost-effective investment in encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation here in Rhode Island. Slater Technology Fund, Brown University, RI Bio and their partners will use this federal funding to help health-tech and life science startups achieve lift off and translate their scientific discoveries into commercial products. Developing these companies and accelerating medical solutions can have major benefits for patients and economic development benefits as well, said Senator Reed. With world-class universities and top-notch health care providers, Rhode Island has a solid foundation for growing our health technology sector, said Senator Whitehouse. Slater Technology Fund, Brown University, and RI Bio will put these federal funds to work helping local health care and life sciences startups bring their businesses to scale, add jobs, and make much-needed investments in the local economy. Rhode Island has a wealth of talent and renowned institutions to lead cutting-edge medical research that can improve lives and boost our local economy, said Congressman Langevin. The … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-markey-heinrich-applaud-ferc-completion-of-key-renewable-energy-rule | Whitehouse, Markey, Heinrich Applaud FERC Completion of Key Renewable Energy Rule | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.17.20 Whitehouse, Markey, Heinrich Applaud FERC Completion of Key Renewable Energy Rule At senators' urging, Commission delivers on commitments to help bring additional renewable energy onto the grid Washington, D.C. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) released the following statement today on the decision of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to finalize a key rule that will help pave the way for Americans to connect their rooftop solar, wind, and energy storage devices to the electrical grid. We're glad the Commission, under Chairman Chatterjee's leadership, delivered on its commitment to complete this important proposal. States like ours are making big strides in helping distributed generation grow and benefit consumers. This new rule will bring more renewable energy onto the grid, reducing carbon pollution and saving Americans on energy costs. Now, it's time to build on this progress. The more FERC can do to level the playing field for renewables, the faster we can help consumers and address the climate crisis. The new FERC rule helps renewable energy aggregatorslike utilities and energy cooperativesto integrate distributed energy resources (DER) into capacity and energy markets. That change will help to grow a more flexible and resilient grid while delivering lower energy prices for consumers, and may also spur swifter adoption of electric vehicles. Whitehouse and Markey have on multiple occasions led colleagues in pressing FERC to finalize both the DER and energy storage rules (see the senators' calls from 2017, 2018, and 2019). They have repeatedly pointed out that the proposals would aid grid operators in bringing renewables online to compete with fossil fuels while improving reliability and reducing costs for customers. As part of this effort, the senators met with FERC Commissioner Neil Chatterjee before his confirmation in 201… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/senator-whitehouse-on-partisan-judicial-nominees | Senator Whitehouse on Partisan Judicial Nominees | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/chairman-langevin%E2%80%99s-opening-remarks-ietc-hearing-national-security-commission | Chairman Langevins Opening Remarks at IETC Hearing on the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligences Interim Findings | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, offered the following opening remarks at the subcommittee hearing he is chairing entitled: Interim Review of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Effort and Recommendations. Video of Langevin's statement and a live feed of the proceedings: https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings?ID=70C87ECC-DF3E-4B34-A8C7-CA9EE8B70B3A I am pleased to welcome four commissioners from the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, a commission created by this committee in the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 to consider the methods and means necessary to advance the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and associated technologies to comprehensively address the national security and defense needs of the United States. Our intent for this commission was to ensure a bipartisan whole-of-government effort focused on solving national security issues, and we appreciate the leadership and hard work of our witnesses in supporting the commission's efforts in that spirit. Today we welcome Dr. Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Commission; Robert Work, Vice Chairman; Mignon Clyburn, commissioner on the workforce and ethics lines of effort; and Dr. Jos Marie Griffiths, commissioner on the ethics line of effort, and chair of the workforce team. Our understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) started in the 1950s and 60s through research funded through the Department of Defense's vital science and technology investments by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research and was aided by the convening power of universities. Now more than half a century later, this Commission is working through the difficult issues requiring national investments in research and software development and new approaches on how to apply AI appropriately for national se… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-cicilline-johnson-introduce-stopgap-measure-continue-transportation-projects | Langevin, Cicilline, Johnson, Introduce Stopgap Measure to Continue Transportation Projects During the Pandemic | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), have introduced the Highways Coronavirus Relief Act, bipartisan legislation to temporarily increase the amount the federal government contributes to federal highway projects. The bill aims to ensure states, which generally pay for a portion of projects backed by the federal highway trust fund, can continue major infrastructure improvements as they attempt to deal with budget shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Robust federal infrastructure investments help revitalize the economy and improve quality of life, said Langevin. As states continue to face steep fiscal challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we must keep transportation projects moving forward to support good-paying jobs for local workers and build the foundation for Rhode Island's future. This legislation will provide the federal resources states need to keep critical construction activities going for the immediate future as we continue to press for broader aid for states. Improving and modernizing our infrastructure is a critical priority, said Cicilline. This bill will help create jobs in our state. I am proud to co-sponsor it and to continue working to rebuild our roads, bridges, and schools. Prior to COVID-19 our nation's infrastructure wasn't in great shape, said Johnson. With state government's seeing less revenue because of the pandemic that means fewer dollars for necessary infrastructure projects. We can't allow our state highways and roads to get further behind this legislation would help us stay on top of our nation's infrastructure projects. I'm proud to help lead this effort along with Representative Langevin. Rhode Island's state share of federal formula grant transportation projects generally amounts to $45 million a year. By temporarily removing the requirement for states to provide matching funds for active construction projects, Rhode Island and other states will be able to continue their infrastructure improvements despite the fisca… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-nearly-6m-hire-24-new-firefighters-enhance-public-safety | RI Delegation Announces Nearly $6M to Hire 24 New Firefighters & Enhance Public Safety | 2020-09-17 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | September 16, 2020 WASHINGTON, DC Three local fire departments are getting a big staffing boost thanks to a federal public safety staffing grant. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced a total of $5,877,024 in federal funding to help fire departments in Middletown, Portsmouth, and Woonsocket recruit, hire, and train firefighters. The Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant will help provide salaries and benefits for these positions for three years. Under this round of SAFER grant funding, Middletown will receive $1,761,288 to hire eight firefighters; Portsmouth will receive a $2,240,760 grant to hire eight additional firefighters; and the Woonsocket Fire Department will receive $1,874,976 to hire eight new firefighters. Ordinarily, SAFER grants would subsidize firefighter salaries by up to 75 percent each for the first two years, and then up to 35 percent for a third year of the program. However, in the wake of COVID-19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is waiving the cost-share match and the federal government will pay 100 percent of the grant without any matching funds from the grant recipients. Our firefighters have been on the front lines of COVID-19 response throughout the pandemic and we must ensure they have the resources, support, and staffing levels they need to effectively respond. These federal funds will help ensure fire departments are well-staffed for around the clock staffing coverage and have the flexibility they need to respond to all manners of emergencies. Adding these additional firefighters will improve the level of service and public safety, said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. I will continue doing everything I can at the federal level to help our dedicated firefighters protect our communities and improve emergency response capabilities. These federal awards will boost Rhode Island's emergency preparedness by funding two dozen new firefighter positions a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/animal-cruelty-enforcement-act-introduced | Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act introduced | 2020-09-16 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.16.20 Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act introduced Washington D.C. - Senator Mike Braun and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse have introduced the bipartisan Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act to ensure that the federal government has a dedicated office for the enforcement of animal cruelty statutes. Senator Braun and Senator Whitehouse are joined on this bipartisan bill by original co-sponsors Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), Senator Martha McSally (R-AZ), and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act: 1. Creates by statute a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Division at DOJ to aid in the investigation, enforcement, and subsequent prosecution of felony animal cruelty crimes; and 2. Requires DOJ to report annually on the progress made enforcing animal cruelty statutes. The bill is companion legislation to H.R. 8052, introduced by Representatives Neguse (D-CO-2), Gaetz (R-FL-1), Cohen (D-TN-9), and Carter (R-GA-1). America has recently taken big steps to crack down on animal cruelty with new laws to protect animals from torture and abuse, but we need further action to ensure these laws are being enforced across the country and track our progress in eradicating animal cruelty, said Senator Mike Braun. The Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act would create a dedicated Animal Cruelty Crimes Section at the Department of Justice to help bring those who abuse animals to justice and includes reporting measures to track our progress. I'm pleased to join my colleague Senator Braun to introduce this legislation to protect animal welfare. We need to make sure laws related to serious negligence and cruelty toward animals are clear and enforceable, and that the Department of Justice has the dedicated resources it needs to prosecute them. - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse People who abuse innocent animals often turn their violence on innocent people. The Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act would help better prevent and prosecute animal cruelty, and I'm proud to partner with Sen. Braun and my colleagues to keep our … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse_-energy-and-natural-resources-sc-on-public-lands-forests-and-mining_-offshore-act | Sen. Whitehouse - Energy & Natural Resources SC on Public Lands, Forests & Mining - OFFSHORE ACT | 2020-09-16 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | September 16, 2020 | Sen. Whitehouse testifies on the OFFSHORE Act in the Senate ENR Committee: Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, & Mining. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-271-recent-reports | Time to Wake Up 271: Recent Reports | 2020-09-16 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-nearly-6m-hire-24-new-firefighters-enhance-public-safety | RI Delegation Announces Nearly $6M to Hire 24 New Firefighters & Enhance Public Safety | 2020-09-16 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Three local fire departments are getting a big staffing boost thanks to a federal public safety staffing grant. Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced a total of $5,877,024 in federal funding to help fire departments in Middletown, Portsmouth, and Woonsocket recruit, hire, and train firefighters. The Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant will help provide salaries and benefits for these positions for three years. Under this round of SAFER grant funding, Middletown will receive $1,761,288 to hire eight firefighters; Portsmouth will receive a $2,240,760 grant to hire eight additional firefighters; and the Woonsocket Fire Department will receive $1,874,976 to hire eight new firefighters. Ordinarily, SAFER grants would subsidize firefighter salaries by up to 75 percent each for the first two years, and then up to 35 percent for a third year of the program. However, in the wake of COVID-19, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is waiving the cost-share match and the federal government will pay 100 percent of the grant without any matching funds from the grant recipients. Our firefighters have been on the front lines of COVID-19 response throughout the pandemic and we must ensure they have the resources, support, and staffing levels they need to effectively respond. These federal funds will help ensure fire departments are well-staffed for around the clock staffing coverage and have the flexibility they need to respond to all manners of emergencies. Adding these additional firefighters will improve the level of service and public safety, said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. I will continue doing everything I can at the federal level to help our dedicated firefighters protect our communities and improve emergency response capabilities. These federal awards will boost Rhode Island's emergency preparedness by funding two dozen new firefighter positions across the st… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-whitehouse-call-on-postmaster-general-to-immediately-reverse-operational-changes-to-the-us-postal-service-causing-delays-of-medications-to-rhode-islanders | Reed, Whitehouse Call on Postmaster General to Immediately Reverse Operational Changes to the U.S. Postal Service Causing Delays of Medications to Rhode Islanders | 2020-09-15 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.15.20 Reed, Whitehouse Call on Postmaster General to Immediately Reverse Operational Changes to the U.S. Postal Service Causing Delays of Medications to Rhode Islanders Senators: We continue to have grave concerns regarding widespread delays in the delivery of critical medications that millions of Americans rely upon every day. Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and 34 of their Senate colleagues in calling on Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to immediately reverse all operational and organizational changes that have delayed delivery of critical medications to Rhode Islanders. The Postal Service is an essential public institution that must uphold its duty to serve every community. Your recently implemented changes pose an unacceptable threat and continue to have a devastating effect on communities that rely on consistent access to medication through the mail. We have received numerous reports from seniors about delays in receiving their prescriptions through the mail, leaving some without life-sustaining medication for days. Others have been forced to obtain emergency prescriptions from their doctors and pay out-of-pocket for medication because their original prescriptions covered by insurance never arrived, the Senators wrote in a letter to Postmaster General DeJoy. We call on you to immediately reverse all operational and organizational changes that have resulted in life-threatening delays of critical medications to Americans. As you noted, it is imperative for the Postal Service to operate efficiently and effectively, while continuing to provide service that meets the needs of [its] customers.' Right now, the Postal Service is failing to meet the needs of many Americans and adhere to its mission of prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas.' As we continue to fight this pandemic, the Postal Service… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up-recent-reports | Time to Wake Up: Recent Reports | 2020-09-15 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.15.20 Time to Wake Up: Recent Reports As-prepared for delivery Mr./Mdm. President, I rise for the 271st time to call this chamber's attention to two reports on the defining issue of our generation. As I speak, wildfires devour the American West, and consume American lives: in East of Salem, Oregon, two people dead in a scorched vehicle; in Butte County, California, three dead, overrun by a fast-moving fire; in Ashland, a 1-year-old boy; almost the entire town of Malden, Washington burned down. Half a million Oregonians evacuated due to fire; one out of ten people in the entire state. Over the weekend, Oregon's Emergency Management Director said they're preparing for a mass fatality event. Paradise, California suffered apocalyptic destruction in the 2018 Camp Fire, and it's once again under fire warnings, this time the North Complex fire, which has stunned firefighters with its rapid growth and ferocity. We cannot avoid it, Mr./Mdm. President: climate change is here. Plenty of factors contribute to individual wildfires, but climate change is now always among them. Last fall, I visited the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, and met leading wildfire researcher Daniel Swain. As Dr. Swain puts it, Climate change has not just made the extreme heat waves that coincided with fires worse. The bigger effect is the more subtle, long-term warming. That couple of degrees of (average) warming over decades ... it's lurking in the background, sucking extra moisture out of the vegetation and the soil. The new normal is smoke, ash, orange skies, and constant, nerve-fraying vigilance. Climate change impacts throughout the West land crushing economic blows. The 2018 Camp Fire that burned Paradise cost $16.7 billion dollars. NOAA says natural disasters mostly hurricanes and wildfires, both highly climate-related inflicted $91 billion-worth of damage that year; and over the past 40 years, 241 climate… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-announce-gao-investigation-of-trump-politicization-of-immigration-courts-as-covid-19-crisis-rages | Senators Announce GAO Investigation of Trump Politicization of Immigration Courts as COVID-19 Crisis Rages | 2020-09-14 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.14.20 Senators Announce GAO Investigation of Trump Politicization of Immigration Courts as COVID-19 Crisis Rages Whitehouse, Durbin, Hirono applaud GAO review of troubling Trump-Sessions-Barr mismanagement of immigration judicial process Washington, DC Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) announced today that the top congressional watchdog will investigate the practices of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) under President Donald Trump, including its management of immigration courts during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In August, the senators led a request for review of the EOIR by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). They first voiced concerns to Attorney General William Barr in February concerns that went unanswered. The senators issued the following statement: We welcome review of President Trump and his Attorney Generals' mishandling of an important component of our immigration system. We've heard alarming accounts of the Executive Office for Immigration Review making procedural changes to tip the scales of justice against immigrants. COVID-19 rages in this country, and yet the Department plows ahead with a process that forces people into in-person proceedings without sufficient safeguards and keeps them in unsafe detention facilities with limited access to counsel. A thorough GAO investigation will help to shed light on the troubling politicization and mismanagement of our immigration system. The Trump administration's management of the immigration system has come under close scrutiny during the COVID-19 crisis. Reports suggest immigrants face a range of unsafe conditions and practices as a result of Trump administration management decisions, including the detention of children using unaccountable private contractors, and health and safety risks to immigrants, judges, and other court personnel. Over 5,600 cases of COVID-19 had bee… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-calls-on-barr-to-preserve-all-documents-related-to-doj-intervention-in-trump-defamation-case | Whitehouse Calls on Barr to Preserve all Documents Related to DOJ Intervention in Trump Defamation Case | 2020-09-14 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.14.20 Whitehouse Calls on Barr to Preserve all Documents Related to DOJ Intervention in Trump Defamation Case Federal law meant to defend federal employees shouldn't be used to shield Donald Trump from embarrassment, senator writes, DOJ's decision to intervene now creates the appearance that DOJ is participating in partisan politics' Washington, DC Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a former United States Attorney and current member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on Attorney General William Barr to preserve all documents related to the U.S. Department of Justice's intervention in a state defamation case brought against President Donald Trump. In a letter to Barr, Whitehouse pointed to the highly unusual request to replace President Trump's private legal team with government lawyers to defend him against a lawsuit related to rape allegations against Trump by journalist E. Jean Carroll. Numerous legal scholars have questioned whether the Justice Department is permitted to intervene in these circumstances, Whitehouse notes. Significantly, the Department's move came on the eve of discovery in the case, which may have required Trump to give depositions and DNA samples within weeks of the election. While federal law allows the Department to represent federal employees in defamation suits related to their official duties, the DOJ rarely exercises this power to defend elected officials like the President, Whitehouse writes. [T]he timing of DOJ's intervention raises significant questions. Federal law requires federal employees to notify their supervisors, who must then notify DOJ promptly' of any suits regarding acts or omissions taken within the scope of their employment. In this case, DOJ did not intervene until the parties had engaged in substantial motion practice and were poised to begin discovery. DOJ's pleadings do not explain why it did not intervene until this moment in the case, though the p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/how-citizens-united-enables-dark-money-political-spending | How Citizens United Enables Dark Money Political Spending | 2020-09-14 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-sheldon-whitehouse-explains-how-citizens-united-knocked-out-campaign-finance-rules | Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Explains How Citizen's United Knocked Out Campaign Finance Rules | 2020-09-14 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | August 10, 2020 | Citizens United knocked out campaign finance rules & freed donors to spend unlimited money as long as they don't give directly to candidates. Thus emerged a new intermediary, the Super PAC. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/delegation-announces-additional-76-million-cdbg-funds-ri | Delegation Announces Additional $7.6 Million in CDBG Funds for RI | 2020-09-14 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Septmber 12, 2020 PROVIDENCE, RI In an effort to help communities combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Rhode Island, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced a new infusion of $7,585,135 through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. This third tranche of awards brings the state's total CDBG funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to date to $22,145,569. The following communities will receive CDBG funding in this round: Cranston: $517,089 East Providence: $329,978 Pawtucket: $576,448 Providence: $1,639,004 Warwick: $586,269 Woonsocket: $349,813 Statewide (non-entitlement): $3,586,534 This additional CDBG funding announced today may be used to support a variety of infectious disease response programs and economic priorities that help combat the impacts of COVID-19, such as small-business grants and loans, job creation and retention, emergency rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and nutrition assistance. People and communities are struggling and CDBG funds help communities address areas of greatest need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This additional federal funding will help provide direct investment to combat COVID-19, provide essential services, and promote economic recovery. I will continue working to deliver federal funds to meet the needs of our communities, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who served on a bipartisan working group that crafted the CARES Act and led efforts to include $5 billion for CDBG in the law. I'm pleased that Rhode Island has received a significant amount of flexible CDBG funding from the CARES Act, said Senator Whitehouse. These funds can do a lot of good very quickly by boosting economic development programs and essential services at the local level. Rhode Island communities are struggling because of the fallout of COVID-19, and I know that … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/delegation-announces-additional-76-million-in-cdbg-funds-for-ri | Delegation Announces Additional $7.6 Million in CDBG Funds for RI | 2020-09-12 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.12.20 Delegation Announces Additional $7.6 Million in CDBG Funds for RI Latest Round of Funding Raises RI's Allocation To $22.1 Million Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick & Woonsocket among communities getting additional CDBG pandemic relief funds to boost local health, safety, & economic assistance projects PROVIDENCE, RI In an effort to help communities combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Rhode Island, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced a new infusion of $7,585,135 through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. This third tranche of awards brings the state's total CDBG funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to date to $22,145,569. The following communities will receive CDBG funding in this round: Cranston: $517,089 East Providence: $329,978 Pawtucket: $576,448 Providence: $1,639,004 Warwick: $586,269 Woonsocket: $349,813 Statewide (non-entitlement): $3,586,534 This additional CDBG funding announced today may be used to support a variety of infectious disease response programs and economic priorities that help combat the impacts of COVID-19, such as small-business grants and loans, job creation and retention, emergency rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and nutrition assistance. People and communities are struggling and CDBG funds help communities address areas of greatest need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This additional federal funding will help provide direct investment to combat COVID-19, provide essential services, and promote economic recovery. I will continue working to deliver federal funds to meet the needs of our communities, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who served on a bipartisan working … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-request-information-on-outside-groups-involved-in-trump-scotus-list | Senators Request Information on Outside Groups Involved in Trump SCOTUS List | 2020-09-11 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.11.20 Senators Request Information on Outside Groups Involved in Trump SCOTUS List To avoid serious conflicts of interest, federal law requires disclosure of outside interests advising the President; What role have anonymously funded right-wing groups played in building Trump's Court shortlist? Washington, DC Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) are asking White House Counsel Pat Cipollone for information on whether the Trump White House followed federal ethics and record retention rules in consulting the dark money groups involved in Trump's Supreme Court shortlist. Reporting indicates a large team of extraordinarily talented lawyers worked on a big vetting project to recommend to Trump the list of candidates released on Wednesday, including a right-wing dark money group, the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN). To guard against conflicts of interest, federal law requires those who serve in the White House or who formally advise the president to disclose their financial interests. The senators request details of who participated in the selection of potential nominees for the most powerful judicial posts in the country. Federal law requires those who serve in the Administration or who formally advise the President to disclose their financial interests so that conflicts of interest may be addressed. It also limits the use of voluntary services, requires federal records to be properly maintained, and restricts access to certain records by members of the public, the senators write. While the President is entitled to receive advice from members of the public, these laws provide for basic transparency and accountability in government decision-making, principles that are of utmost importance when a life-tenured seat on the nation's highest court is at stake. It has been widely reported that President Trump has turned over e… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-270-ocean-warnings | Time to Wake Up 270: Ocean Warnings | 2020-09-11 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-calls-for-restarting-bipartisan-negotiations-on-new-relief-bill-after-skinny-republican-proposal-fails-in-senate | Whitehouse Calls for Restarting Bipartisan Negotiations on New Relief Bill After “Skinny” Republican Proposal Fails in Senate | 2020-09-10 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.10.20 Whitehouse Calls for Restarting Bipartisan Negotiations on New Relief Bill After Skinny Republican Proposal Fails in Senate Washington, DC U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today issued the following statement after the Senate voted to reject an inadequate COVID-19 relief proposal put forth by Senate Republicans: Senate Republicans have slapped together a woefully inadequate bill, which is one-sixth the size of the aid package House Democrats passed in May. Four months and millions of COVID-19 infections later, Republicans' main priority continues to be letting corporations off the hook for negligently putting their employees in harm's way. Rhode Islanders need relief now. They are counting on Republicans in Congress to stop playing politics with their health and financial security and to start negotiating a good-faith response to a national crisis. Whitehouse joined all members of the Democratic caucus in voting against the so-called skinny proposal, which did not provide any funding for cash-strapped state governments or adequate unemployment benefits. The bill failed in a 52-47 vote. In May, the Democrat-led House of Representatives passed the HEROES Acta robust $3-trillion aid package designed to lift the economy, keep state governments afloat, and fortify the health care system. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has for months refused to take up the legislation, and bipartisan negotiations between the Trump administration and congressional leaders broke down over the summer. Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-condemns-pres-trumps-disrespectful-comments-about-veterans | Sen. Whitehouse Condemns Pres. Trump's Disrespectful Comments About Veterans | 2020-09-10 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-trump-supreme-court-list- | Whitehouse Statement on Trump Supreme Court List | 2020-09-09 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.09.20 Whitehouse Statement on Trump Supreme Court List Washington, DC Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Donald Trump's list of potential Supreme Court nominees: We know that big right-wing donors have spent hundreds of millions on a dark money campaign to capture our courts. The president's list is an effort to harness the political power of that operation to his own electoral benefit. It's a continuation of the list he made in his last campaign; in-sourcing' to the White House the court capture machine's central command organization, the Federalist Society. There's a plan behind the scores of extreme right-wing partisan judges Trump and Mitch McConnell have packed onto America's most powerful courts big donor interests want judges they can rely on to deliver win after win in their favor. The real issue isn't who's on the list, it's who's behind the list. The American people deserve to know which special interests handed the president these names and what business those special interests have before our courts. The wholesale right-wing capture of our courts won't end until we know the full truth. Follow the money. Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/sen-whitehouse-condemns-pres-trumps-disrespectful-comments-about-veterans | Sen. Whitehouse Condemns Pres. Trump's Disrespectful Comments About Veterans | 2020-09-09 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.09.20 Sen. Whitehouse Condemns Pres. Trump's Disrespectful Comments About Veterans As delivered Mr. President, I am honored to join Senator Duckworth in supporting this proposal. It gives me great pride to serve in the Senate with her. She is the living embodiment of the kind of sacrifice that our President does not understand. There are two things here, though, that are very wrong. One is a President who thinks that the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who have laid down their lives for this country are ``suckers'' and ``losers'' and that it is OK to say that about them. It is beyond disrespectful. It is beneath contempt, and it is totally in character for this man. Those soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines can't answer; they can't speak for themselves any longer. So when something like that is said, it is very important that people in the highest offices of the country stand up and push back. In graves in France and Belgium and Manila and around the world lie the mortal remains of men, boys, women who gave their lives and who cannot speak for themselves. It is heartbreaking for me to see that we cannot come together to agree on that in this body. I can promise you that if President Obama or President Clinton had said anything like this, the other side of this Chamber would have been in pandemonium. It would have been a scene of hysteria. Senators would have been lining up through the doors to come and condemn this foul and hateful speech. We would have been hearing a lot about the last full measure of devotion. Instead, we are seeing the last measure of devolution of a great party into what now resembles, as much as anything, a cult. I will be interested to see what my colleagues have in mind as they go through next year's Veterans Day and Memorial Day having been unable to say one word against this calumny of our troops today. It is, frankly, heartbreaking. I traveled a lot with John McCa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/icymi-senators-whitehouse-and-hassan-op-ed-in-the-guardian-why-did-the-us-justice-department-let-purdue-off-the-hook-for-the-opioid-crisis | ICYMI: Senators Whitehouse & Hassan Op-Ed in The Guardian: Why Did the US Justice Department Let Purdue Off the Hook for the Opioid Crisis? | 2020-09-08 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.08.20 ICYMI: Senators Whitehouse & Hassan Op-Ed in The Guardian: Why Did the US Justice Department Let Purdue Off the Hook for the Opioid Crisis? Washington, DC In case you missed it, The Guardian published an op-ed written by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) that highlights their continued efforts to pressure the Department of Justice to turn over a 2006 memo and related documents laying out federal prosecutors' strong criminal case against Purdue Pharma, including documents that detail the role that Rudy Giuliani and other former Department of Justice officials played in the deliberation. The Senators' op-ed comes after The Guardian published additional details about the 2006 Department of Justice memo. The Guardian's reporting discusses crimes that Purdue Pharma allegedly committed, the evidence that the Department of Justice had against Purdue Pharma, and the Department of Justice's decision to settle instead of prosecuting Purdue Pharma. Read the Senators' op-ed in The Guardian here or below: The opioid epidemic is not over. Even as Covid-19 rages, opioid-related deaths continue to devastate communities across our states. In New Hampshire, overdose deaths rose in April and May over last year's levels. In the first four months of 2020, Rhode Island overdose deaths jumped 29% from the same period last year and 38% from the same period in 2018. Opioid addiction remains a persistent, lethal menace. We just learned a big reason why the opioid crisis was allowed to get so bad. The Guardian recently unearthed new details in the origin story of the opioid crisis. In 2006, career prosecutors at the US Department of Justice drafted a memo summarizing alleged criminal behavior by the major opioid maker Purdue Pharma. The memo, the culmination of a four-year investigation of Purdue's opioid marketing and other business practices, was based on a review of millions of internal documents. The memo concluded that Purdue and its executives participated in mail fraud, wi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/cyberspace-solarium-commission-details-framework-grow-stronger-federal-cyber-workforce | Cyberspace Solarium Commission Details Framework to Grow a Stronger Federal Cyber Workforce | 2020-09-08 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON - The Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) released a new white paper, Growing a Stronger Federal Cyber Workforce at a virtual event sponsored by Dakota State University (DSU). The U.S. Government currently suffers from a significant shortage in its cyber workforce with more than one in three jobs left open. Filling these roles has been a persistent and intractable problem over the past decade. To address this shortfall, the Commission white paper calls for a strategy to enable coordinated action and sustained investment in the federal cyber workforce. CSC co-chairs Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) said in the executive summary of the report: Without talented cyber professionals working the keyboard, all the cutting-edge technology in the world cannot protect the United States in cyberspace. If we do not take action now to ensure that our talented and experienced workforce continues to grow, we are leaving our country vulnerable to future cyber attacks. We need to focus on growing cyber talent among those in the earliest stages of their K-12 schooling, but we also need mentors--diverse mentors--who allow our young people to envision a fulfilling career for themselves in the cyber workforce, said CSC Commissioner Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) during the event. In discussing federal cyber hiring, he went on to say, We can't post an entry-level cyber job and expect individuals applying to have three years of experience. "The Federal cyber workforce is not independent of the national workforce; they share a common problem--it is literally the same problem, said CSC Commissioner John C. Chris Inglis as part of the panel discussion. He continued saying the Commission recognized that: [T]he federal workforce cannot just figure out how we get a bigger slice of a fixed-size pie of national cyber talent. We need to build a bigger pie. Across the federal government, dedicated professionals are working on a range of separate initiatives designed to build the federal cyber workfo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-finalized-binding-operational-directive-requiring-agencies-have | Langevin Statement on Finalized Binding Operational Directive Requiring Agencies to Have Vulnerability Disclosure Policies | 2020-09-02 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Warwick, R.I. Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a member of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus, issued the following statement regarding the finalization of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 20-01, Vulnerability Disclosure Policies. The BOD was published in conjunction with a memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) entitled Improving Vulnerability Identification, Management, and Remediation. Langevin and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy submitted comments on the draft BOD and memorandum in January. The following may be attributed to Congressman Langevin: When cybersecurity researchers find a flaw in software, they need to have some mechanism for reporting it so it can be fixed. I have long advocated for vulnerability disclosure policies that provide clear guidelines for such reporting, and, today, the federal government is taking an important step in normalizing them. CISA's newly finalized Binding Operational Directive on vulnerability disclosure begins: Cybersecurity is a public good that is strongest when the public is given the ability to contribute.' I could not agree more. Assistant Director Bryan Ware and his team have done an absolutely terrific job with the vulnerability disclosure directive, which sets a new bar for cybersecurity leadership by the federal government. I fully expect state and local governments, private companies, and non-profits to use the directive and the corresponding OMB memorandum as models of how to effectively extend the hand of friendship to security researchers and protect their systems. When I first attended DEF CON in 2017, I promised to take what I learned from the security researchers there back to Washington. Time and again I have made the argument that we need to give well-meaning researchers trying to make the Internet safer a means of engaging with governme… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/as-september-rent-comes-due-whitehouse-again-calls-for-senate-to-reconvene-to-help-ri-renters-and-homeowners-in-crisis | As September Rent Comes Due, Whitehouse Again Calls for Senate to Reconvene to Help RI Renters and Homeowners in Crisis | 2020-09-01 | 2020 | 2020-09 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 09.01.20 As September Rent Comes Due, Whitehouse Again Calls for Senate to Reconvene to Help RI Renters and Homeowners in Crisis Majority Leader McConnell still refuses to come to the table on new relief legislation after many months of inaction Providence, RI With September rent due today for millions of American families who can't afford to pay it, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is once again calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to pass a robust relief bill that includes help for Rhode Island renters and homeowners thrown into crisis by the COVID-19 pandemic. In early August, McConnell withdrew from bipartisan negotiations for a new relief package and sent the Senate into recess until September 8. Having a safe, stable place to call home takes on a new level of importance during a pandemic, said Whitehouse. Renters and homeowners have been pushed to the brink of crisis as unemployment benefits expired in July, and jobs remain scarce. While Governor Raimondo has done a lot to prevent an eviction epidemic, there is much more we need to do at the federal level to supplement that effort. We've lost three and a half months since the House passed a strong relief bill, and Senator McConnell is still just standing by. Tens of thousands of Rhode Island families cannot wait another week for Congress to start doing its job. Between 100,000 and 143,000 Rhode Islanders, representing between 28 and 42 percent of all households in the state, are at risk of eviction according to a report published by the Aspen Institute early last month. The report estimates that between 30 and 40 million households across the country could be displaced by the end of the year. The COVID pandemic has put many Rhode Islanders in a tight financial spot, making it hard for many to keep up with housing costs, said Carol Ventura, Executive Director of RIHousing. It's critically important that we provide responsiv… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-joins-cicilline-mcgovern-call-mcconnell-pass-delivering-america-act-protect | Langevin joins Cicilline, McGovern To Call On McConnell To Pass Delivering for America Act | 2020-08-27 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | PAWTUCKET Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Jim Langevin (RI-02) are calling on Senate Majority Leader McConnell to take up the Delivery for America Act, which passed through the House Saturday, to save the Postal Service from sabotage. This week, thanks to the activism of Democrats and the American people, Postmaster General DeJoy announced what may be a temporary pause in operational changes delaying the mail.This is a necessary but insufficient first step in ending the President's election sabotage campaign. This pause only halts a limited number of the Postmaster's changes, does not reverse damage already done and alone is not enough to ensure voters will not be disenfranchised by the President this fall. The Postal Service is a pillar of our democracy, enshrined in the Constitution and essential for providing critical services: delivering prescriptions, Social Security benefits, paychecks, tax returns and absentee ballots to millions of Americans, including in our most remote communities. Yet, the President enabled by his top mega-donor Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is waging a campaign to sabotage the election by manipulating the Postal Service to disenfranchise voters.Across the nation, Postmaster General DeJoy continues to push forward sweeping new operational changes that degrade postal service, delay the mail and threaten to deny the ability of eligible Americans to cast their votes through the mail in the upcoming elections in a timely fashion. The Postal Service itself has warned that voters, even if they send in their ballots by state deadlines, may be disenfranchised in 46 states and in Washington, D.C. by the Postmaster General's manufactured delays. On Saturday, the House passed Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Maloney's Delivering for America Act, which prohibits the Postal Service from implementing any new changes to operations or level of service it had in place on January 1, 2020. The Postal Service is one of the pillars of our democracy, said Demo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-announces-federal-backing-for-national-expansion-of-ri-marine-trades-associations-innovative-boat-recycling-program | RI Delegation Announces Federal Backing for National Expansion of RI Marine Trades Association’s Innovative Boat Recycling Program | 2020-08-26 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.26.20 RI Delegation Announces Federal Backing for National Expansion of RI Marine Trades Association's Innovative Boat Recycling Program $105k grant comes from NOAA Marine Debris Program, which was reauthorized by Whitehouse's Save Our Seas Act in 2018 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program has awarded a $105,452 grant to the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) Foundation to expand Rhode Island's innovative fiberglass boat recycling program across New England and to the state of Washington. This federal funding will help clean the Bay, which has important health and economic benefits for all Rhode Islanders, said Senator Reed. This federal grant will help remove even more trash and refuse from our waters and prevent it from washing up along the coast. I'm very proud that the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association and Rhode Island Sea Grant have pioneered an environmentally and financially sustainable model for recycling fiberglass boats, which long posed a vexing environmental challenge, said Whitehouse, who authored the Save Our Seas Act, which reauthorized NOAA's Marine Debris Program in 2018. Whitehouse is a longtime champion for the local composites industry and helped convene the Rhode Island Composites Alliance. This award from NOAA's Marine Debris Program is an investment in expanding the Rhode Island model for reducing the harmful, polluting marine debris in oceans and waterways across the country. Whitehouse's Save Our Seas 2.0 legislation, which builds on steps taken in the original Save Our Seas law to reduce marine debris worldwide, passed the Senate earlier this year and awaits action in the House of Representatives. I'm proud that through the work of the RIMTA Foundation, the Ocean State is leading the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-colleagues-unveil-key-climate-report-featuring-chapter-on-dark-money-obstruction-of-climate-action | Whitehouse, Colleagues Unveil Key Climate Report Featuring Chapter on Dark Money Obstruction of Climate Action | 2020-08-26 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.26.20 Whitehouse, Colleagues Unveil Key Climate Report Featuring Chapter on Dark Money Obstruction of Climate Action Report offers solutions to counter the fossil fuel industry's carefully-honed influence campaign Washington, DC Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined Chairman Brian Schatz (D-HI), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and members of Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis to release a comprehensive report titled The Case for Climate Action: Building a Clean Economy for the American People. The report offers a path forward for climate action in Congress, including a chapter to address the fossil fuel industry's dark money influence campaign blocking action on climate change. [Read the full report here; read the dark money chapter here] This report charts a smart path forward for climate action in Congress. It includes the vital first step of exposing the fossil fuel industry's decades-old covert operation to scuttle meaningful climate legislation, said Senator Whitehouse. To move forward on major climate bills, we'll need to execute on that recommendation. It also lays out a bold plan to slash carbon pollution, create jobs and greater equity across our economy, and avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Thank you to Chairman Schatz for his leadership. I'm proud to have been a part of this effort. Our committee stitched together a political coalition across demographic, geographic, and ideological boundaries, said Senator Schatz. We don't have to keep losing on climate the work we've done shows that we can unite Americans and finally get this done. Over the course of decades, fossil fuel corporations have spent billions of dollars much of it anonymous funding channeled through secretive front groups in a carefully orchestrated effort to kill all comprehensive legislation to address climate change, the senators write in the report. Whitehouse and … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-federal-backing-national-expansion-ri-marine-trades | RI Delegation Announces Federal Backing for National Expansion of RI Marine Trades Associations Innovative Boat Recycling Program | 2020-08-26 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program has awarded a $105,452 grant to the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) Foundation to expand Rhode Island's innovative fiberglass boat recycling program across New England and to the state of Washington. This federal funding will help clean the Bay, which has important health and economic benefits for all Rhode Islanders, said Senator Reed. This federal grant will help remove even more trash and refuse from our waters and prevent it from washing up along the coast. I'm very proud that the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association and Rhode Island Sea Grant have pioneered an environmentally and financially sustainable model for recycling fiberglass boats, which long posed a vexing environmental challenge, said Whitehouse, who authored theSave Our Seas Act, which reauthorized NOAA's Marine Debris Program in 2018. Whitehouse is a longtime champion for the local composites industry and helped convene the Rhode Island Composites Alliance. This award from NOAA's Marine Debris Program is an investment in expanding the Rhode Island model for reducing the harmful, polluting marine debris in oceans and waterways across the country. Whitehouse'sSave Our Seas 2.0legislation, which builds on steps taken in the original Save Our Seas law to reduce marine debris worldwide, passed the Senate earlier this year and awaits action in the House of Representatives. I'm proud that through the work of the RIMTA Foundation, the Ocean State is leading the way in developing sustainable methods for recycling materials that pose a threat to our marine environment and sea-life, said Congressman Langevin. Boating is a part of Rhode Island's identity, but the remains of fiberglass boats are a source of contamination that must be addressed not only here but in other coastal states. I am encouraged that this federal funding wi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-votes-restore-full-funding-and-service-us-postal-service | Cicilline Votes to Restore Full Funding and Service of U.S. Postal Service | 2020-08-22 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee voted to fully restore the operational changes and fully fund the United States Postal Service. Earlier in the day, he spoke on the House floor about this important vote. Remarks are embedded at the end of this email. David N. Cicilline Protecting the USPS August 22, 2020 Madam speaker, thank you to the extraordinary men and women who serve us in the United States Postal Service. I rise today to highlight President Trump's shameless attempts to degrade the United States Postal Service, a revered American institution. These actions not only undermine our elections, they're gambling with people's lives. These past several weeks, I've received thousands of emails, calls, and letters from constituents pleading that these changes be reversed. Just this week I heard from a constituent with diabetes who feared her family was at risk of losing their insurance after learning her payment had arrived a month late after it was mailed. Her story is sadly one of many being heard across the nation. COVID-19 has already brought on significant financial trouble for so many families. To further hurt working families now facing late fees on rent or car payments through no fault of their own is unconscionable. House Democrats have promised to get government working for the people and today's bill is another example of that commitment. Everybody loves the post office. It has been with us since the founding of our country knitting together communities, and this attempt to undermine and degrade services is not only undermining services to our constituents is threatening our democracy, and with that Madam Speaker, I yield back. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-speaks-house-floor-ahead-vote-protect-united-states-postal-service | Langevin Speaks on House Floor Ahead of Vote to Protect the United States Postal Service | 2020-08-22 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in advance of his vote to pass H.R. 8015, the Delivering for America Act. The House of Representatives is taking up this legislation in response to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's changes to Postal Service operations that have already resulted in significant mail delays across the country. The Delivering for America Act prohibits the Postal Service from implementing changes to operations or service levels in effect on January 1, 2020. The prohibition would remain in effect throughout the duration of the coronavirus pandemic or through January 1, 2021, whichever is later. Additionally, the bill requires all election mail to be treated as first-class mail and provides $25 billion in emergency funding for the Postal Service, the level of funding recommended by the USPS Board of Governors, which is composed completely of appointees by President Trump. Madam Speaker, the Postmaster General's attempts to push forward operational changes that delay the mail are simply unacceptable. My constituents depend on the U.S. Postal Service. In the past week, I received over a thousand constituent letters expressing confusion and anger over these changes. A senior from Coventry wrote to me expressing her alarm over what might happen if her diabetic husband failed to receive his medications on time. A constituent from Wakefield, who has not missed an election since 1956, emailed me to ask if he should vote in person despite being 85 years old with health concerns. "No one should have to wait for lifesaving medications or risk their health to cast a vote. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Millions of Americans are counting on us, and we cannot let them down. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-nearly-39-million-local-fire-departments | RI Delegation Announces Nearly $3.9 Million for Local Fire Departments | 2020-08-22 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | PROVIDENCE, RI U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $3,884,710 in new federal funding for seventeen fire departments across the state. The delegation says the cities, towns, and fire districts are receiving federal funds to purchase vital equipment, including fire hoses, trucks, high-tech breathing equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The federal funds are made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and will help local fire departments prioritize operations and safety during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal grants will help firefighters across the state enhance public safety and protect themselves as they can continue to serve and perform their essential work, said Senator Reed. Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe. This federal funding will help provide the tools they need to protect themselves and all Rhode Islanders. Congratulations to the departments for winning these grants, said Senator Whitehouse. Rhode Island firefighters on the front lines of the pandemic are facing daunting challenges and it is more important than ever that departments are equipped with the proper tools to save lives, said Congressman Langevin, a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, which oversees the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. These federal funds will go a long way to making sure our heroes have equipment that keeps them safe when responding to emergencies. Our firefighters and heroes on the frontlines are keeping Rhode Islanders safe during the pandemic, Cicilline said. These grants allow our firefighters to do their essential service, but we need to continue to push for more funding for these heroes. That's why the House passed the Heroes Act more than 3 months ago, which helps our heroes on the front lines. Senate Republicans need to act today and pass this vital legislation. The following cities and town fir… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-announces-nearly-39-million-for-local-fire-departments | RI Delegation Announces Nearly $3.9 Million for Local Fire Departments | 2020-08-21 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.21.20 RI Delegation Announces Nearly $3.9 Million for Local Fire Departments Federal fire grants will help 17 local fire departments enhance public safety PROVIDENCE, RI Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $3,884,710 in new federal funding for seventeen fire departments across the state. The delegation says the cities, towns, and fire districts are receiving federal funds to purchase vital equipment, including fire hoses, trucks, high-tech breathing equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The federal funds are made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and will help local fire departments prioritize operations and safety during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal grants will help firefighters across the state enhance public safety and protect themselves as they can continue to serve and perform their essential work, said Senator Reed. Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe. This federal funding will help provide the tools they need to protect themselves and all Rhode Islanders. Congratulations to the departments for winning these grants, said Senator Whitehouse. Rhode Island firefighters on the front lines of the pandemic are facing daunting challenges and it is more important than ever that departments are equipped with the proper tools to save lives, said Congressman Langevin, a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, which oversees the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. These federal funds will go a long way to making sure our heroes have equipment that keeps them safe when responding to emergencies. Our firefighters and heroes on the frontlines are keeping Rhode Islanders safe during the pandemic, Cicilline said. These grants allow our firefighters to do their essential service, bu… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-call-for-gao-investigation-of-trump-politicization-of-immigration-courts-as-covid-19-crisis-rages | Senators Call for GAO Investigation of Trump Politicization of Immigration Courts as COVID-19 Crisis Rages | 2020-08-21 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.21.20 Senators Call for GAO Investigation of Trump Politicization of Immigration Courts as COVID-19 Crisis Rages Trump attacks on immigration system raise serious concerns about safety during pandemic - More than 1,000 people in immigration detention have tested positive for COVID-19, and five have died Washington, DC Today, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) led a Senate request to the top congressional watchdog to investigate the practices of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) under President Trump, including its management of immigration courts during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the senators raise concerns first voiced to the Justice Department in February about mismanagement of the EOIR under Attorney General William Barr, as well as the Trump administration's regulatory and procedural changes at the Justice Department that have curtailed the independence of immigration courts. The administration's mismanagement of and meddling with the immigration courts done in the name of efficiency are particularly troubling during the COVID-19 pandemic, when an overburdened system can lead to unsafe practices that place individuals at grave risk and jeopardize due process, the senators write to the GAO. While the Trump administration has justified its incursions into the independence of immigration courts as efficiency measures, legal service providers have explained that EOIR's response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how the agency can use seemingly neutral measures to tip the scales of justice against noncitizens, the senators write. In order to defend themselves in immigration court, noncitizens must file motions and other papers in person at physical court locations; obtain counsel; meet with their attorneys; present testimony from family members, employers, and/or expert witnes… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-trump-and-pompeo%E2%80%99s-re-imposing-sanctions-iran | Cicilline On Trump and Pompeos Re-Imposing Sanctions on Iran | 2020-08-21 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | Cicilline On Trump and Pompeo's Re-Imposing Sanctions on Iran Aug 21, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today: The actions of the Trump Administration have brought Iran closer to having a nuclear weapon. Their abrupt departure from the Iran Deal, and their failure to stop the expiration of the arms embargo with Iran have imperiled us all. We knew that the expiration of the arms embargo was coming. The Trump Administration re-imposing sanctions, known as snapback, is a failure of foresight, ability to negotiate, and will further diminish the United States' credibility on the world stage. Containing Iran's nuclear ambitions, which should be a shared and serious priority, may now be even more difficult. The original Iran Deal was not perfect, but by leaving it, it made it harder than ever to improve it. Today's announcement makes it near impossible. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-nearly-39-million-local-fire-departments | RI Delegation Announces Nearly $3.9 Million for Local Fire Departments | 2020-08-21 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | PROVIDENCE, RI Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced $3,884,710 in new federal funding for seventeen fire departments across the state. The delegation says the cities, towns, and fire districts are receiving federal funds to purchase vital equipment, including fire hoses, trucks, high-tech breathing equipment, and personal protective equipment (PPE). The federal funds are made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and will help local fire departments prioritize operations and safety during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These federal grants will help firefighters across the state enhance public safety and protect themselves as they can continue to serve and perform their essential work, said Senator Reed. Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe. This federal funding will help provide the tools they need to protect themselves and all Rhode Islanders. Congratulations to the departments for winning these grants, said Senator Whitehouse. Rhode Island firefighters on the front lines of the pandemic are facing daunting challenges and it is more important than ever that departments are equipped with the proper tools to save lives, said Congressman Langevin, a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security, which oversees the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. These federal funds will go a long way to making sure our heroes have equipment that keeps them safe when responding to emergencies. Our firefighters and heroes on the frontlines are keeping Rhode Islanders safe during the pandemic, Cicilline said. These grants allow our firefighters to do their essential service, but we need to continue to push for more funding for these heroes. That's why the House passed the Heroes Act more than 3 months ago, which helps our heroes on the front lines. Senate Republicans need to act today and pass this vital legislation. The following cities and … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-hassan-whitehouse-continue-to-press-for-2006-purdue-pharma-prosecution-memo-following-new-guardian-reporting | Senators Hassan, Whitehouse Continue to Press for 2006 Purdue Pharma Prosecution Memo Following New Guardian Reporting | 2020-08-19 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.19.20 Senators Hassan, Whitehouse Continue to Press for 2006 Purdue Pharma Prosecution Memo Following New Guardian Reporting WASHINGTON Today, The Guardian published additional details about a 2006 Department of Justice memo laying out federal prosecutors' strong criminal case against Purdue Pharma. The Guardian's reporting discusses crimes that Purdue Pharma allegedly committed, the evidence that the Department of Justice had against Purdue Pharma, and the Department of Justice's decision to settle instead of prosecuting Purdue Pharma. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have repeatedly called for the release of the memo and related documents, including ones that detail the role that Rudy Giuliani and other former Department of Justice officials played in the deliberations. The Senators are reiterating their call today. Purdue Pharma's actions helped fuel the opioid epidemic that has devastated countless American families and the Department of Justice could have helped to stop Purdue Pharma in its tracks more than a decade ago. The Guardian's reporting underscores the importance of understanding the Department of Justice's decision-making in 2006 and beyond, and the Department must comply with Congressional oversight by turning this memo and related documents over to Congress. The public ought to know if Rudy Giuliani and other former Department of Justice officials convinced the Department to let their client off the hook with a slap on the wrist. We must get to the bottom of Purdue Pharma's actions, why the Department of Justice failed to take stronger action, and how Purdue Pharma contributed to the opioid epidemic that we have today, said Senators Hassan and Whitehouse. Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-demands-trump-administration-end-sabotage-postal-service | RI Delegation Demands Trump Administration End Sabotage of Postal Service | 2020-08-18 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline are demanding that the Trump administration end its sabotage of the United States Postal Service (USPS). In a letter sent today to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation call any action to undermine the operations of the USPS unacceptable, including efforts reported in Rhode Island that affect hardworking postal workers and the effectiveness of the postal system. The Rhode Island delegation cite concerns raised by the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers about changes implemented in the Ocean State that severely curtail the ability of letter carriers to deliver the mail on a consistent and timely basis. We urge you to suspend these harmful operational changes and turn your attention to supporting the mission of the USPS and its workers in providing an invaluable service to the American people and businesses, wrote Reed, Whitehouse, Langevin and Cicilline. Millions of Americans are expected to exercise their right to vote in November's general election using the mail system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, President Trump said he is opposed to additional funding for the Postal Service because of mail-in voting. All four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation say they are committed to saving the Post Office so that it can once again properly function and promptly and reliably serve the American people. Full text of the letter is available here and below. August 17, 2020 VIA ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION The Honorable Louis DeJoy Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer U.S. Postal Service 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 10804 Washington, DC 20260-3500 Dear Mr. Postmaster General: We write to express our concerns about recent changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations and the harmful consequences on mail delivery and services for residents and businesses in the State of Rhode Island. The… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/-ri-delegation-demands-trump-administration-end-sabotage-of-postal-service | RI Delegation Demands Trump Administration End Sabotage of Postal Service | 2020-08-17 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.17.20 RI Delegation Demands Trump Administration End Sabotage of Postal Service Rhode Islanders and small businesses rely on USPS for basic needs during pandemic Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline are demanding that the Trump administration end its sabotage of the United States Postal Service (USPS). In a letter sent today to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation call any action to undermine the operations of the USPS unacceptable, including efforts reported in Rhode Island that affect hardworking postal workers and the effectiveness of the postal system. The Rhode Island delegation cite concerns raised by the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers about changes implemented in the Ocean State that severely curtail the ability of letter carriers to deliver the mail on a consistent and timely basis. We urge you to suspend these harmful operational changes and turn your attention to supporting the mission of the USPS and its workers in providing an invaluable service to the American people and businesses, write Reed, Whitehouse, Langevin and Cicilline. Millions of Americans are expected to exercise their right to vote in November's general election using the mail system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, President Trump said he is opposed to additional funding for the Postal Service because of mail-in voting. All four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation say they are committed to saving the Post Office so that it can once again properly function and promptly and reliably serve the American people. Full text of the letter is available here. Print Email Tweet … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-demands-trump-administration-end-sabotage-postal-service | RI Delegation Demands Trump Administration End Sabotage of Postal Service | 2020-08-17 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline are demanding that the Trump administration end its sabotage of the United States Postal Service (USPS). In a letter sent today to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, the members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation call any action to undermine the operations of the USPS unacceptable, including efforts reported in Rhode Island that affect hardworking postal workers and the effectiveness of the postal system. The Rhode Island delegation cite concerns raised by the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers about changes implemented in the Ocean State that severely curtail the ability of letter carriers to deliver the mail on a consistent and timely basis. We urge you to suspend these harmful operational changes and turn your attention to supporting the mission of the USPS and its workers in providing an invaluable service to the American people and businesses, write Reed, Whitehouse, Langevin and Cicilline. Millions of Americans are expected to exercise their right to vote in November's general election using the mail system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, President Trump said he is opposed to additional funding for the Postal Service because of mail-in voting. All four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation say they are committed to saving the Post Office so that it can once again properly function and promptly and reliably serve the American people. Full text of the letter is available here and below. August 17, 2020 VIA ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION The Honorable Louis DeJoy Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer U.S. Postal Service 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 10804 Washington, DC 20260-3500 Dear Mr. Postmaster General: We write to express our concerns about recent changes to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) operations and the harmful consequences on mail delivery and services for residents and businesses in the State of Rhode Island. The dedicate… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-announces-23-million-grant-for-401-tech-bridge-facility-to-propel-textiles-composites-undersea-technology-industries | RI Delegation Announces $2.3 Million Grant for ‘401 Tech Bridge’ Facility to Propel Textiles, Composites, Undersea Technology Industries | 2020-08-14 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.14.20 RI Delegation Announces $2.3 Million Grant for 401 Tech Bridge' Facility to Propel Textiles, Composites, Undersea Technology Industries New Advanced Materials and Technology Center will facilitate industry connections, research, and workforce development Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) a $2.3 million grant to open a new facility in Rhode Island that will support the growth of the local textiles, composites, and undersea technology industries. The grant from the EDA's Public Works Program will fund the construction of a new Advanced Materials and Technology Center for 401 Tech Bridge, a partnership between Polaris MEP, the University of Rhode Island, the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and the Office of Naval Research. The 17,000-square-foot facility will be located in Portsmouth. This is another positive step toward developing a strong, sustainable technological ecosystem here in Rhode Island. This federal funding will help 401 Tech Bridge and its partners build on their success and attract more opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment, and innovation, said Senator Reed. Composites and textiles connect our past and future in Rhode Island's economy, said Whitehouse, who worked with industry and academic partners to convene both the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and advocated for this 401 Tech Bridge grant. This award is a milestone in our years-long collaboration within and between the two industries. The funding comes in time to boost our economy with local job growth in industries with a storied history, now uniquely positioned for innovation, growth and success. Industry … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-23-million-grant-%E2%80%98401-tech-bridge%E2%80%99-facility-propel-textiles | RI Delegation Announces $2.3 Million Grant FOR 401 Tech Bridge Facility to Propel Textiles, Composites, Undersea Technology Industries | 2020-08-14 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) a $2.3 million grant to open a new facility in Rhode Island that will support the growth of the local textiles, composites, and undersea technology industries. The grant from the EDA's Public Works Program will fund the construction of a new Advanced Materials and Technology Center for 401 Tech Bridge, a partnership between Polaris MEP, the University of Rhode Island, the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and the Office of Naval Research. The 17,000-square-foot facility will be located in Portsmouth. This is another positive step toward developing a strong, sustainable technological ecosystem here in Rhode Island. This federal funding will help 401 Tech Bridge and its partners build on their success and attract more opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment, and innovation, said Senator Reed. Composites and textiles connect our past and future in Rhode Island's economy, said Whitehouse, who worked with industry and academic partners to convene both the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and advocated for this 401 Tech Bridge grant. This award is a milestone in our years-long collaboration within and between the two industries. The funding comes in time to boost our economy with local job growth in industries with a storied history, now uniquely positioned for innovation, growth and success. Industry and innovation are at the core of Rhode Island's strength and by supporting projects like the 401 Tech Bridge we are bolstering our states economic competitiveness, said Congressman Langevin. I'm pleased that this EDA grant invests in Rhode Island's long-term productivity, promotes stronger industry partnerships, and will create jobs during this challenging economic time.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-23-million-grant-%E2%80%98401-tech-bridge%E2%80%99-facility-propel-textiles | RI Delegation Announces $2.3 Million Grant for 401 Tech Bridge Facility to Propel Textiles, Composites, Undersea Technology Industries | 2020-08-14 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded Polaris Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) a $2.3 million grant to open a new facility in Rhode Island that will support the growth of the local textiles, composites, and undersea technology industries. The grant from the EDA's Public Works Program will fund the construction of a new Advanced Materials and Technology Center for 401 Tech Bridge, a partnership between Polaris MEP, the University of Rhode Island, the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and the Office of Naval Research. The 17,000-square-foot facility will be located in Portsmouth. This is another positive step toward developing a strong, sustainable technological ecosystem here in Rhode Island. This federal funding will help 401 Tech Bridge and its partners build on their success and attract more opportunities for entrepreneurship, investment, and innovation, said Senator Reed. Composites and textiles connect our past and future in Rhode Island's economy, said Whitehouse, who worked with industry and academic partners to convene both the Composites Alliance of Rhode Island and theRhode Island Textiles Innovation Network, and advocated for this 401 Tech Bridge grant. This award is a milestone in our years-long collaboration within and between the two industries. The funding comes in time to boost our economy with local job growth in industries with a storied history, now uniquely positioned for innovation, growth and success. Industry and innovation are at the core of Rhode Island's strength and by supporting projects like the 401 Tech Bridge we are bolstering our state's economic competitiveness, said Congressman Langevin. I'm pleased that this EDA grant invests in Rhode Island's long-term productivity, promotes stronger industry partnerships, and will create jobs during this challenging economic time.… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-whitehouse-call-for-extension-of-census-deadlines-to-ensure-full-accurate-count | Reed, Whitehouse Call for Extension of Census Deadlines to Ensure Full, Accurate Count | 2020-08-13 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.13.20 Reed, Whitehouse Call for Extension of Census Deadlines to Ensure Full, Accurate Count Bipartisan group of 48 Senators urge extension be included in next COVID-19 relief package WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse joined a bipartisan group of 46 U.S. Senators in calling for the extension of the statutory deadlines for the delivery of apportionment data and redistricting files following the 2020 Census. The 48 Senators urged Congress to include the extension in a COVID-19 relief package. The U.S. Constitution requires a population census every ten years and the census count to be reported to the President by December 31 of that year. A change to that date would require Congressional action. The Trump Administration previously requested an extension in April of this year, but reversed course on August 3, 2020 and announced that Census self-response and field operations would end on September 30, 2020. Extending the deadlines for the delivery of these files in the next COVID-19 relief package will ensure that the Census Bureau has adequate time to complete a full, fair, and accurate 2020 Census. It will also ensure that both the Congress and the states receive accurate data for apportionment and redistricting, the 48 Senators wrote in their letter to House and Senate leaders. Citing a request first made by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham to extend the deadlines for reporting apportionment counts to the President from December 31, 2020 to April 30, 2021 and redistricting data to the states from March 31, 2021 to July 31, 2021 the senators underscored the need to give the Census Bureau adequate time to collect and report an accurate count following delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, the Census Bureau also said they would continue counting efforts until October 31, 2020. Recently, the Trump Administration reverse… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/cyberspace-solarium-commissioners-introduce-legislation-securely-modernize-state | Cyberspace Solarium Commissioners Introduce Legislation to Securely Modernize State Information Technology | 2020-08-13 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Washington Cyberspace Solarium Commissioner Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Solarium co-chairs Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) are introducing legislation to support modernizing and securing state and local government information technology. The State and Local IT Modernization and Cybersecurity Act, which will be introduced in both the House and the Senate, addresses a recommendation from the Solarium's pandemic white paper that calls for helping state and local governments migrate legacy IT infrastructure to modern, secure platforms, including cloud-based services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states and localities have struggled to deliver essential services, from unemployment benefits to public health tracking data, due to outdated infrastructure. Congressmen Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Will Hurd (R-TX), C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Max Rose (D-NY), and Don Bacon (R-NE), joined Langevin and Gallagher in introducing the House bill, which includes $28 billion in federal aid. In our initial report, the Solarium Commission recognized that outdated state and local government systems were attractive targets for our adversaries and that we needed to help them migrate to secure, cloud-based infrastructure, said Congressman Langevin, a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus. COVID-19 has made it apparent how much legacy IT is affecting state and local governments operationally. We need immediate investments to ensure state and local employees can safely work remotely, and we need IT modernization strategies to ensure that essential services, like unemployment insurance, can be provided to Americans in need. The State and Local IT Modernization and Cybersecurity Act will dramatically improve e-government services, protect workers, and significantly enhance security. I am indebted to the Solarium Commissioners, especially our co-chairs, for working to develop this p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-delivers-89m-upgrade-ripta-bus-fleet | RI Delegation Delivers $8.9M to Upgrade RIPTA Bus Fleet | 2020-08-12 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | August 11, 2020 PROVIDENCE, RI The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will be able to upgrade its bus fleet thanks to a new federal grant that was secured with the help of U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline. The four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation today joined with RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian in announcing the federal grant, which will help RIPTA replace 17 high-mileage, outdated buses with newer, more fuel-efficient buses and make site improvements to bus facilities. The funding comes through the Buses and Bus Facilities Program, which assists state and local transit agencies with financing for buses and bus facilities capital projects. The federal funding will be augmented with state matching funds. RIPTA will begin the procurement process almost immediately, and the production of the new buses would begin in the fall of 2021, with delivery expected in the spring of 2023. This is great news for RIPTA riders. This federal funding will help RIPTA increase the overall efficiency and reliability of the bus fleet and better serve the public, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who worked to add $170 million to the Bus and Bus Facility program in fiscal year 2020. This federal grant is a major investment in the modernization of RIPTA's fleet, said Senator Whitehouse. The addition of seventeen new fuel-efficient buses will provide a more reliable and pleasant experience for riders, and reduce harmful air pollution for everyone. RIPTA provides essential services to Rhode Islanders, and I'm pleased they will use this grant funding to make considerable upgrades to their bus fleet to better serve the needs of riders, said Congressman Langevin. Whether it's going to work, visiting the doctor, or shopping for groceries, public transportation helps families access important services and participate in the local economy. I'm proud to… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-delivers-89m-to-upgrade-ripta-bus-fleet | RI Delegation Delivers $8.9M to Upgrade RIPTA Bus Fleet | 2020-08-11 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.11.20 RI Delegation Delivers $8.9M to Upgrade RIPTA Bus Fleet PROVIDENCE, RI The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will be able to upgrade its bus fleet thanks to a new federal grant that was secured with the help of U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline. The four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation today joined with RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian in announcing the federal grant, which will help RIPTA replace 17 high-mileage, outdated buses with newer, more fuel-efficient buses and make site improvements to bus facilities. The funding comes through the Buses and Bus Facilities Program, which assists state and local transit agencies with financing for buses and bus facilities capital projects. The federal funding will be augmented with state matching funds. RIPTA will begin the procurement process almost immediately, and the production of the new buses would begin in the fall of 2021, with delivery expected in the spring of 2023. This is great news for RIPTA riders. This federal funding will help RIPTA increase the overall efficiency and reliability of the bus fleet and better serve the public, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who worked to add $170 million to the Bus and Bus Facility program in fiscal year 2020. This federal grant is a major investment in the modernization of RIPTA's fleet, said Senator Whitehouse. The addition of seventeen new fuel-efficient buses will provide a more reliable and pleasant experience for riders, and reduce harmful air pollution for everyone. RIPTA provides essential services to Rhode Islanders, and I'm pleased they will use this grant funding to make considerable upgrades to their bus fleet to better serve the needs of riders, said Congressman Langevin. Whether it's going to work, visiting the doctor, or shopping for groceries, public transportation helps families access impo… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-delivers-89m-upgrade-ripta-bus-fleet | RI Delegation Delivers $8.9M to Upgrade RIPTA Bus Fleet | 2020-08-11 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | PROVIDENCE, RI The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will be able to upgrade its bus fleet thanks to a new federal grant that was secured with the help of U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline. The four members of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation today joined with RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian in announcing the federal grant, which will help RIPTA replace 17 high-mileage, outdated buses with newer, more fuel-efficient buses and make site improvements to bus facilities. The funding comes through the Buses and Bus Facilities Program, which assists state and local transit agencies with financing for buses and bus facilities capital projects. The federal funding will be augmented with state matching funds. RIPTA will begin the procurement process almost immediately, and the production of the new buses would begin in the fall of 2021, with delivery expected in the spring of 2023. This is great news for RIPTA riders. This federal funding will help RIPTA increase the overall efficiency and reliability of the bus fleet and better serve the public, said Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who worked to add $170 million to the Bus and Bus Facility program in fiscal year 2020. This federal grant is a major investment in the modernization of RIPTA's fleet, said Senator Whitehouse. The addition of seventeen new fuel-efficient buses will provide a more reliable and pleasant experience for riders, and reduce harmful air pollution for everyone. RIPTA provides essential services to Rhode Islanders, and I'm pleased they will use this grant funding to make considerable upgrades to their bus fleet to better serve the needs of riders, said Congressman Langevin. Whether it's going to work, visiting the doctor, or shopping for groceries, public transportation helps families access important services and participate in the local economy. I'm proud to have collaborat… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-over-25m-help-riers-access-housing-during-covid-19-crisis | RI Delegation Announces Over $2.5M to Help RIers Access Housing During COVID-19 Crisis | 2020-08-11 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC In an effort to help low-income families shelter in place safely and connect to essential health and educational services amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $2,552,658 in federal funding for 24 Rhode Island public housing agencies (PHAs) and two behavioral health centers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program. The $2.5 million in funding is being awarded as part of the second round of the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Fees included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and will enable the PHAs to address the health and safety needs of thousands of individuals and families statewide. The federal funding will help the PHAs and health centers to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, fund COVID testing, transport families to emergency care or other housing units to limit exposure to COVID, fund security costs to enforce stay-at-home or shelter in place restrictions, and more. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by PHAs, which receive federal funds from HUD to administer the voucher program. Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who led efforts to include the funding to help families with vouchers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act stated: With the pandemic continuing to impact our lives and economy and with plenty of Rhode Islanders struggling financially, this federal funding will help many of the hardest hit Rhode Islanders access food and medical supplies and help to connect their children to remote learning. Our state's PHAs have done great work in th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-announces-over-25m-to-help-riers-access-housing-during-covid-19-crisis | RI Delegation Announces Over $2.5M to Help RIers Access Housing During COVID-19 Crisis | 2020-08-10 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.10.20 RI Delegation Announces Over $2.5M to Help RIers Access Housing During COVID-19 Crisis Public Housing Authorities & health centers across state receive federal assistance to help low-income residents get through the pandemic RI Delegation Announces Over $2.5M to Help RIers Access Housing During COVID-19 Crisis Public Housing Authorities & health centers across state receive federal assistance to help low-income residents get through the pandemic WASHINGTON, DC In an effort to help low-income families shelter in place safely and connect to essential health and educational services amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $2,552,658 in federal funding for 24 Rhode Island public housing agencies (PHAs) and two behavioral health centers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program. The $2.5 million in funding is being awarded as part of the second round of the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Fees included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and will enable the PHAs to address the health and safety needs of thousands of individuals and families statewide. The federal funding will help the PHAs and health centers to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, fund COVID testing, transport families to emergency care or other housing units to limit exposure to COVID, fund security costs to enforce stay-at-home or shelter in place restrictions, and more. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by PHAs, which receive federal funds from HUD to administer the voucher program. Senator Reed, the Ra… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-over-25m-help-riers-access-housing-during-covid-19-crisis | RI Delegation Announces Over $2.5M to Help RIers Access Housing During COVID-19 Crisis | 2020-08-10 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC In an effort to help low-income families shelter in place safely and connect to essential health and educational services amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline today announced $2,552,658 in federal funding for 24 Rhode Island public housing agencies (PHAs) and two behavioral health centers through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher Program. The $2.5 million in funding is being awarded as part of the second round of the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Fees included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and will enable the PHAs to address the health and safety needs of thousands of individuals and families statewide. The federal funding will help the PHAs and health centers to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, fund COVID testing, transport families to emergency care or other housing units to limit exposure to COVID, fund security costs to enforce stay-at-home or shelter in place restrictions, and more. The participant is free to choose any housing that meets the requirements of the program and is not limited to units located in subsidized housing projects. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by PHAs, which receive federal funds from HUD to administer the voucher program. Senator Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), who led efforts to include the funding to help families with vouchers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act stated: With the pandemic continuing to impact our lives and economy and with plenty of Rhode Islanders struggling financially, this federal funding will help many of the hardest hit Rhode Islanders access food and medical supplies and help to connect their children to remote learning. Our state's PHAs have done great work in th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-president-trumps-covid-19-announcements | Whitehouse Statement on President Trump’s COVID-19 Announcements | 2020-08-09 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.09.20 Whitehouse Statement on President Trump's COVID-19 Announcements Providence, RI U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has issued the following statement regarding President Trump's announcements yesterday evening: Some art of the deal.' Almost three months after House Democrats passed a good relief bill with a $600 unemployment benefit, President Trump reverts to toothless executive orders to cover up his own party's failure. Millions of American families teetering on the brink what's the Republican answer? A unilateral cut to unemployment benefits; forcing states to slash budgets more in a crisis; a payroll tax suspension' that hits Medicare and Social Security funds it's a weak failure to meet the moment. Congress alone has the power for meaningful action, and Republicans should stop blocking the House-passed relief measures Rhode Islanders urgently need. Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-smith-and-murphy-introduce-bill-to-address-effects-of-social-inequities-on-health-in-communities-of-color | Whitehouse, Smith, & Murphy Introduce Bill to Address Effects of Social Inequities on Health in Communities of Color | 2020-08-06 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.06.20 Whitehouse, Smith, & Murphy Introduce Bill to Address Effects of Social Inequities on Health in Communities of Color Factors like lack of housing, hunger, unemployment, and education contribute to health outcomes Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) has teamed up with U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to introduce legislation to study the role of social determinants in exacerbating health inequities and to make investments in reducing those disparities. The Senators note that unemployment, hunger, lack of affordable housing, and education have a significant effect on Americans' health, especially in communities of color. Medical treatment accounts for only 10 to 20 percent of an individual's overall health, while other social determinants of health account for the other 80 to 90 percent, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The Senators' Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2020 would authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to begin work on improving health outcomes and reducing inequities by investing the efforts of the federal government, and of public health agencies and community organizations, to address the adverse effects of social determinants of health. This pandemic has placed a spotlight on the inequities that for too long have resulted in poorer health outcomes in communities of color, said Whitehouse. We need to get to the bottom of why this is happening and eliminate the root causes, whether that means improving schools, building affordable homes, making food assistance more readily available, or investing in economic development. According to Rhode Island Department of Health data, Black and Hispanic individuals make up about 58 percent of all diagnosed COVID-19 cases in Rhode Island, despite accounting for approximately 25 percent of the state's overall … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/sen-whitehouse-on-the-nursing-home-covid-19-protection-and-prevention-act | Sen. Whitehouse on the Nursing Home COVID-19 Protection and Prevention Act | 2020-08-05 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.05.20 Sen. Whitehouse on the Nursing Home COVID-19 Protection and Prevention Act Mr. President, I am grateful to have the chance to follow my friend from Pennsylvania, who has shown such great leadership with respect to healthcare and particularly with respect to the nursing home population. I am delighted to join him to discuss what COVID is doing to the elder Americans who are in our nursing homes and long-term care facilities, because this illness has swept like a savage scythe through those facilities. In my small State of Rhode Island, 750 residents of long-term care facilities have died of COVID. We just crossed 1,000 deaths statewide, and 750 are at these facilities. If that doesn't attract the concern of this Senate, something is very wrong with this Senate. Across the country, the death toll in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, just as Senator Casey said, is 62,000 Americans. My dad served for 5 years in the Vietnam conflict. In the decades of the Vietnam conflict, we sustained over 58,000 American military casualties. That means the death toll in our nursing homes and long-term care facilities--just in COVID, just in these months--is greater than the death toll of our soldiers in Vietnam. And if that is not enough to attract the attention of the Senate, something is wrong with the Senate. In Rhode Island, there is a little nursing home--just by way of example--called Hallworth House. Hallworth House is a great little place. It has been operating for half a century. It opened in 1968. It has a five-star rating from CMS. They do a great job. It was announced that it will permanently close at the end of August due to COVID. It had 51 residents, and by June, 29 had been infected; 12 had died. Of its staff, 20 were infected and had to be quarantined. It couldn't survive that. It is closing. And the stories behind the institutions like Hallworth House are the stories of people like Therese in Lincoln. The Senator from Pennsylvania is amicably disposed to women named Therese. T… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-questions-hon-sally-yates-during-a-judiciary-committee-hearing | Sen. Whitehouse Questions Hon. Sally Yates during a Judiciary Committee Hearing | 2020-08-05 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | August 6, 2020 | Senator Whitehouse Questions Sally Yates on the Oversight of the Crossfire Hurricane Investigation Witness: The Honorable Sally Q. Yates, Former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Atlanta, GA | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-questions-sally-yates-in-a-judiciary-committee-hearing | Sen. Whitehouse Questions Sally Yates in a Judiciary Committee Hearing | 2020-08-05 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | August 5 | Sen. Whitehouse questions Sally Yates in a Judiciary Committee hearing on the Crossfire Hurricane investigation. Witness: The Honorable Sally Q. Yates, Former Deputy Attorney General of the United States, Atlanta, GA | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-remarks-on-corporate-negligence-amnesty-in-nursing-homes | Sen. Whitehouse Remarks on Corporate Negligence Amnesty in Nursing Homes | 2020-08-05 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-remarks-on-the-american-nuclear-infrastructure-act-of-2020 | Sen. Whitehouse remarks on the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2020 | 2020-08-05 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/speeches/time-to-wake-up- | Time to Wake Up: Same Crew | 2020-08-04 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.04.20 Time to Wake Up: Same Crew As delivered Mr. President, I am here today for a different topic. I am here for the 269th time with my increasingly battered ``Time to Wake Up'' poster to try to alert this Chamber to the threat of climate change--something, obviously, Louisiana knows very well--and to the forces that are blocking action on climate. In these climate speeches, I have talked often about the insidious encroachment on American Government of special interest power, which is what is behind all this climate denial and obstruction. It didn't happen on its own. The fossil fuel industry's political forces used the cover of anonymous funding--what we call dark money-- and they used phony front groups and clever propaganda to accomplish their aims. In effect, these fossil fuel political forces have run a covert operation against our own government. We observe the disturbances; we hear the rustling in the leaves; we see strange sites, but many of us haven't connected the dots. Those who are familiar with some of the elements may not put the whole story together. Some are so accustomed to this sinister behavior that they think it is normal. Some folks are like a city dweller in the jungle, needing a field biologist to i dentify the behaviors going on around them. Let me give you this field biologist's overview. We understand pretty well the crew of bad actors lurking behind climate denial. Democrats in the Senate have repeatedly called out and reported on this web of denial funded by the fossil fuel industry. Investigative journalists like Jane Mayer and scholars like Naomi Oreskes have dug into this scheme. There is actually a robust academic subspecialty that analyzes this web of denial as a novel socioeconomic and political phenomenon. The covert special interest machinery behind that effort is not just dedicated to opposing climate legislation. Another covert operation it runs is chronicled in … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-on-appropriate-use-of-force-in-law-enforcement | Sen. Whitehouse on Appropriate Use of Force in Law Enforcement | 2020-08-04 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | August 4, 2020 | Senator Whitehouse speaks in a hearing for the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution: The Right of the People Peaceably to Assemble: Protecting Speech by Stopping Anarchist Violence Panel II: - The Honorable Erin Neely Cox, United States Attorney, Northern District of Texas, Dallas, TX - Mr. Ken Cuccinelli, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/time-to-wake-up-269-dark-money-and-captured-courts | Time to Wake Up 269: Dark Money and Captured Courts | 2020-08-04 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/mccaul-langevin-introduce-bipartisan-bill-streamline-sharing-threats-imminent-violence | McCaul, Langevin introduce bipartisan bill to streamline the sharing of threats of imminent violence to stop them before they happen | 2020-08-03 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-2) announced the introduction oftheProtecting America through Information Sharing Acton the anniversary of the El Paso shooting. This bipartisan legislation empowers the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate a clearinghouse responsible for receiving online threats of imminent violence from social media companies and disseminating them to appropriate law enforcement to halt violent attacks before they happen. By fostering the relationship between social media companies and law enforcement, this bill will streamline the transfer of information on threats of violence to save lives whether the intent is harm oneself or others. As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the tragic EL Paso shooting, we must not forget those who lost their lives. Directly after theEl Paso shooting, I started to work with stakeholders on a solution to prevent such violence,said Congressman McCaul.Many incidents of violence over the past several years including the El Paso shooting could have been prevented if there was an efficient way to flag social media postings with the appropriate law enforcement agency be it federal, state, or local. With this enhanced capability, our nation will be better equipped to not only thwart cowardice acts of terror but also save lives. By solidifying a stronger partnership between social media companies and law enforcement, we can expedite the sharing of information to intercept at risk individuals before an attempt on one's own life or another devastating act of domestic terrorism or like El Paso occurs again. I am proud to join Representative McCaul in pushing for voluntary collaboration between law enforcement and social media to protect our citizens,said Congressman Langevin, a senior member of the Committee on Homeland Security.Relationships between government and social media companies have been strained, but we need to bring them together to actually lessen the threat of violent crime. In … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-and-whitehouse-reject-conditioning-federal-education-funds-to-schools-reopening-in-person | Reed & Whitehouse Reject Conditioning Federal Education Funds to Schools Reopening In-Person | 2020-08-01 | 2020 | 2020-08 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 08.01.20 Reed & Whitehouse Reject Conditioning Federal Education Funds to Schools Reopening In-Person WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with 27 Senate colleagues, today urged U.S. Senate leadership to reject the Trump Administration's desire to condition education funds in the next novel coronavirus (COVID-19) relief package on the reopening of elementary and secondary schools for in-person instruction. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL), and Appropriations Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the Senators wrote that the Senate should not be complicit in President Trump's demands that would risk the health and lives of students and school personnel, and that Congress should instead provide federal assistance to schools in need and support for local officials to base reopening decisions on facts and science. Instead, Congress should provide federal assistance to elementary and secondary schools that gives state and local officials the tools and resources they need to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for students, including students from low-income families and students of color, and a safe and effective working environment for educators and staffwhether it be in-person, remote, or a hybrid model, the Senators wrote. Every one of us wants schools to reopen when it is safe to do so. But, facts and science must drive those decisions, not Presidential pipedreams or impatience. The Senate Republican proposal, unveiled this week by McConnell, would provide only $70 billion to elementary and secondary education with an estimated two-thirds of that federal funding held hostage unless schools reopen to in-person learning. Durbin and other Senate Democrats, led by Senator Patty Murray of Washington, have proposed the Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act, which would provide $175 billion to el… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-and-whitehouse-call-for-extension-of-school-meal-flexibilities-for-upcoming- | Reed & Whitehouse Call for Extension of School Meal Flexibilities for Upcoming School Year | 2020-07-31 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.31.20 Reed & Whitehouse Call for Extension of School Meal Flexibilities for Upcoming School Year Waivers have allowed RIDE and partners to serve over one million meals and snacks to students since March Providence, RI U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have joined U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and 32 of their colleagues in urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue flexibilities that have allowed students to keep receiving daily meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, even as schools transitioned to distance learning. If extended through the 2020-2021 school year, children would maintain access to nutritious meals regardless of school opening status, and struggling school nutrition programs would benefit from additional financial relief. These waivers and flexibilities have allowed the Rhode Island Department of Education and their partners to serve over a million meals and snacks to students since March. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools around the country to close their buildings and shift instruction to online and distance-learning models, the Senators wrote in a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. For many children, school breakfast and lunch may be the only healthy and regular meals they receive. The Senators continued, The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has also resulted in millions of parents losing their jobs, and millions more students will be dependent on school-provided meals. School meal program directors must begin procuring food, equipment, and supplies and placing orders now in preparation for the upcoming school year. To help ensure school meal program directors and staff have the certainty that they need to begin preparing for the upcoming school year, the Senators are urging the USDA to extend a variety of waivers that will help ensure low-income students can access scho… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-tabling-of-key-judicial-ethics-guidance | Whitehouse Statement on Tabling of Key Judicial Ethics Guidance | 2020-07-31 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.31.20 Whitehouse Statement on Tabling of Key Judicial Ethics Guidance Washington, DC Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement today on the decision by the federal courts' Committee on the Codes of Conduct not to move forward with draft guidance that would bar judges from membership in the Federalist Society and American Constitution Society: The Committee bowing to pressure from Mitch McConnell and a horde of Federalist Society members on the bench demonstrates the power of the partisan donor interests packing our courts. The Federalist Society is at the core of an operation devoted to controlling judicial outcomes in right-wing special interests' favor an operation fueled by a quarter billion dollars of dark money. The Committee's decision allows judges to be active agents of that secretive operation, and allows the donor interests who put those judges on the bench to continue to rack up wins at the rest of America's expense. The capture of our courts continues. In May, Whitehouse led a group of senators in urging the Committee to finalize the important guidance. The group detailed in a comment letter the outsized role the right-wing Federalist Society has come to play in cultivating, confirming, and lobbying judges nominated by President Donald Trump. Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/chairman-langevin%E2%80%99s-opening-remarks-ietc-hearing-us-cyberspace-solarium-commission | Chairman Langevins Opening Remarks at IETC Hearing on U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission Report | 2020-07-31 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities and a member of the United States Cyberspace Solarium Commission, offered the following opening remarks at the subcommittee hearing he is chairing entitled: Review of the Recommendations of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Video of Langevin's statement and a live feed of the proceedings: https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings?ID=45F28E37-4151-4269-BE9C-8DD907EEDAD2 I want to welcome everyone to today's hearing on the findings of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a Congressionally mandated commission charged with developing a consensus on a strategic approach to defending the United States in cyberspace against cyber attacks of significant consequence. Inspired by Project Solarium, a task force assembled by President Eisenhower in the early 1950s, the Solarium Commission brought together representatives from academia and the private sector with representatives of the Executive and Legislative Branches. In the spirit of transparency, I want to make clear that I had the privilege of being selected by Speaker Pelosi to serve as one of four elected commissioners, and one of two from the House of Representatives, along with our distinguished Subcommittee colleague Mike Gallagher, who is appearing as a witness before us today. Mr. Gallagher along with Senator King, also with us today, serve as Co-chairs of the Commission, and I am proud to call them both colleagues and friends. This Subcommittee, more than most, has heard from numerous individuals on the centrality of cyberspace to our modern lives. The novelty of the Solarium's work and its findings is in examining how to secure cyberspace with an emphasis on a whole-of-government approach. Congress is methodical in its views of jurisdiction, and we are often too focused on viewing our oversight responsibilities exclusively through the lens of committee jurisdictions. What the Solarium has presented in i… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-first-european-union-cyber-sanctions | Langevin Statement on First European Union Cyber Sanctions | 2020-07-31 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | Warwick, R.I. Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), a member of the United States Cyberspace Solarium Commission and a senior member of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, released the following statement regarding the Council of the European Union's announcement that it will be sanctioning three entities and six individuals in connection with malicious cyber activity, including the targeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and WannaCry, NotPetya, and Operation Cloud Hopper: Global stability in cyberspace is contingent upon responsible state actors following appropriate norms of behavior and taking action against countries that flout those norms. The EU Council's first-ever use of its cyber diplomacy toolbox is an historic step in ensuring a norms-based international order applies in cyberspace, and I commend the Council for its action. China, Russia, and North Korea have all consistently shown a blatant disregard for principles of restraint in cyberspace endorsed by the United Nations. The cyber intrusions cited by the Council today resulted in billions of dollars in damages to corporate and government networks. NotPetya, the most damaging cyber incident in history, cost European companies like Maersk and Mondelez hundreds of millions of dollars each, and Operation Cloud Hopper resulted in the loss of untold quantities of intellectual property. Rogue actors in cyberspace must be held to account, and the Council's decision represents Europe's unified commitment to doing so. However, I must also register my disappointment in the delay it took for the Council to use the restrictive measures authorized under the cyber toolbox's legal framework. The WannaCry and NotPetya malware, for instance, were both released in the first half of 2017, and we have known the culprits were the North Koreans and the Russians, respectively, for almost as long. Like-minded nations that believe that cyberspace is not the Wild West must work together to take swift and decisive action in the … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-passage-government-funding-package-prioritizes-national-defense | Langevin Statement on Passage of Government Funding Package That Prioritizes National Defense, Uplifts Families and Communities | 2020-07-31 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of H.R. 7617, a $1.3 trillion minibus appropriations package that comprises the Fiscal Year 2021 Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development bills. The funding package passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 217-197. Constitutionally, Congress has the power of the purse, and one of my principle responsibilities is to ensure we are making investments that will uplift and empower Rhode Islanders and the American people and keep our nation safe and on course for continued prosperity. As the country continues to battle the pandemic, this bill makes needed investments, including more than $24 billion in emergency funding to shore up our public health infrastructure. It also defunds Republicans' outrageous attempts to undermine the Affordable Care Act in the court system. It is unconscionable that, at a time when economic growth is at a record low and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take more than a thousand lives a day, President Trump is attempting to undermine Americans' health care. The bill also builds upon the House's work in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act by funding important police reform measures to begin to address the severe racial inequities in our justice system. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I'm also encouraged this package provides service members strong support to bolster their capabilities against current and future threats. In addition to a well-deserved 3 percent raise for our troops, this package invests in health care support and critical equipment so that our warfighters never enter a fair fight. Defense manufacturing is critical to Rhode Island's economy, and this funding bill delivers for our state. Specifically, it rejects the President's budget cuts and provides for the construction of two Virginia-class submarines. It also ful… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-trump-floating-delay-of-2020-election | Whitehouse Statement on Trump Floating Delay of 2020 Election | 2020-07-30 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.30.20 Whitehouse Statement on Trump Floating Delay of 2020 Election Washington, DC U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) released the following statement on President Donald Trump's tweet today on delaying the 2020 presidential election: A president cannot legally move the election without approval from Congress, and the end of the president's term is spelled out in the Constitution. President Trump is sowing confusion about bedrock principles of our democracy to distract from an accelerating pandemic, a massive economic contraction, and his campaign's sinking poll numbers." This election will be unlike any other in our nation's history because of the ongoing pandemic. President Trump and Republicans in Congress are refusing to provide adequate funding for voting by mail and for the postal service. Mega-wealthy special interests are funneling millions into an enormous voter suppression effort. Bill Barr has authorized federal agents to act totally out of control in Portland, a thinly veiled threat to other Democratic cities in the fall. All of this needs to be of utmost importance to every American right now. Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-backs-bills-address-covid-child-care-crisis | Langevin Backs Bills to Address COVID Child Care Crisis | 2020-07-30 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of H.R. 7027, the Child Care Is Essential Act, and H.R. 7327, the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act, two bills that prioritize public health, support child care providers reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and their employees, and provide relief for working families struggling to find child care. H.R. 7027 passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 249-163 and H.R. 7327 by a vote of 250-161. As we take measured steps to reopen, families need access to safe and affordable child care so parents and guardians can return to work, said Langevin. The COVID-19 pandemic created massive disruptions in the child care sector and has made it even tougher for hardworking parents to access quality services. Passage of the Child Care Is Essential Act and the Child Care for Economic Recovery Act comes at a critical time and will make help available for parents, providers on the brink of closure, and childcare workers whose jobs are on the line. The Childcare Is Essential Act creates a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to provide grants to child care providers, including child care centers and home-based child care providers, to help them safely reopen and operate. Rhode Island would receive an estimated $117,362,706 in federal assistance from this bill, which would help preserve more than 6,000 licensed child care slots in danger of disappearing. Aid from the fund may be used to cover personnel, sanitation and cleaning, health and safety training, and other costs related to the pandemic. Further, this bill prioritizes support for child care facilities that provide services to underserved communities and helps child care workers by requiring providers to continue to employ and pay their employees at pre-pandemic levels. It also seeks to keep child care affordable for families by requiring all providers receiving grant funds to provide assistance to families for tuition costs. The legislation will ensure safety of facilities by requirin… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/reed-whitehouse-and-cicilline-announce-230k-grant-to-support-joint-economic-development-plan-for-pawtucket-and-central-falls | Reed, Whitehouse, & Cicilline Announce $230K Grant to Support Joint Economic Development Plan for Pawtucket and Central Falls | 2020-07-29 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.29.20 Reed, Whitehouse, & Cicilline Announce $230K Grant to Support Joint Economic Development Plan for Pawtucket and Central Falls Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Jack Reed, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressman David Cicilline today announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has awarded the cities of Pawtucket and Central Falls a $230,000 grant to create a joint economic development action plan. Under the leadership of Mayors Diossa and Grebien, Central Falls and Pawtucket have worked together for years to advance the economies of both of their cities. This federal funding, which I was pleased to work with Senator Whitehouse and Congressman Cicilline to secure, will help them enhance that partnership as they plot out future economic development to help their communities and local businesses recover and thrive, said Senator Reed. Congratulations to Mayors Grebien and Diossatwo great champions for their respective citieson winning this federal grant to encourage job growth in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, said Senator Whitehouse. The funding comes in time to help map a path out of the economic fallout caused by the pandemic, which has hit Pawtucket and Central Falls particularly hard. I'm proud of Mayors Grebien and Diossa for being awarded this competitive grant, Congressman Cicilline said. This grant couldn't have come at a better time and will help develop a plan to support future economic and business development initiatives and help create jobs. Both Pawtucket and Central Falls are former industrial powerhouses that welcomed waves of immigrants over the past two centuries. The funding from the EDA's Economic Adjustment Assistance Program will be used to develop a detailed economic development plan to guide future growth in the two cities and examine existing workforce strengths and needs. The plan will include a feasibility study for the creation of a new workforce training and innovation center. The grant will also allow the cities to explore opt… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-reed-and-feinstein-seek-to-undo-trump-administration-move-to-cut-cdc-out-of-covid-19-data-collection | Whitehouse, Reed, & Feinstein Seek to Undo Trump Administration Move to Cut CDC Out of COVID-19 Data Collection | 2020-07-29 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.29.20 Whitehouse, Reed, & Feinstein Seek to Undo Trump Administration Move to Cut CDC Out of COVID-19 Data Collection TRUST CDC Act would restore CDC's natural role as trusted conduit of public health data Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) are taking action to reverse the Trump administration's new directive forcing hospitals to withhold data about the COVID-19 pandemic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Senators today introduced the Transparent Reporting and Use of Statistics in the Transmission of Coronavirus Data Collection, or the TRUST CDC Act. The TRUST CDC Act would require hospitals to report statistics about COVID-19 cases, supply shortages, and personnel directly to the CDC, which is uniquely qualified to handle such data. I can think of no good motivation for why the Trump administration would upend the CDC's trusted system for reporting COVID-19 data in the middle of an accelerating pandemic that has already claimed the lives of more than 148,000 Americans, said Whitehouse. President Trump's dystopian hostility toward facts and science has already wrought so much needless suffering. While this administration has tried to obscure its bungling of the pandemic, we need to make sure the American people have at their fingertips the most accurate and up-to-date numbers on which to base decisions about their own health and safety. I'm very concerned by the administration's move to change how coronavirus data is reported to the public, said Feinstein. The CDC's system for publicly reporting COVID-19 data has been vital to our understanding of how this virus spreads, how our hospitals are coping with patients and which regions of the country are struggling. Science and data must always dictate our response to this pandemic, and making it harder to access information that hospitals report only hurts … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-closing-remarks | Cicilline Closing Remarks | 2020-07-29 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. House Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) delivered closing remarks at the end of today's hearing with the CEOs of Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google. Click the image below to watch a video of Cicilline's remarks. A transcript is embedded at the end of this email. David N. Cicilline Closing Remarks July 29, 2020 I want to thank the witnesses for their testimony today. And my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Today we've had the opportunity to hear from the decisionmakers at four of the most powerful companies in the world. This hearing has made one fact clear to methese companies as they exist today have monopoly power. Some need to be broken up; all need to be properly regulated and held accountable. We need to ensure the antitrust laws first written more than a century ago work in the digital age. When these laws were written, the monopolists were men named Rockefeller and Carnegie. Their control of the marketplace allowed them to do whatever it took to crush independent businesses and expand their own power. Well, the names have changed, but the story is the same. Today, the men are named Zuckerberg, Cook, Pichai, and Bezos. Once again, their control of the marketplace allows them to do whatever it takes to crush independent businesses and expand their own power. This must end. This Subcommittee will next publish a report on the findings of our investigation. We will propose solutions to the problems before us. As a great American, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, once said, We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we may have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both. This concludes today's hearing. Thank you to our witnesses for attending. Without objection, all Members will have five legislative days to submit additional written questions for the witnesses or additional materials for the record. Without objection, the hearing is adjourned. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-opening-statement-big-tech-antitrust-hearing | Cicilline Opening Statement At Big Tech Antitrust Hearing | 2020-07-29 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. House Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee Chairman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) gave the following opening statement at the Hearing on Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 6: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. More than a year ago, this Subcommittee launched an investigation into digital markets. Our two objectives have been to document competition problems in the digital economy, and to evaluate whether the current antitrust framework is able to properly address them. In September 2019, the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Full Committee and the Subcommittee issued sweeping, bipartisan requests for information to the four firms that will testify at today's hearing. Since then, we have received millions of pages of evidence from these firms, as well as documents and submissions from more than 100 market participants. We also conducted hundreds of hours of interviews. As part of this investigation, we have held five hearings to examine the effects of online market power on innovation and entrepreneurship; data privacy; a free and diverse press; and independent businesses in the online marketplace. We have held 17 briefings and roundtables with over 35 experts and stakeholders in support of our work. This investigation has been bipartisan from the start. It has been an honor to work alongside my colleague, Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, the Subcommittee's Ranking Member, as well as the former Ranking Member of the Full Committee, Congressman Doug Collins. We worked closely with all the Members of the Subcommittee, who have taken this work seriously and studied these issues closely. As my colleague Congressman Ken Buck recently commented, This is the most bipartisan effort that I have been involved with in five and a half years of Congress. The purpose of today's hearing is to examine the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Amazon runs the largest online marketplace in America, capturing 70% of all online marketplace sales. It ope… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-scores-big-wins-rhode-island-infrastructure-projects | Langevin Scores Big Wins for Rhode Island Infrastructure Projects | 2020-07-29 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, legislation that supports water infrastructure improvements at ports, harbors and inland waterways, as well as flood control and ecosystem restoration efforts. The legislation passed the House by a voice vote. The House has once again come together to pass a Water Resources Development Act that will support water resource infrastructure across the nation, said Langevin. I'm pleased that key water projects in Rhode Island's Second District have been taken into account. Important provisions within this legislation will help preserve natural resources, protect families and businesses, and promote prosperity and economic growth within our state by investing directly in our waterways. For Rhode Island, the legislation authorizes $37,848,000 in federal funding in support of hurricane and storm risk reduction as part of the Pawcatuck River Coastal Storm Risk Management Project. The focus area covers approximately 28 miles of coastline in Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown, and Narragansett, which is near residential and commercial properties vulnerable to flooding. With climate change causing extreme weather, inland and coastal flooding, and sea level rise, Rhode Islanders already have seen places we love eroded, flooded, degraded, and lost, said Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Director Janet Coit. DEM is grateful for Congressman Langevin's tenacity in fighting for funding to make our state and coastal communities more resilient. Following a request from the Town of Westerly, the legislation also deauthorizes the anchorage portion of the Federal Navigation Project in Watch Hill Cove. The change will allow Westerly residents to have preference when mooring in Watch Hill and supports the Town's Harbor Management Plan. Across the nation, the bill clears way for 34 construction projects with final Chief's Reports and 35 feasibility studies within the Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works mission a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-gop-pandemic-aid-proposal-buoys-corporations-at-the-expense-of-workers | Whitehouse: GOP Pandemic Aid Proposal Buoys Corporations at the Expense of Workers | 2020-07-28 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.28.20 Whitehouse: GOP Pandemic Aid Proposal Buoys Corporations at the Expense of Workers Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today issued the following statement regarding the pandemic aid proposal Senate Republicans unveiled yesterday evening: Leader McConnell squandered two and a half months while families across the country grappled with twin health and economic crises. Now, with urgent deadlines approaching for millions of Americans pushed to the financial brink, Senate Republicans have hastily slapped together another corporate welfare proposal that falls far short of what Rhode Islanders need. The Republican proposal inexplicably fails to provide funding for state and local budgets, voting by mail, hazard pay, or emergency food benefits, and would leave hard-hit nursing homes to mostly fend for themselves. It would sharply cut benefits for the more than one hundred thousand Rhode Islanders unemployed and looking for work. The Republican proposal also fails to make the kind of flexible investments needed for kids to return to school safely. Senate Republicans' top priority is letting corporations off the hook for negligence in protecting employees and customers during the pandemic. They've also managed to prioritize relaxing controls on big banks, providing bailouts for big agriculture, and frittering away funds on keeping FBI headquarters, and not a competing hotel, next to Trump's D.C. hotel. The House-passed HEROES Act looks a whole lot more like what Rhode Islanders need right now, as we face a time crunch caused by Leader McConnell wasting all this time. Senate Republicans' proposal comes more than two months after the Democrat-led U.S. House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, which would direct $3 trillion to stem the pandemic and associated economic fallout. Print Email Tweet Next … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/a-senate-floor-farewell-to-my-friend-steve-sussman | A Senate Floor Farewell to My Friend Steve Sussman | 2020-07-28 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | About Services Agency Assistance Success Stories Grants Flag Requests Visiting D.C. Student Resources Email Sheldon Events Community Dinners Community Outreach … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-grills-attorney-general-barr | Cicilline Grills Attorney General Barr | 2020-07-28 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | Cicilline Grills Attorney General Barr Jul 28, 2020 WASHINGTON U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) questioned Attorney General Barr at today's House Judiciary Committee hearing. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-and-reed-introduce-legislation-to-support-state-paid-leave-programs-during-covid-19-crisis | Whitehouse & Reed Introduce Legislation to Support State Paid Leave Programs During COVID-19 Crisis | 2020-07-27 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.27.20 Whitehouse & Reed Introduce Legislation to Support State Paid Leave Programs During COVID-19 Crisis Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, today announced that they have introduced the State Paid Leave for America Now (PLAN) Act to reimburse state paid family and medical leave programs for the cost of benefits for circumstances related to COVID-19. Five states, including Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia have sustainable, long-term paid family and medical leave programs in place. This pandemic has demonstrated more clearly than ever that paid family leave is an important element of a humane and healthy society, said Senator Whitehouse. In the absence of a commonsense national paid leave policy, states like Rhode Island that have led the way with their own leave systems should be provided federal support to keep those programs afloat during a national health crisis. Workers shouldn't have to choose between paying their rent or infecting others by showing up to work when they are ill or caring for a sick child. And states like Rhode Island that have stepped up and enacted cost-effective policies to ensure workers have paid sick and family leave should not be disadvantaged when it comes to federal assistance to combat COVID-19, said Senator Reed. I commend Senator Whitehouse for his national leadership on paid leave to support families, businesses, and communities. With so many teetering on the financial edge during this pandemic, this legislation will help ensure states receive the resources they deserve to help communities and provide pandemic-related paid leave. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) included historic provisions requiring some employers to provide limited paid sick days and paid leave for certain purposes during the current COVID-19 crisis. However, these provisions were extremely limited in scope. In c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-proposed-senate-republican-coronavirus-relief-package | Langevin Statement on Proposed Senate Republican Coronavirus Relief Package | 2020-07-27 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WARWICK, R.I. Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today issued the following statement regarding the HEALS Act, the proposed Senate Republican coronavirus relief package unveiled today: More than two months after the House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act to help frontline workers, small businesses, hardworking families, and states, Senate Republicans have finally unveiled a woefully inadequate coronavirus relief package that fails to meet the needs of American families during this unprecedented crisis. It is deeply discouraging that Senator McConnell's proposal slashes unemployment benefits for 30 million Americans struggling to make ends meet. Under this proposal, roughly 100,000 Rhode Islanders would see their weekly incomes drop significantly just as bills come due. The decision by Republicans to propose reductions in this critical aid is a disservice to those who are frantically wondering how they will put food on the table and a roof over their heads. The American people need bold action from Congress to overcome this challenge. This is not a time to delay or play politics Americans desperately need help, and it is our duty to deliver for them. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/videos/watch/sen-whitehouse-on-illegal-wildlife-trafficking-in-senate-epw | Sen. Whitehouse on Illegal Wildlife Trafficking in Senate EPW | 2020-07-24 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | July 22, 2020 | Senate EPW Committee: Stopping the Spread: Examining the Increased Risk of Zoonotic Disease from Illegal Wildlife Trafficking Panel I: - Ms. Catherine Semcer, Research Fellow, Property and Environment Research Center, Bozeman - Dr. Jonathan H. Epstein, Vice President for Science and Outreach, EcoHealth Alliance - Mr. Dan Ashe, President CEO, Association of Zoos and Aquariums | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/hoyer-langevin-introduce-resolution-marking-30th-anniversary-americans-disabilities | Hoyer, Langevin Introduce Resolution Marking 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act | 2020-07-24 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) and Rep. Jim Langevin (RI-02) introduced a resolution today celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA, which had passed the House and Senate with overwhelmingly bipartisan votes, was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. This landmark law required reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities and banned discrimination against them in housing, employment, education, and other areas. Hoyer was the lead sponsor of the ADA in the House when it was enacted in 1990, and Congressman Langevin is the co-founder and co-chair of the House Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus. The resolution recognizes the importance of independent living for individuals with disabilities and encourages Americans to celebrate the advancement of inclusion and equitable opportunities made possible by the ADA. It also acknowledges barriers must be addressed to ensure independent living, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for individuals with disabilities, and calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to provide information, resources, and technical assistance regarding home- and community-based services and supports that enable individuals with disabilities to live independently. Before the ADA was enacted, those who were born with or developed a disability faced discrimination and exclusion, Leader Hoyer said. Over the past thirty years, thanks to the ADA, we've built a more inclusive and more equal America where people with disabilities can access the opportunities that enable one to make it in America. The ADA was as much about recognizing the dignity of every person as it was about ensuring access. While we've made much progress over the past thirty years, there is still work to be done to address the remaining barriers people with disabilities face on a regular basis. I was proud to play a leading role in enacting that crucial civil rights law, and I will c… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-statement-passage-government-funding-package-supports-veterans-and | Langevin Statement on Passage of Government Funding Package that Supports Veterans and the Environment | 2020-07-24 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of H.R. 7608, a $259.5 billion appropriations package that comprises the Fiscal Year 2021 State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bills. The funding package passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 224-189. With an eye towards the future and with a focus on making a difference in lives during this challenging time, the spending bill the House passed today will enhance food security for families, boost public health and safety, prioritize environmental protections, support veterans, and promote human rights abroad. It includes key investments that lay the groundwork to create more opportunities for Americans and help build a stronger nation. Virtually all aspects of daily life have been impacted by the global pandemic, and as uncertainty looms, the security and wellbeing of Americans must remain our central focus. I'm particularly pleased this bill prioritizes SNAP and other vital family and child nutrition assistance programs to help our most vulnerable families put food on the table. It also funds considerable infrastructure upgrades to ensure more people can access clean and safe drinking water and to improve access to broadband, so students can remain engaged and continue learning whether at home or at school. To uphold the leading position of the United States on the world stage, this legislation sets aside funding for critical humanitarian assistance and global health aid. These investments will strengthen relationships with our allies, promote stability, and bolster cooperation during a time where the Administration has chosen to repeatedly undermine collaboration and partnership. Among this critical aid, I'm proud to have helped pass an amendment that will make $1.4 million available to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Armenia for de-mining operations. This bill also restores important funding for the World Health Organization, pushing back on the President's… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-and-colleagues-introduce-medical-bankruptcy-bill-after-millions-lose-health-insurance-during-pandemic | Whitehouse & Colleagues Introduce Medical Bankruptcy Bill After Millions Lose Health Insurance During Pandemic | 2020-07-23 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.23.20 Whitehouse & Colleagues Introduce Medical Bankruptcy Bill After Millions Lose Health Insurance During Pandemic Updated legislation covers bankruptcies triggered by medical debt or financial hardship caused by public health-related shutdowns Washington, D.C. With millions of Americans newly kicked off their health insurance in the middle of a raging pandemic, U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today introduced legislation designed to ease the burden on those forced into bankruptcy because of unforeseen medical expenses or public health-related shutdowns. The Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2020, based on legislation Whitehouse last introduced in 2016, has been updated to address the potential for an influx of bankruptcies stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our employment-based health insurance system is simply not cut out for a pandemic, said Whitehouse. Even while millions of people lose their incomes and get kicked off health insurance, they're at increased risk of racking up huge medical bills if they contract the virus. We need to soften the landing for families pushed off a financial cliff by COVID-19. Ohioans are already struggling amidst a once-in-a-generation pandemic. The last thing people should have to worry about is losing their home or having to file for bankruptcy because of an unforeseen medical expense, said Brown. The burden of medical debt, which is often a driver of foreclosure, falls disproportionately on Black Americans. It's shameful that President Trump and the GOP are still actively working to kick families off of their health insurance and roll back pre-existing condition protections, as we're seeing record numbers of Ohioans losing their jobs and their health insurance at the same time. We should be making it easier, not harder, for Ohioans to make ends meet during t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-maritime-security-amendment-on-its-way-to-becoming-law-in-ndaa | Whitehouse Maritime Security Amendment On Its Way to Becoming Law in NDAA | 2020-07-23 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.23.20 Whitehouse Maritime Security Amendment On Its Way to Becoming Law in NDAA Amendment would crack down on illegal fishing and other illicit activity at sea Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today announced that his maritime security proposal has been incorporated as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act making its way through Congress. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing on the high seas is a persistent, elusive threat to marine life and to ocean economies like Rhode Island's, said Whitehouse. This amendment will help the U.S. get a handle on illicit activities at sea that threaten our national security, including pirate fishing. I'm grateful to Congressman Langevin for his partnership in shepherding this amendment through the House. Whitehouse's amendment includes provisions related to maritime security and illegal activity at sea. It would: Require the Department of Defense to report to Congress on the Navy's implementation of measures to combat illegal fishing that were included in the FY 2020 NDAA. Direct the Navy to work with the Coast Guard to assess commercial solutions for tracking vessels engaged in illegal fishing and other unlawful activity at sea, and sharing that information among U.S. maritime services and partner nations. Require the Office of Naval Intelligence to report to Congress on the way bad actors like China use their distant-water fishing fleets to challenge the sovereignty of their neighbors, supplement the aggressive activities of their naval and coast guard vessels, and undermine the interests of the U.S. and its allies. Each year, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing produces between 11 and 26 million tons of seafood, resulting in global economic losses valued between $10 billion and $23 billion. According to a 2014 report by the Marine Conservation Institute, Rhode Island may have lost as much as $2… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-murkowski-bill-to-further-understanding-of-oceans-great-lakes-and-coasts-advances-out-of-committee | Whitehouse-Murkowski Bill to Further Understanding of Oceans, Great Lakes, and Coasts Advances Out of Committee | 2020-07-23 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.23.20 Whitehouse-Murkowski Bill to Further Understanding of Oceans, Great Lakes, and Coasts Advances Out of Committee BLUE GLOBE Act would support innovation, accelerate development of marine technologies, and improve monitoring of important bodies of water Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), co-chairs of the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus, have announced that their legislation to advance data collection and monitoring of the Great Lakes, oceans, bays, estuaries, and coasts was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee by voice vote yesterday. The Bolstering Long-Term Understanding and Exploration of the Great Lakes, Oceans, Bays, and Estuaries Act, or the BLUE GLOBE Act, would accelerate technology innovation, plan for a stronger maritime workforce, and develop a better understanding of the Blue Economy. I'm pleased that our BLUE GLOBE Act passed out of committee with bipartisan support, said Senator Whitehouse. There's still so much we don't know about our oceans. We need more high-quality research and data to guide investments in the Blue Economy and our marine workforce. I'm proud that my bill, the BLUE GLOBE Act, prioritizes innovation and development of technology. New and improved data sources will allow us to strategically link economic growth and stewardship of our oceans, bays, Great Lakes, and estuaries. For Alaskans, investing in ocean science will help provide greater opportunities in national security, tourism, fishing, shipping, and other marine activities, said Senator Murkowski. Improvements to ocean monitoring, exploration, and innovation will pave the way for increasing Alaska's sustainable seafood production, support our coastal communities and residents, and develop stronger transportation, recreation, and energy productionall part of Alaska's vibrant blue economy. The BLUE GLOBE Act would accelerate oce… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-statement-on-the-1001-rhode-islanders-lost-to-covid-19 | Whitehouse Statement on the 1,001 Rhode Islanders Lost to COVID-19 | 2020-07-23 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.23.20 Whitehouse Statement on the 1,001 Rhode Islanders Lost to COVID-19 Providence, RI U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse today issued the following statement as the COVID-19 pandemic reached a grim milestone in Rhode Island: Today we mourn 1,001 fellow Rhode Islanders lost to COVID-19. Each victim of this pandemic had a story. Each was a part of our community. As we pass this sad milestone, our hearts are with each family grieving a lost loved one. ### Print Email Tweet Previous Article | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/cicilline-merkley-introduce-legislation-ban-sale-middle-seats-during-pandemic | Cicilline, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Ban the Sale of Middle Seats During Pandemic | 2020-07-23 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) introduced the Maintaining Important Distance During Lengthy Epidemics (MIDDLE) Act along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to prohibit airlines from filling adjacent seats in passenger aircraft for the duration of the pandemic and would require that passengers and crewmembers wear masks when boarding. As air travel begins to recover in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that airlines take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and well-being of travelers, Cicilline said. However, there is currently no federal mandate that requires airlines to put space between passengers on flights, making it difficult to social distance. Airlines are required to have seatbelts and flotation devices in the event of an emergency. We are currently in the middle of a national health emergency, and certain steps need to be taken. By halting the sale of middle seats during this public health crisis, airlines can do their part in preventing the spread of this disease. Filling planes to capacity, forcing passengers to sit shoulder to shoulder for hours at a time, is incredibly irresponsible during a pandemic, said Merkley. I've seen with my own eyes that airlines are willing to put their profit margins ahead of the health of their customers. If taxpayers are going to bail out airlines because they provide an essential service, it is not too much to expect the airlines not to make the pandemic worse. Click here to view the text of the legislation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/booker-reed-whitehouse-demand-answers-from-trump-administration-on-deployment-of-anonymous-federal-agents-in-us-cities | Booker, Reed, Whitehouse Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Deployment of Anonymous Federal Agents in U.S. Cities | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.22.20 Booker, Reed, Whitehouse Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Deployment of Anonymous Federal Agents in U.S. Cities In the wake of Trump Admin's threat to deploy more federal troops, 27 Senators press the heads of DOJ & DHS on accountability and legal authorities for militarized interventions in American cities WASHINGTON, DC Citing concerns that the Trump Administration is seeking to use unidentified, heavily-armed armed federal personnel to escalate conflict in American cities where elected state and local officials oppose the federal intervention, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today joined Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 23 additional Senate colleagues in sending a letter pressing U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf for answers. The Senators raised a series of questions about alarming actions taken against protesters by federal law enforcement agents deployed by the Trump Administration, as well as threats by President Trump to deploy additional federal officers to more American cities. Senators Reed and Whitehouse are cosponsors of the Preventing Authoritarian Policing Tactics on America's Streets Act (S.4220), which would increase transparency and disclosure about the deployment of federal forces in U.S. communities and limit the scope of the deployment of armed federal agents unless their presence is specifically requested by both the mayor and governor. In the letter, the Senators cited recent aggressive and excessive actions taken by federal agents dispatched by the Trump Administration against protesters in Portland, Oregon. They also stressed President Trump's latest comments threatening further deployments, saying in the Oval Office on Monday, I'm going to do somethingthat, I can tell you. Because we're not going to let New York and Chicago and Philadelphia and Detroit and Baltimore and all of theseOakland… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/ri-delegation-announces-distribution-of-713-million-in-cares-act-funds-to-five-local-hospitals | RI Delegation Announces Distribution of $71.3 Million in CARES Act Funds to Five Local Hospitals | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.22.20 RI Delegation Announces Distribution of $71.3 Million in CARES Act Funds to Five Local Hospitals Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, today announced that $71.3 million in funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been distributed to five Rhode Island hospitals to offset the costs of caring for coronavirus patients. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We set this funding aside in the CARES Act to help local hospitals and providers who are struggling with the fallout of this pandemic, but the Trump Administration's distribution has been slow and uneven. While I'm glad Rhode Island hospitals are finally receiving this additional infusion of CARES Act assistance, more needs to be done to help offset their COVID-19 related losses, said Senator Reed. Rhode Island hospitals have done excellent work under very challenging circumstances created by the pandemic, and I congratulate Lifespan in particular on receiving nearly $50 million in this distribution, said Senator Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. This federal funding will help cover some of the costs hospitals already incurred caring for COVID patients, and help prepare our health care system for whatever may come in the months ahead. I'll keep working to assure all our hospitals get all the funding they deserve for their great work. For our state to recover from this unprecedented health crisis, Rhode Island hospitals need to continue receiving resources to provide quality care, said Congressman Langevin. I'm encouraged by the way our healthcare system has weathered the pandemic, but serious risks remain, and we will continue to work to provide even more assistance as we negotiate a fifth COVID aid bill. These federal funds will help hospitals continue their invaluable work against COVID-19. This investment for Rhode Island hospitals will help, but it's… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/senators-encourage-supreme-court-to-take-up-challenge-to-super-pacs | Senators Encourage Supreme Court to Take up Challenge to Super PACs | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.22.20 Senators Encourage Supreme Court to Take up Challenge to Super PACs Whitehouse, Leahy, Udall, Blumenthal, Hirono, Van Hollen point to fundamental threat' posed by unlimited contributions to super PACs; Justices ought to strike down SpeechNow and end shadow campaign finance system, senators argue READ THE FULL AMICUS BRIEF HERE Washington, DC Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) filed a friend-of-the-court brief today in support of a petition for Supreme Court review of the major campaign finance case Lieu v. Federal Election Commission (FEC). The senators argue that the Court should take up the challenge to the wrongly decided appeals case SpeechNow.org v. FEC and limit the power of super PACs to corrupt American democracy. The lower court's decision in SpeechNow misapplied the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. FEC to permit wealthy donors and corporations to contribute unlimited amounts to independent political action committees (PACs), creating super PACs and inundating our political system with special interest activity at the expense of free and open democratic discourse, the senators argue. The absence of limits on contributions to super PACs opens a world of unregulable threats and promises; it confounds the independence and transparency predicates of Citizens United; it gives a small set of participants disproportionate and undemocratic influence in American politics; it distorts election and policy outcomes; and it causes millions of ordinary Americans justifiably to lose faith in the political process, the senators write. This fundamental threat to American democracy warrants review by the Court to correct the holding in SpeechNow. Citing their own experience in American politics, the senators describe how SpeechNow has led to a shadow campaign finance system … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/whitehouse-sullivan-testify-on-marine-debris-crisis-sos-20-act | Whitehouse, Sullivan Testify on Marine Debris Crisis, SOS 2.0 Act | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Sheldon Whitehouse | W000802 | www.whitehouse.senate.gov | legacy | 07.22.20 Whitehouse, Sullivan Testify on Marine Debris Crisis, SOS 2.0 Act WASHINGTON, D.C.U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) testified yesterday before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) regarding U.S. efforts to combat the global marine debris crisis and the Save Our Seas (SOS) 2.0 Act, legislation introduced by Sullivan, Whitehouse and Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) that passed the Senate in January and is under consideration by the House. Clickhereto watch Senator Whitehouse's opening remarks. I was glad to testify in yesterday's subcommittee hearing along with my partner on ocean plastics, Senator Sullivan,"said Senator Whitehouse. "Plastic pollution and marine debris befoul all our oceans and hurt coastal communities in Rhode Island and across the world. We asked for a fund to help clean up the plastic waste already filling our seas and to reduce the amount of new plastic dumped every year. The Save Our Seas Act, now law, and our Save Our Seas 2.0 bill had bipartisan support, and this hearing suggests funding will be bipartisan too. I thank Chairman Graham and Ranking Member Leahy. Click hereto watch Senator Sullivan's opening remarks. Click here to watch the full hearing (video starts at 00:26:30). With more coastline than the Lower 48 states combined, Alaska and its residents are keenly aware of the threat that marine debris poses to our pristine environment, our world-class fisheries, and our many coastal communities, said Senator Sullivan. SOS 2.0 is not a silver bullet, but it builds on the success of the Save Our Seas Act and will enable us to make even more significant progress in combatting plastic pollution. Senators Menendez, Whitehouse and I look forward to further action in the House on the bill and to continuing efforts in combating ocean pollution. I especially want to thank Senators Graham and Leahy and members of the subcommittee for their support and for helping to bring attentio… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://cicilline.house.gov/press-release/ri-delegation-announces-distribution-713-million-cares-act-funds-five-local-hospitals | RI Delegation Announces Distribution of $71.3 Million in CARES Act Funds to Five Local Hospitals | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | David Cicilline | C001084 | cicilline.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, today announced that $71.3 million in funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been distributed to five Rhode Island hospitals to offset the costs of caring for coronavirus patients. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We set this funding aside in the CARES Act to help local hospitals and providers who are struggling with the fallout of this pandemic, but the Trump Administration's distribution has been slow and uneven. While I'm glad Rhode Island hospitals are finally receiving this additional infusion of CARES Act assistance, more needs to be done to help offset their COVID-19 related losses, said Senator Reed. Rhode Island hospitals have done excellent work under very challenging circumstances created by the pandemic, and I congratulate Lifespan in particular on receiving nearly $50 million in this distribution, said Senator Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. This federal funding will help cover some of the costs hospitals already incurred caring for COVID patients, and help prepare our health care system for whatever may come in the months ahead. I'll keep working to assure all our hospitals get all the funding they deserve for their great work. For our state to recover from this unprecedented health crisis, Rhode Island hospitals need to continue receiving resources to provide quality care, said Congressman Langevin. I'm encouraged by the way our healthcare system has weathered the pandemic, but serious risks remain, and we will continue to work to provide even more assistance as we negotiate a fifth COVID aid bill. These federal funds will help hospitals continue their invaluable work against COVID-19. This investment for Rhode Island hospitals will help, but it's clear that more will need to be done, Congressman Cicilline said. Rhode Islanders have done an excellent job flattening t… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://langevin.house.gov/press-release/langevin-hails-passage-great-american-outdoors-act | Langevin Hails Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act | 2020-07-22 | 2020 | 2020-07 | Democrat | House | RI | Jim Langevin | L000559 | langevin.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) today voted in favor of H.R. 1957, the Great American Outdoors Act, which ensures the Land and Water Conservation Fund will be able to access $900 million annually and creates the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which will provide funding for national parks and public lands in communities across the nation. The bill passed the House by a vote of 310-107. Passing the Great American Outdoors Act is a major victory for the country and Rhode Island as it supports conservation and our economy through direct investments in our national treasures, said Langevin. This legislation will protect our public lands for generations to come and counteract climate change at a critical time for our planet, all while creating needed employment opportunities. With passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, more Americans will be able to enjoy breathtaking destinations as we prioritize the preservation of endangered wildlife and irreplaceable natural habitats. The legislation is one of Congress's most significant investments in environmental conservation in a generation. A portion of the royalties collected from energy extraction on public lands and waters, including offshore oil and gas drilling, are deposited in the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Last year, Congress passed the bipartisan Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act guaranteeing that $900 million will be placed in the LWCF each year. However, since its creation in 1964, Congress has rarely spent all funds deposited in the LWCF on conservation activities. Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act ensures these funds will be automatically spent to help state and local governments create and expand parks and recreational opportunities. The LWCF is one of the nation's most popular conservation programs and is used each year to enhance and establish local, state and national preservation areas by funding wide-ranging projects. In Rhode Island, the LWCF has supported the John H. Chafee Nationa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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