url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-december-podcast-king-talks-climate-change-with-us-sens-romney-coons-and-college-of-the-atlantic-president-darron-collins,"In December Podcast, King Talks Climate Change with U.S. Sens. Romney, Coons, and College of the Atlantic President Darron Collins",2019-12-29,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the December edition of Senator King's monthly Inside Maine podcast. This month's show highlights the impact of climate change on Maine, as well as emerging bipartisan solutions to address this existential crisis. In the first segment, Senator King is joined by Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and Chris Coons (D-Del.), to discuss bipartisan steps Congress can take to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Each of the Senators is a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. In the second segment, Darron Collins, President of the College of the Atlantic (COA), joins Senator King to share his thoughts on the specific challenges facing Maine and the work COA is pursuing to reduce their impact on our planet. Climate change is the most serious global crisis in my lifetime, and it's crucial that we act quickly to mitigate the toll that it's already taking on our environment; I want my grandchildren to know that I took the necessary action for them and their future families, said Senator King. The facts are clear, and paint a grave picture for future generations, with the Gulf of Maine warming 99% faster than the world's oceans. With bipartisan initiatives put forth by myself and my colleagues in the Senate and the expertise of institutions like the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor we can and should take steps towards lasting change. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions wherever they can be found, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency and research on clean energy technologies, such as the Joint Long-Term Storage Act, which seeks to speed up deployment of long-duration energy storage technologies through strategic collaboration between federal agencies. He is a cosponsor of the Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2019 which would put the U.S. on a trajectory to decarbonize the power sector by 2050. In July, Senator King took to the Senate floor to urge bold and meaningful action to mitigate the threat of climate change. He also continues to speak out to encourage the administration to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord and reaffirm U.S. leadership in the fight against global climate change. The Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King's work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King's podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month. The link to the December podcast can be foundHERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-stress-urgency-of-arctic-policy-through-new-legislation,"King, Colleagues Stress Urgency of Arctic Policy Through New Legislation",2019-12-26,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus and member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and Energy & Natural Resources Committee, joined Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to introduce Arctic Naval Focus Act of 2019. The bill would direct the federal government to recognize the importance of the Arctic region to the United States' national and economic security interests, and to put forward a strategy for the U.S. fleet's ability to operate in the Arctic and respond to challenges. The Arctic is an emerging frontier for international commerce and military capabilities required to protect national interests, which creates new opportunities for the United States and for potential adversaries, said Senator King. As the impacts of climate change continue to affect this vital region, the U.S. must be forward-thinking to establish and protect our leadership role in the Arctic, and Maine's people and resources are a key component of this effort. As the old Latin phrase goes: If you want peace, prepare for war.' The Arctic is seen as a zone of international cooperation and we should aim to maintain this; to do so, we need a strategy on how to assert ourselves in a corner of globe that grows more important by the day, and this legislation is a much-needed step toward that goal. The Arctic Naval Focus Act of 2019 would: Codify a series of findings on the strategic importance of the Arctic. Declare that it is the policy of the U.S. to develop and deploy Naval capabilities to meet the unique and growing challenges in the Arctic. Require the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to develop a detailed plan within one year for taking concrete steps to create an operational and strategic support system for Arctic Naval surface operations with set deadlines for implementation. Senator King is an advocate for Maine's interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region, and has worked in Washington to advance Maine's leadership in the High North. In September he invited Senator Sullivan on his monthly Inside Maine podcast to discuss U.S. military challenges and opportunities in the Arctic. In July, he spoke at the Woodrow Wilson International Center on the economic implications of increased activity in the Arctic. In May 2018, hejoined University of New England students, faculty, researchers, and staff as well as leaderson North Atlantic and Arctic policy at the launch of the Institute for North Atlantic Studies of the University of New England (UNE NORTH). UNE NORTH is an initiative of the University of New England that aims to help the next generation of leaders further responsible stewardship and sustainable economic growth in the region. In 2015, Senator King traveled to Iceland, where he participated in theArctic Circle Assembly Plenary Session, speaking to the national security, climate change, economic issues that make the region a significant policy priority for the U.S. In October 2016, Senator King joined Maine people and leaders from around the globe to attend theArctic Council conferenceat the University of Southern Maine's Portland Campus. He also visitedGreenland on a fact-finding missionthat focused on examining the environmental and security implications of the warming Arctic climate and traveled toIqaluit, Canadato help usher in the United States' chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2015.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-criticizes-lack-of-transparency-in-saudi-arabias-khashoggi-trial,King Criticizes Lack of Transparency in Saudi Arabia’s Khashoggi Trial,2019-12-23,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. The Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today released the following statement from Sen. King on today's announcement that five unnamed defendants have been sentenced to death for their role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while a top aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was cleared of wrongdoing. When Sen. Young and I visited the Kingdom earlier this year, we made clear that for many in Congress any serious improvement in our bilateral relationship requires justice and accountability on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi delivered clearly, publicly and without equivocation, said Sen. King. Between the secrecy surrounding the proceedings (including refusing to name those found guilty) and apparently not accounting for the role the Crown Prince's top aide Saud al-Qahtani played in the murder for a lack of evidence, effort, or possibly both today's announcement does not seem to meet those criteria. If the Crown Prince wishes to truly bring Saudi Arabia into the 21st century and address the trust deficit between our two nations, he must commit to more transparent and complete justice, both now and in the future. I look forward to receiving more information on these developments from US diplomatic and intelligence officials in the near future. In September, Senator King traveled to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman with Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) on the first congressional delegation visit to Saudi Arabia in over a year. In addition to pressing the Crown Prince on the death of Jamal Khashoggi, they also discussed the humanitarian and security crisis in Yemen and releasing pledged humanitarian relief. Following their visit, they wrote an op-ed in Defense News emphasizing the importance of transparency in the ongoing investigation of Khashoggi's murder.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-risch-bill-protecting-energy-grid-from-cyberattacks-becomes-law,"King, Risch Bill Protecting Energy Grid from Cyberattacks Becomes Law",2019-12-23,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), both members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, celebrated the enactment of their bipartisan Securing Energy Infrastructure Act into law. The legislation passed as part of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and willdevelop defenses for the U.S. energy grid through partnerships between the National Laboratories and industry. The partnerships will utilize engineering concepts to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the grid and the nation's critical infrastructure. The energy grid is central to nearly all facets of 21stcentury life, but remains vulnerable to hackers,said Senator King, co-chair of theCyberspace Solarium Commission.If this critical infrastructure is compromised, our financial transactions, communications networks, healthcare services, and much more will be at risk. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation will help defend our energy grid from attacks launched from thousands of miles away I'm heartened to see this much-needed provision signed into law, and deeply grateful for the partnership of Senator Risch in this effort. The vulnerabilities afflicting our critical infrastructure are deeply troubling and there is strong bipartisan agreement that this issue requires our immediate attention, said Senator Risch. The Securing Energy Infrastructure Act has been many years in the making, and am confident our national laboratories, particularly the INL in my home state of Idaho, will lead this important research aimed at strengthening our grid security and preventing catastrophic cyberattacks. TheSecuring Energy Infrastructure Actaims to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the energy grid through holes in digital software systems. Specifically the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act will direct the Department of Energy to examine ways to replace networked systems with less complex connections limiting paths to attack the systems. The legislation was part of theDamon Paul Nelson and Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, and 2020, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. This legislation was inspired in part by Ukraine's experience in 2015, when a sophisticated cyber-attack on that country's power grid led to more than 225,000 people being left in the dark. The attack could have been worse if not for the fact that Ukraine relies on older, less networked technology to operate its grid. The senators' bill would build on this concept by studying ways to simplify and isolate the grid's most important control systems. More specifically, the legislation will: Establish a two-year pilot program within the National Laboratories to study covered entities and identify new classes of security vulnerabilities, and research and test technology that could be used to isolate the most critical systems of covered entities from cyber-attacks.Require the establishment of a working group to evaluate the technology solutions proposed by the National Laboratories and to develop a national cyber-informed strategy to isolate the energy grid from attacks. Members of the working group would include federal government agencies, the energy industry, a state or regional energy agency, the National Laboratories, and other groups with relevant experience.Require the Secretary of Energy to submit a report to Congress describing the results of the program, assessing the feasibility of the techniques considered, and outlining the results of the working groups' evaluation.Define covered entities under the bill as segments of the energy sector that have already been designated as entities where a cyber-security incident could result in catastrophic regional or national effects on public health or safety, economic security, or national security. In addition to Senators King and Risch, the legislation was cosponsored by Senators Susan M. Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). A companion bill was introduced by Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and John Carter (R-Tex.) in the House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/legislation-supported-by-senators-collins-king-to-combat-rising-prescription-drug-prices-signed-into-law,"Legislation Supported By Senators Collins, King to Combat Rising Prescription Drug Prices Signed into Law",2019-12-21,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that legislation they cosponsored to combat anticompetitive practices used by some brand-name drug companies to block entry of lower-cost generic drugs has been signed into law. The Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act will deter pharmaceutical companies from blocking cheaper generic alternatives from entering the marketplace. The CREATES Act was included as part of the final appropriations package. Skyrocketing drug prices are making it more and more difficult for Americans to access the treatments they require. As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, addressing the rising costs of these medications is one of my top priorities, said Senator Collins. The CREATES Act combats the gaming that some brand companies engage in to unlawfully extend their market power and pricing controls. This bipartisan bill will have an immediate impact on the development and approval of generic and biosimilar drugs. The rising cost of prescription medication continues to be one of the most pressing issues facing Maine people, Senator King said. Whether it's a senior on a fixed income, or a working family trying to make ends meet, or an employer paying for private insurance, these prices are a serious challenge for Maine people across our state. Increased access togeneric medications will help Maine citizens take care of their health without having to sacrifice other important necessities because no one should be forced to choose between taking an important medicine or putting food on the table. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill would result in a $3.9 billion net decrease in the federal deficit. Savings to consumers and private insurers likely would be far greater many billions of dollars more. The legislation is strongly supported by a broad coalition of groups, including AARP, American College of Physicians, Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs, and many others. A coalition letter in support of the CREATES Act can be found here and a list of supporters here. In addition to Senators Collins and King, the CREATES Act was introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). An outline of the CREATES Act can be found here, and text of legislation can be found here. In 2015, Senator Collins and then-Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) launched the Senate's first bipartisan investigation into the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to egregious price spikes for certain off-patent drugs. They released a report on their investigation in 2016. Following their investigation, Senators Collins and McCaskill authored a bill to improve generic competition and lower the cost of prescription drugs that was signed into law as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act. In October 2018, Senator Collins' legislation to prohibit the use of pharmacy gag clauses was also signed into law. Senator Collins is a cosponsor of the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2019, legislation to permit the importation of prescription drugs from approved pharmacies in Canada. In January, Senator King announced his support for three bills that would reduce the cost of prescription drugs. The first bill, theEnd Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, would prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for consumer advertising expenses, and theAffordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Actwould allow patients, pharmacists and wholesalers to import safe, affordable medicine from Canada and other major countries. TheEmpowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Actwouldallow for Medicare to negotiate the best possible price of prescription drugs to cut costs for nearly 43 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D. Current law only allows for bargaining by private plan sponsors and prohibits Medicare from doing so.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bill-introduced-by-collins-king-to-authorize-coins-honoring-george-hw-bush-and-barbara-bush-passes-senate,"Bill Introduced by Collins, King to Authorize Coins Honoring George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush Passes Senate",2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Senate unanimously passed legislation they co-authored to authorize the U.S. Department of the Treasury to mint $1 coins honoring former president George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush. President and Mrs. Bush, who had strong ties to the State of Maine, both passed away in 2018. The legislation, which they introduced in February along with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rob Portman (R-OH), now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives to be considered. I treasured the friendship of President and Mrs. Bush and deeply miss visiting them each summer at their family home at Walker's Point. They loved the State of Maine and its people, and we are so proud to have had them as our neighbors and our friends, said Senator Collins. Courage, duty, honor, and compassion defined their lives and their public service to our nation. I am proud to have led this legislation to create this coin to help pay tribute to President and Mrs. Bush's wonderful legacy and serve as a reminder of their lasting contributions to Maine and our country. President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush dedicated their lives to public service and to improving the lives of others, and thanks to their special connection to Maine, our state's citizens got to see that dedication firsthand, said Senator King. The former President's remarkable career spanned decades, beginning in the U.S. Navy and leading him to Congress, the CIA, and the highest office in the land. The First Lady's passion for the wellbeing of children helped thousands in Maine at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland, and many more around the country. The Bushes left legacies marked by dignity, generosity, and devotion I'm proud to have led this bill to honor their service to our nation. The President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush Dollar Coin Act authorizes Treasury to mint $1 coins honoring the former president and first lady for the year 2019. Since these coins would be part of a coin series, they would not count against the current quota limiting commemorative coins to two per year. The coins would have no net cost to the U.S. government.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-backs-bill-to-help-rural-mothers-access-healthcare,King Backs Bill to Help Rural Mothers Access Healthcare,2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of Bipartisan Policy Center's Rural Health Task Force, announced his cosponsorship of the Rural Maternal and Obstetric Modernization of Services (Rural MOMS) Act. The bipartisan bill would improve data collection, expand services, and award funding to help ensure that new and expecting moms living in rural communities get the care they need. New and expecting mothers deserve access to high-quality care, no matter where they live, said Senator King. Unfortunately, rural communities are lagging behind on access to this vital, life-saving care and that's unacceptable. As one of the most rural states in the nation, this challenge is uniquely pressing in Maine, which is why I'm proud to cosponsor this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to protect the health of women during and after pregnancy. TheRuralMOMSActwould: Improve Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Databy directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to coordinate efforts with respect to maternal mortality and morbidity, report on women's health conditions according to sociocultural and geographic contexts, and emphasize research on pregnancy-related deaths.Award New Rural Obstetric Network Grantsto establish regional innovation networks to improve maternal mortality and morbidity as well as birth outcomes.Expand Existing Federal Telehealth Grant Programsto include birth and postpartum services as part of telehealth networks and to allow federal funding to be used for ultrasound machines, fetal monitoring equipment, and other pregnancy-related technology.Establish a New Rural Maternal and Obstetric Care Training Demonstrationto support training for family medicine physicians, obstetricians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, doulas, and other professionals to provide maternal care services in rural community-based settings.Report on Maternal Care in Rural Areasto identify the locations of gaps in maternity care,disparities in maternal health in rural areas by race and ethnicity,recommendations to standardize data collection on maternal mortality and morbidity, and activities to improve maternal care in rural areas. During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for accessible and affordable rural healthcare. In October, he helda panel discussion in Bangor with local healthcare providers and public wellness expertson the best ways to use prevention strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. In November, Senator King announced his support for the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. In late July, he joined a bipartisan group of senators tourge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to delay their proposed Rural Health Care (RHC) Programreport and order to better address the concerns of rural healthcare providers and medical communities. In theJune edition of his Inside Maine podcast, Senator King welcomed both U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kris Doody, CEO of Cary Medical Center to discuss rural healthcare policy and ways to improve access to care across the country. Last year, Senator King and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)applaudeda draft proposal from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai that significantly increased funding for the Universal Service Fund's Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. This increase in the RHC funding cap followed bipartisan letters Senator King led calling for the RHC program to bemodernizedandstrengthened. Also in the 115th Congress, Senator King cosponsored legislation such as theRural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act, thePreserve Access to Medicare Rural Home Health Service Act, and theRural Hospital Access Act, all of which work to better healthcare services in Maine and the United States. In addition to Senator King, this bill is supported by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). The RuralMOMSActis endorsed by:Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs; Every Mother Counts; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; National Birth Equity Collaborative;March of Dimes; Nurse-Family Partnership; and the National Rural Health Association.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-calls-on-secretary-ross-to-protect-maine-lobster-industry-from-unfair-right-whale-conservation-measures,Maine Delegation Calls on Secretary Ross to Protect Maine Lobster Industry from Unfair Right Whale Conservation Measures,2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.In a continuation of their strong, bipartisan advocacy for fair treatment of Maine's lobster industry, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, urging him to take action to protect Maine's lobster industry from unfairly burdensome regulations as the U.S. seeks to protect the right whale population. The Maine lobster fishery has repeatedly made significant improvements to their practices and modifications to their gear to protect right whales, including the implementation of weak link mandates in 1997 and again in 2007, Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden wrote. Notably, there have been no entanglements directly attributed to Maine lobster gear in more than 15 years. Further, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) data demonstrates that ropes removed from right whales in recent years are not typical of those used in Maine's lobster fishery. This past summer, alone, eight mortalities were observed in the Canadian Gulf of St. Lawrence, representing the deaths of roughly two percent of the remaining population, the Maine Delegation continued. It has been incredibly frustrating for Maine lobstermen to see that, after implementing multiple effective mitigation measures over the past two decades, they continue to be the primary target of NOAA's burdensome regulations. NOAA's own data identify a number of other sources that contribute to North Atlantic right whale entanglements and serious injury and morality, including ship strikes and Canadian snow crab gear, the latter of which has entangled and killed at least 14 North Atlantic right whales. The Maine Delegation listed a number of policies the Commerce Department should pursue that would protect right whales while factoring in the true risk posed by various marine industries, including: Resolving the territorial dispute of the Gray Zone surrounding Machias Seal Island to eliminate confusing, contrasting fishing regulations; Evaluating whether a potential emergency rulemaking is warranted to ban Canadian snow crab fisheries from exporting fish to the U.S. under the Marine Mammal Protection Act due to evidence that their industry is a chief contributor to right whale entanglements and mortalities; Addressing ship strikes, which play a substantial role in the right whale population's decline; Reconsidering trawling up requirements that set minimums on the number of traps per buoy line, which creates increased risk to crewmembers of loss of life or limb Incorporating feedback from Maine lobstermen to address their serious safety concerns associated with the proposed placement of weak links in the endlines, which in their current proposed form would result in weak links routinely being stressed to or beyond their breaking points during typical fishing activity. As NMFS endeavors to protect this unique marine species, we must do so without endangering human lives or livelihoods, the Maine delegation concluded. We look forward to your response and to working with you to implement right whale conservation measures that are effective and that do not unfairly burden the Maine lobster fishery. Click HERE to read the Maine Delegation's letter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-collins-king-bill-to-improve-broadband-data-maps,"Senate Passes Collins, King Bill to Improve Broadband Data Maps",2019-12-20,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, co-chair of the Senate Rural Broadband Caucus, lauded the passage of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, a bipartisan bill they co-sponsored. The legislation would increase the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadband availability maps by improving the process by which broadband data is collected. As a native of Aroostook County, I know how important access to high-speed Internet is to the vitality of rural communities, said Senator Collins. Broadband helps unlock the Internet's economic benefits by allowing residents to work from home, upgrade their skills through online education, stay connected to their families as they age in place, and access health care through advances in telemedicine. This bipartisan legislation would help us bridge the digital divide between urban and rural communities through improved data collection. One of my top legislative priorities is expanding high-speed broadband access to rural Maine communities but if we don't have good data to work from, we won't know where to make the right investments, said Senator King. We need to improve and modernize the FCC's method of data collection so rural communities in need aren't left behind in an increasingly digital world. This is a critically important step that will make sure we'reinvesting in the right places to close the digital divide and bring all of the internet's opportunities to rural Maine people. Specifically, the Broadband DATA Act: Requires the FCC to collect highly detailed service availability data from wired, fixed wireless, and satellite broadband providers.Requires strong parameters for service availability data collected from mobile broadband providers to ensure accuracy.Asks the FCC to consider whether to collect verified coverage data from state, local, and tribal governments, as well as from other entities.Creates a process for consumers, state, local, Tribal governments, and other groups to challenge FCC maps with their own data, and requires the FCC to determine how to structure the process without making it overly burdensome on challengers. Earlier this year, Senators Collins and Doug Jones (D-AL) introduced the American Broadband Buildout Act of 2019 (ABBA), a bipartisan bill to ensure that rural Americans have access to broadband services. As a co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, Senator King has been a strong advocate for improved broadband mapping data. Cosponsoring the Broadband DATA Act is his latest effort to improve the accuracy of FCC broadband maps. In September 2018, Senator Kingwrote a letter to the USDAseeking specific provisions in the ReConnect broadband pilot program, including acquiring up-to-date broadband mapping data. USDA incorporated these provisions in itsregulations for the programthat it issued in December 2018. Senator King also renewedhis push for up-to-date broadband mapsin a February 2019 letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, which was co-signed by a bipartisan group of 10 Senators.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/citing-trump-administration-inaction-sanders-and-omar-pursue-oversight-effort-on-amazon-workplace-abuse-,"Citing Trump Administration Inaction, Sanders and Omar Pursue Oversight Effort on Amazon Workplace Abuse",2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Citing Trump Administration Inaction, Sanders and Omar Pursue Oversight Effort on Amazon Workplace Abuse Thursday, December 19, 2019 WASHINGTON, December 19 In the face of the Trump Administration's continued failure to hold Amazon accountable for endemic abuses at its warehouses, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) are demanding detailed information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding injury reports at Amazon facilities over the past three years. Working conditions in the United States of America should be the best and safest in the world, write Sanders and Omar. Unfortunately, workers at Amazon facilities suffer from continued egregious safety lapses. The two lawmakers cite Amazon's own injury records, recently revealed in a Center for Investigative Reportingexpos, that demonstrate that the company's rate of serious injuries ismore than doublethe average of warehouses nationwide. Due to the company's pressure on warehouse employees during the holiday shopping season, the first two weeks of December are themost dangerous of the yearfor Amazon workers. In July, Sen. Sanders and Rep. Omar led a dozen lawmakers in calling for OSHA to launch a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the workplace conditions at all of Amazon's warehouses, and urged OSHA to prosecute any uncovered abuses to the fullest extent of the law. OSHA's response to the members of Congress did not commit to conducting any new investigations or to the enforcement of violations at Amazon. OSHA's inaction reflects a deliberate shift by the Trump Administration toward weaker workplace protections. OSHA'sown datareveal a notable decline in the number of inspectors and worksite inspections. Given your agency's lack of attention to this very serious matter, Sanders and Omar conclude, OSHA must now produce injury reports for all Amazon facilities.By law, this data must be visibly posted on the worksite and made available to employees, former employees, and representatives of employees. As the injury reports are stored in an easily shared data file, the two lawmakers estimate that it should take no more than a day for OSHA to comply with this request. Read the letterhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/bill-co-sponsored-by-collins-king-to-crack-down-on-illegal-robocalls-headed-to-presidents-desk-to-be-signed-into-law,"Bill Co-Sponsored by Collins, King to Crack Down on Illegal Robocalls Headed to President’s Desk to be Signed into Law",2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. Amidst ever-increasing numbers of robocall scams, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously today to pass legislation co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins and Angus King to increase federal law enforcement's authority to put a stop to these illegal calls. The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act makes it easier for regulators to find scammers, increases civil forfeiture penalties for those who are caught, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, and brings relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address impediments to criminal prosecution of robocallers who intentionally flout laws. The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. Americans are being inundated with illegal robocalls that are not only a major nuisance, but also a tool that is often used by con artists to perpetrate crimes, said Senator Collins, the Chairman of the Aging Committee. Over the course of the two dozen hearings I have held to expose and examine scams, it is clear that a coordinated approach is necessary to put a stop to these illegal calls. The TRACED Act is a significant step forward that will help prevent fraudulent calls and put criminals on notice that they will be caught and brought to justice. I am pleased that the final version of the legislation was improved by including an extension of the statute of limitations for caller-ID spoofing' violations, which I advocated for. At best, illegal robocalls are a major annoyance at worst, they're scams that target our most vulnerable citizens, said Senator King. Today's overwhelmingly bipartisan vote reflects the obvious: Republicans, Democrats and Independents can all agree that it's time to hang up on illegal robocalls once and for all. The TRACED Act will: Broaden the authority of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to levy civil penalties of up to $10,000 per call on people who intentionally flout telemarketing restrictions; Extend the window for the FCC to catch and take civil enforcement action against intentional violations to three years after a robocall is placed. Under current law, the FCC has only one year to do so, and the FCC has said that even a one-year longer statute of limitations for enforcement would improve enforcement against willful violators; Require telephone companies to adopt call authentication technologies, enabling a telephone carrier to verify that incoming calls are legitimate before they reach consumers' phones; Requires telephone companies to provide robocall blocking technology at no additional charge; and Direct the FCC to initiate rulemaking to help protect subscribers from receiving unwanted calls or texts from callers Asone reportestimated, nearly half of all calls made to mobile phones will be spam by the end of this year. The TRACED Act would give the FCC more flexibility to enforce rules in the short term, while setting in motion consultations to increase prosecutions of violations, which often require international cooperation. As Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee, one of Senator Collins' top priorities is to combat scams that target seniors. Earlier this year, she introduced a bill that would extend the statute of limitations on spoofing. The TRACED Act includes a provision extendingfrom the current two years to four yearsthe amount of time law enforcement can bring charges against criminal robocallers who use spoofing to mask their identity. Senator Collins has held 24 hearings over the past seven years on issues related to fraud and scams targeting older adults. Additionally, the Aging Committee published the 2019 Fraud Book, which details the top 10 scams reported to the Committee's toll-free Fraud Hotline (1-855-303-9470) last year. Since signing on to the TRACED Act in March, Senator King has used the legislation to raise awareness on the topic and push for Congressional action to protect vulnerable Americans from these scams.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-statement-on-house-vote-to-advance-articles-of-impeachment,King Statement on House Vote to Advance Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump: The House's vote to impeach the President means that I will soon join the rest of the Senate in swearing a special oath that states: I solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of Donald Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God.' The word solemn captures the moment correctly this is an immense responsibility and a monumental event in the history of this nation. When the trial begins in the Senate I will do everything I can to fulfill this new oath as well as my core oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. I hope and expect that each of my colleagues will do the same.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-priorities-king-initiatives-included-in-federal-budget-bills,"Maine Priorities, King Initiatives Included in Federal Budget Bills",2019-12-19,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today cast his vote for appropriations bills that will fund the government through September 30, 2020. The appropriations package funds a number of King-backed policy priorities for Maine, and includes language from numerous King-backed bills. This appropriations package supports much needed national priorities: it works to cut prescription drug costs, support Gold Star families, boost rural health, and much, much more. It makes one wonder: why aren't we doing more legislating like this? said Senator King. The answer, of course, is that the Majority Leader is blocking nearly all legislation from the floor. This obstruction is holding Congress back from enacting bipartisan, commonsense policies that will make life better for the American people let's stop playing political games, and recommit ourselves to the work we were sent here to accomplish: coming together around shared goals and doing the work of the American people. King-backed provisions included in today's bills include: Health, Wellness, and Public Safety Lowering Drug Prices. Senator King is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Creating and Restoring Equal Access To Equivalent Samples Act, which is included in the appropriations package. The legislation closes anti-competitive loopholes used by brand-name pharmaceutical companies to block lower-cost generic drugs from entering the marketplace.Fighting Opioid Abuse. The legislation provides $3.8 billion to fight opioid abuse, focused on improving treatment and prevention efforts. Senator King has made combating the opioid crisis one of his top priorities in Washington, and several of his provisions were included in the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act which passed in October 2018.Researching Gun Violence. The legislation includes $25 million for gun violence research at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). Senator King is a cosponsor of the Gun Violence Prevention Act, which would authorize up to $50 million in funding for gun violence prevention research at the CDC. This is the first federal funding for gun violence research in 20 years. Supporting Rural Health. The package provides $318.3 million for rural health program, including $29 million for telehealth. Senator King is a co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Honorary Congressional Task Force on Rural Health, and is a cosponsor of the CONNECT Act to expand telehealth services through Medicare. Boosts for the Maine Economy Extending Paid Family Leave Tax Credit. The legislation extends a tax credit for employers who voluntarily offer up to 12 weeks of paid family leave. The credit, based on Senator King's Strong Families Act, is the first nationwide paid family leave program. Initially included in the 2017 tax bill as a two-year tax credit, this package extends the provision for an additional year. This is the second King-backed win for paid family leave in less than two weeks; last week, the Senate passed paid parental leave for federal employees in the National Defense Authorization Act after Senator King's advocacy.Bolstering Workforce Development: The spending bills provide $2.82 billion for Workforce Investment Opportunity Act Training Grants to support a range of locally-led efforts to bolster workforce readiness and in-demand skills. Promoting Tourism: Senator King is a cosponsor of the BrandUSA Extension Act, which is included in the package. The legislation will provide an additional seven years of funding to BrandUSA, a public-private partnership that works to draw international visitors to the United States. Additional Priorities Reversing Tax Increase for Gold Star Families. The appropriations package includes the Gold Star Families Tax Relief Act, legislation cosponsored by Senator King that reverses a provision included in the 2017 tax act that imposed massive taxes on the families of U.S. servicemembers who died while on active duty.Funding Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Research & Development. The legislation provides a record $2.84 billion in funding for the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program. King, a member of the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, has backed a bill to increase energy efficiency capabilities across the nation by 2035. The bill provides $7 billion to Office of Science for programs that conduct research on new and clean energy technologies.King has long advocated for the need on new scientific research into energy technology development.Preserving Nonprofit Status of Rural Electrical Co-Ops. The spending bills include the King-cosponsored RURAL Act, which would preserve the nonprofit status of rural electric co-ops that accept disaster aid or support for rural broadband initiatives. The RURAL Act corrects a provision in the 2017 tax bill that threatened the nonprofit status and, accordingly, the viability of rural electric co-ops.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/achieving-the-american-dream-is-harder-for-millennials-gao-finds,"Achieving the American Dream is Harder for Millennials, GAO Finds",2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, December18 Millennials are financially worse off than previous generations, and may not have the chance to do better than their parents, according to anew studyby the Government Accountability Office (GAO).Commissioned bySenatorBernie Sanders(I-Vt.), the analysis paints a dire economic picture formillennial households: compared to previous generations' economic status at the same age, millennialsdespite higher levels of educational achievementhave lower median and average net worth, lower home ownership rates, higher student debt, and flat incomes.If we don't fundamentally transform our economy, we are facingfor the first time in the history of this countrythe possibility that our young people will suffer a worse future than their parents had.This report confirms my fears,saidSanders. TheGAO studyprovides a unique and comprehensive look at declining economic mobility across three generations: Millennials, identified as thosebornin the years spanning1982to2000,Generation Xers(born from1965to1981), and Baby Boomers (born from1946 to 1964).In 1970, a 30-year-old American had a 92-percent chance of earning more than their parents did at the same age, GAO found. A 30-year-old in 2010 only had a 50-percent chance of earning more than their parents. This dramatic decline in economic mobility over three generations is particularly stunning given that the economy produceddoublethe income per person over those 40 years. According to GAO, millennials had an estimated median net worth of $20,038 in 2016 dollars, $11,202 less than the average net worth of Generation Xers when they were 25 to 34 years olda 36-percent decline over 15 years.More millennials are likely to have student debt than previous generations and shoulder greater amounts of it. Forty-five percent of millennials aged 25 to 34 have student loans compared to 24 percent of GenerationXers and about 16 percent of Boomers at the same age. Millennials' loan-to-income ratio is more thandoublethat of previous generations, and they are far more likely than previous generations to have student debt that exceeds their entire annual income.Our young people did what they were told: they got an education and worked hard. But instead of being rewarded, millennials are now being punished with crushing student debt and low-paying jobs, said Sanders. It is about time we take a hard look at this research and standupfor our young people who dream of making it into the middle class. We must tell the economic elite who have hoarded income growth in America: No, you can no longer have it all.The economic outlook is particularly bleak for the bottom 25 percent of millennials: compared to the zero median net worth for the bottom 25 percent of Generation Xers and Baby Boomers at the same age, millennials were $19,470 in debt.Millennials are not building wealth through homeownership at similar rates as previous generations, either. About 43 percent of millennials own homes, compared to 51 percent of GenerationX households and 49 percent of Boomer households when they were the same age.GAO also found that the economic status of one's parents is a key determinant of a person's economic future: between one-third and two-thirds of an individual's income can be predicted simply by their parents' income. The findings offer further evidence that the United States, far from being exceptional in offering opportunity, is one of theleast economically mobilecountries in the developed world.GAO found that racial and geographic disparities also diminish economic mobility. Black familiesexperience lessupward economic mobility from one generation to the next than white families. A child's neighborhoodincluding associated poverty rates, racial segregation, school quality and other factorsinfluence future earnings.Growingupin an affluent neighborhood, for example, can have almost the same impact on future earnings as obtaining a bachelor's degree.In the richest country in the history of the world, we have an obligation to turn this around and make sure our kids live healthier and better lives than we do, concluded Sanders.Sanders is the author of wide-ranging legislation to reverse the America's trend of downward economic mobility and income stagnation. He recently introduced the College for All Act, which guarantees tuition-free public college, university and trade school to all Americans, while canceling all $1.6 trillion in student loan debt by taxing Wall Street speculation. Sanders' Raise the Wage Act boosts incomes for nearly 40 million workers by setting a $15-an-hour federal wage floor, and his Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act reduces the pay gap between CEOs and their workers.Read the reporthere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-house-vote-for-impeachment,Sanders Statement on House Vote for Impeachment,2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Pursuant to Senate Policy, petitions, opinion polls and unsolicited mass electronic communications cannot be initiated by this office for the 60-day period immediately before the date of a primary or general election. Subscribers currently receiving electronic communications from this office who wish to unsubscribe may do so here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-rural-broadband-king-urges-fcc-make-it-a-top-priority,"On Rural Broadband, King Urges FCC Make it a Top Priority",2019-12-18,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, joined dozens of his Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prioritize sustainable rural broadband networks as the FCC considers new rules to govern the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program. In the bipartisan letter, the senators push the FCC to exercise proper oversight over RDOF funding, and ensure that projects are maximizing the long-term impact of their efforts to improve broadband access throughout rural America. If our rural communities are to survive and flourish, our rural constituents need access to services that are on par with those in urban areas, the senators write. By contrast, it would be an inefficient use of resources to promote services that cannot keep pace with consumer demand and the evolution of broadband in urban areas. As the FCC moves forward to adopt new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund proceeding, we urge you to promote the deployment of networks that will be sustainable even as new advancements are made and are capable of delivering the best level of broadband access for the available USF budget for many years to come. Digital connectivity in rural regions is a key priority ofSenator King's economic agendaandrural broadband roadmap, to help modernize and grow Maine's rural economy, support innovation, and create jobs. In July, he cosponsored theBroadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, which will increase the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadband availability maps by improving the process by which broadband data is collected. In May, Senators King and Capito reintroduced legislation tomeasure the economic impact of broadbandso state and federal policymakers can understand the return they will receive on any investments in digital infrastructure. The legislation had previouslypassed the Senate in December, but was not taken up by the House.In April, Senator King joined his colleagues to introducelegislation to promote digital equityso Americans of all background can have equal access to the opportunities created by the internet. In addition to Senator King, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (D-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Tom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.). The full letter can be read below or downloaded HERE +++ The Honorable Ajit Pai Chairman, Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street Southwest Washington, D.C. 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: As the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) considers new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund proceeding, we write to emphasize the importance of sustainable networks that meet the needs of consumers now and in the future. Given that the FCC plays a critical role in connecting rural communities to high-speed internet through the universal service fund (USF), we encourage the FCC to make the most efficient and effective use of those funds. Any large-scale infrastructure project requires reasonable planning that takes account not only of current needs, but also of projected demands over the life of the asset being funded; and the distribution of USF should be no different. For broadband specifically, this requires that networks, built using USF, must be capable of delivering speeds, latency, and usage capacity according to what the FCC deems necessary to meet the needs of consumers over the next decade. If our rural communities are to survive and flourish, our rural constituents need access to services that are on par with those in urban areas. By contrast, it would be an inefficient use of resources to promote services that cannot keep pace with consumer demand and the evolution of broadband in urban areas. As the FCC moves forward to adopt new rules in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund proceeding, we urge you to promote the deployment of networks that will be sustainable even as new advancements are made and are capable of delivering the best level of broadband access for the available USF budget for many years to come. Similarly, we believe it is important for the FCC to be responsible for USF resources and ensure that those parties receiving such support can deliver on the commitments they make. This requires monitoring and reporting once USF support is received to guarantee it is being used as intended. The FCC should also make sure before the auction occurs that the participants in the auction can successfully deliver on their promises. If a party is incapable of delivering broadband as promised, the American ratepayer loses twice over first for having contributed sums that did not go toward the deployment of broadband as hoped, and then again for those ratepayers who reside in the area that ended up not receiving the promised service. It is therefore critical that any use of an auction to distribute USF support include meaningful processes upfront to prequalify bidders. This should apply to all bidders, regardless of the technology they propose to use or the performance levels they promise to deliver. Thank you for your work to deploy reliable broadband networks in rural America. We look forward to working with you to help close the digital divide and provide rural American consumers with the same kinds of digital opportunities that many others take for granted.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-urges-usda-to-heed-maine-dacfs-comments-on-interim-final-hemp-rule,Maine Delegation Urges USDA to Heed Maine DACF’s Comments on Interim Final Hemp Rule,2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) and Jared Golden (D-ME-02) wrote to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging the agency to heed the formal comments and concerns of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) on the interim final rule on domestic hemp production. A signed copy of the letter can be foundhere. As you know, theAgriculture Improvement Act of 2018created a legal pathway for domestic hemp production. We appreciate that [USDA] published an interim final rule on October 31, 2019 to implement those farm bill provisions, providing much needed certainty for hemp growers and businesses in Maine and across the country.said the Maine delegation in the letter.As [USDA] works on drafting a final rule, we respectfully request your consideration of DACF's comments and concerns. Hemp, which is grown in every Maine county,contains less than .3% THC and can be used for a variety of products, including rope, textile, and paper. Thestate's hempindustry has seen massive growth over the past year;more than2,000 acres were planted in 2019, up from 550 acres in 2018. Much of that acreage is cultivated for CBD use. The interim final rule was released by USDA on October 31, 2019. Public comment is open on the hemp rule untilDecember 31, 2019. In addition to supporting DACF's comments on USDA's interim rule establishing a Domestic Hemp Production Program, the delegation has also worked to address the financing obstacles that hemp-producing businesses have encountered.Despite the 2018 Farm Bill'slegalization ofhemp, the lack of clarity in federal banking regulations has created major barriers for hemp businesses. Pingree and Golden firstwrote to USDAon April 30, 2019 to ask for expedited hemp regulations and clarity for Maine farmers. The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (HR 1595), passed the House with support from Pingree and Golden in September. The bill wouldallowfinancial institutionsto servecannabis-related businessesin states where it has been legalized.Senator King is acosponsor of the Senate version of the SAFE Banking Act (S 1200), andin Novemberwrote a letter to the Senate Banking Committee expressing his supportfor the House-passed bill. Pingree and Golden againwrote to USDAon October 23, 2019, urging expedited rules for hemp in light of the news that Sheepscot Farman organic u-pick strawberry farm that also grows hemphad lost accounts at both their bank and insurance company due to uncertainty in federal regulations and a lack of guidance by USDA. Pingree held a roundtable with farmers on USDA's interim final hemp rule at Sheepscot General yesterday.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-king-backed-priorities-for-maine-nation-in-defense-bill,"Senate Passes King-Backed Priorities for Maine, Nation in Defense Bill",2019-12-17,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today cast his vote in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, by a vote of 86-8. The legislation includes key policy wins to ensure national security, support Maine jobs, strengthen energy security and provide paid parental leave for federal employees. Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act is example of how legislating should work: thoughtfully crafted, with an emphasis on bipartisanship and national security, said Senator King. This year is no exception. This NDAA will make America safer, support Maine people protecting our nation, and provide much-needed benefits for public servants including a pay increase for and paid parental leave for federal employees. It's a monumental piece of legislation, and I look forward to seeing the President sign it into law. Senator King successfully advocated for the inclusion of many provisions that will improve national security and support Maine jobs, including: FUNDING SHIPBUILDING PRIORITIES.The legislation authorizes more than $5 billion for the procurement of 3 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2020, which Bath Iron Works (BIW) can compete to build. It also authorizes $484 million to fund future year DDG-51 procurements. In addition, the legislation authorizes funds for the completion of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at BIW.PRIORITIZING CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY.The legislation emphasizes the importance of building the capabilities of the United States to prevent and respond to cyberattacks by bad actors.Senator King has long been an active voice urging additional focus on cyber threats, and as co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, he is leading a bipartisan group to review the threats facing America in cyberspace and provide strategic guidance and policy recommendations on how to defend ourselves against cyberthreats.INCREASING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FUNDING.Senator King successfully pushed for the inclusion of additional funds for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation programs, including funding for research on advanced manufacturing, electric propulsion, advanced planning hulls, and hybrid composite structures. Maine research institutions and companies will be eligible to compete for some of these projects.PROCURING MILITARY TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS MAINE JOBS.The legislation authorizes funding to procure six CH-53K helicopters, which include components produced at Hunting Dearborn in Fryeberg. In addition, the legislation includes provisions backed by Senator King to support military personnel, including: INCREASING MILITARY PAY.The legislation authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for members of the Armed Forces.ADDRESSING THE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS IN PRIVATIZED MILITARY HOUSING.The legislation authorizes an additional $301.8 million to oversee private military housing and creates new mechanisms of accountability for private military housing companies. Additionally, the legislation includes a King amendment that provides for the creation of a pilot program to explore alternative approaches that can improve the experience for families living in military housing. In last week's SASC hearing,Senator King pressed top military officialsto address the ongoing challenges facing military families who in privatized housing. Finally, Senator King successfully pushed for provisions to support DOD efforts to protect the environment and public health, and ensure energy security, including: ADVANCING CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS:Senator King successfully pushed for the legislation to authorize $10 million in funding for on-base long duration energy storage projects that will last for at least 100 hours. He also secured a provision authorizing $10 million to be spent on the development, demonstration and validation of secure microgrids for both installations and forward operating bases.IMPROVING ENERGY RESILIENCY:The 2020 NDAA authorizes funds to support military programs aimed at improving defense-wide energy resiliency work, including $150 million for the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program and an additional $25 million for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program. These programs not only increase resiliency, but also advance groundbreaking innovation to help keep our military personnel safe and reduce costs.PROHIBITING DOD FROM ACQURING FIREFIGHTING PRODUCTS CONTAINING PFAS.Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are dangerous chemicals linked to a number of adverse health and environmental effects that have long been used in products like firefighting foam. The NDAA prohibits DOD from procuring firefighting foam that contains PFAS after October 1, 2024. In addition, Senator King successfully advocated for an amendment that provides $15 million to develop new, safer tools to fight fires.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-support-resolution-recognizing-critical-role-of-2020-census,"Collins, King Support Resolution Recognizing Critical Role of 2020 Census",2019-12-16,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined their colleagues on a bipartisan resolutionto emphasize the importance of a fair and accurate 2020 Census. The resolution encourages individuals, families, and households across the United States to take part in the Census so that all communities can be counted. The Census is a central part of America's democracy that dates back to our nation's founding, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. Census data provides critical information to ensure accurate representation in Congress, and is a major factor that determines federal funding for much-needed local investments into roads, schools, and more. We urge Maine people to take all necessary steps to ensure they are properly counted when this process begins in 2020. The 2020 Census is a constitutionally-mandated undertaking. The data collected is used to properly allocate seats for the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures. It also directs more than $800 billion annually in federal funding to state and local communities. The resolution recognizes the importance and significance of the 2020 Census and encourages all people to participate. It concludes that it is the civic duty of every person to ensure that the 2020 Census is as accurate as possible by counting everyone once, only once and in the right place. For a PDF copy of the resolution, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/after-advocating-for-paid-parental-leave-king-applauds-inclusion-of-new-policy-for-all-federal-employees-in-fy2020-ndaa,"After Advocating for Paid Parental Leave, King Applauds Inclusion of New Policy for All Federal Employees in FY2020 NDAA",2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BRUNSWICK, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) applauded the inclusion of paid parental leave for federal workers in the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation will allow new parents to take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after the birth, adoption or fostering of a child, effective October 1st, 2020. Earlier this year, Senator King joined 21 of his Senate colleagues in urging the inclusion of paid leave in the conference report of the NDAA. Paid parental leave strengthens our economy by helping keep folks in the workforce and promotes strong families by giving parents the opportunity to stay with their child without sacrificing financially, said Senator King. The policy just makes sense but for some reason, America is the only industrialized nation that doesn't guarantee paid leave to new parents. That's got to change. The inclusion of this provision to support federal workers is a major step in the right direction on the path creating a new standard that supports both America's workers and economy. Senator King has been outspoken in his support for the Family and Medical Leave Act, and has worked to build on its legacy to support paid family and medical leave legislation. He is a cosponsor of theFamily and Medical Insurance Leave Act(FAMILY) Act,legislation that would create a social insurance program to provide up to 12 weeks of gender-neutral paid family and medical leave for all private-sector members of the American workforce who have sufficient work history.Senator King is also an original sponsor of theStrong Families Act,bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would create a five-year, 25 percent tax credit for employers who voluntarily offer up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to employees.A version of the Strong Families Act with a two-year window wasenacted into lawin December 2017 as part of the tax bill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-more-than-600000-for-13-maine-businesses-to-make-energy-efficiency-improvements-install-renewable-energy-systems,"Collins, King Announce More Than $600,000 for 13 Maine Businesses to Make Energy Efficiency Improvements, Install Renewable Energy Systems",2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a total of $606,696 to help 13 businesses throughout Maine lower their energy costs through solar panel installations. This funding is awarded through USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Renewable energy installations not only have an important role in reducing harmful emissions, but can also save businesses money by substantially lowering their heating and electricity costs, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. We welcome this important funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will allow 13 Maine businesses to install solar panel systems, helping them save thousands of dollars per year in energy costs. The funding is allocated as follows: Balfour Farm, LLC, in Pittsfield has been awarded $11,362 to purchase and install a 9.6 kW solar PV array. This project will replace 7,538 kWh (4.93) and save $10,347 per year.Brooks, Inc., in Thomaston has been awarded $50,000 to purchase and install a 115.9 kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 123,877 kWh (86%) and save $16,104 per year.Brown Enterprises, LLC, in Monmouth has been awarded $27,500 to purchase and install a 56.88 kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will save $8,706 per year and generate 66,968 kWh annually, replacing all of the business' energy needs.Cranberry Isles Fishermen's Co-op in Islesford has been awarded $31,047 to purchase and install a 45.36kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will save $8,020 per year and generate 51,088 kWh annually, replacing all of the business' energy needs.Edwin Pelletier and Sons, Inc., in Frenchville has been awarded $37,710 to purchase and install a 61.6 kW solar PV ground-mounted system. This project will replace 74,237 kWh (95%) and save $10,393 per year.Leavitt Farms, LLC, in Limestone has been awarded $89,615 to purchase and install a 153 kW solar PV ground-mounted system. This project will save $35,900 per year and generate 274,963 kWh annually, replacing all of the business' energy needs.Lubec Brewing Company, LLC, in Lubec has been awarded $34,456 to purchase and install a 42 kW solar PV ground-mounted system. This project will save $5,485 per year and generate 50,220 kWh annually, replacing all of the business' energy need.Maine Beer Company, LLC, in Freeport has been awarded $90,878 to purchase and install a 193.71kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 223,762 kWh (51%) and save $33,027 per year.Morningstar Marble and Granite, Inc., in Topsham has been awarded $60,000 to purchase and install a 161.28kW solar PV roof-mounted system. This project will replace 171,112 kWh (92%) and save $22,245 per year.Pol, Inc., in Millinocket has been awarded $92,839 to purchase and install a 171 kW Solar PV ground-mounted system. This project will save $18,515 per year and generate 205,420 kWh annually, replacing all of the business' energy needs.Sheepscot General, LLC, in Whitefield has been awarded $26,750 to purchase and install a 54.6 kW solar PV roof-mounted system. This project will replace 70,856 kWh (74%) and save $9,636 in per year.The Baker Company, LLC, in Sanford has been awarded $18,146 to purchase and install a 219.52kW solar electric roof-mounted system. This project will replace 241,958 kWh (15%) and save $31,455 per year.The Milkhouse, LLC, in Monmouth has been awarded $36,393 to purchase and install a 72kW Solar PV roof-mounted system. This project will save $10,249 per year and generate 71,410 kWh annually, replacing all the business' energy needs. Recipients can use REAP funding for energy audits and to install renewable energy systems such as biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and solar. The funding can also be used to increase energy efficiency by making improvements to heating, ventilation, and cooling systems; insulation; and lighting and refrigeration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-opens-new-constituent-service-office-on-main-street-in-biddeford,King Opens New Constituent Service Office on Main Street in Biddeford,2019-12-13,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BIDDEFORD, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined members of his staff, local officials, and Maine people for the ribbon cutting of his new Biddeford office, located at227 Main Street. The new office, which is centrally located and available via public transit, will improve Senator King's efforts to be accessible to his constituents. When it came time to look for a new office in Southern Maine, the old adage stuck in my mind: location, location, location,'said Senator King.This office is located on the heart of Biddeford's Main Street, meaning we're more visible and more accessible to Maine people. Whether you're looking to share your opinion on the latest Washington happenings or need help navigating the federal bureaucracy, just know that we're open for business in Biddeford! Constituent services available at the Biddeford location include navigating issues with federal agencies, listening to concerns regarding government policies and programs, and providing updates on Senator King's positions and work in the U.S. Senate.In addition to the Biddeford location, Senator King also has offices in Augusta, Bangor, and Presque Isle, and is evaluating options to add at least one more office in the near future.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-56-million-investment-in-caribou-utilities-district,"Collins, King Announce $5.6 Million Investment in Caribou Utilities District",2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Caribou Utilities District received a grant of $1,400,000 and a loan of $4,200,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Rural Development to upgrade Caribou's wastewater treatment facility and collection system. The project will help prevent overflows of untreated or partially treated wastewater during wet weather. Maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure is vital to ensuring the economic and environmental health of communities,saidSenators Collins and King in a joint statement. We welcome this significant funding for Caribou to improve its wastewater treatment system, which will help to preserve water quality and public health, increase operation efficiencies at the treatment facility, and protect the surrounding environment. The improvements at Caribou's wastewater treatment facility will include removing sludge, removing and replacing old aeration piping and equipment, replacing lagoon liner, improving hydraulic connectivity between lagoons and the chlorine contact tank, increasing the capacity of lagoons, and replacing blowers and controls. The Water and Waste Disposal grant program aims to help rural communities establish best practices that can save tax dollars, improve the environment, and help manufacturers and businesses to establish or expand operations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-cosponsors-bipartisan-bill-preventing-future-government-shutdowns,King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill Preventing Future Government Shutdowns,2019-12-12,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. As the federal government approaches another budget deadline on December 20th, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) is joining a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act. If signed into law, the commonsense bill would set up an automatic Continuing Resolution (CR) at the current spending level until an agreement is enacted, preventing a government-wide shutdown, continuing critical services and operations, and keeping federal employees at work while Congress negotiates. In addition to Senator King, the bill is supported by U.S. Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). When Washington's dysfunction repeatedly hurts hardworking Americans, it's clear that something needs to change, said Senator King. We've seen the impacts of shutdowns too many times: families left struggling, local small businesses seeing stark declines in their traffic, and Americans scrambling to receive the federal services they rely on. We can fix this let's come together on a bipartisan basis and make government shutdowns a thing of the past. The bipartisan proposal is a simple solution to address the threat of government shutdowns. If all appropriations bills are not passed by Congress and signed by the President by October 1, no official travel will be allowed for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) leadership or staff, Members of Congress, or their committee and personal staffs. The bill requires that during a period of lapsed appropriations, there will be: No taxpayer-funded travel allowances for official business (except one return flight to Washington, DC) for the following: White House OMB staff and leadership; Members of the House and Senate; Committee and personal staff of the House and SenateOfficial travel permitted within the national capital region (DC metro-area)No travel reimbursement (meals, per diem, or any type, including for state and district staff)No use of campaign funds by congressional offices to supplement official duties or travel expensesNo other votes will be in order in the House and Senate unless they pertain to passage of the appropriations bills or mandatory quorum calls in the SenateNo motions to recess or adjourn the Senate or House for more than 23 hours are in order No other matter can be considered on the floor of the Senate unless it relates to: General appropriations measures (including a CR); Daily mandatory quorum calls;Implementation of an automatic continuing resolution (CR) on October 1 at last year's spending levels until passage of a law to appropriateall remaining lapsed spending for that fiscal yearExpedited consideration of bipartisan appropriations bills is provided for after 30 days to ensure that each chamber is further incentivized to process spending bills and fund the governmentA required recorded quorum call vote each day at noon in the House and Senate to confirm attendance, which keeps Members in town for mandatory votesAn effective date of September 30, 2020. During the 35-day partial shutdown at the beginning of 2019, Senator King made reopening the federal government his top priority. His January podcast featured Senator Kaine and Kristen Miale, President of the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, discussing the effects of the shutdown on federal employees in Maine and around the country. Senator King also participated ina bipartisanappeal on the floor of the U.S. Senate, and ina video messageemphasizing the negative impact the government shutdown is having on people across Maine including U.S. Coast Guard personnel and families. In addition, Senator King has worked to reduce the impact of the 2019 shutdown on federal workers. He was a cosponsor of theGovernment Employee Fair Treatment Act, a bipartisan bill to ensure that affected federal workers will receive back pay when the government is reopened, and was a cosponsor of theFair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act,a bill which wouldhave secured back pay for the federal contractor employees who went without pay during the government shutdown.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-212-million-for-health-centers-in-cumberland-and-piscataquis-counties,"Collins, King Announce $2.12 Million for Health Centers in Cumberland and Piscataquis Counties",2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1,492,719 in funding to Greater Portland Health in Cumberland County and $635,688 for Sebasticook Family Doctors in Piscataquis County. Access to quality, affordable health care is crucial to the well-being of Maine communities, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. This important funding will help Greater Portland Health and Sebasticook Family Doctors continue to provide cost-effective primary and preventive care that is critical to many Mainers in Cumberland and Piscataquis counties. This funding was awarded through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Health Center Cluster Program at HHS, which is tasked with improving access to health care by building healthy communities, strengthening the health care workforce, and achieving health equity. HRSA's programs target the economic and medically vulnerable as well as the geographically isolated.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-join-bipartisan-group-of-senators-on-letter-to-un-convention-in-support-of-global-efforts-to-combat-climate-change,"Collins, King Join Bipartisan Group of Senators on Letter to UN Convention in Support of Global Efforts to Combat Climate Change",2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in support of its global efforts to thwart climate change. The 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) is underway in Madrid to convene a meeting on the historic Paris Climate Agreement. Failing to address the worsening crisis of climate change will wreak damages on all Americans for centuries into the future. Now more than ever, the American people are demanding action on climate change from our federal government and our international partners, wrote the Senators. In a moment where the commitment of the United States to address climate change seems threadbare, we, the undersigned, assure you that we are working diligently to respond to this global threat and we support your efforts in Madrid. In their letter, the Senators urged the UNFCCC and all international participants in the convention to explore all solutions and paths forward to combat the effects of climate change. In closing, the Senators reiterated there is bipartisan support in Congress to take action. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). The letter can be read here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-celebrates-wins-for-maine-priorities-in-finalized-defense-authorization-bill,King Celebrates Wins for Maine Priorities in Finalized Defense Authorization Bill,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that the House-Senate conference committee's bicameral agreement on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 included key policy and project wins for Maine. Senator King served on the conference committee that reconciled the differences between the Senate's version, which passed by a vote of 86-8, and version advanced by the House of Representatives. The conference report now must be voted on and passed in both chambers of Congress. The conference committee has crafted a bill that makes our nation safer, updates policies and safeguards that needed reforms, provides much-needed benefits for our military personnel, and supports Maine jobs, said Senator King. This is a good piece of legislation, and I look forward to seeing it move through Congress and to the President's desks in short order. Senator King successfully advocated for the inclusion of many provisions that will improve national security and support Maine jobs, including: FUNDING SHIPBUILDING PRIORITIES. The legislation authorizes more than $5.1 billion for the procurement of 3 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2020, which Bath Iron Works (BIW) can compete to build. It also authorizes $484 million to fund future year DDG-51 procurements. In addition, the legislation authorizes funds for the completion of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at BIW.PRIORITIZING CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY. The legislation emphasizes the importance of building the capabilities of the United States to prevent and respond to cyberattacks by bad actors.Senator King has long been an active voice urging additional focus on cyber threats, and as co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, he is leading a bipartisan group to review the threats facing America in cyberspace and provide strategic guidance and policy recommendations on how to defend ourselves against cyberthreats.INCREASING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. Senator King successfully pushed for the inclusion of additional funds for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation programs, including funding for research on advanced manufacturing, electric propulsion, advanced planning hulls, and hybrid composite structures. Maine research institutions and companies will be eligible to compete for some of these projects.PROCURING MILITARY TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS MAINE JOBS. The legislation authorizes funding to procure six CH-53K helicopters, which include components produced at Hunting Dearborn in Fryeberg. In addition, Senator King successfully pushed for provisions to support DOD efforts to protect the environment and public health, and ensure energy security, including: ADVANCING CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS: Senator King successfully pushed for the legislation to authorize $10 million in funding for on-base long duration energy storage projects that will last for at least 100 hours. He also secured a provision authorizing $10 million to be spent on the development, demonstration and validation of secure microgrids for both installations and forward operating bases.IMPROVING ENERGY RESILIENCY: The 2020 NDAA authorizes funds to support military programs aimed at improving defense-wide energy resiliency work, including $150 million for the Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program and an additional $25 million for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program. These programs not only increase resiliency, but also advance groundbreaking innovation to help keep our military personnel safe and reduce costs.PROHIBITING DOD FROM ACQURING FIREFIGHTING PRODUCTS CONTAINING PFAS. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are dangerous chemicals linked to a number of adverse health and environmental effects that have long been used in products like firefighting foam. The NDAA prohibits DOD from procuring firefighting foam that contains PFAS after October 1, 2022. In addition, Senator King successfully advocated for an amendment that provides $15 million to develop new, safer tools to fight fires. Finally, the legislation includes provisions backed by Senator King to support military personnel, including: INCREASING MILITARY PAY. The legislation authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for members of the Armed Forces.ADDRESSING THE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS IN PRIVATIZED MILITARY HOUSING. The legislation authorizes an additional $301.8 million to oversee private military housing and creates new mechanisms of accountability for private military housing companies. Additionally, the legislation includes a King amendment that provides for the creation of a pilot program to explore alternative approaches that can improve the experience for families living in military housing. In last week's SASC hearing, Senator King pressed top military officials to address the ongoing challenges facing military families who in privatized housing.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-legislation-protecting-energy-grid-from-cyberattacks-included-in-finalized-2020-defense-authorization-bill,King Legislation Protecting Energy Grid from Cyberattacks Included in Finalized 2020 Defense Authorization Bill,2019-12-11,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, today announced that the House-Senate conference committee's version of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators King and Jim Risch (R-Idaho). Both Senators are members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR). The legislation will develop defenses for the U.S. energy grid through partnerships between the National Laboratories and industry. Specifically, the partnerships will utilize engineering concepts to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the grid through holes in digital software systems. The energy grid powers our financial transactions, communications networks, healthcare services and most of our daily life so if this critical infrastructure is compromised by a hacker, these building blocks of American life are at risk, said Senator King. Protecting our energy grid is commonsense, bipartisan, and vital to national security, and I'm happy this year's NDAA will enshrine this needed provision into law. TheSecuring Energy Infrastructure Actaims to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the energy grid through holes in digital software systems. Specifically, it will direct the Department of Energy to examine ways that replacing automated systems with low-tech redundancies, like manual procedures controlled by human operators, may be helpful in adverting cyberattacks. This approach seeks to thwart even the most sophisticated cyber-adversaries who, if they are intent on accessing the grid, would have to actually physically touch the equipment, thereby making cyber-attacks much more difficult. The Securing Energy Infrastructure Act was part of theDamon Paul Nelson and Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, and 2020, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. This legislation was inspired in part by Ukraine's experience in 2015, when a sophisticated cyber-attack on that country's power grid led to more than 225,000 people being left in the dark. The attack could have been worse if not for the fact that Ukraine relies on manual technology to operate its grid. The Senator's bill would build on this concept by studying ways to strategically use retro technology to isolate the grid's most important control systems. More specifically, the legislation would: Establish a two-year pilot program within the National Laboratories to study covered entities and identify new classes of security vulnerabilities, and research and test technology like analog devices that could be used to isolate the most critical systems of covered entities from cyber-attacks.Require the establishment of a working group to evaluate the technology solutions proposed by the National Laboratories and to develop a national cyber-informed strategy to isolate the energy grid from attacks. Members of the working group would include federal government agencies, the energy industry, a state or regional energy agency, the National Laboratories, and other groups with relevant experience.Require the Secretary of Energy to submit a report to Congress describing the results of the program, assessing the feasibility of the techniques considered, and outlining the results of the working groups' evaluation.Define covered entities under the bill as segments of the energy sector that have already been designated as entities where a cyber-security incident could result in catastrophic regional or national effects on public health or safety, economic security, or national security.In addition to Senators King and Risch, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Susan M. Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho). A companion bill has been introduced by Representatives Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) and John Carter (R-Tex.) in the House of Representatives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/high-school-students-participate-in-vermont-day-at-the-kennedy-institute-for-the-us-senate,High School Students Participate in Vermont Day at the Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"High School Students Participate in Vermont Day' at the Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate Tuesday, December 10, 2019 BURLINGTON, Vt., December 10 Students from Woodstock Union High School traveled to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston on Monday, as part of Vermont Day organized by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). This marked the fifth time Vermont students have participated in the non-partisan Kennedy Institute's innovative programming on democracy, civics and the legislative process. Twice a year, my office organizes these trips to promote student engagement in the legislative process, said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee. Vermont Day is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to learn that democracy is not a spectator sport. When we work together and debate the big issues facing our nation, we can make meaningful change. On Tuesday, nearly 50 students from Woodstock Union High School took on the role of Senator-for-a-day in a full-scale replica of the U.S. Senate chamber. It is always a privilege to welcome participants from schools across the Green Mountain state to experience all that the Kennedy Institute has to offer, said Sarah Yezzi, Institute Director of Education, Family & Youth Programming. We are grateful to Senator Sanders and his staff for their support of the continued Vermont Day visits so even more students are able to understand civic engagement in an enjoyable and immersive venue. The immersive experience included researching, introducing and debating legislation to make college more affordable and to address comprehensive immigration reform. Sanders welcomed the Vermont students in recorded video remarks. The Kennedy Institute is helping young people better understand how our government works and how they can be involved in developing solutions to the problems we face, Sanders said.After all, representative democracy only works if we havean informed and engaged citizenry. Schools and students that are interested in the next Vermont Day during the spring semester can contact Katarina Lisaius at Sanders' Burlington office at 1-800-339-9834. To watch a video about last fall's visit to the Kennedy Institute,click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-articles-of-impeachment,Sanders Statement on Articles of Impeachment,2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Pursuant to Senate Policy, petitions, opinion polls and unsolicited mass electronic communications cannot be initiated by this office for the 60-day period immediately before the date of a primary or general election. Subscribers currently receiving electronic communications from this office who wish to unsubscribe may do so here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-unanimously-passes-collins-king-resolution-marking-december-14-2019-as-wreaths-across-america-day,"Senate Unanimously Passes Collins, King Resolution Marking December 14, 2019, as “Wreaths Across America Day”",2019-12-10,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.- The Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King designating Saturday, December 14, 2019, as Wreaths Across America Day. On December 14, a convoy of volunteers is scheduled to arrive at Arlington National Cemetery to lay Maine-made balsam wreaths at the headstones of American veterans interred there. Patriot Guard Riders will once again continue their tradition of escorting the wreath trucks from Maine down the East Coast, along with other patriotic escorts including motorcycle units, law enforcement officers, and first responders. International Paper, which has a corrugated packaging facility in Auburn, is donating 7,500 boxes and helping to purchase wreaths and transport them to Arlington National Cemetery. Tens of thousands of volunteers are expected to participate in this proud tradition. Each year through Wreaths Across America, tens of thousands of Americans take time out of the busy holiday season to pause and pay tribute to those who served in defense of our nation. This Maine-led tradition of placing wreaths on the graves of our fallen heroes has become an inspiring and enduring symbol of our nation's gratitude for veterans' valor and sacrifice, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. We are grateful for all of the volunteers who Remember, Honor, Teach' through Wreaths Across America. Last year, approximately 1.8 million wreaths were laid at more than 1,700 locations in all 50 states. In addition, more than 9,300 wreaths were laid at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Senators Collins and King took part in the official, bipartisan Senate delegation to this cemetery in June to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day. This year, in addition to the wreaths that will be laid at Arlington and all 50 states, nearly 15,000 wreaths were laid at two American Veteran Cemeteries in Luxembourg and the Netherlands in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Senator Collins' father was a World War II veteran who was wounded twice during the Battle of the Bulge. The text of the resolution is availableHERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-and-ocasio-cortez-urge-administration-to-deny-gilead-monopoly-profits-on-hiv-drug-over-misconduct,Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Urge Administration to Deny Gilead Monopoly Profits on HIV Drug Over Misconduct,2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, December 9 Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)are demanding that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) deny a patent extension requested by Gilead Sciences for a lifesaving HIV medicine, worth tens of billions of dollars, due to the pharmaceutical giant's deceitful and immoral behavior. The lawmakers urge the government to instead allow the drug Descovyused to both treat and prevent HIVto be manufactured generically.Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are acting onexplosive allegationsthat Gilead delayed the market entry of Descovy in order to continue profiting off a separate drug, Truvada, which Gilead knew to be less safe, until that drug's patent term had been exhausted. In the process of applying for patent extension for the intentionally delayed drug,note Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez,Gilead withheld information on its true motives for halting Descovy's development.Gilead has made an obscene $36 billion off of Truvada since 2004, even though thousands of Americans could have been spared injury and even death had Descovy been used instead,wrote Sanders and Ocasio-Cortezin the December 6 letter to the USPTO.Corporate misconduct must not be rewarded by the U.S. government through extending a government-granted monopoly on this medicine.The members of Congress observe that the United States is dealing with a massive public health crisis. Thousands of people are unnecessarily dying from a preventable disease, as these drugs have been shown to be 99-percent effective at curbing the transmission of HIV, holding the promise of eradicating HIV/AIDS if widely and promptly adopted.Descovy, if manufactured generically,Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez maintain,could quickly and affordably reach hundreds of thousands of Americans. If the government extends Gilead's patent, however, the corporation could use this monopoly to charge several thousand times more for the same compound, putting it out of reach for untold numbers of Americans desperate for affordable HIV treatment and prevention.We call on the USPTO to deny Gilead's patent extension request and offer urgent relief to countless Americans confronting HIV who were denied this medicine for nearly a decade due to the greed of Gilead,conclude Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez.Should the USPTO disregard the lawmakers' appeal and award Gilead with this lucrative monopoly, the federal agency would set a very dangerous precedent for other wealthy and powerful corporations that will look to be rewarded for deception and misconduct,the members of Congress warn.Sanders' and Ocasio-Cortez's bicameral effort emerged out of months of engagement with PrEP4All Collaboration, a group of grassroots activists demanding universal access to these HIV drugs, medicine that was developed with significanttaxpayer investmentin research.Sanders is the author ofsweeping legislationto slash the price of prescription drugs, introduced earlier this year, including the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act, the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act, and thePrescription Drug Price Relief Act of 2019, which would break patents on expensive drugs and authorize cheap generics if pharmaceutical companies refuse to lower their prices to the median price found in other rich countries.Read the letterhere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-khanna-condemn-pentagon-authorization-giveaway-urge-congress-to-vote-no,"Sanders, Khanna Condemn Pentagon Authorization Giveaway, Urge Congress to Vote No",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, December 9In response to the publication of the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2020, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) issued the following statement:Congress must vote against this disastrous Pentagon authorizationa bill of astonishing moral cowardice. Congress should have used this National Defense Authorization Act to stop our endless wars. Instead, this bill does nothing to rein in out-of-control military spending, prevent unconstitutional war against Iran, limit the poisoning of Americans' drinking water, or end the obscenity of innocent children in Yemen being killed by U.S. bombs.In 2018, a groundswell of Americans came out totheballot box to elect a Congress that would stand up to the brutal agenda of President Trump and the Republicans. The American people could not have imagined that this Congress would go on to craft legislation that adds tens of billions in new Pentagon spendingmore than enough to fund tuition-free public college across Americawhile placing hardly any limits on this lawless administration.Voters would be appalled to know that instead of seizing the opportunity to end illegal U.S. participation in the horrific Saudi-led bombings of Yemen, Congress will continue to fund Trump's unconstitutional war, which threatens to kill 24 million Yemenis facing starvation and disease. Americans will be furious to learn that Congress refused to protect Americans from being poisoned by toxic PFAS chemicals polluting their drinking water.Every member of Congress should vote against this measure. There is no pressing reason for Congress to shower Trump, his Saudi friends, and the Pentagon contractors of the military-industrial complex with this $738-billion taxpayer giveaway right now. We owe it to the American people to go back to the drawing board. Congress must say no.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/wyden-sanders-demand-more-accountability-following-pentagons-second-financial-audit,"Wyden, Sanders Demand More Accountability Following Pentagons Second Financial Audit",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Wyden, Sanders Demand More Accountability Following Pentagon's Second Financial Audit Monday, December 9, 2019 Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., today released the following statement regardingthe completion of the Pentagon's second financial audit: The Pentagon has just completed its second full financial audit and the results look a lot like a Sergio Leone western: there's some good, some bad, and some ugly. The good news is that the Pentagon was able to complete an audit for the second year in a row. We give David Norquist credit for putting the Department of Defense (DOD) under audit as comptroller and for sustaining that effort after his promotion to deputy secretary.We also appreciate that the scope of this audit was broader and deeper than last year, meaning auditors are delving deeper into DOD's books. The bad news is that auditors identified 1,300 new Notices, Findings, and Recommendations (NFRs), or issues for the Department to address through corrective action plans. And if 1,300 sounds like a big number, that's in addition to the roughly 1,900 outstanding NFRs from the previous audit. About half of these NFRs relate to outdated financial IT and management systems, some from the 1960s and 70s. Which brings us to the ugly: the number of material weaknesses, or significant problemswhat we sometimes call show-stoppers'rose from 20 last year to 25. These material weakness have names like real property' and universe of transactions,' which are fancy ways to saying that the Pentagon doesn't know all the buildings it owns or where they're located and still can't tell the American people everything it buys with their money. We never expected the DOD to go from unauditable to clean audits in two years; it took the smaller Department of Homeland Security a decade. But that doesn't mean the Pentagon shouldn't be doing more. For starters, DOD isn't moving quickly enough in our estimation to consolidate and update legacy systems, which is a big drag on the overall audit effort. If DOD has a strategy for this, it's surely one of the best kept secrets in Washington. We also want to see the Department focus less on the low-hanging fruit and more on reducing the number of material weaknesses, which would have a greater impact on DOD's overall financial management. Wyden and Sanders have been urging the Pentagon to conduct audits for years, including cosponsoring the Audit the Pentagon Act of 2015. In 2017, the Pentagon announced the agency would begin to conduct yearly agency-wide financial audits beginning in 2018.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/amid-npr-investigation-collins-king-join-push-for-department-of-education-to-investigate-permanent-disability-loan-forgiveness-program,"Amid NPR Investigation, Collins, King Join Push for Department of Education to Investigate Permanent Disability Loan Forgiveness Program",2019-12-09,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education urging the Department's Acting Inspector General, Sandra Bruce, to investigate the federal student loan discharge process forAmericans with total and permanent disabilities (TPD). Themembers' letter comes after an alarming report fromNational Public Radio (NPR), posted earlier this week, which found that hundreds of thousands of Americanswith qualifying disabilitieshave not received the student loan relief they are entitled to by law. In addition to Senators Collins and King, the letter was signed by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) along with U.S. Representatives Ron Kind (D-Wis.), Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), and Don Young (R-Alaska). We are alarmed by the findings in thisNPRinvestigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between theNPRreport and the information previously provided by ED,wrote the senators.We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law. The full letter can be read below, or downloaded HERE. +++ The Honorable Sandra D. Bruce Acting Inspector General Office of Inspector General U.S. Department of Education 550 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Acting Inspector General Bruce: We write with serious concern about the Department of Education's (ED) process to discharge federal student loans for totally and permanently disabled Americans, including veterans. Under theHigher Education Act of 1965, individuals who are totally and permanently disabled (TPD) are eligible to have their outstanding federal student loans forgiven. Under theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, federal student loans that are discharged due to death or TPD are exempt from federal income tax. ED currently utilizes data provided through matching agreements with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to identify disabled federal student loan borrowers who may be eligible for TPD loan discharge. In August 2019, the Trump Administration announced that borrowers identified through VA data would automatically have their loans discharged. Yet borrowers matched with SSA data, including veterans with non-service-connected disabilities, still must submit a discharge application. As we have said before, despite the existing legal benefit for loan discharge and the removal of the federal tax penalty two years ago, many borrowers, in applying for relief, face significant challenges that are both administratively burdensome and unnecessary. We wrote to ED on a bipartisan basis several times urging the Administration to automatically discharge these federal student loans, including in letters sent on February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. Our letter in October cited data provided to our staff by ED that as of March 2019, only 40% of eligible borrowers identified in the SSA match have had their loans discharged. However, according to aNational Public Radio(NPR)report that aired on December 4, 2019, that is not the case[1]. The investigation found that between March 2016 and September 2019, 555,000 borrowers were identified through the SSA data match as eligible for TPD discharge and were sent a letter in the mail. Ultimately, only 156,000, or 28%, of those borrowers had their loans discharged or are on track for that to happen. These numbers do not include borrowers matched through VA data, information we still have not seen. We are alarmed by the findings in thisNPRinvestigation, the reported extremely low rate of loan discharges for eligible borrowers, and the contrast between theNPRreport and the information previously provided by ED. We are also concerned by ED's lack of transparency with Congress and failure to provide timely, verifiable information. Most importantly, it appears that ED's process for TPD loan discharges is failing to provide student loan relief to hundreds of thousands of Americans, including veterans, who are entitled to this relief under the law. We urge ED's Office of Inspector General to investigate the TPD loan discharge process immediately and answer the following questions: 1. How many individuals in total have been identified through ED's data match with the SSA and the VA since March 2016? Please list the numbers for SSA and VA separately. 2. How many of these matched borrowers have received a loan discharge? 3. Of those borrowers who were matched but ultimately did not receive a loan discharge, what are the reasons the discharge did not occur? How many borrowers are associated with each reason, including income monitoring? 4. Why has the Administration rejected bipartisan calls to pursue automatic discharge for Americans with non-service-related disabilities? 5. How can ED improve its data system for the TPD process and ensure this information is communicated with Congress in a transparent and timely manner? 6. What steps does ED need to take to make this process automatic, meaning once a borrower is flagged as eligible, the discharge is not contingent upon administrative work by the borrower at the point of discharge or any point thereafter? Enclosed are the cited letters from February 15, 2018, and October 9, 2019. We appreciate your attention to this important matter and request a commitment to investigate these questions by December 31, 2019.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-tennessee-senators-king-and-alexander-celebrate-umaine/ornl-partnership-beneficial-to-maines-rural-economy,"In Tennessee, Senators King and Alexander Celebrate UMaine/ORNL Partnership Beneficial to Maine’s Rural Economy",2019-12-06,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"OAK RIDGE, TN Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and top officials from the University of Maine (UMaine) to tour Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The partnership between ORNL and UMaine advances research inadditive manufacturing and 3D printing using bio-based products, which will create new markets for Maine's forest products industry and support innovation in a broad range of industries in Maine including boat building, composites, and civil engineering. The partnership recently resulted in the unveiling of the world's largest polymer 3D printer and largest 3D printed object. During today's visit, participants toured the lab's state-of-the-art facilities, examined 3D printer use in advanced manufacturing, and discussed opportunities to expand the partnership between the two institutions. Maine is blessed with an abundance of wood fiber, and thanks to the collaboration of UMaine and ORNL, we're finding all sorts of new ways to use this resource, said Senator King. This partnership has already made important strides, and with two top-notch research facilities working on it, I know more advances are coming. The combination of these two world-class facilities is a boon for Maine's forest economy, and for all the people and communities who rely on this historic industry. The work being done here deeply matters to Maine people, and I can't wait to see what they discover next. I enjoyed hosting my friend, Senator Angus King and the University of Maine in Oak Ridge today, where we were able to visit Oak Ridge National Laboratory and see firsthand the lab's 3D printing technology, said Senator Alexander. National laboratories are our secret weapon in the rapidly changing world economy, and the partnership between the University of Maine and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a model for how science and technology can transform our economy and advanced manufacturing. We appreciate the opportunity to visit this world-class laboratory with Senator King and Senator Alexander to see the extraordinary and compelling work up close, said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President of the University of Maine. The University of Maine is excited to grow and advance its partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Oak Ridge are collaborating with 20 companies and universities in Maine and Tennessee, fostering opportunities for discovery that benefit the students, workforce and economy in Maine and beyond. This initial effort is a great model of collaboration that we hope to expand into many other areas, including building technologies, transportation and advanced computing/AI. ""Our visit to Oak Ridge National Laboratory confirms the wisdom of the partnership we have already established and the importance of expanding the relationship to benefit the Maine economy and our collective national interests,"" said Dannel Malloy, Chancellor of the University of Maine System. ""We are grateful that Senators King and Alexander were able to participate in our tour and for the support we receive from the entire Maine congressional delegation for our public university research mission."" The partnership between ORNL and UMaine launched a first-in-the-nation, large-scale bio-based additive manufacturing program. The cooperation provides UMaine's Advanced Structures & Composites Center (ASCC) students, faculty and associated companies with access to ORNL's assets and expertise in advanced manufacturing. ORNL researchers, in turn, gained access to UMaine's facilities and expertise in sustainable composites. The partnership will continue to advance 3D printing capabilities with wood residuals, establishing Maine as a global leader in a new manufacturing process and developing fresh markets for Maine's forest products industry. Senator King is a strong supporter of efforts to revitalize Maine's forest economy to further economic opportunities for Maine people. He was key in establishingthe Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/ME Initiative was funded as a result of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and King in 2016, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. FOR/ME is implementing a roadmap and action plan for the development of new markets for Maine's forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development. The FOR/ME Initiative has already resulted inmultiplefunding opportunities for Maine organizations and new investment in Maine's forest economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-risch-lead-colleagues-in-protecting-energy-infrastructure-from-critical-threats-posed-by-huawei-technology,"King, Risch Lead Colleagues In Protecting Energy Infrastructure from “Critical” Threats Posed by Huawei Technology",2019-12-06,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) led a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to Neil Chatterjee, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), emphasizing the dangers of incorporating equipment manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co. (Huawei) into the nation's critical infrastructure. In the letter, King, Risch, and 8 of their colleagues ask for Chatterjee's assurance that FERC understands the threat posed to U.S. national security by the Chinese-owned telecommunications company, and urge FERC to work with the Administration to combat the threat. In addition to King and Risch, today's letter was also signed by Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). As you know, the Intelligence Community has issued repeated warnings to regulators and political leaders about the dangers associated with using Huawei equipment on the nation's telecommunications network, wrote the senators. Congress and the Trump Administration have taken steps to eliminate Huawei products from national security sensitive applications, citing concerns with the company's links to the Chinese Communist party, including its intelligence services. Given FERC's responsibility for overseeing the reliability of the electric grid, it is critical that your agency take steps to ensure that United States critical infrastructure and the electric grid remain protected from foreign intrusion."" The Administration will ultimately need to address the full scope of the threat posed by Huawei, including consideration of a ban on the company's entry into the U.S. inverter market, the senators continued. In the meantime, we urge FERC and its new cybersecurity division to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories, industry, utilities, and other federal, state and local regulators to curb threats and protect critical infrastructure. Senators King and Risch are both members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Senators have introduced the bipartisan Securing Energy Infrastructure Act to protect the nation's energy grid from potential cyberattacks. The legislation which passed the Senate in June, and the House in July would defend the U.S. energy grid by partnering with industry to utilize engineering concepts to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the grid through holes in digital software systems. The full letter can be downloaded HERE and read below. +++ The Honorable Neil Chatterjee Chairman Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20426 Dear Chairman Chatterjee, We write today to get assurances from you that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) fully appreciates the threat posed to the nation's energy infrastructure by the use of equipment manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd (Huawei). Creating a new cybersecurity division within your agency is a good start. We are hopeful that one of the new division's first objectives will be to defend this infrastructure against the threats posed by the use of equipment manufactured by Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd (Huawei). As you know, the Intelligence Community has issued repeated warnings to regulators and political leaders about the dangers associated with using Huawei equipment on the nation's telecommunications network. Congress and the Trump Administration have taken steps to eliminate Huawei products from national security sensitive applications, citing concerns with the company's links to the Chinese Communist party, including its intelligence services. Given FERC's responsibility for overseeing the reliability of the electric grid, it is critical that your agency take steps to ensure that United States critical infrastructure and the electric grid remain protected from foreign intrusion. While Huawei announced earlier this year that it intended to exit the U.S. solar market, there are no guarantees. Huawei's line of solar products relies on inverters devices that manage and convert energy produced by solar panels for use in homes and businesses. Huawei-produced inverters connected to the U.S. energy grid could leave it vulnerable to foreign surveillance and interference, and could potentially give Beijing access to meddle with portions of America's electricity supply. The Administration will ultimately need to address the full scope of the threat posed by Huawei, including consideration of a ban on the company's entry into the U.S. inverter market. In the meantime, we urge FERC and its new cybersecurity division to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories, industry, utilities, and other federal, state and local regulators to curb threats and protect critical infrastructure. We offer our assistance, as it is imperative that Congress, the Administration and others in the private and public sector work closely together to protect our most vital assets from domestic and foreign threats. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-presses-defense-department-leaders-on-cyberattack-deterrence-strategies-emphasizes-emerging-threats-to-us,"King Presses Defense Department Leaders on Cyberattack Deterrence Strategies, Emphasizes Emerging Threats to U.S.",2019-12-05,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), highlighted the U.S. military's dramatic need for deterrence strategies against cyberattacks one of his key concerns as co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. Later in the hearing, Senator King noted that the United States should focus its resources on combatting emerging threats, such as Russia's development of nightmare weapon hypersonic missiles. Let me focus on a particular issue of deterrence that I've been doing a lot of work on, and am puzzling about, and that is cyber deterrence, said Senator King. And particularly cyber deterrence, I would call it below the threshold of catastrophe, in other words, a cyberattack that disables our entire electric grid I think everyone would agree deserves a clear and unequivocal response. What about a cyberattack that freezes the voter registration lists in Florida a week before the election? How do we deter those kinds of attacks? My sense is we've had Sony, we've had OPM, we've had 2016 with very little if any substantive response, and that our adversaries don't fear us, to put it most bluntly in terms of cyberattacks on this country. Mr. John Rood, the Under Secretary Of Defense For Policy responded by recognizing Senator King's leadership on cyber deterrence policy: Yes Senator, and I recall you raising this with me during my confirmation visit with you, and it's something you've been a leader on in pursuing this type of activity. I would say since that time, you and I met two years ago, we have put in place now a cyberstrategy and one of the primary aspects of that is it calls for defending forward. We will no longer wait, if we're observing indications of planning for an attack, for an adversary to spring that attack. +++ Later, Senator King mentioned the new threats that the U.S. faces as Russia develops new defenses. Are we adequately confronting new threats, drone swarms, hypersonics, cyber? Senator King asked. Here's an example, and it gets back to money, and we're talking about how much we're spending. We're spending twice as much as China and Russia combinedBut still, we're spending ten times what Russia spends; [Vladimir] Putin can hire 12,000 hackers for the cost of one jet fighter, and I think all would agree that what he did in 2016 was a pretty effective attack on our country I think the area of technology and confronting emerging threats is a real area where there has to be some good strategic thinking and investments. In addition to Mr. Rood, today's hearing featured testimony from Lieutenant U.S. Air Force General David Allvin, the Joint Staff Director For Strategy, Plans And Policy. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as a leading voice on national security and foreign policy issues in the Senate. In addition to his committee work, he serves on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China,the Senate North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Observer Group, and theCyberspace Solarium Commission. During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for functional and effective cyberpolicy, and deterring cyberattacks on American elections and everyday life. Senator King and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced theSecuring Energy Infrastructure Act, which waspassed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in Julyas part of each chamber's version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In late May, Senator King cosponsoredtheElection Security Act, which would require voter-verifiable backup paper ballots and provide election security grants to states for cyber improvements and audits. Earlier that month, he highlighted thefactors that could lead to election cybersecurity issues to members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the commission who provide best practices when certifying voting machines. In March, Senator King sent aletterto the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requesting information about NERC's efforts to protect the United States' bulk power system from supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly those posed by vendors from Russia and China. In a February hearing, Senator King emphasizedthe need for urgent action, and questioned NERC President and CEO James Robb about the dangers of foreign equipment in America's energy grid.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-over-25-million-for-head-start-programs-in-york-hancock-county,"Senators Collins, King Announce Over $2.5 Million for Head Start Programs in York, Hancock County",2019-12-05,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families has awarded $1,398,216 to York County Community Action Corporation in Sanford, and $1,113,626 to Downeast Community Partners in Ellsworth for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The programs provide free early childhood education and childcare to low-income families. Head Start programs provide a safe, educational, and enjoyable environment for Maine's children to make connections and learn from their caregivers and peers and every nickel spent is a judicious investment in Maine's future, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. In order to attend school or participate in the workforce, parents need assurances that their children are being well cared for. This funding provides much-needed resources to support early childhood development in York and Hancock County, giving Maine's kids the strong foundation they need to grow. Head Start was established in 1965 to promote school readiness and provide a comprehensive array of health, nutritional, and social services to eligible four- and five-year-old preschoolers and their families. Head Start services include early learning, health, and family well-being. This funding supports local agencies that provide Head Start services across the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/how-is-that-fair_king-demands-parity-for-maine-blueberry-farmers-on-senate-floor,“How is That Fair?” – King Demands Parity for Maine Blueberry Farmers on Senate Floor,2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) spoke on the Senate floor about the challenges facing Maine blueberry farmers due to the U.S./China trade war and China's retaliatory tariffs totaling up to 97% in lost China sales since the tariffs took effect. Despite the heavy losses the trade war has inflicted on Maine's wild blueberry industry, producers have not seen any relief or assistance in the ongoing multi-billion dollar farm bailout. Just today, Senator King sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging them to help wild blueberry producers whose livelihood has been put at risk by the ongoing Chinese trade war. Now, blueberries have been exported from Maine since the 1840's. And the people who are in this farming business are tough, they're resilient, they don't want bailouts. They want to be able to sell their product on the market, said Senator King in his speech. But in recent years, the market for blueberries has been very difficult because of imports from Canada and additional cultivated blueberries from around the country. So our farmers, being entrepreneurial and doing what we have been telling them to do for years, have gone big time into the export market. Where is a great place to export? China. Two years ago, $2.5 million a year ofblueberries were going to China,and half of the budget of the wildblueberry export commission wasgoing to develop the Chinesemarket. Hours and hours, days,dollars, a lot of effort went todevelop this Chinese market.And then all of a sudden camethe Trump administrationtariffs Now, the president just said yesterday this trade war with China may go on for another year. That means another crop, that means people we have third and fourth-generation blueberry farmers in Maine leaving the land. It's heartbreaking. These aren't big enterprises. These aren't big operations. These are people with 100-acre farms. Now, the Administration knows about this because I, and my colleagues from Maine, wrote them in July and asked this question wild blueberries should be included in what's called the [USDA] Market Facilitation Program. Didn't happen. And we still don't really know what the criteria is. Just to put a fine point on it, if you're a wild blueberry harvester with a 100-acre farm, you get zip, zero, nada, zilch. If you're a cranberry farmer with a 100-acre bog, you get $61,000. How is that fair? How is the distinction made? That's the question that we're asking, concluded Sen. King. I've written again today to the Department of Agriculture asking them: A. why we aren't in, and, B. how the distinctions are made. I don't think that's an unreasonable question These are tough people. These are resilient people. These are hardworking people. These are people that have given their lives to the land, and they deserve to be supported by their government, not undermined, not challenged, not undercut by their government. Today's floor speech marks Senator King's latest effort to advocate for Maine industries affected by harmful trade negotiations. In July, Senator King joined the Maine Delegation to send a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include the wild blueberry industry in the USDA's Market Facilitation Program. Earlier that month, the Delegation sent a letterurging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include significant funding for Maine's lobster industryas the Department finalizes their aid package for agricultural producers affected by China's retaliatory tariffs. The letter follows up on the Delegation'sinitial request in Juneto provide relief for Maine's lobster industry amidst the ongoing trade war with China.In February, the Maine Delegation wrote two letters urging the Administration to prioritizelobstersandpotatoesin the ongoing trade negotiations with China.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-joins-colleagues-in-fighting-against-housing-discrimination,King Joins Colleagues in Fighting Against Housing Discrimination,2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 45 of his senate colleagues on a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, urging him to reject a proposed rule that would make it more difficult for victims of discrimination to seek justice under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The Proposed Rule would significantly reduce use of the disparate impact standard for fair housing enforcement a key tool for rooting out and eliminating hidden discrimination and carve out avenues for financial institutions, governments, and other housing market participants to continue discriminatory practices. We are deeply troubled by the direction this Administration is heading in relation to Fair Lending and Fair Housing protections, the senators wrote. Housing is the foundation of opportunity for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and society. Preventing housing discrimination including subtle, hidden discrimination is central to the mission Congress charged HUD to carry out. We urge you to uphold this mission, reject the changes in the Proposed Rule, and preserve the existing rule. Senator King has advocated to preserve housing protections under the FHA for all Americans. This spring, he introduced the Fair and Equal Housing Act of 2019, legislation that would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the classes protected from discrimination under the FHA to ensure equal housing opportunities for all Americans. The FHA currently prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability but not sexual orientation or gender identity. He has also led a bipartisan legislative effort to create an Affordable Housing Task Force, and introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure that students who have experienced homelessness or are currently homeless can access affordable housing while pursuing their education. The full text of the letter can be foundHEREand below: +++ The Honorable Benjamin S. Carson, Sr. Secretary United States Department of Housing and Urban Development 451 Seventh Street S.W. Washington, DC 20410 Dear Secretary Carson: We are deeply troubled by the direction this Administration is heading in relation to Fair Lending and Fair Housing protections. Specifically, we are writing to urge you to reject changes proposed in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) August 19, 2019 Proposed Rulemaking: HUD's Implementation of the Fair Housing Act's Disparate Impact Standard (the Proposed Rule). Congress enacted the Fair Housing Act in the wake of the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This landmark legislation struck down discriminatory practices like redlining, which had excluded racial and ethnic minority communities from access to credit, and called upon HUD and its grantees to affirmatively further fair housing. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing or other housing-related activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.[1] While much progress has been made in the half century since Congress adopted the Fair Housing Act, the nation has more work to do to realize its promise. According to the National Fair Housing Alliance, over 4 million instances of housing discrimination occur each year,[2] and the nation faces tremendous racial disparities in income, wealth, and homeownership. For example, there is a 32 point gap between the homeownership rates for Black and white households, and a 26 point gap between Hispanic and white households.[3] In too many instances, a person's access to opportunity and quality of life are determined by where they live in communities that still reflect the legacy of historic redlining. HUD's existing Disparate Impact Rule codified a longstanding tool for identifying and remedying housing discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. It was built on four decades of jurisprudence and validated in the Supreme Court's 2015 decision upholding the use of disparate impact theory under the Fair Housing Act, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project (Inclusive Communities) The current rule relies on a balanced, three-part burden-shifting framework that follows the same formula as other anti-discrimination legal standards and has been used for decades to seek fair housing access for Black and Hispanic people, individuals with disabilities, families with children, and victims of domestic violence. At a recent Banking Committee hearing, you claimed that HUD is simply offering this Proposed Rule in order to better reflect the Supreme Court's ruling in Inclusive Communities. But under HUD's proposed framework, disparate impact would exist in name only. HUD's proposal would dramatically shift the current balanced three-part test affirmed by the Supreme Court in Inclusive Communities to require a plaintiff to meet a five-part test to essentially prove their entire case and disprove the defendant's case before even bringing suit, without the benefit of discovery. Rather than reflect the Inclusive Communities ruling, this Proposed Rule would undo the ruling by making it nearly impossible to prove the disparate impact standard. While raising the legal bar for victims of discrimination, the Proposed Rule provides new defenses that will allow financial institutions, insurance companies, governments, and other market participants to continue unnecessary, discriminatory practices. This includes a new safe harbor for policies or practices driven by algorithms. Society is grappling with the far-ranging effects of opaque and proprietary algorithms often based on data harvested from our online activities on our daily lives. Algorithms are only as good as the data they are fed and many elements that appear neutral on their face have proven to reinforce discriminatory patterns of the past. Despite these questions, the Proposed Rule offers an expansive safe harbor for business practices that rely on algorithms to make important decisions governing access to housing, such as credit scores, automated underwriting, and rental tenant-screening systems. This broad exemption will prevent people who have been excluded from housing based on flawed data from having an opportunity to seek redress. The Proposed Rule contains other provisions that will also place a heavy thumb on the scale for market participants at the expense of people experiencing discrimination. It would permit corporations and others to defend a discriminatory practice simply because implementing a less discriminatory policy would impose some greater cost or burden on them. At the same time, the Proposed Rule fails to acknowledge the costs that discrimination imposes on individuals and society when some of its members are denied a fair chance at housing. The Proposed Rule also reduces institutions' accountability and incentives to assess the fair housing results of their policy choices by removing any expectation that they would collect data necessary to track the outcomes of their policies. Finally, the Proposed Rule removes any reference to policies or practices that perpetuate segregated housing patterns. This attempt to remove segregated housing patterns as an element of disparate impact would perpetuate discriminatory behavior and runs counter to the majority's opinion in Inclusive Communities, which concludes with a statement that [the] Court acknowledges the Fair Housing Act's continuing role in moving the Nation toward a more integrated society.[4] In their opinion, the majority of the Supreme Court further acknowledged that [m]uch progress remains to be made in our Nation's continuing struggle against racial isolation.[5] Housing is the foundation of opportunity for individuals, families, neighborhoods, and society. Preventing housing discrimination including subtle, hidden discrimination is central to the mission Congress charged HUD to carry out. We urge you to uphold this mission, reject the changes in the Proposed Rule, and preserve the existing rule. ### [1] 78 Fed. Reg. 11460. [2] 2019 Fair Housing Trends Report, National Fair Housing Alliance, November 1, 2019, available at https://nationalfairhousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019-Trends-Report.pdf. [3]QUARTERLY RESIDENTIAL VACANCIES AND HOMEOWNERSHIP, U.S. Census, July 25, 2019, available at: https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/currenthvspress.pdf. [4] Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project, Inc., 135 S. Ct. 2507, 2525-26 (2015). [5] Id. at 2525.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-calls-on-feds-to-answer-for-shortcomings-in-data-correct-inaccuracies-before-releasing-new-rules-on-lobstermen,"Maine Delegation Calls on Feds to Answer for Shortcomings in Data, Correct Inaccuracies before Releasing New Rules on Lobstermen",2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) pressed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) over the accuracy of the data and assumptions the agency is using to craft new regulations on Maine's lobstermen. The delegation is requesting additional information from NOAA about how the findings of a recently completed peer-review process will be incorporated into its draft rules on the lobster fishery. Additionally, the Members of Congress are calling on the agency to better account for the role of Canadian fisheries and ship strikes, as well as other U.S. fisheries, in the agency's estimates of risk to the North Atlantic right whale. Given the significant and potentially life-threatening modifications that Maine lobstermen are being pressed to implement in order to meet a risk reduction target set by the [Take Reduction Team], NOAA Fisheries must ensure that accurate data and the best available scientific evidence alone serve as the basis for determining the level of risk posed by Maine's lobster fishery and all other fisheries interacting with the species, wrote the Maine delegation. It is our hope that the agency will continue its work to improve the quality of the information as well as the manner in which it is interpreted and not proceed with regulations that are based on uncertain estimations, particularly given the number of lives and livelihoods that are at stake. Following pressure from the delegation, NOAA completed a peer-review process for the data tool it uses to create the regulations, which are intended to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale. The Members of Congress are asking NOAA how it plans to incorporate the results of the peer review into the draft regulations ahead of their expected release in early 2020, noting that the agency is on a tight timeline. Collins, King, Pingree, and Golden also expressed concern and frustration over NOAA's repeated failure to acknowledge the outsized risk Canadian fisheries pose to right whales. While Maine's lobster fishery has made modifications that have reduced documented whale entanglements by 90 percent in the last decade, Canada has not taken comparable steps. In fact, Canada has rolled back several of its whale protection efforts in 2019. Continuing to downplay the role of Canadian fisheries in future right whale management plans ignores the reality that the species is not bound by national borders, continued the Members of Congress. Lobster fishery management efforts cannot be successful unless the impacts from Canadian fisheries and shipping on right whale injury and mortality are adequately accounted for. We continue to be dismayed by NOAA Fisheries' assumption that the United States and Canada pose equal risk to the North Atlantic right whale, despite the clear outsized role of Canada in right whale deaths in recent years. The Maine delegation also took issue with inaccurate information recently published by NOAA on its website. The delegation argued that the agency's Right Whales and the Lobster Fishery webpage perpetuates the false narrative that the Maine lobster fishery is the primary cause of right whale serious injury and mortality, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Maine's Department of Marine Resources and Maine lobster fishery stakeholders have previously pointed out factual inaccuracies with much of the webpage's source material, but NOAA has yet to remove or correct the misleading information. The regulations being developed by NOAA will have a profound effect on Maine's lobster industry. As such, the federal government owes it to Maine lobstermen and their communities to at the very least use the best available evidence and accurate data to create these regulations. The MLA strongly agrees with our delegation: NOAA should quickly incorporate the findings of its peer-review into its data tool, account for the risk from Canadian fisheries, and they should remove misleading and inaccurate information from their website. We thank Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden for their work on behalf of Maine lobstering communities. - Patrice McCarron, Executive Director, Maine Lobstermen's Association. Collins, King, Pingree, and Golden have consistently stood up for Maine lobstermen, demanding that government agencies ground their regulations in sound science and data. In July, the group wrote to the president to urge him to intervene in NOAA's rulemaking. Golden and Pingree introduced an amendment in June that would have temporarily blocked NOAA's efforts pending a peer-review. The delegation also raised concerns over the process and data NOAA has used to develop its proposed rules in a May letter to NOAA officials. Read a copy of the letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/with-maine-wild-blueberry-industry-losing-nearly-97-of-chinese-exports-in-trade-war-king-urges-administration-to-fairly-compensate-growers,"With Maine Wild Blueberry Industry Losing Nearly 97% of Chinese Exports in Trade War, King Urges Administration To Fairly Compensate Growers",2019-12-04,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging them to help wild blueberry producers whose livelihood has been put at risk by the ongoing Chinese trade war. In the letter, Senator King notes the value of Maine's wild blueberry exports to China are on pace to drop by nearly 97% since 2017. Despite this massive market loss, Maine's wild blueberries have been excluded from the President's multi-billion dollar farm bailout. In today's letter, King urges the USTR and USDA Secretary to treat Maine's wild blueberry growers fairly and offer them the same support that is being extended to other agricultural producers. Senator King will expand on the concerns addressed in this letter during a speech later today (~4:25 p.m.) on the Senate floor, calling national attention to this matter and emphasizing its meaning to the state and economy of Maine. The wild blueberry, an iconic Maine agricultural product, has lost a piece of its future, wrote Senator King in part. Squarely to blame are the President's disastrous Chinese trade war and his farm bailout, which has favored some agricultural exports while leaving others like wild blueberries without support to find new markets. I ask that you include wild blueberries in the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) immediately to compensate producers for the trade war losses that they have sustained Today, China assesses an 80 percent retaliatory tariff on frozen wild blueberry imports from the United States. As of September, Maine blueberry farmers have sent only $61,000 of their crop to China this year. If the trend continues through this month, the President's trade war will lead to a 96.75 percent decrease in the value of my state's wild blueberry exports to China since 2017. Maine's wild blueberry export crop is not the only agricultural product that the Administration's Chinese trade policies have harmed. Wheat, soybean, and cranberry farmers also have seen dramatic declines in their Chinese sales. Unlike wild blueberry producers, however, those who grow these agricultural products have enjoyed the benefits of an unprecedented farm bailout, which has ballooned to almost triple the size of the 2009 automobile bailout You can and should improve the business climate for the Maine people who grow wild blueberries. Especially given the President's recent announcement that the Chinese trade war may extend beyond the 2020 election, I urge you to include wild blueberries in the MFP program today; to resolve the trade war with China quickly; and to fairly, transparently, and rationally administer agricultural assistance programs meant to compensate producers for the trade war losses that this Administration has caused. Today's letter and speech mark Senator King's latest efforts to advocate for Maine industries affected by harmful trade negotiations. In July, Senator King joined the Maine Delegation to send a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to include the wild blueberry industry in the USDA's Market Facilitation Program. Earlier that month, the Delegation sent a letterurging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to include significant funding for Maine's lobster industryas the Department finalizes their aid package for agricultural producers affected by China's retaliatory tariffs. The letter follows up on the Delegation'sinitial request in Juneto provide relief for Maine's lobster industry amidst the ongoing trade war with China.In February, the Maine Delegation wrote two letters urging the Administration to prioritizelobstersandpotatoesin the ongoing trade negotiations with China. The Senator's full letter can be found HERE or read below. +++ Dear Ambassador Lighthizer and Secretary Perdue: The wild blueberry, an iconic Maine agricultural product, has lost a piece of its future. Squarely to blame are the President's disastrous Chinese trade war and his farm bailout, which has favored some agricultural exports while leaving others like wild blueberries without support to find new markets. I ask that you include wild blueberries in the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) immediately to compensate producers for the trade war losses that they have sustained. Maine people have exported wild blueberries from our state since before the Civil War. In recent years, the wild blueberry business has not been a lucrative one, but it is a proud family tradition in Maine and one that has weathered turbulent market conditions for generations. During the past decade, an influx of Canadian wild blueberries and the incursion of cultivated blueberries into the freezer aisle diminished the market share on which Maine's growers depend. Undaunted, the Maine people who grow wild blueberries turned to the east to find new markets for their crop. In addition to promoting wild blueberries in South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia, they developed China's nearly 1.4 billion-person market. In recent years, the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission spent more than half of its export budget on cultivating Chinese consumers. The Commission's investment in China yielded promising results. Between 2014 and 2017, Maine wild blueberry exports to China quadrupled, reaching $2.5 million in 2017. All signs indicated that the Chinese export market would continue to expand rapidly. Then, in 2018, the Trump Administration caused Maine wild blueberry producers to all but forfeit the investment of time and treasure that they had made in growing their Chinese business. Today, China assesses an 80 percent retaliatory tariff on frozen wild blueberry imports from the United States. As of September, Maine blueberry farmers have sent only $61,000 of their crop to China this year. If the trend continues through this month, the President's trade war will lead to a 96.75 percent decrease in the value of my state's wild blueberry exports to China since 2017. Maine's wild blueberry export crop is not the only agricultural product that the Administration's Chinese trade policies have harmed. Wheat, soybean, and cranberry farmers also have seen dramatic declines in their Chinese sales. Unlike wild blueberry producers, however, those who grow these agricultural products have enjoyed the benefits of an unprecedented farm bailout, which has ballooned to almost triple the size of the 2009 automobile bailout. The most recent farm bailout round has seen several farms receive $1 million in direct payments from the Department of Agriculture, and at least 45 farms have received payments of $500,000. Meanwhile, wild blueberry growers have received no additional federal trade mitigation assistance to compensate them for the substantial losses that President Trump's trade war with China has caused them. The Administration knows that Maine wild blueberry producers are suffering. On July 15, I wrote with the Maine Congressional Delegation to Under Secretary Northey. In our letter, we said that wild blueberry growers have faced tremendous strain due to ongoing trade retaliation and requested that the USDA take every appropriate action, in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, to include wild blueberries within the Market Facilitation Program. Knowing that the trade war had eviscerated wild blueberry exports to China, the Administration failed to provide a cent of funding to help these hardworking Mainers open new export markets. Instead, the USDA suggested that the wild blueberry growers seek assistance through continued involvement in the Food Purchase and Distribution Program, which purchases excess supply to distribute for school lunch programs and other nutrition assistance programs. Additionally, the USDA stated that frozen wild blueberries had already frequently benefited through Section 32 Program Bonus Buy program. However, as the USDA is distinctly aware, neither of these programs directly finance the growers themselves. The USDA's reason for denying Market Facilitation Program (MFP) funding for wild blueberries is plainly spurious. Cranberries also are eligible for USDA school lunch and food bank purchases. Yet, a cranberry grower with a 100-acre cranberry bog is eligible for up to $64,113 in MFP payments while a Maine wild blueberry grower with a 100-acre barren is not eligible to receive a single penny in MFP assistance. I know Maine wild blueberry producers. Like their hearty plants, wild blueberry growers are tenacious, and they love the land that their families have tended for generations. They will prevail over the harsh trade environment that the Administration has created, but only after suffering enormous and unnecessary hardship. You can and should improve the business climate for the Maine people who grow wild blueberries. Especially given the President's recent announcement that the Chinese trade war may extend beyond the 2020 election, I urge you to include wild blueberries in the MFP program today; to resolve the trade war with China quickly; and to fairly, transparently, and rationally administer agricultural assistance programs meant to compensate producers for the trade war losses that this Administration has caused.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-criticizes-military-housing-contractors-not-providing-safe-units-for-all-servicemembers-and-families,King Criticizes Military Housing Contractors Not Providing Safe Units for Servicemembers and Families,2019-12-03,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pressed top military officials to explain and resolve severe shortcomings by contractors that create unsafe living conditions for some American servicemembers and their families. At bases nationwide, military spouses and servicemembers have reported harmful, dangerous living conditions in privatized, on-base housing including mold contamination, dangerous temperatures, and pest infestations. Senator King's remarks came during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee that featured top military leaders. During the hearing, he underscored the importance of proper enforcement of housing contracts and greater accountability within the military chain of command. Senator King had previously emphasized these challenges at a March hearing, urging the military to designate a position to be fully responsible for the enforcement of these housing contracts. I can't believe the basic requirement of that contract wasn't safe and healthy, habitable units, said Senator King. I don't think [contractors] should be paid even the basic rent if they're not renting safe and habitable units forget about incentives My experience in this kind of work is that implementation is as important as vision. And my sense is there are differences in the contracts, but there are basic provisions that they have to be safe and healthy, they have to meet codes, and that, I believe, not having seen the contracts myself, but I believe that this is really mostly an implementation problem. And then my question is: who's in charge? Is it the base commander? Is it a base housing officer? Is it the Secretary of the Navy? Is it the Secretary of Defense? There's got to be somebody who can be held accountable here in what looks like endemic non-enforcement. Witnesses before the Senate Armed Services Committee today include Elizabeth Field, Director, Defense Capabilities And Management, Government Accountability Office; Ryan McCarthy, Secretary Of The Army; Thomas Modly, Acting Secretary Of The Navy; Barbara Barrett, Secretary Of The Air Force; General James McConville, Chief Of Staff Of The Army; Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief Of Naval Operations; General David Berger, Commandant Of The Marine Corps; General David Goldfein, Chief Of Staff Of The Air Force.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-november-podcast-senator-king-discusses-urgency-of-cybersecurity-with-best-selling-author-david-sanger,"In November Podcast, Senator King Discusses Urgency of Cybersecurity with Best-Selling Author David Sanger",2019-12-02,2019,2019-12,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the November edition of Senator King's Inside Maine podcast, focusing on the threats that cyberattacks pose to America's national security. In this episode, Senator King welcomed David Sanger, an award winning journalist and best-selling author, to discuss the rise of cyberthreats as both an important military consideration and a serious security concern. Senator King is a leading voice on cybersecurity issues in the Senate and co-chairs the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan effort that brings together Congressional, executive, and civilian leaders to build consensus on a strategic approach to defending the United States in cyberspace. The rise of the internet has drastically changed nearly every aspect of society, including the way we fight wars, said Senator King. As one of the most connected nations in the world, America is asymmetrically vulnerable to cyberattacks. We need to respond accordingly, by enhancing our cybercapabilities and establishing a set of policies that deter bad actors from launching attacks. David Sanger is one of the most thoughtful voices on the set of challenges posed by cyber, and it was a pleasure to talk to him about what we're up against and how best to defend ourselves. David E. Sanger is a national security correspondent and a senior writer at the New York Times. His newest book, The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage and Fear in the Cyber Age, examines the emergence of cyberconflict as the primary way large and small states are competing and undercutting each other, changing the nature of global power. Mr. Sanger is also the author oftwo Times bestsellers on foreign policy and national security: The Inheritance:The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges toAmerican Power,published in 2009, and Confront and Conceal: Obama's Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power, published in 2012. During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for functional and effective cyberpolicy, and deterring cyberattacks on American elections and everyday life. Senator King and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced theSecuring Energy Infrastructure Act, which waspassed by the House of Representatives in Julyas part of their version of the NDAA. The legislation alsopassed the Senatein the upper chamber's version of the NDAA, and is expected to be included in the final bill once it passes through the House/Senate conference process. In late May, Senator King alsocosponsoredtheElection Security Act, which would require voter-verifiable backup paper ballots and provide election security grants to states for cyber improvements and audits. Earlier that month, he highlighted thefactors that could lead to election cybersecurity issues to members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the commission who provide best practices when certifying voting machines. In March, Senator King sent aletterto the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requesting information about NERC's efforts to protect the United States' bulk power system from supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly those posed by vendors from Russia and China. In a February hearing, Senator King emphasizedthe need for urgent action, and questioned NERC President and CEO James Robb about the dangers of foreign equipment in America's energy grid. To listen to the November edition of Senator King's podcast click HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/must-read-vermont-seniors-face-high,Must Read: Vermont seniors face high rates of financial insecurity,2019-11-29,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Must Read: Vermont seniors face high rates of financial insecurity By: Xander Landen; VT Digger Friday, November 29, 2019 Seniors in Vermont face one of the highest rates of financial insecurity in the nation, according to areport released by UMass Boston this month. According to the report, 31% of seniors over the age of 65 who live alone, and 43% of elderly couples, don't make enough income to meet the cost of basic needs, even though they are above the federal poverty line. The report, which analyzed federal data on the costs of housing, health care, transportation, food, and other goods in all 50 states found Vermont ranks first in the nation for the highest rate of economic insecurity for older couples, and third for singles. Elderly Vermont couples who rent need an annual income of $43,000 and singles who rent need about $30,000 a year to meet basic living expenses, according to the report. Additional datacouples in Vermont that own a home without a mortgage should have an annual income of about $41,000, which is 130% higher than the national average. Jan Mutchler, a professor of gerontology at UMass Boston and the author of the report, said the higher costs of health care and housing in Vermont are part of what makes it difficult for seniors to afford living in the state. On average, she found that with the cost of Medicare, supplemental health plans, co-payments, and drug costs, elderly Vermonters typically spend $586 a month on health care. The U.S. average is $395 per month. Angela Smith-Dieng, the director of the State Unit on Aging at the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), said she was struck by how the study highlighted the seniors who are above the poverty line but still in that gap where they're struggling to meet the cost of living in our state. Typically there's so much focus on reducing poverty and when we only look at poverty levels, we're missing a lot of folks who are living above that threshold but still struggling, Smith-Dieng said. Greg Marchildon, the state director of the Vermont AARP, said many Vermonters live on Social Security benefits, which haven't increased significantly at the federal level in several years, despite rising costs of living. Marchildon said that to address the problem, officials at the federal level should increase retirement benefits and help curb the rising costs of drug prices. At the state level, he says Vermont needs to invest more in affordable housing for seniors and should completely eliminate the tax on Social Security benefits. To read full article, click here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/sanders-and-khanna-partner-to-end-yemen-war,Sanders and Khanna Partner to End Yemen War,2019-11-27,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders and Khanna Partner to End Yemen War Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) made history in 2019 by passing the first-ever War Powers Resolution to end U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led assault on Yemen. In the wake of Trump's veto, they are partnering to prohibit all funding for that war in the 2020 Pentagon spending authorization.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-launches-tenth-annual-state-of-the-union-essay-contest,Sanders Launches Tenth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest,2019-11-26,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders Launches Tenth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest Tuesday, November 26, 2019 BURLINGTON, Vt., Nov. 26 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has launched his tenth annual State of the Union essay contest. Each January, the President of the United States delivers the State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress, which outlines priorities for the coming year. Because Senator Sanders knows that great ideas come from every corner of our country, he created the State of the Union Essay Contest for Vermont high school students to describe a major issue facing our country and propose what they would do to solve that problem. The 250-500 word essays can be on any issue of national importance. A volunteer panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays on the students' ability to articulate an issue and propose a solution, without regard to the students' political views. Sanders will enter the essays of the ten finalists into the Congressional Record the official archive of the U.S. Congress. He will also invite the ten finalists to be interviewed about their essay topic, so their voices and perspectives can be included in his official videos and social media. I started this essay contest 10 years ago to help our students be actively engaged, no matter where they stand on the issues, said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee. We need our students to help find solutions for the problems that face our country as they are our future leaders. More than 4,000 students from high schools throughout Vermont have written essays in the past nine years about critically important issues, including climate change, access to mental health care, the rising cost of college, and much, much more. Last year, Firdaus Muhammad from Winooski High School was selected as the winner from 590 submissions for her essay on Islamophobia. The deadline for student essay submissions is Jan. 8, 2020. More information can be found on Sanders' Senate webpage athttp://www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/or by calling (800) 339-9834.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/sanders-launches-tenth-annual-state-of-the-union-essay-contest,Sanders Launches Tenth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest,2019-11-26,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders Launches Tenth Annual State of the Union Essay Contest Tuesday, November 26, 2019 BURLINGTON, Vt. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) launched his tenth annual State of the Union essay contest on Friday. Each January, the President of the United States delivers the State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress, which outlines priorities for the coming year. Because Senator Sanders knows that great ideas come from every corner of our country, he created the State of the Union Essay Contest for Vermont high school students to describe a major issue facing our country and propose what they would do to solve that problem. The 250-500 word essays can be on any issue of national importance. A volunteer panel of Vermont teachers will judge the essays on the students' ability to articulate an issue and propose a solution, without regard to the students' political views. Sanders will enter the essays of the ten finalists into the Congressional Record the official archive of the U.S. Congress. He will also invite the ten finalists to be interviewed about their essay topic, so their voices and perspectives can be included in his official videos and social media. I started this essay contest 10 years ago to help our students be actively engaged, no matter where they stand on the issues, said Sanders, who serves on the Senate education committee. We need our students to help find solutions for the problems that face our country as they are our future leaders. More than 4,000 students from high schools throughout Vermont have written essays in the past nine years about critically important issues, including climate change, access to mental health care, the rising cost of college, and much, much more. Last year, Firdaus Muhammad from Winooski High School was selected as the winner from 590 submissions for her essay on Islamophobia. The deadline for student essay submissions is Jan. 8, 2020. More information can be found on Sanders' Senate webpage athttp://www.sanders.senate.gov/stateoftheunion/ or by calling (800) 339-9834.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-over-21-million-to-support-rural-telemedicine-and-education,"Senators Collins, King Announce Over $2.1 Million to Support Rural Telemedicine and Education",2019-11-25,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program has awarded a total of $2,181,629 to several rural healthcare organizations and educational institutions throughout Maine. The funds will help six Maine organizations expand their online services, allowing them to reach more Maine people. In the 21st century, the internet creates new opportunities for Maine people to access vital health treatments or pursue their education, no matter where they live, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. These funds will expand the reach of key programs that improve health outcomes and open doors for rural Maine people, providing a welcome boost for communities across our state. The funding is awarded as follows: Androscoggin Home has received $215,900 to purchase 250 new telemonitoring devices which will benefit 180 communities across nine counties. MaineHealth has received $473,739 to create a telemedicine network to treat opioid disorders experienced by women and infants in rural Maine. Children's Center has received $300,818 to go towards funding a new telemedicine project that will use tablets to create a technology library. The library will be available to families within a 120-mile radius of the Children's Center Augusta or at the two designated end-user sites at the Children's Center Farmington and Children's Center Skowhegan. The project will serve 202,572 individuals.Northern Light Health has received $191,496 to implement a telemedicine project in six hospitals. The project will serve 54,333 residents.Western Foothills Reg. School Unit #10 has received $499,676 to enable RSU 10 to implement a distance learning project to receive and distribute advanced classes. All schools will be linked to opioid and behavioral health support. An estimated 25,703 individuals will benefit.University of Maine System has received $500,000 to upgrade distance learning technology. The University will provide teaching services to students in rural Maine. Over 29,000 students will be served. The USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program provides grants to encourage and improve telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas through the use of telecommunications, computer networks, and related advanced technologies to be used by students, teachers, medical professionals, and rural residents.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-from-senator-sanders-on-the-passing-of-jake-burton-carpenter,Statement from Senator Sanders on the Passing of Jake Burton Carpenter,2019-11-22,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Statement from Senator Sanders on the Passing of Jake Burton Carpenter Friday, November 22, 2019 BURLINGTON, Nov. 22 Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today issued following the statement: ""With the loss of Jake Burton, the state of Vermont has lost one its greatest entrepreneurs, the individual who created the entire international snowboard industry. Jake's initiatives have created many hundreds of jobs in Vermont, have brought tens of thousands of snowboarders to our mountains and brought joy and excitement to millions throughout the world. Jane and I and our children, some of whom worked for Burton Snowboards, extend our condolences to Donna and the entire family.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/during-healthcare-enrollment-period-king-seeking-improved-consumer-protections-surrounding-junk-plans,"During Healthcare Enrollment Period, King Seeking Improved Consumer Protections Surrounding “Junk Plans”",2019-11-22,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined a group of 23 Senators in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), requesting they address their apparent efforts to promote junk plans, insurance plans that lack protections for people with pre-existing conditions and would increase costs for millions of Americans. In their letter, the Senators draw attention to the fact that the HealthCare.gov website is now directing consumers during the ongoing Affordable Care Act (ACA) Open Enrollment period to junk plans through third-party brokers, with little to no information about the lack of coverage provided by these so-called short-term plans. We are extremely concerned that the increased availability of junk plans and lack of oversight by CMS will cause consumers who believe they are purchasing ACA-compliant health plans to inadvertently sign-up for junk plan coverage that is less comprehensive and could expose them to higher out-of-pocket costs, wrote the Senators. Americans who purchase these junk plans risk being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions and left vulnerable to unexpected gaps in coverage and massive medical bills in the case of health care emergencies. Short-term, limited-duration insurance plans were never intended to be an alternative to comprehensive health coverage and pose dangerous risks for consumers. In 2018, the Trump Administration expanded the maximum coverage duration for junk plans from 90 days to 364 days, allowing for these plans to be easily confused with year-round comprehensive coverage that meets the ACA's standards. The Trump Administration has also encouraged states to apply for waivers from the ACA that would allow for the ACA's premium tax credits to be used to subsidize junk plan coverage. Senator King is a vocal proponent of efforts to protect and improve the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of Americans access healthcare, including cosponsoring and voting for legislation seeking to overturn the Administration's rule allowing for the expansion of junk plans. On November 1st, the beginning of the ACA's Open Enrollment period, Senator King joined Maine healthcare providers and advocates at the Greater Portland Health Clinic to urge Maine people to sign up for healthcare. In May, heannounced his supportfor a Senate resolution rejecting the Department of Justice's (DOJ)decisionto uphold a Texas Federal Judge'srulingthat deems the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. In July 2018, Senator King joined a group of his colleagues to introduce a resolution that would haveauthorized the Senate Legal Counsel to interveneinTexas v. United States, and in December 2018 he joined a group of Senate colleagues to call on President Trump tocondemnthe resulting decision in the case. He has also fought the Administration'svarious attempts to sabotage the health care lawand met with Maine people around the state todiscuss the ACA's importance to their lives. The full letter the letter can read below or downloaded HERE. +++ The Honorable Randy Pate Deputy Administrator and Director Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 200 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20201 The Honorable Joanne Chiedi Acting Inspector General U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Director Pate and Acting Inspector General Chiedi: As the Open Enrollment period for health insurance coverage for 2020 continues, we write to express concern regarding the increased promotion of short-term, limited-duration insurance plans, also known as junk plans, to consumers seeking coverage on the federal Health Insurance Marketplaces. We are concerned that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is not only failing to conduct sufficient oversight to protect customers, but is actively emailing consumers to encourage them to obtain coverage through third-party agents and brokers instead of the HealthCare.gov website. These brokers often have significant incentives to enroll consumers in junk plans instead of comprehensive coverage that meets the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) coverage and pre-existing condition protection standards. We are extremely concerned that the increased availability of junk plans and lack of oversight by CMS will cause consumers who believe they are purchasing ACA-compliant health plans to inadvertently sign-up for junk plan coverage that is less comprehensive and could expose them to higher out-of-pocket costs. Americans who purchase these junk plans risk being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions and left vulnerable to unexpected gaps in coverage and massive medical bills in the case of health care emergencies. Short-term, limited-duration insurance plans were never intended to be an alternative to comprehensive health coverage and pose dangerous risks for consumers. In 2018, the Trump Administration expanded the maximum coverage duration for junk plans from 90 days to 364 days, allowing for these plans to be easily confused with year-round comprehensive coverage that meets the ACA's standards. The Trump Administration has also encouraged states to apply for waivers from the ACA that would allow for the ACA's premium tax credits to be used to subsidize junk plan coverage. Insurance brokers are now aggressively marketing junk plans to consumersincluding consumers who come to the HealthCare.gov portal seeking comprehensive coverage and then click on links that re-direct them to web brokers and phone-based broker services. Commissions that these brokers receive for enrolling a customer in a junk plan are often up to four times as high as the commissions that brokers would receive for enrolling the individual in an ACA-compliant plan. This creates inherent incentives for brokers to push customers to purchase a junk plan, even when tax credits may be available to help defray the cost of an ACA-compliant Marketplace plan. According to data from CMS, nearly 90 percent of Americans shopping for coverage on HealthCare.gov qualify for these tax credits.[1] These online broker sites also fail to sufficiently connect Medicaid-eligible consumers to their state Medicaid agency and can even continue to press a consumer to purchase junk plan coverage after informing the consumer of Medicaid eligibility. Consumers should be able to trust that when using a government-operated platform such as HealthCare.gov, they will not be subject to aggressive or misleading marketing techniques by third-parties that are incentivized to steer individuals to a substandard product. Not only has CMS failed to make consumers aware of the commission payment incentives that exist for brokers to enroll customers in junk plans, but it is also uncertain whether the agency has procedures in place to track what happens to customers who are re-directed to third-party broker sites. It is also unclear what statutory authority CMS relies upon to authorize the re-direction of HealthCare.gov customers toward third-party broker entities that sell ACA-compliant coverage and junk plan coverage on the same platforms. Section 1311(d)(2)(B)(i) of the ACA prohibits an Exchange from taking action to make available any health plan that is not a qualified health plan and does not meet the ACA's coverage standards. By allowing HealthCare.gov customers to be re-directed to third-party brokers that can sell the customer a junk plan during the same interaction, the federal Exchange would appear to be making available health plans that are not qualified health plans under the ACA. By using either CMS program management funds or federal Health Insurance Marketplace user fees to support HealthCare.gov functionality that steers customers to brokers that can sell junk plans, CMS could also be violating the federal rules that govern the use of program management funds and user fee dollars.[2] Furthermore, on November 6th and again on November 13th, HealthCare.gov sent an e-mail (see Exhibit 1) to consumers encouraging them to circumvent HealthCare.gov completely and directing them to HelpOnDemand.com, a third-party operated site for connecting agents and brokers with potential customers. We have serious concerns regarding the lack of oversight that CMS has over third-party agents and brokers and the usage of government resources to promote third-party platforms that may encourage junk plan enrollment from HealthCare.gov customers. We ask that you please provide us with a written response to the following questions by no later than December 4, 2019: 1. Please explain the statutory authority that CMS relies upon to direct HealthCare.gov customers to third-party insurance brokers who sell both ACA-compliant qualified health plans and junk plans on the same platform. 2. Please detail the resources that CMS has expended to direct HealthCare.gov customers to third-party insurance brokers who sell both ACA-compliant qualified health plans and junk plans on the same platform, and detail the authority that allows CMS to expend resources in that way. 3. Please provide an accounting of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS budget for advertising or promoting Open Enrollment. 4. Please provide the total number of consumers who received the November 6, 2019 and November 13, 2019 e-mails sent by HHS promoting the use of HealthOnDemand.com (see Exhibit 1). Please provide an estimate of the number of recipients who accessed HelpOnDemand.com through the November 6th and November 13th e-mails. 5. Please detail the policies and procedures implemented by CMS to ensure that agents and brokers comply with the guidelines established in the CMS-approved vendor training that they are required to complete in order to sell insurance through HealthCare.gov. How does CMS ensure that agents or brokers using third-party sites such as HelpOnDemand.com remain in compliance with the HealthCare.gov vendor training? 6. Please describe what controls CMS has implemented toensure that consumers who qualify for cost-sharing subsidies or are eligible for enrollment in Medicaid or Medicare are properly informed of their eligibility if they are directed away from HealthCare.gov and attempt to enroll in coverage through third-party sites such as HelpOnDemand.com. We are calling on HHS and CMS to take action to limit the availability of junk plans and take steps to ensure that consumers using HealthCare.gov are being offered comprehensive health insurance, receiving premium tax credits, and being enrolled in Medicaid, if eligible. Furthermore, CMS should take action to hold insurance brokers accountable when they mislead HealthCare.gov customers and misrepresent junk plans as safe alternatives to ACA-complaint health insurance coverage. During this year's Open Enrollment period, it is essential that you act fast in order to protect consumers. [1] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Plan Year 2020 Qualified Health Plan Choice and Premiums in HealthCare.gov States, October 22, 2019 [2] See Affordable Care Act section 1311(b); See also Anti-Deficiency Act (Pub. L. 97-258) and OMB User Fee Circular (Circular No. A-25 Revised).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-over-29-million-to-community-health-centers-throughout-rural-maine,"Collins, King Announce Over $2.9 Million to Community Health Centers Throughout Rural Maine",2019-11-21,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. On National Rural Health Day, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a total of $2,974,548 in funding to two community health center networks, which will be used to bolster multiple locations in central, western, and northern Maine. Senators Collins and King are avid supporters of community health centers (CHCs) just last month, they joined a bipartisan group of 25 Senators in a push to secure long-term federal funding for CHCs, which is set to expire today. Community health centers are the backbone of Maine's rural healthcare system, providing cost-effective primary and preventive care that is crucial to the wellbeing of more than 200,000 Maine people, said Senator Collins and King in a joint statement. We welcome this grant, and will continue working with our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to push for long-term federal funding that ensures CHCs can continue to provide vital healthcare services to Maine people. Both Senators Collins and King are original cosponsors of the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence (CHIME) Act, which would reauthorize the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) and the National Health Service Corps for five years. Senator Collins has also been a strong advocate for the Lower Health Care Costs Act of 2019, which would reauthorize programs that support access to health care in rural areas, including the Community Health Centers program. CHCs serve approximately 29 million patients at over 10,000 sites in both rural and urban communities in every state in the nation. In 2017, community health centers were the medical home for one in twelve Americans, one in ten children, one in six Americans living in rural areas, and more than 330,000 of our nation's veterans. This funding was awarded through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Health Center Cluster Program at HHS, which is tasked with improving access to health care by building healthy communities, strengthening the health care workforce, and achieving health equity. HRSA's programs target the economic and medically vulnerable as well as the geographically isolated. Specifically, Health Access Network (HAN), headquartered in Lincoln, has received $1,283,092, and Healthreach Community Health Centers, headquartered in Waterville, has received $1,691,456. HAN operates locations in Lincoln, Lee, Medway, Millinocket, and West Enfield. Healthreach Community Health Centers operates locations in Belgrade, Bethel, Bingham, Albion, Madison, Mt. Abram, Rangeley, Richmond, Strong, Sheepscot, and Livermore Falls.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-cosponsors-bill-to-expand-telehealth-services-in-rural-maine,King Cosponsors Bill to Expand Telehealth Services in Rural Maine,2019-11-21,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he is cosponsoring the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, a bipartisan bill that would expand telehealth services through Medicare, improve health outcomes, make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors, and help cut costs for patients and providers. As one of the oldest and most rural states in the nation, Maine faces unique challenges when it comes to connecting our citizens with vital healthcare services, said Senator King. Telehealth can mitigate some of these challenges, bridging the distance between older Maine people and their healthcare providers without forcing them to drive long distances. This technology has the potential to transform healthcare in our state, and it is vitally important for Congress to keep pace with the advances in telehealth so we can improve the health of Maine people. According to studies, telehealth has been shown to improve care and patient satisfaction while reducing hospitalizations. The CONNECT for Health Act builds on the progress made in recent years to increase the use of telehealth through Medicare, and: Provides the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the authority to waive telehealth restrictions when necessary;Removes geographic and originating site restrictions for services like mental health and emergency medical care;Allows rural health clinics and other community-based health care centers to provide telehealth services; andRequires a study to explore more ways to expand telehealth services so that more people can access healthcare services in their own homes. During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for healthcare in rural areas that is accessible and affordable. In October, he held a panel discussion in Bangor with local healthcare providers and public wellness experts on the best ways to use prevention strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. In late July, he joined a bipartisan group of senators to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to delay their proposed Rural Health Care (RHC) Program report and order to better address the concerns of rural healthcare providers and medical communities. In theJune edition of his Inside Maine podcast, Senator King welcomed both U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kris Doody, CEO of Cary Medical Center to discuss rural healthcare policy and ways to improve access to care across the country. Last year, Senator King and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine)applaudeda draft proposal from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai that significantly increased funding for the Universal Service Fund's Rural Health Care (RHC) Program. This increase in the RHC funding cap followed bipartisan letters Senator King led calling for the RHC program to bemodernizedandstrengthened. Also in the 115th Congress, Senator King cosponsored legislation such as theRural Emergency Acute Care Hospital Act, thePreserve Access to Medicare Rural Home Health Service Act, and theRural Hospital Access Act, all of which work to better healthcare services in Maine and the United States. Digital connectivity in rural regions is a key priority ofSenator King's economic agenda and rural broadband roadmap, to help modernize and grow Maine's rural economy, support innovation, and create jobs. In July, he cosponsored theBroadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (DATA) Act, which will increase the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) broadband availability maps by improving the process by which broadband data is collected. In May, Senators King and Capito reintroduced legislation tomeasure the economic impact of broadbandso state and federal policymakers can understand the return they will receive on any investments in digital infrastructure. The legislation had previouslypassed the Senate in December, but was not taken up by the House.In April, Senator King joined his colleagues to introducelegislation to promote digital equityso Americans of all background can have equal access to the opportunities created by the internet. In addition to Senator King, the bipartisan bill is supported by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-seeking-further-bipartisan-progress-on-criminal-justice-reform,King Seeking Further Bipartisan Progress on Criminal Justice Reform,2019-11-20,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to support the Smarting Sentencing Act, bipartisan legislation aiming to modernize federal drug sentencing policies by reducing mandatory minimum penalties for certain nonviolent drug offenses. Under our current criminal justice system, nonviolent offenders spend decades in prison, drawing much-needed law enforcement and taxpayer dollars from other priorities. Enacting last year's FIRST Step Act into law was a good start but there's still work to be done, said Senator King. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all' approach to sentencing, let's advance this bipartisan work to apply our criminal justice resources wisely and make sure that punishments that fit the crime. Senator King cosponsored the initial version of the Smarter Sentencing Act in the previous Congress, which included several important provisions enacted into law last year as part of the landmark First Step Act, which Senator King also cosponsored. Today's legislation would enact the central remaining provision of the original 2018 bill: reducing mandatory minimum penalties for certain nonviolent drug offenses. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that implementation of this provision would save taxpayers approximately $3 billion over ten years. Senator King has also previously cosponsored the Second Chance Act Reauthorization Act, which funds programs to assist with successful prisoner reentry into society.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/sanders-to-hold-senior-holiday-dinners,Sanders to Hold Senior Holiday Dinners,2019-11-19,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders to Hold Senior Holiday Dinners Tuesday, November 19, 2019 BURLINGTON, Vt. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced on Tuesday that his office will again organize six senior holiday dinners throughout Vermont in December. The meals are an opportunity for seniors to come together, enjoy a holiday meal, and hear music from local student choirs. The meals will be held in Barre, Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington, Rutland and St. Johnsbury. Seating is limited and RSVPs are required. St. Johnsbury Senior Holiday Dinner When: Friday, December 6 at 12:00 pm Where: St. Johnsbury House; 1207 Main Street; St. Johnsbury Details: RSVP by Wednesday, December 4 to Senator Sanders' Office at 800-339-9834 (toll-free) or 802-862-0697 Bennington Senior Holiday Dinner When: Friday, December 6 at 12:00 pm Where: St. Peter's Episcopal Church Parish Hall; 200 Pleasant Street; Bennington Details: RSVP by Wednesday, November 27 to Meals on Wheels of Bennington County at 802-442-8012 ext. 2 Burlington Senior Holiday Dinner When: Sunday, December 8 at 12:00 pm Where: Hilton Hotel; 60 Battery Street; Burlington Details: RSVP by Tuesday, December 3 to Senator Sanders' Office at 800-339-9834 (toll-free) or 802-862-0697 Rutland Senior Holiday Dinner When: Thursday, December 12 at 12:00 pm Where: Godnick Adult Center; 1 Deer Street; Rutland Details: RSVP by Monday, December 9 to the Godnick Adult Center at 802-773-1853 Barre Senior Holiday Dinner When: Friday, December 13 at 12:00 pm Where: Canadian Club; 414 East Montpelier Road; Barre Details: RSVP by Tuesday, December 10 to Senator Sanders' Office at 800-339-9834 (toll-free) or 802-862-0697 Brattleboro Senior Holiday Dinner When: Thursday, December 19 at 12:00 pm Where: Brattleboro Senior Center; 207 Main Street; Brattleboro Details: RSVP starting Friday, November 29 and ending on Friday, December 13 to the Brattleboro Senior Center at 802-257-7570 or 802-257-1236",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-bill-to-reduce-energy-costs-boost-maine-economy-passes-key-senate-committee,"King Bill to Reduce Energy Costs, Boost Maine Economy Passes Key Senate Committee",2019-11-19,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Support Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee where he serves. The bill would support businesses seeking to invest in energy efficiency technology, diversify energy options for rural industries, and maximize the value of Maine's natural resources. U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) is an original cosponsor of this legislation, which will now advance to the Senate floor for consideration. This bill highlights Maine ingenuity and innovation by developing the best ways to make use of our natural resources to bolster rural economies, encourage energy efficiency, and reduce energy costs,said Senator King, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.The CHP Support Act designates Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships , like the Northeast regional TAP at the University of Maine, to help businesses invest in CHP and provide new low-cost energy sources to Maine consumers.Developing cleaner power in a way that supports rural economies should not be a partisan issue today's committee vote is a win for Maine's economy, and I look forward to its consideration on the Senate floor. Combined heat and power systems are cost-effective and environmentally friendly sources of energy that have proven to help businesses cut electricity and heating bills, said Senator Collins. Our bill to reauthorize the Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership Program would provide businesses with the information they need to install these highly efficient systems. The Combined Heat and Power Alliance applauds the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for passing bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Department of Energy Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships. said David Gardiner, Executive Director of the Combined Heat and Power Alliance. This legislation will advance combined heat and power, which will reduce energy use, increase economic competitiveness, enhance resilience, and reduce emissions for the nation's hospitals, universities, and manufacturing sites. We thank Senator King for his leadership and continuing support for this important and timely legislation. The CHP Support Act reauthorizes and funds the CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAP) program for the next five years a program that has helped multiple Maine businesses install energy-efficient CHP equipment and save on energy costs. The CHP TAP program enables higher education research centers to provide assistance and analysis for any business looking to invest in CHP technology and has supported a wide range of businesses throughout the country. In addition to the Combined Heat and Power Alliance, other organizations that have expressed support for this legislation include the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Senator King originallyintroduced the CHP Act in 2017, after he hosted aSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee field hearing at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont. The field hearing included witnesses from the Maine forest products and energy industries as well as the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Office in the Department of Energy (DOE). During the hearing, Senator King's committee colleagues identified opportunities to use new energy-efficient technologies to sustain and strengthen rural industries. Following the event, the University of Maine was designated as a regional CHP TAP institution by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in November 2017. Senators King and Collins are strong supporters of revitalizing Maine's forest economy. In September 2018, Senators Kingand Collins applauded an action plan released by the Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/Maine) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that aims to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/Maine Initiative was funded in part by the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by the Senators in 2016in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. The EDAT recommended the development of markets for forest products residuals including low-value wood in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, and modern thermal systems, and helped Maine's forest industry with feasibility assessments of existing operations to install CHP technology as a strategy to lower costs through generating onsite power",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-committee-passes-kings-restore-our-parks-act-to-address-national-park-service-maintenance-backlog,Senate Committee Passes King’s “Restore Our Parks Act” to Address National Park Service Maintenance Backlog,2019-11-19,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, cast his vote along with many of his Committee colleagues on both sides of the aisle in support of the Restore Our Parks Act as it passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator King introduced the bill earlier this year with U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.); it would address the nearly $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog at the National Park Service (NPS) via revenues from natural resource development projects on federal lands. The bill has beenpraisedby key stakeholders, such as the National Park Foundation and Friends of Acadia.In addition to the Restore Our Parks Act, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was permanently reauthorized as part of the public lands package in early March. Today's committee vote represents an important, bipartisan step towards establishing lasting protections for our National Parks, and preserving these treasures for our children and grandchildren, said Senator King. From Acadia to Zion, the National Park System captures America's diverse natural beauty and is a proud reminder of our country's dedication to preserving public land for all its citizens. As President Theodore Roosevelt once said, There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy, and its charm.' We have a collective responsibility to maintain this spirit of the wilderness in our National Parks and this starts with the $12 billion maintenance backlog. Stewardship of our public lands is not a partisan issue, which is why I'm pleased that the Restore Our Parks Act passed our Committee with strong bipartisan support. The two bipartisan bills advanced by the Committee today will help to ensure both current and future generations can enjoy the pristine beauty of our natural resources in Maine and across the county, said Senator Collins. By building on the accomplishment of permanently reauthorizing LWCF earlier this year, this legislation to provide guaranteed funding will preserve our country's most successful conservation and outdoor recreation program. In addition, the Restore Our Parks Act will help the National Park Service accommodate the millions of visitors to Acadia and other cherished national parks by providing much-needed funding to repair roads and trails and for other maintenance projects. I urge our colleagues to join us in this effort to protect our nation's natural treasures for the benefit of all Americans. The Restore Our Parks Act represents a significant investment in our national parks, which reflect all that we love and cherish as a nation, said Will Shafroth, President and CEO, National Park Foundation. As these places face increasedvisitationand aging infrastructure, this bill will help protect our parks'natural grandeur, expansive history, and rich cultural heritage.The National Park Foundation applauds bill champions Senator Lamar Alexander, Senator Angus King, Senator Rob Portman, and Senator Mark Warner for their unwavering support. We commend Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources Chairman Lisa Murkowski and Ranking Member Joe Manchin for holding today's markup and their shared commitment to addressing our parks' deferred maintenance needs. As the Foundation continues to enhance the national park visitor experience through philanthropicsupport, we look forward to the legislation's timely consideration on the Senate floor."" Deferred maintenance is a huge challenge for our national parks and the problem grows every day we don't do something about it, said David MacDonald, President of Friends of Acadia. Acadia National Park, which hosts 3.5 million visits annually, has more than $65 million of delayed repairs to trails, roads, bridges, water systems, and buildings that are critical to the public's enjoyment of the park. The Restore Our Parks Act would allow timely investments in parks like Acadia to ensure that they remain national treasures and local economic generators now and in the future. TheRestore Our Parks Act is supported by a bipartisan group of 44 Senators and the Interior Department,and would establish the National Park Service Legacy Restoration Fund to reduce the maintenance backlog by allocating existing revenues the government receives from on and offshore energy development. This funding would come from 50 percent of all revenues that are not otherwise allocated and deposited into the General Treasury not to exceed $1.3 billion each year for the next five years. This consensus legislation has been praised by witnesses at aSubcommittee on National Parks hearing last Julyand has the support of key Administration officials, including the Interior Secretary. In addition, in September 2018Senator King joined Acting NPS Director Dan Smithon a tour of Acadia National Park to assess the park's critical maintenance need; the backlog at Acadia alone is estimated to be approximately $60 million. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Permanent Funding Act was introduced in April by Senators King, Susan Collins (R-Maine) and a bipartisan group of 12 of their Senate colleagues. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is known within Congress as a champion of efforts to preserve, protect, and promote America's national parks and public lands. In today's hearing, Senator King lauded the work of LWCF, stating LWCF, the premiere land conservation program in the country. The fact that after all these years, I think it's about 60 years, we're finally getting to the place where the funding, which by the way is from the revenues it's not from tax revenues, it's from the revenues from mineral extraction, and therefore makes so much sense.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/with-funding-deadline-approaching-senators-king-rounds-lead-effort-to-support-seasonal-businesses,"With Funding Deadline Approaching, Senators King, Rounds Lead Effort to Support Seasonal Businesses",2019-11-19,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) led a bipartisan group of 30 colleagues in sending a letter to the Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee urging them to provide H-2B visa cap relief for seasonal employers in any funding agreement. In the letter, the senators stress that there are not enough U.S. workers qualified and available to meet the seasonal demand for employment and that these seasonal positions support the jobs of thousands of American citizens. The shortage of U.S. workers during the last several years has demonstrated that without needed guest workers, seasonal businesses are simply unable to meet their staffing needs. They have been forced to limit hours of operation, turn away customers, scale back service, and cancel capital equipment purchases, wrote the senators. In some cases, businesses were forced to lay off Americans whose jobs are supported by H-2B workersor shut down their operations entirely. Seasonal businesses need meaningful and lasting cap relief so they can continue to contribute to the economy and create full-time, year-round work for Americans. According to the American Enterprise Institute, every H-2B worker is estimated to create and sustain 4.64 American jobs. In a strong economy with record-low unemployment, the H-2B program's congressionally mandated cap of 66,000 visas is inadequate to meet the labor needs of seasonal businesses. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) continues to report that the number of job openings actually exceeds the labor pool. Meaningful cap relief is needed to allow our seasonal businesses to supplement their workforce in the growing number of instances when Americans are not available to fill temporary positions. In addition to Senators King and Rounds, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.). The full letter can be downloaded HERE, or read below. +++ The Honorable Mitch McConnell The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader Minority Leader U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Richard Shelby The Honorable Patrick Leahy Chairman Vice Chairman Senate Appropriations Committee Senate Appropriations Committee U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Dear Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Schumer, Chairman Shelby and Vice Chairman Leahy: On behalf of the seasonal employers in our states, we urge you to include H-2B cap relief in a final Fiscal 2020 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill, omnibus appropriations bill or continuing resolution. Without cap relief, many employers and their domestic workforce will continue to suffer drastic economic hardship during their peak seasonal need. The shortage of U.S. workers during the last several years has demonstrated that without needed guest workers, seasonal businesses are simply unable to meet their staffing needs. They have been forced to limit hours of operation, turn away customers, scale back service, and cancel capital equipment purchases. In some cases, businesses were forced to lay off Americans whose jobs are supported by H-2B workersor shut down their operations entirely. Seasonal businesses need meaningful and lasting cap relief so they can continue to contribute to the economy and create full-time, year-round work for Americans. According to the American Enterprise Institute, every H-2B worker is estimated to create and sustain 4.64 American jobs. In a strong economy with record-low unemployment, the H-2B program's congressionally mandated cap of 66,000 visas is inadequate to meet the labor needs of seasonal businesses. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) continues to report that the number of job openings actually exceeds the labor pool. Meaningful cap relief is needed to allow our seasonal businesses to supplement their workforce in the growing number of instances when Americans are not available to fill temporary positions. For context, the FY 2019 first-half cap of 33,000 H-2B workers was met on December 11, 2018. The 33,000 second-half cap was met on February 22, 2019. During Fiscal 2019, DOL certified the need for 150,465 H-2B workers. DOL only issues final labor certifications when it concludes that: There are not sufficient U.S. workers who are qualified and who will be available to perform the temporary services or labor for which an employer desires to hire foreign workers; andThe employment of H-2B workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. On May 8, DHS, in consultation with DOL, released an additional 30,000 visas for returning workers under the discretionary authority provided to it by the Fiscal 2019 Consolidated Appropriations Act. In order to apply for these visas, employers needed to attest to the irreparable harm, or permanent and severe financial losses, that would occur without H-2B workers. While many employers were able to apply for additional H-2B workers under these supplemental visas, they still suffered harmful consequences due to the fact that these workers were needed April 1st and did not arrive well into their peak seasons. Some businesses were not able to access the total number of workers needed due to DHS' requirement that these supplemental visas be limited to returning H-2B workers. Based on current DOL processing statistics we expect the need for seasonal H-2B workers to be the same or greater than Fiscal 2019. We must ensure that businesses that play by the rules are able to access the workforce they need, while also maintaining standards for wages and working conditions. For the H-2B program to be successful, there must be robust enforcement of regulations governing the program so that only those seasonal American businesses that follow the rules have access to the program. We stand ready to work together on important permanent changes to the program going forward, and we urge you to include much-needed cap relief and a returning-worker provision in the FY 2020 DHS Appropriations bill, a continuing resolution or other spending bill. We thank you for your immediate attention to this issue.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-push-for-senate-vote-on-violence-against-women-act-reauthorization,"King, Colleagues Push for Senate Vote on Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization",2019-11-18,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined 46 of his Senate colleagues to introduce a companion version of the House-passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) aiming to strengthen protections for women against domestic violence and sexual assault. The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan basis six months ago, would reauthorize VAWA through 2024, provide critical funding to anti-crime priorities, preserve advancements made in previous reauthorizations, and add a number of improvements to the current law. Violence against women is a nationwide epidemic including in Maine, where more than half of all homicides are directly related to domestic violence, said Senator King. The Violence Against Women Act is one of our nation's most important tools to fight domestic violence and sexual assault, but it has remained unauthorized for nearly a year. That is unacceptable. Standing alongside my colleagues in the Senate, and in solidarity with survivors of domestic and sexual violence, I urge the Majority Leader to bring this bill to the Senate floor for a vote and bipartisan passage. Key provisions in the bill include: Provides services, protection, and justice for young victims of violence, including extending the Rape Prevention and Education grant program, addressing bullying of young people, improving grants focused on prevention education for students and expanding relevant training for school-based and campus health centers.Preserves and expands housing protections for survivors. Protects Native American women by improving tribal access to federal crime information databases and reaffirming tribal criminal jurisdiction over non-Indian perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking for all federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaskan Natives.Provides economic security assistance for survivors by reauthorizing the National Resource Center on Workplace Responses. Protects employees from being fired because they are survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence and protects survivors' eligibility to receive unemployment insurance.Enhances judicial and law enforcement tools through the reauthorization of the Justice Department's STOP Violence Against Women Formula Program, known as the STOP Program. Authorizes the use of STOP Program grants to expand the use of grant funding for programs focused on increasing survivor, law enforcement and community safety; increase legal assistance for dependent children in appropriate circumstances, and develop and enforce firearm surrender policies.Explicitly states that grant recipients are allowed to train staff and others on identifying and stopping discrimination against LGBT individuals. Service providers currently remain uncertain about whether they can use grants to train for this.Reauthorizes and updates the SMART Prevention Program to reduce dating violence, help children who have been exposed to violence and engage men in preventing violence.Expands grants under the Public Health Service Act to support the implementation of training programs to improve the capacity of early childhood programs to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking among the families they serve.Protects the Justice Department's Office on Violence Against Women from being merged or consolidated into any other Justice Department officials.Helps prevent intimate partner homicides by including provisions expanding firearms laws to prohibit persons convicted of dating violence from possessing firearms, prohibiting persons convicted of misdemeanor stalking from possessing firearms and prohibiting individuals subject to ex parte protective orders from possessing firearms.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-collins-king-announce-225000-for-lead-testing-of-drinking-water-at-maine-schools,"Senators Collins, King Announce $225,000 for Lead Testing of Drinking Water at Maine Schools",2019-11-18,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been awarded $225,000 for their Drinking Water Program (DWP) to continue testing the water at schools and child care facilities throughout the state. This Safe Drinking Water Act funding was provided to Maine DHHS by the Environmental Protection Agency. Lead poisoning poses a severe threat to human health, especially to children. Families should not have to be concerned about whether the water fountains at their children's schools are contaminated, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. This funding will help ensure that students throughout Maine have access to safe drinking water while at school. Maine DHHS will use this funding to reduce lead exposure at schools and child care facilities by testing for lead, identifying potential lead sources, and talking action to mitigate the contamination.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-pingree-push-us-trade-representative-on-eu-tariff-relief-for-lobster-industry,"Collins, King, Pingree Push U.S. Trade Representative on EU Tariff Relief for Lobster Industry",2019-11-15,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) urged U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer to continue to prioritize a trade deal with the European Union (E.U.) that would reduce or eliminate E.U. tariffs on Maine lobster. Collins, King, and Pingree have repeatedly pressed the USTR to prioritize lobster in trade negotiations, as the U.S. industry has been adversely impacted by several international trade policies. In response to their advocacy, the USTR has identified lobster tariffs as a key priority for U.S. negotiators. In a recent letter to Amb. Lighthizer, European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrm opted against a U.S. request to reduce tariffs on the product as part of a limited trade deal, preferring to strike a wider agreement. In the letter, the members thank Lighthizer for his efforts and press him to continue his work to reach a deal that opens new markets for Maine's lobster industry. As we stressed to you previously, the current eight percent E.U. tariff on live American lobster puts the Maine lobster industry at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to its Canadian competitor, which enjoys tariff-free access to the E.U. market under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). write Collins, King, and Pingree. Having all but lost the large and growing Chinese export market due to retaliatory Chinese tariffs on American lobster, Maine lobster producers and dealers must find new customers for our state's most iconic product. European buyers would undoubtedly purchase more Maine lobster if, like Canadian lobster, our product entered the E.U. tariff-free. We urge you to continue to strive for the elimination of the E.U. tariff on Maine lobster. Our fishermen and dealers deserve tariff-free access to the European market, and we look forward to continuing our work with you to achieve that goal. Collins, King, and Pingree have repeatedly stood with the lobster industry, which currently faces a number of serious threats including the ongoing trade war with China and potential federal regulations associated with the ongoing North Atlantic right whale take reduction effort. In a February letter, Collins, King, Pingree, and Congressman Jared Golden (D-Maine), asked the USTR to prioritize lobster in negotiations, noting that live lobster exports to China dropped by 64% in the first month after the retaliatory tariffs were imposed. The Maine delegation has also pressed for the Administration to offer funding to help the lobster industry access new markets, and to provide tariff relief to members of the lobster industry affected by the ongoing trade war with China much as American farmers received government support to mitigate negative effects of the China trade war. The full letter can be downloaded HERE or read below. +++ Dear Ambassador Lighthizer: We appreciate your continued advocacy for tariff relief on American lobster in your ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union, as indicated by recent your correspondence with European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrm. Eliminating the E.U. tariff on American lobster would expand a valuable market for Maine lobster producers and dealers. As we stressed to you previously, the current eight percent E.U. tariff on live American lobster puts the Maine lobster industry at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to its Canadian competitor, which enjoys tariff-free access to the E.U. market under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The Canadian industry is poised to reap even greater benefits when the E.U. tariffs on frozen and processed lobster are phased out under CETA, while tariffs ranging from 16 to 20 percent remain on frozen and processed American lobster. Having all but lost the large and growing Chinese export market due to retaliatory Chinese tariffs on American lobster, Maine lobster producers and dealers must find new customers for our state's most iconic product. European buyers would undoubtedly purchase more Maine lobster if, like Canadian lobster, our product entered the E.U. tariff-free. Commissioner Malmstrm indicated in her November 6 to you that the E.U. could certainly address your concerns about E.U. tariffs on products such as lobster, but that given the WTO constraints on bilateral preferences, this should be as part of a wider agreement. While we understand the need for a wider agreement on U.S-E.U. trade, we believe that securing a deal with the E.U. that immediately eliminates E.U. tariffs on Maine lobster should remain a priority. We urge you to continue to strive for the elimination of the E.U. tariff on Maine lobster. Our fishermen and dealers deserve tariff-free access to the European market, and we look forward to continuing our work with you to achieve that goal.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/legislation-cosponsored-by-collins-king-to-combat-plastic-marine-debris-clears-senate-hurdle,"Legislation Cosponsored by Collins, King to Combat Plastic Marine Debris Clears Senate Hurdle",2019-11-15,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King applauded the passage of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. This bipartisan bill, introduced in June, seeks to tackle the problem of plastic waste on a global scale by spurring innovation and finding uses for the plastic waste that already exists to keep it from entering the oceans. The legislation builds on the initial progress made by the Save Our Seas Act, which was signed into law last fall. Countless jobs in Maine and in coastal communities across our country rely on the health of the ocean. The Maine lobster, aquaculture, and tourism industries are among the many critical sectors of our economy that are dependent on Maine's pristine waters, said Senator Collins. I encourage our colleagues to join our efforts to protect our ocean and the sea life that inhabits it by supporting the Save Our Sea 2.0 Act, legislation to help accelerate the removal of plastic waste and prevent future marine debris, protecting this vital resource for generations to come. Maine's waters and Maine's well-being are inextricably linked meaning any threat to our oceans is also a threat to the livelihood of Maine people, said Senator King. This is about protecting our oceans for future generations of Maine people, and I hope to see this legislation continuing to move quickly through the Congress. Roughly eight million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste from land enters the oceans each year. Ninety percent of this plastic enters the oceans from ten rivers, eight of which are in Asia. The plastic breaks down into tiny pieces that can enter the marine food chain and harm fish and wildlife and wash ashore on even the most isolated stretches of coastline. Plastic has been found in areas as remote as the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in the ocean. This week, Senator Collins was honored with the Congressional Champion of 2019 Award from ConservAmerica for her leadership in conservation and clean energy initiatives at the organization's annual dinner. The Save Our Seas 2.0 Act is also cosponsored by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Brian Schatz (D- Hawaii), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-and-ocasio-cortez-announce-the-green-new-deal-for-public-housing-act,Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Announce The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, November 14 Today, at 3 p.m. outside the U.S. Capitol Building, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) will announce the introduction of the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act in partnership with public housing residents, affordable housing advocates, and climate change activists. The sweeping legislation they will unveil aims to retrofit, rehabilitate, and decarbonize the entire nation's public housing stock.The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act invests up to $180 billion over ten years in sustainable retrofits that include all needed repairs, vastly improved health, safety and comfort, and eliminate carbon emissions in our federal public housing. The legislation also provides funding to electrify all buildings, add solar panels, and secure renewable energy sources for all public housing energy needs. The bill dramatically improves living conditions for nearly 2 million people living in roughly 1 million public homes.Faced with the global crisis of climate change, the United States must lead the world in transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel to sustainable energy, said Sanders. But let us be clear: as Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez understands, the Green New Deal is not just about climate change. It is an economic plan to create millions of good-paying jobs, strengthen our infrastructure, and invest in our country's frontline and vulnerable communities. This bill shows that we can address our climate and affordable housing crises by making public housing a model of efficiency, sustainability and resiliency. Importantly, the working people who have been most impacted by decades of disinvestment in public housing will be empowered to lead this effort and share in the economic prosperity that it generates for our country.Climate change represents both a grave threat and a tremendous opportunity, said Ocasio-Cortez. The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act will train and mobilize the workforce to decarbonize the public housing stock and improve the quality of life for all residents. I am proud to begin the hard work of codifying the Green New Deal into law with my friend and colleague, Senator Bernie Sanders.About40 percentof total U.S. energy consumption is attributable to residential and commercial buildings. With its focus on transforming 1 million units of federally owned housing, the Green New Deal for Public Housing Act will spur economies of scale for weatherization, retrofitting, and renewable energy, making them more cost effective and attractive throughout the country. The legislation is expected to createnearly 250,000 good-paying, union jobsper year across the country while reducing carbon emissions on the scale of taking 1.2 million cars off the road over the next ten years. Public housing costs would also be reduced by $97 million per year, or 30 percent, and energy costs would be slashed by $613 million, or 70 percent.The legislation envisions a federal-state partnership, creating new grant programs to swiftly and efficiently transition public housing, tribal housing, and Native Hawaiian housing to zero-carbon, energy efficient housing. The bill creates sustainable communities for families by building new childcare and senior centers, expanding access to clean transit, and creating community gardens and other community amenities. Under the legislation, public housing will receive deep energy retrofits, build community-generated renewable electricity, and upgrade unsafe and unsanitary infrastructure, including buildings' water and electrical systems.The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act requires that the hundreds of thousands of jobs created by this investment be high-road, family-sustaining jobs by requiring strong labor standards, prevailing wages, and Buy America requirements. Public housing residents will lead the decision-making process for these investments and receive jobs training for the newly created jobs from this legislation.The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and endorsed by more than 50organizations.Read the bill summaryhere.Read the legislative texthere.Read a section-by-section overviewhere.Read organizational statements of supporthere.Watch the press conference live at 3 p.m. EThere.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/sanders-and-ocasio-cortez-introduce-the-green-new-deal-for-public-housing,Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Introduce the Green New Deal for Public Housing,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez Introduce the Green New Deal for Public Housing Housing is a human right. If we transform our public housing to energy efficiency, we can begin to address the climate crisis and create thousands of good-paying jobs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/senator-sanders-stands-with-dreamers,Senator Sanders Stands With Dreamers,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Sanders Stands With Dreamers We cannot kick these young people out of the only country they have ever known. See Video on YouTube Tweet Copy Link",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-back-bill-to-support-and-expand-regional-greenhouse-gas-reduction-programs,"Collins, King Back Bill to Support and Expand Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs",2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined a number of their colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to support and expand programs such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a collaborative effort across the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to use market-based tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Specifically, the legislation would establish an Office of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support the establishment of new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs and expand existing programs. There is no doubt that climate change poses a significant threat to our economy and our natural resources, including Maine's forestry, fishing, agricultural, tourism, and recreation industries, said Senator Collins. This significant challenge requires cooperation at all levels of government and across geographical boundaries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This bipartisan bill would add to the work already being done through the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by creating an office within the EPA to strengthen and support new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs. Climate change is a global challenge, but that doesn't mean that the solutions are the same wherever you live, said Senator King. Maine's power needs are different than New Mexico's, so it only makes sense that we would use varied, customized approaches to achieve the same goal. That's where regional-specific programs come in: by working with neighboring states that share energy opportunities and challenges, we can improve collaboration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These programs have already made a major impact in New England; let's give them added support so they can do more good work in the fight against climate change. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act of 2019 would establish an office at the EPA to support the establishment of new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs and expand existing programs. This office would provide analysis and technical assistance to help establish new regional greenhouse gas reduction programs, expand existing programs such as RGGI and the Western Climate Initiative, and support states that are already members of such programs. The bill would also provide grants for state and local governments to take preliminary steps toward developing or participating in a regional greenhouse gas reduction program. This bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.), all of whom represent states currently participating in RGGI, as well as Bob Casey (D-Penn.), whose state has taken steps recently to join the initiative.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-continues-to-stress-need-for-us-to-reenter-paris-climate-agreement,King Continues to Stress Need for U.S. to Reenter Paris Climate Agreement,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) advocated for the United States to reassert its global leadership on climate issues and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement. Senator King's comments came during a hearing in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee featuring testimony from current Acting Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, nominee to be the Secretary of Energy. Senator Barrasso said quote we can't tackle climate change alone', said Senator King, citing comments made moments earlier by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). I couldn't agree with him more. I hope that he'll urge the President to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, which is the only ongoing international effort to deal with this issue. A molecule of greenhouse gas which comes from the United States cause as much of a climate problem as one that comes from China, or India or anywhere else in the world. So, I'm going to speak to Senator Barrasso afterwards; I'm delighted he's taken an interest in this and hope we can get back into our area of global leadership and join the other 197 signatories to the Paris Accord. Later in the hearing, Senator King emphasized to Acting Secretary Brouillette the importance of championing the research done at the Department of Energy (DOE): I don't think there's much more important in what you're doing than research, said Senator King. And we talked a lot about energy independence and the fracking revolution, which as you know was largely supported by research funds from the Department of EnergyI just want to hear you reassure me that your commitment will be strong and vigorous and forward looking research whether it's in the national labs or throughout the department, ARPA-E. These are very important in the national interests in my view. Acting Secretary Brouillette responded to Senator King by agreeing on the importance of research in unlocking next generation energy solutions in storage and renewables. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions wherever they can be found, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency such as theNext Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Actto improve energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient and modern electric grid. At the beginning of November, he joined the bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. In June, Senator King joined his colleagues to introduce the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) Act of 2019, to require electricity providers across the country to increase their supply of renewable energy each year aiming to set a nationwide standard of 50% renewable electricity by 2035.In a May hearing, Senator King highlightedthe grave dangers posed by rapidly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and emphasized the importance of global collaboration in order to fully and effectively respond to the threats of climate change. In April, he published a column on Earth Daylaying out the ambitious and attainable stepsAmerica must take to respond to the challenges of climate change. In February, Senator Kingtook to the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. He strongly opposed the Administration's decision towithdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-cosponsors-bill-to-cut-aviation-carbon-emissions-and-airplane-noise-pollution,King Cosponsors Bill to Cut Aviation Carbon Emissions and Airplane Noise Pollution,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, has announced his support for the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act, which would direct the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) to develop electric aircraft technology on an accelerated timeline. The legislation supports the U.S. aviation industry's efforts to develop airplanes that produce 50 percent less greenhouse gas pollution and less noise, keeping domestic aviation companies competitive with the international industry. In the fight to reduce carbon emissions, we need to look at every segment of our society, and that includes our aviation industry, said Senator King. Moreover, noise pollution can highly affect people's health and quality of life. NASA employs some of the brightest minds in the world so let's put them to work on a project of global urgency that reduces our environmental impact, improves our public health, and enhances the livability of our communities. This legislation sets a goal for cleaner, quieter airplanes by 2030 (regional transport planes) and 2040 (single-aisle planes), and it authorizes NASA to accelerate its work developing and demonstrating the technologies to make this goal a reality. The initiative established in this legislation will help drive industry growth and innovation, maintain our competitiveness with other countries that are moving aggressively on electrified propulsion technologies, and ensure that United States airlines can continue to fly with U.S.-generated technology to other countries as those countries adopt stricter standards for noise and emissions. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions wherever they can be found, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency such as theNext Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Actto improve energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient and modern electric grid. In June, Senator King joined his colleagues to introduce the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) Act of 2019, to require electricity providers across the country to increase their supply of renewable energy each year aiming to set a nationwide standard of 50% renewable electricity by 2035.In a May hearing, Senator King highlightedthe grave dangers posed by rapidly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and emphasized the importance of global collaboration in order to fully and effectively respond to the threats of climate change. In April, he published a column on Earth Daylaying out the ambitious and attainable stepsAmerica must take to respond to the challenges of climate change. In February, Senator Kingtook to the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. He strongly opposed the Administration's decision towithdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-seeking-reforms-to-opportunity-zone-program-to-better-benefit-low-income-communities,King Seeking Reforms to Opportunity Zone Program to Better Benefit Low-Income Communities,2019-11-14,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced his support of the Opportunity Zone Reporting and Reform Act to overhaul the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)'s Opportunity Zone program, which was created to incentivize investment in low-income communities. The bill would require qualified investors to submit annual informational returns on their Opportunity Zone investments, bringing essential transparency to a Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 program that likely has produced wasteful tax expenditures. Since the implementation of the program, the lack of transparency, absence of reporting requirements, and questionable zone designations have raised the need for increased requirements and reform of the program itself. The road to bad legislation is paved with good intentions and rushed processes. The Opportunity Zone program has strong potential and noble goals in fact, it is one of the few provisions of the 2017 tax bill that truly focused on helping low-income communities, said Senator King. However, the implementation of this program has been beset by flaws that limit transparency and direct money away from areas in need. These are serious problems, which undermine the worthwhile goals of Opportunity Zones. Let's work together to improve this program, so we can redirect the funding to folks who truly need help. Additionally, the legislation would: Require annual, public information reporting from Opportunity Funds and annual statements to the IRS from fund investors.Eliminate loopholes that could allow sin list investments like casinos and prohibit investments in stadiums and luxury apartments.Terminate zones that are not low-income or impoverished, while allowing states to replace zones that are terminated.Tighten existing rules to ensure that this generous incentive goes to productive, new investments that are actually in zones, and not to projects that were already underway or investors trying to park their money tax-free. Senator King has been a vocal critic of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, criticizing its rushed process and substantial increases to the national debt including conducting research in August detailing the way tax cuts enacted in the past two decades have exacerbated the U.S.'s growing debt. He has worked to reverse provisions of the legislation which negatively impact Maine families since its passage in late 2017; for example, in July, Senator King cosponsored a bill that will reverse a 2017 tax bill provision causing cooperative organizations to lose their non-profit status by accepting federal grant funding. In May, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that Senator King cosponsored to provide financial relief for Gold Star families impacting by higher taxes. Earlier that month, he pushed to correct an imbalance and ensure the same tax treatment for towable RVs as motorized RVs a provision that was harming Maine auto dealers. In April, Senator King cosponsored bipartisan legislation to ensure that all federal employees who qualify to have their moving costs reimbursed by the government are also repaid for the taxes owed on relocation reimbursements a longstanding fiscal policy that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated. Senator King was named a 2016 Fiscal Hero' by the nonpartisan Campaign to Fix the Debt.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-lee-and-tlaib-partner-to-combat-outrageous-ceo-pay,"Sanders, Lee, and Tlaib Partner to Combat Outrageous CEO Pay",2019-11-13,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders, Lee, and Tlaib Partner to Combat Outrageous CEO Pay Wednesday, November 13, 2019 WASHINGTON, November 13 Sen. BernieSanders(I-Vt.), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) introduced the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act, which rewrites the federal tax code to tackle the inequality crisis created by corporate America's unrestrained greed. The typical restaurant employee at McDonald's would have to work for more than2,000years to earn what the company's CEO Chris Kempczinski received last year. A retail worker at Gap Inc. would have to work for more than3,000years to receive the annual compensation of Gap's former CEO Art Peck. Peck's pay was increased by33 percentin 2018, even after he presided overyearsof declines in sales and stock prices. The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act wouldpressure corporations to curb these outrageous pay gaps that are the norm today, by imposing graduated taxes for companies that pay their CEO more than 50 times the pay of the median worker. The tax penalties would begin at 0.5 percentage points and rise to 5 percentage points for firms compensating their chief executives at more than 500 times the rate of their workers. A recentreportby the Institute for Policy Studies found that 80 percent of S&P 500 firms paid their CEOs more than 100 times the pay of their median worker. Many of the firms lavishing multi-million-dollar compensation packages on their top executives rely on taxpayer supportthrough public housing, nutrition assistance, and Medicaid, for exampleto assist full-time workers who struggle with poverty wages. In America today, ordinary workers at some of the richest corporations are making poverty wages. Meanwhile, we've got a class of corporate CEOs who make hundredssometimes thousandsof times more than their employees, saidSanders.The last time I checked, corporations got by just fine when CEOs made a million bucks a yearone-tenth of what they make now. All around the world today, large, successful businesses manage to be profitable while treating their workers with dignity and not handing out obscene pay packages to their CEOs. If America's corporate boards can't understand the absurdity of paying their CEO friendsin one yearmore than their workers will earn in a lifetime, then the Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act will help them figure it out. In the last four decades, inequality has ballooned in our nation and more and more wealth is going to those at the top while workers' wages, especially for workers of color, have remained stagnant, saidCongresswoman Barbara Lee.It is unjust and unacceptable that the CEOs of major corporations are making an average of 287 times more than their average worker with some CEOs making upwards of 1000 times more. The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act will incentivize companies to reduce the CEO-worker pay gaps and pay their workers the wages they deserve. Because if companies can afford to pay their CEOs tens of millions of dollars, they can afford to raise wages for their employees. Corporate greed is a disease that has long inflicted this countryincome inequality and the pay gap between CEOs and their employees are just two of its symptoms that are harming everyday people, saidCongresswoman Rashida Tlaib. In 2018, for example, General Motors' CEO made nearly 300 times more than the median income of an employee there. We have had enough. The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act will help ensure there is more fairness in the workplace when it comes to wages. It's common sense legislation on the path toward justice for all. In the 1970s, the average middle-class American worker could raise a family and save for retirement with their pay. CEOs of successful U.S. corporations in the 1970s received about $1 million annuallyroughly20 to 30 timesthe average pay of their company's middle-class workers. At present, a CEO at a Fortune 500 firm receives about $20 million per year200 to 300 times the average pay of a typical worker, according toresearchby the AFL-CIO. Americans across the political spectrum are outraged by the extreme gaps between CEO and worker pay. According toa nationwide survey, the typical American would limit CEO pay to no more than 6 times that of the average worker. About 62% of all Americans 52% of Republicans and 66% of Democrats favor capping CEO pay relative to worker pay. The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act would raise roughly $150 billion over 10 years if current compensation trends continue. The bill alsorequires the Treasury Department to issue regulations to prevent tax avoidance, including against companies that increase the use of contractors rather than employees. Pay-ratio data for privately held corporations would also be made public, just as publicly held corporations are required to make public under current law. The Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act is endorsed by theAFL-CIO, Americans for Democratic Action, Campaign for America's Future, Center for Popular Democracy, Communications Workers of America, Coalition on Human Needs, EPI Policy Center, Franciscan Action Network, Institute for Policy Studies/Global Economy Project, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, Jobs With Justice, National Council of Churches, National Federation of Federal Employees, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, NETWORK, Other98, Our Revolution, People's Action, People Demanding Action, Public Citizen, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Social Security Works, Strong Economy for All, Take on Wall Street, and the Working Families Party. The bill was cosponsored by RepresentativesSchakowsky (D-Ill.), Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Norton (D-D.C.), Huffman (D-Calif.), Jayapal (D-Wash.), Khanna (D-Calif.), Thompson (D-Miss.), DeLauro (D-Conn.), Haaland (D-N.M.), Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Pressley (D-Mass.), Garcia (D-Ill.), Omar (D-Minn.), Takano (D-Calif.), Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) and McGovern(D-Mass.). Read the bill summaryhere. Read the legislative texthere. Read an FAQhere. Read a support letter by 28 major economic justice organizationshere. Watch the bill's release video here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-delegation-condemns-trumps-cuts-to-refugee-admissions,Vermont Delegation Condemns Trump's Cuts to Refugee Admissions,2019-11-13,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Vermont Delegation Condemns Trump's Cuts to Refugee Admissions Wednesday, November 13, 2019 WASHINGTON, November 13 In response to President Trump's recent cut in refugee admissions, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Peter Welch issued the following statement: ""President Trump's recent approval of a 18,000 limit on refugee admissions the lowest admissions ceiling in our country's history is a shameful abdication of our role in providing refuge to those fleeing extreme violence and poverty around the world. ""The timing could not be worse. According to the United Nations, more than 70 million people worldwide have been displaced from their homes due to persecution and conflict, including almost 30 million refugees. This is a global humanitarian crisis of an unprecedented scale, and the United States must do its part to address it. ""Welcoming refugees to this country and to Vermont is not only the right thing to do, but it also benefits our communities in many ways. For centuries, immigrants and refugees have made significant contributions to our culture and economy and helped us become the country and state we are today. And here in Vermont, refugees are essential to growing our workforce. At a time when our state's population is aging and declining, employers increasingly rely on the New American community to address labor shortages and help their businesses expand. ""We stand united in our support of the refugee resettlement program and call on the Trump Administration to significantly increase refugee admissions. Refugees come to the U.S. for the same things we all want: safety, freedom, and opportunity. If we turn our backs on refugees, we abandon the very identity of our country as a refuge for the persecuted and oppressed.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-veterans-day-2019,Sanders Statement on Veterans Day,2019-11-11,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sanders Statement on Veterans Day Monday, November 11, 2019 On this Veterans Day we must renew our promise to our nation's veterans, not just through our words but through real action. Too many of our returning service members confront homelessness, mental health issues, and even deportations. We must work together to build a society where our veterans do not have to face these injustices. In my view, it is a disgrace that 38,000 veterans are homeless. If you can't afford to take care of your veterans, then you do not go to war. We must use this day to recommit to protecting our veterans' health care. Veterans overwhelmingly approve of the VAthat means we need to strengthen the VA, not dismantle or privatize it. This means that we preserve, protect and improve the VA with more resources and staff to ensure veterans and their families in Vermont and around the country receive every benefit they have earned and deserve.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-honors-maine-veterans-at-events-in-portland-augusta-and-waterville,"King Honors Maine Veterans At Events in Portland, Augusta, and Waterville",2019-11-11,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WATERVILLE, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) honored Veterans Day at events celebrating Maine veterans in Portland, Augusta, and Waterville. Senator King began his morning highlighting veterans healthcare providers alongside veterans, their families, and staff from Martin's Point Healthcare in Portland. Senator King then met with veterans and VA leadership at Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta. At Togus he toured the new Fisher House, which is dedicated to providing a comfortable and supportive environment for veterans. Following these events, Senator King joined the Veteran Mentors of Maine at the Elks Club in Waterville to celebrate the addition of two new veteran justice outreach workers that Senator King advocated for in 2017. On this Veterans Day, it is my privilege to thank Maine's men and women who answered the call to serve in defense of our nation, said Senator King. The veterans I spoke with today, and their devoted families, represent the best of America. We're proud that so many of our neighbors and friends answered the call to serve our nation indeed, over ten percent of Maine people are veterans. Not only today, but each day of the year, we should take the time to acknowledge what Maine's servicemembers have done to keep us safe and what they've done to inspire future generations. These men and women form the backbone of our communities: they are teachers, moms and dads, first responders, business owners, and mentors. They are people bound together by an ethic of service, dedicated to furthering the American experiment and fostering a more free and just nation. Senator King has been an advocate for Maine veterans during his time in the U.S. Senate, working to honor their service and provide them with the high-quality care they have earned through their service. This week, Senator King joined the Maine delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie raising the issue of late payments from the VA to Maine community hospitals and health care providers. Last month, Senator King announced that the Department of Veterans Affairshas awarded a lease contract for a new Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Portland. The facility will allow more veterans to access care in their own communities and reduce the strain on Togus. In June, Senator King took part in theofficial, bipartisan Senate delegation to Normandy, France,to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by Allied forces during World War II. In May, he spoke at Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Augustato pay tribute to America's fallen heroesand honor the sacrifices of America's veterans and their families.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/-in-falmouth-king-touts-forest-economy-and-environmental-stewardship,"In Falmouth, King Touts Forest Economy and Environmental Stewardship",2019-11-08,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"FALMOUTH, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) celebrated the contributions of Maine's forest economy while emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship at the Land Conservation Assistance Network (LandCAN) panel discussion and forum in Falmouth. Senator King's remarks focused on the economic impact of Maine's forest products industry, which supports communities throughout the state, and the importance of balance in protecting Maine's natural resources. The event, titled May the Forests be With You, celebrated Maine's forests and leaders in the state's bioeconomy. Maine's forests are among our state's greatest natural assets, and we need to manage this resource in a way that maximizes its current and future value to Maine people, said Senator King. If we work together, we can build on our success and put Maine's forests in the best possible position to thrive. That is the spirit of today's event: bringing folks from all different sectors to the table to discuss new investments, cutting-edge innovations, and environmental stewardship efforts. Senator King is a strong supporter of efforts to revitalize Maine's forest economy to further economic opportunities for Maine people. He was key in establishingthe Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/ME Initiative was funded as a result of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by Senators Collins and King in 2016, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. FOR/ME developed and is implementing a roadmap and action plan for the development of new markets for Maine's forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development. The FOR/ME Initiative has already resulted inmultiplefunding opportunities for Maine organizations and new investment in Maine's forest economy. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is recognized in Congress as a champion of efforts to preserve, protect, and promote America's national parks and public lands. He is alead sponsor of theRestore Our Parks Act,bipartisan legislation which would address the nearly $12 billion maintenance backlog without affecting the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Senator King has long advocated in favor ofpermanent reauthorization of the LWCF, which was signed into law as part of the public lands package in early March.In August, Senator King presented the inaugural Senator Angus King Award for Conservation Excellence'. The award, which was created by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, will be an annual award given to environmental champions who work outside of the public spotlight to care for Maine's environment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-urging-action-to-update-banking-laws-for-legal-hemp-and-cannabis-businesses,King Urging Action to Update Banking Laws for Legal Hemp and Cannabis Businesses,2019-11-08,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) sent a letter to U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ranking Member of the Committee, urging consideration of the House-passed Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. The bipartisan bill would ensure that legal hemp and cannabis businesses can access the same financial services utilized by all other legal businesses. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming 321-103 vote, and would solve key logistical and public safety problems in states like Maine that recently have legalized medicinal or recreational cannabis. Senator King is a cosponsor of the Senate version of the legislation. Senator King's request of the Committee comes on the heels ofafter a report by the Portland Press Herald highlighted the impact that the Senate's inaction on the bill already has had on two Maine farmers, who have lost their bank account and insurance coverage as a result of their decision to legally farm hemp. Hemp businesses in Maine face banking access issues that threaten the viability of their operations. They need our help, wrote Senator King. I urge you to mark up the House-passed SAFE Banking Act (H.R.1595) and report this important legislation out of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs speedily so that our hemp businesses can obtain the financial services they require. People like Taryn and Ben Marcus, who own Sheepscot General Farm in Whitefield, Maine, have suffered due to the lack of hemp banking regulation, Senator King continued. Taryn and Ben are hemp farmers who have done everything right. They applied for and received licenses from the State of Maine; they researched the best growing practices; they bought state-approved seeds; they actively marketed their crop; and they grew legal hemp successfully. Due to a lack of federal regulation regarding hemp banking, however, Taryn and Ben have lost access to financial services. Their bank recently closed Sheepscot General Farm's account and called its $12,000 equipment loan. Additionally, their insurance company canceled the policy that covered the farm, general store, and the Marcus home. Now, left without financing or an ability to insure against loss, Ben and Taryn, who, in Taryn's words, tiptoed out of the dark woods of prohibition, guided by our elected officials, feel as though they have been blindsided and are unjustly at risk of losing the legal livelihood that they worked hard to build. The House-passed SAFE Banking Act would require banking regulators to issue guidance on hemp to financial institutions. With such guidance in hand, banks, credit unions, and insurance companies could offer financial services to small businesspeople like Taryn and Ben in a legally sound way. The House-passed SAFE Banking Act would prevent federal banking regulators from: Prohibiting, penalizing or discouraging a bank from providing financial services to a legitimate state-sanctioned and regulated hemp or cannabis business, or an associated business (such as a lawyer or landlord providing services to a legal cannabis business);Terminating or limiting a bank's federal deposit insurance solely because the bank is providing services to a state-sanctioned hemp or cannabis business or associated business;Recommending or incentivizing a bank to halt or downgrade providing any kind of banking services to these businesses; orTaking any action on a loan to an owner or operator of a hemp or cannabis-related business.The bill also creates a safe harbor from criminal prosecution and liability and asset forfeiture for banks and their officers and employees who provide financial services to legitimate, state-sanctioned hemp or cannabis businesses, while maintaining banks' right to choose not to offer those services. The full letter can be read below, or downloaded HERE. +++ Senator Mike Crapo Chairman Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Senator Sherrod Brown Ranking Member Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Brown: Hemp businesses in Maine face banking access issues that threaten the viability of their operations. They need our help. I urge you to mark up the House-passed SAFE Banking Act (H.R.1595) and report this important legislation out of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs speedily so that our hemp businesses can obtain the financial services they require. A lack of federal banking regulation in response to hemp's federal legalization has left financial institutions without a firm legal basis for providing services to hemp-related businesses. As you know, the 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the list of controlled substances. Yet, federal banking regulators have not promulgated regulations to provide financial institutions with the guidance that they need to handle hemp funds in a legally sound way. USDA hemp regulations released on October 31 also do not provide the type of meaningful instruction that banks and insurance companies need before they can serve hemp businesses. People like Taryn and Ben Marcus, who own Sheepscot General Farm in Whitefield, Maine, have suffered due to the lack of hemp banking regulation. Taryn and Ben are hemp farmers who have done everything right. They applied for and received licenses from the State of Maine; they researched the best growing practices; they bought state-approved seeds; they actively marketed their crop; and they grew legal hemp successfully. Due to a lack of federal regulation regarding hemp banking, however, Taryn and Ben have lost access to financial services. Their bank recently closed Sheepscot General Farm's account and called its $12,000 equipment loan. Additionally, their insurance company canceled the policy that covered the farm, general store, and the Marcus home. Now, left without financing or an ability to insure against loss, Ben and Taryn, who, in Taryn's words, tiptoed out of the dark woods of prohibition, guided by our elected officials, feel as though they have been blindsided and are unjustly at risk of losing the legal livelihood that they worked hard to build. The House-passed SAFE Banking Act would require banking regulators to issue guidance on hemp to financial institutions. With such guidance in hand, banks, credit unions, and insurance companies could offer financial services to small businesspeople like Taryn and Ben in a legally sound way. In addition to helping small businesspeople like the Marcuses, the SAFE Banking Act has earned my support for a reason that is implicit in its title: it will make our communities safer. Like you, I champion the reduction of crime. By enabling hemp and cannabis businesses to access the financial system through passage of H.R.1595, Congress will protect financial institutions from engaging in illegal transactions, and will safeguard our communities against the crime that follows cash. Many small bankers and credit union employees in Maine fear that their institutions could face drug trafficking or money laundering charges for banking hemp or cannabis funds, even given their good-faith attempts to turn away such deposits. The potential for crime has increased as large amounts of cash, generated by businesses that many states, including Maine, deem legal, sit in our communities, unable to enter the banking system. Even Secretary Mnuchin has indicated that Treasury would rather not receive tax payments in cash. Cash tax payments have forced the IRS to build special cash rooms for cannabis businesses that are unable to make electronic tax payments. Our constituents deserve the security that passage of the House's SAFE Banking Act would provide. We owe hardworking owners of legal small businesses like Taryn and Ben Marcus the opportunity to protect their investments and to obtain financing that all other small businesspeople have. Our colleagues and I are eager to debate the SAFE Banking Act on the Senate floor. I urge you to mark up H.R.1595 immediately, and I also urge you to report the bill soon so that the full Senate can consider and vote on it. Thank you for your consideration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-urges-va-to-fix-payment-problems-hurting-maine-healthcare-providers-veterans,"Maine Delegation Urges VA to Fix Payment Problems Hurting Maine Healthcare Providers, Veterans",2019-11-08,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie to raise the issue of late payments from the VA to Maine community hospitals and health care providers. As the lawmakers note in their letter, the Maine Hospital Association states the VA currently owes millions of dollars to fifteen Maine hospitals, and nearly a third of those delinquent claims are more than six months past due. The issue has placed an undue burden on Maine's healthcare providers, potentially forcing some to suspend their services through the VA and risking the ability of Maine veterans to access care in their communities. Over the course of the last several months, we have heard from Maine community hospitals and health care providers about their growing concerns that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has not been diligent or timely with the payments it owes providers for the community care services they deliver to eligible veterans, said Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden. The Maine Hospital Association (MHA), which represents critical access hospitals across the state, reports that fifteen of its member hospitals currently have millions of dollars of delinquent payments in their claims backlog. Of these accounts, about thirty percent are more than 180 days old. Likewise, a number of other qualified providers from across the state of Maine have contacted our offices to report similar issues with the VA that have resulted in aging accounts and significant financial duress. We respectfully request that the VA quickly pay all valid and eligible claims, provide an explanation for delayed payments, and outline its reporting process on paid claims, the delegation added. The delegation's full letter can be downloaded HERE or read below: +++ Dear Secretary Wilkie, We write to bring to your attention an urgent matter of grave importance for the veterans of Maine. Over the course of the last several months, we have heard from Maine community hospitals and health care providers about their growing concerns that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has not been diligent or timely with the payments it owes providers for the community care services they deliver to eligible veterans. The Maine Hospital Association (MHA), which represents critical access hospitals across the state, reports that fifteen of its member hospitals currently have millions of dollars of delinquent payments in their claims backlog. Of these accounts, about thirty percent are more than 180 days old. Likewise, a number of other qualified providers from across the state of Maine have contacted our offices to report similar issues with the VA that have resulted in aging accounts and significant financial duress. The VA's community care options have helped Maine veterans in rural parts of the state receive care in their local communities instead of traveling long distances to the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta. We expect that the Veterans Community Care Program, as authorized by the VA Mission Act of 2018, will build on the Veterans Choice Program to improve timeliness and accessibility for veterans who may live far from VA facilities; we will continue to closely track its implementation to ensure its success. Timely community care, however, is contingent upon broad participation by community providers and a good faith relationship between those providers and the VA. We are aware of community care providers who may be forced to suspend their service with the VA or have already done so due to the administrative and financial challenges of serving veterans referred by the VA. Due to such challenges, Maine veterans are at risk of losing access to care close to their homes. We respectfully request that the VA quickly pay all valid and eligible claims, provide an explanation for delayed payments, and outline its reporting process on paid claims. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Community care providers in Maine offer critical services for our veterans, and they are proud to help care for those who have served. We urge the VA to work closely with these providers to address this payment issue and work to strengthen these relationships so our veterans can continue to receive the accessible, high-quality care they deserve.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/the-community-kitchen-academy-helps-vermonters,The Community Kitchen Academy Helps Vermonters,2019-11-07,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"The Community Kitchen Academy Helps Vermonters A job is more than a ""job and it is more than just making an income. A job is, in an important sense, how we relate to the world in which we live. Contributing to the well-being of our neighbors and our community gives our lives meaning, dignity, and satisfaction. I am grateful for programs like the Community Kitchen Academy that offer underemployed Vermonters valuable job skills to improve their lives, while also providing free, nutritious meals to those in need.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://amash.house.gov/media/press-releases/amash-host-academy-night-0,Amash to host Academy Night,2019-11-07,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,MI,Justin Amash,A000367,amash.house.gov,,,legacy,"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2019 CONTACT Matt Weibel (616) 451-8383 matt.weibel@mail.house.gov Amash to host Academy Night GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) today announced Academy Night for Third District high school students interested in learning more about the U.S. service academies. Academy Night is scheduled for Monday, November 25, 2019, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Representatives from the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the United States Military Academy, and the United States Naval Academy will provide information about the academies and the application process. The offices of Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) also will be available to answer questions. Admission to the academies, except for the Coast Guard Academy, requires a nomination from the vice president or a member of Congress. Students typically begin the admissions process in the spring of their junior year of high school. More information about the academy nomination process can be found at amash.house.gov. WHO: Office of Rep. Justin Amash Representatives from the U.S. service academies Offices of Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters WHAT: Academy Night WHEN: Monday, November 25, 2019 7:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum 303 Pearl St NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504 ### 110719AmashtoHostAcademyNight.pdf",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-more-than-2-million-to-support-drug-free-communities,"Collins, King Announce More than $2 Million to Support Drug-Free Communities",2019-11-07,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has awarded a total of $2,125,000 in grant funding to 17 Maine health coalitions and local governments to prevent youth substance abuse and foster drug-free communities in Maine. Last year, drug overdoses claimed the life of 354 Mainers, nearly one person each day. We must take an all-hands-on-deck approach to stop this epidemic and support those who are struggling with substance use disorders,said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. This important funding will help Maine health coalitions and communities strengthen their efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse through programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and community involvement. The funding will be allocated as follows: River Valley Health Communities Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Rumford and the Greater River Valley Region.Gardiner Area Substance Use Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Gardiner, Pittston, Randolph, and West Gardiner.Bangor Public Health Advisory Board Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force will receive $125,000 to serve the City of Bangor.Healthy Acadia will receive $125,000 to serve the Downeast Acadia region.Somerset Public Health will receive $125,000 to serve Somerset County.Drug Free Aroostook will receive $125,000 to serve Aroostook County.Healthy Community Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Franklin County.Healthy Sebasticook Valley Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve the Sebasticook Valley region.Choose To Be Healthy Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Southern York County.Project Alliance will receive $125,000 to serve Northern York County.ACCESS Health will receive $125,000 to serve Sagadahoc County, as well as Brunswick and Harpswell.Be the Influence Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Windham and Raymond.Sanford Strong Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve the greater Sanford community.SoPo Unite: All Ages, All In will receive $125,000 to serve South Portland.Casco Bay Create Awareness Now Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Yarmouth.Healthy Lincoln County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Lincoln County.Mid-Maine Substance Use Prevention Coalition will receive $125,000 to serve Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Albion, Benton, Rome, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, Belgrade, Vassalboro, China, and Unity Township. This funding was awarded through the ONDCP's Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program. Created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, DFC spearheads efforts to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance abuse. The program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-introduce-bill-to-get-deficit-under-control-reform-congressional-budget-process,"King, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Get Deficit Under Control, Reform Congressional Budget Process",2019-11-07,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) has joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues to introduce legislation that would make common-sense improvements to the federal government's budget process. The Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act would create a more deliberative budget process that emphasizes long-term fiscal planning over partisan brinksmanship and tackles growing debt and deficits. Here's a statement that won't draw a lot of disagreement: Congress's current budget process is just not working, said Senator King. Under the current rules, we're voting on the future of programs that provide vital services for the American people mere hours before deadlines to keep maintain America's full faith and credit. The result: our deficit is increasing and we're leaving an enormous amount of debt to future generations. There have to be better ways to advance America's budget priorities, and we owe it to our constituents to work together to find them. Specifically, the Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act would: Move the budget resolution to a two-year cycle, while maintaining an annual appropriations process.Require more involvement from Senate spending and taxing committees, including by requiring detailed spending and revenue plans to better inform budget development.Support fiscal sustainability by requiring the budget resolution to establish a debt-to-GDP target backed by expedited congressional procedures for deficit-reduction measures. Create a mechanism within the regular budget process to end the brinksmanship surrounding the statutory debt limit by conforming the limit to levels called for in the budget resolution. Establish an optional new bipartisan budget pathway through which the budget would set deficit reduction priorities that include health care, revenue levels, appropriations, and tax expenditures. Such bipartisan budgets would require the support of at least 60 Senators, including at least 15 members of the minority party, and would be considered in the Senate under expedited procedures jointly agreed to by the Majority and Minority Leaders.Provide a more orderly, deliberative process for Senate consideration of budget resolutions that preserves the ability of Senators on both sides of the aisle to offer amendments.Enhance fiscal transparency by requiring that up-to-date tabulations of congressional budget action be publicly posted and that information on the interest effects of authorizing and revenue legislation be included in cost estimates prepared by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The legislation also supports transparency efforts underway at CBO.Require CBO and the Government Accountability Office to regularly review and report to Congress on portfolios of federal spending to help lawmakers make more informed budgetary decisions. Senator King, who was named a 2016 Fiscal Hero' by the nonpartisan Campaign to Fix the Debt, was among the most vocal critics of the 2017 tax legislation because of its strong potential impact to increase the national debt substantially. He introduced an amendment prior to passage that would instruct a Senate committee tocreate a deficit-neutral versionof the legislation, and a motion after passage that would have required the conference committee to return a version of the tax legislation whichdid not increase the deficit; both provisions were defeated on party lines. In addition to Senator King, the legislation is supported by the following U.S. Senators: Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/empowering-youth-and-helping-vermont-communities,Empowering Youth and Helping Vermont Communities,2019-11-06,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Empowering Youth and Helping Vermont Communities Through the YouthBuild program, ReSOURCE is helping young Vermonters gain education and employment credentials, while also empowering them to be active members in our communities. By learning construction trade job skills, these young people are realizing their full potential and leaving a lasting impact on the lives of Vermonters through restoring and building affordable housing. I applaud the work YouthBuild is doing throughout the country and can't wait to see what these young leaders do next.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-advocates-for-initiatives-to-boost-maines-clean-energy-production,King Advocates for Initiatives to Boost Maine’s Clean Energy Production,2019-11-06,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today in an Energy Subcommittee hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) advocated for his legislation that would support businesses investing in energy efficiency technology, help diversify energy options for rural industries, and maximize the value of Maine's natural resources. The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Support Act reauthorizesand funds the CHP Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAP) program for the next five years a program that has helped multiple Maine businesses install energy-efficient CHP equipment and save on energy costs. Currently, there are ten regional CHP TAP designated centersincluding the University of Mainewhich serves the New England region. During his opening statement, Senator King also underscored the DOE's support of UMaine's New England Aqua Ventus I Project, which may soon be the first floating offshore wind development in the United States. The hearing featured testimony from Daniel Simmons, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Ithank the Department for its steadfast support of the Aqua Ventus program in Maine, which I think is one of the most promising of the technologiesyour support and the Department's support consistently has meant a lot, said Senator King in the hearing. I think that project is really getting very close to having all the pieces together, so I want to thank you for that and also thank you for your interest in Combined Heat and Power. That is a technology that we have in hand and I know that the Department has been supportive you've been up to the university. The technical support center is making a real difference for businesses throughout the country, actually. I think the department has identified something like 150 gigawatts of potential power from combined heat and power, potential in the countrythat compares to 300 good sized power plants. So, very efficient use, and I appreciate your support and look forward to working with you on these projects. King originallyintroduced the CHP Support Act in 2017, after he hosted aSenate Energy and Natural Resources Committee field hearing at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont. The field hearing included witnesses from the Maine forest products and energy industries as well as the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Office in the DOE. During the hearing, Senator King's committee colleagues identified opportunities to use new energy efficient technologies to sustain and strengthen rural industries. Following the event, the University of Maine was designated as a regional CHP TAP institution by the DOE. As one of UMaine's signature projects, the New England Aqua Ventus I project won $40 million from the DOE to support phase three, which will deploy deepwaterfloating turbines off of Maine's coast. Senator King has supported the New England Aqua Ventus Isince the project's announcement in 2016. In July, Senators King and Susan Collins (R-Maine) welcomed Secretary Simmons to UMaine for a tour of the university's Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC). Discussions during the tour and meetings focused on the status of the Aqua Ventus project and steps to revitalize the state's forest economy through a new partnership developing advanced 3D printing materials. The visit came after a May announcement of a partnership between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Maine to launch a first in the nation large-scale bio-based additive manufacturing program. The collaboration will provide ASCC students, faculty and associated companies with access to ORNL's assets and expertise in advanced manufacturing. ORNL researchers, in turn, will gain access to UMaine's facilities and expertise in sustainable composites. The partnership will advance 3D printing capabilities with wood residuals, establishing Maine as a global leader in a new manufacturing process and developing fresh markets for Maine's forest products industry. Senator King is a strong supporter of efforts to revitalize Maine's forest economy to further economic opportunities for Maine people. He was key in establishingthe Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/ME Initiative was funded as a result of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by Senators Collins and King in 2016, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. FOR/ME is implementing a roadmap and action plan for the development of new markets for Maine's forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development. The FOR/ME Initiative has already resulted inmultiplefunding opportunities for Maine organizations and new investment in Maine's forest economy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-preventive-healthcare-bill-encouraging-routine-primary-care-visits,King Introduces Preventive Healthcare Bill Encouraging Routine Primary Care Visits,2019-11-06,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the Primary Care Patient Protection Act to allow consumers enrolled in high-deductible health plans (HDHP) to be covered for two yearly visits to primary care physicians. Under current law, individuals covered by HDHPs have a low premium, but higher costs for medical services including primary care visits before their insurance plan begins to cover expenses. As a result, individuals often can't afford the routine visits to the doctor that could detect health concerns before they become larger problems. The Primary Care Patient Protection Act would require HDHPs to offer coverage for two primary care visits per year free of cost-sharing. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. When I was a young man, I went to the doctor for a free checkup covered by my insurance and received some daunting news: I had serious, and potentially life-threatening, form of skin cancer, said Senator King. Without that visit, I would not be here today. It's always haunted me, though, that somewhere in America that same week another young person, who had my condition but not my insurance, wasn't able to catch their disease in time for treatment. I'm living proof that access to a primary care physician matters, and this legislation will make it easier for every American to receive the same lifesaving care that I did all those years ago. The American Academy of Family Physicians applauds Sen. Angus King for introducing the Primary Care Patient Protection Act of 2019 to the Senate, said Gary LeRoy, M.D., President of the American Academy of Family Physicians. This bill takes the financial fear away from Americans who seek care from their primary care physicians. By allowing two no-cost primary care visits each year, the Primary Care Patient Protection Act helps ensure patients will get the care they need before they develop a condition that requires intensive, more costly attention. High deductible health plans can be a harmfully high hurdle to the health of my patients, said Dr. Patrick Connolly, Family Physician, Portland. Too many of my patients with these plans are skipping their primary care visits and delaying care due to fear of out of pocket costs. The Primary Care Patient Protection Act helps ease these fears. By requiring that high deductible plans cover two visits a year at no extra cost to patients, Sen. King's bill will reassure Maine patients that they can see their family doctor before they've met their deductible and before a health concern becomes a serious problem. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines a high-deductible health plan as any plan with a deductible of at least $1,350 for an individual or $2,700 for a family. An HDHP enrollee's total yearly out-of-pocket expenses including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance cannot be more than $6,650 for an individual or $13,300 for a family. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that those enrolled in an HDHP were more likely than those enrolled in traditional plan to forgo or delay medical care. Senator King is a champion for prevention policies across the board including advocating for the benefits and financial efficiency of proactive and preventive healthcare. Just last week, Senator King held a public event in Portland to remind Maine people to register during the current Open Enrollment Period for health care plans. At the end of October, he urged the federal government to evaluate the effectiveness of federal workplace wellness programs. Earlier that month, hehosted a panel discussion in Bangor with local healthcare providers and public wellness expertson the best ways to use prevention strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. As a follow-up to the event, Senator King also focusedhis monthly Inside Maine podcast on the same topic. In May, Senator Kingintroduced the Preventive Health Savings Act of 2019, which would direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive healthcare, including health screenings. Under current law, the CBO only measures the budgetary impact of legislation in a ten-year timeframe; in contrast, the Preventive Health Savings Act would allow Congressional Committees reviewing healthcare legislation to request up to two additional ten-year projection windows to provide a better understanding of the legislation's long-term effect on the nation's healthcare spending. In March, Senator Kingintroduced the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which incentivizes healthier living by allowing Americans to use a portion of the money saved in their pre-tax health savings accounts toward qualified sports and fitness purchases such as gym memberships. Also in March, heintroduced legislationto help seniors and individuals with disabilities navigate the complex web of federal home modification programs; by investing in small changes like grab bars in the shower or a ramp in place of stairs, these Americans can reduce the risk of a serious fall that brings major expenses for both the individual and the Medicare and Medicaid systems. In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last November, hehighlightedthe importance of pursuing preventive healthcare measures to reduce overall healthcare costs for service members and veterans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-king-helps-launch-bipartisan-climate-solutions-caucus,Senator King Helps Launch Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus,2019-11-06,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced that he has joined the Senate Climate Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan effort that brings together Republican, Democratic, and Independent members of the Senate to find bipartisan solutions to address climate change. In addition to Senator King, members of the Climate Solutions Caucus include Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mitt Romney, (R-Utah), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Michael Bennet (D-N.H.), and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). The threats of climate change don't end at party lines, and our work to mitigate these effects can't either, said Senator King. The impacts of this crisis are already being felt in Maine; the Gulf of Maine, which plays a vital role in both our economy and our culture, is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceans. This is the most serious global challenge of our time, and we have areas of bipartisan agreement where we can start working together to make much-needed progress. I'm ready to join with any of my colleagues from any political party and any corner of the country to take meaningful steps that will protect the planet for our children and grandchildren. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions wherever they can be found, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency such as theNext Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Actto improve energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient and modern electric grid.In a May hearing, Senator King highlightedthe grave dangers posed by rapidly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and emphasized the importance of global collaboration in order to fully and effectively respond to the threats of climate change. In April, he published a column on Earth Daylaying out the ambitious and attainable stepsAmerica must take to respond to the challenges of climate change. In February, Senator Kingtook to the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. He strongly opposed the Administration's decision towithdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. The Senate Climate Solutions Caucus will meet regularly and convene experts from across the political spectrum and private sector to seek common ground and craft bipartisan solutions.The caucus will operate by the principle of unanimous consent,actingonly when each member agrees.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/its-time-for-universal-school-meals,It's time for Universal School Meals,2019-11-05,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"It's time for Universal School Meals In the richest country in the history of the world, it is simply outrageous that 1 in 5 children will go hungry this year. The Universal School Meals Program Act I introduced with Rep. Omar will help provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to every student in America, regardless of income - and it will wipe out existing school lunch debt. We must do better for our kids to ensure they succeed.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-spotlights-maines-opposition-to-offshore-drilling-in-energy-committee,King Spotlights Maine’s Opposition to Offshore Drilling in Energy Committee,2019-11-05,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, in a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) pressed nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Katharine MacGregor to ensure that no action is being taken or plans underway from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to drill natural resources off of the coast of Maine reasserting the state's opposition to offshore drilling. During the hearing, Senator King also pressed nominees on their support of the Restore Our Parks Act, conserving natural resources, and improving the efficiency of the electric grid. The other nomination under consideration in today's committee hearing was James Danly, nominee for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The exchange with nominee MacGregor included this moment: King: On offshore drilling, I was delighted to hear your answer to Senator [Mike] Lee's question about collaboration and cooperation with state officials. In the state of Maine, our legislature, our governor, and our entire Congressional delegation are adamantly opposed to offshore drilling off our coast. Will you take the same view of the importance of collaboration with state officials in that situation? MacGregor: Absolutely sir. 43 USC 1344 is where we get direction on the administration of the leasing program. It requires our work with the governors of the state and local governments. King: And you will absolutely respect that provision? MacGregor: We will absolutely work every step of the way. We shall work as directed by law. King: Are there plans for drilling or exploration off the New England coast today? MacGregor: I think the Secretary's statement that a five year plan is not imminent right now is correct. We are evaluating the impact of separate litigation on that program. +++ Later in the hearing, Senator King discussed the importance of conserving natural resources for future generations. In the space between our grandparent's birth and our grandchildren's death, we are going to use up essentially all of the fossil fuel that it took hundreds of millions of years on this planet to create, and I just offer that as a thought, said Senator King during the hearing. Forgetting about the environmental effects which are severe, but that the very fact, in a sense, our generation, our memory of generation is using up something that's a finite resource on the planet, I find disturbing. As we go into Thanksgiving, I think of dad sitting at the end of the table, the turkey comes, all the kids are sitting there, and dad says I'm going to eat all of it'. And that's what we're doing, and I think that's unconscionable from a point of view of simply stewardship of a resource, let alone environmental stewardship. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency such as theNext Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Actto improve energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient and modern electric grid. In August, Senators King and Collinsintroduced the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Act, legislation that would support businesses that want to invest in energy efficiency technology, help diversify energy options for rural industries, and maximize Maine's natural resources. In October, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesto release funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)as quickly as possible to Maine people who rely on its aid to pay for steep winter heating costs.In a May hearing, Senator King highlightedthe grave dangers posed by rapidly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and emphasized the importance of global collaboration in order to fully and effectively respond to the threats of climate change. In April, he published a column on Earth Daylaying out the ambitious and attainable stepsAmerica must take to respond to the challenges of climate change. In February, Senator Kingtook to the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. He strongly opposed the Administration's decision towithdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/maine-delegation-calls-on-us-trade-ambassador-to-protect-maine-jobs-in-ongoing-trade-dispute-with-european-union,Maine Delegation Calls on U.S. Trade Ambassador to Protect Maine Jobs in Ongoing Trade Dispute with European Union,2019-11-05,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C.U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, calling on him to alleviate the economic hardship affecting Maine businesses as a result of the current trade dispute between the United States and the European Union. In October 2019, the U.S. imposed tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of European products following a World Trade Organization ruling that the European Union illegally subsidized Airbus. The Maine delegation has heard from multiple Maine employers who were harmed by these tariffs. Tariffs imposed by both the U.S. and the E.U. are hurting businesses and consumers in our state. As negotiations continue, we encourage you to avoid subjecting Maine to economic harm, Senators Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden wrote. There has been an immediate strain on companies in the specialty foods and hospitality industries, many of which are small, locally-owned businesses. While we oppose the E.U. efforts to subsidize Airbus, we also recognize that tariffs can cause harm to American jobs and increase the price of goods for American consumers. Addressing unfair trade practices requires a careful approach, and we believe that dialogue is a critical part of the process, the Maine delegation continued. We encourage the Administration to strive quickly for a solution that protects U.S. industry and jobs and promotes economic growth. In their letter, the Maine delegation also noted that the 25 percent retaliatory tariffs that the European Union imposed in June 2018 on U.S. goods in response to Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs have been detrimental to other industries in Maine, including marine and manufacturing businesses. In 2018, Maine imported $769 million from the European Union and exported nearly $370 million in goods and services, making the bloc our second largest export market. A total of $2.3 million worth of Maine exports have been targeted with tariffs by the European Union. Click HERE to read the delegation's letter",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-maine-modern-wood-heat-symposium-king-highlights-new-uses-for-maines-forests,"At Maine Modern Wood Heat Symposium, King Highlights New Uses for Maine’s Forests",2019-11-04,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"PORTLAND, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) delivered the keynote address at the Maine Modern Wood Heat Symposium at the University of Southern Maine's Portland Campus. Senator King, an author and lead sponsor of the Biomass Thermal Utilization Act, shared his insights on the importance of the issue, and discussed his efforts to advance clean energy initiatives and support modern wood heating. The symposium gathered forest economy and clean energy leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss the future of this growing industry which can both lower emissions and create new opportunities to make use of Maine's vast forests. The Maine State Wood Energy Assistance Team that organized today's event was established by U.S. Department of Agriculture funding, which Senator King advocated for, in 2016. Maine's vast forests are one of our state's most plentiful resources, and we need to explore every possible way to use this gold mine of fiber including helping Maine people stay warm during cold winters, said Senator King. Modern wood heating allows us to heat Maine homes, schools, and businesses in a way that will cut energy costs for consumers, create jobs, and reduce emissions. This is a win-win for Maine people, and it's being driven by the leaders who are coming together today to innovate and create new opportunities that drive our economy and our communities forward. Senator King is a strong supporter of efforts to revitalize Maine's forest economy to further economic opportunities for Maine people. He was key in establishingthe Forest Opportunity Roadmap Maine (FOR/ME) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state's wood products businesses, attract investments, support research and development, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/ME Initiative was funded as a result of the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT)requested by Senators Collins and King in 2016, with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine's rural communities. FOR/ME developed and is implementing a roadmap and action plan for the development of new markets for Maine's forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development. The FOR/ME Initiative has already resulted inmultiplefunding opportunities for Maine organizations and new investment in Maine's forest economy. A forceful advocate for clean energy solutions, Senator King is the lead sponsor on a range of bills that encourage energy efficiency such as theNext Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development (GRID) Actto improve energy independence, foster innovation, and leverage federal resources to support a more resilient and modern electric grid. In August, Senators King and Collins introduced the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Act, legislation that would support businesses that want to invest in energy efficiency technology, help diversify energy options for rural industries, and maximize Maine's natural resources. In October, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesto release funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)as quickly as possible to Maine people who rely on its aid to pay for steep winter heating costs.In a May hearing, Senator King highlightedthe grave dangers posed by rapidly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and emphasized the importance of global collaboration in order to fully and effectively respond to the threats of climate change. In April, he published a column on Earth Daylaying out the ambitious and attainable stepsAmerica must take to respond to the challenges of climate change. In February, Senator Kingtook to the Senate floor to urge action on climate change. He strongly opposed the Administration's decision towithdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-announce-maine-to-receive-more-than-36-million-for-heating-assistance-for-low-income-mainers,"Collins, King Announce Maine to Receive More Than $36 Million for Heating Assistance for Low-Income Mainers",2019-11-04,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, and Angus King today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is releasing a total of $36,175,861 in funding for Maine through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), including $1,322,228 specifically for tribes and tribal organizations. As the cold winter months approach, it is vital that we ensure low-income families and seniors in Maine have access to affordable home energy to protect their health and safety, said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. This funding is welcome news as these programs remain important lifelines that help prevent vulnerable individuals from having to choose between heating their home, paying their bills, or going without food or medicine. Senators Collins and King have long led bipartisan efforts to support federal funding for LIHEAP. In October, Senator Collins wrote a letter with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) that was cosigned by 33 of their colleagues, including Senator King, urging HHS to release LIHEAP funds without delay and at as high a level as possible under the continuing resolution. HHS released a total of $3.32 billion to states, tribes, and territories, which is approximately 90 percent of the FY 2019 funding level of $3.68 billion. The funding was allocated as follows: State of Maine: $34,853,633Aroostook Band of Micmac Indians: $157,365Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians: $157,365Passamaquoddy Tribe--Indian Township: $300,260Passamaquoddy Tribe--Pleasant Point: $418,917Penobscot Tribe: $288,321",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/at-portland-kickoff-of-aca-open-enrollment-king-urges-maine-people-to-get-covered,"At Portland Kickoff of ACA Open Enrollment, King Urges Maine People to Get Covered",2019-11-01,2019,2019-11,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"PORTLAND, ME Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined Maine healthcare providers and advocates at the Greater Portland Health Clinic to urge Maine people to sign up for healthcare during the shortened enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Today marks the first day of the ACA's 2020 Open Enrollment period, which will run only six weeks and end on December 15th. To sign up for coverage in 2020 during the Open Enrollment period, log on to http://www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596 for more information before December 15, 2019. Maine people interested in additional information can also visit coverME.gov, or make a confidential and toll-free call to Consumers for Affordable Health Care at 1-800-965-7476. Today is the first day Maine people can enroll in healthcare for 2020 through the Affordable Care Act and with only six weeks to sign up, there's no time to waste, said Senator King. Insurance is complicated, and starting your search today will allow you to find the right plan that fits your medical needs and budget. Securing insurance coverage is too important to slip through the cracks sign up today, and make sure you and your family enter this new year with insurance coverage that keeps you healthy both physical and financially. Senator King is a vocal proponent of efforts to protect and improve the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of Americans access healthcare. In May, he announced his support for a Senate resolution rejecting the Department of Justice's (DOJ)decisionto uphold a Texas Federal Judge'srulingthat deems the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. In July 2018, Senator King joined a group of his colleagues to introduce a resolution that would haveauthorized the Senate Legal Counsel to interveneinTexas v. United States, and in December 2018 he joined a group of Senate colleagues to call on President Trump tocondemnthe resulting decision in the case. He has also fought the Administration'svarious attempts to sabotage the health care law and met with Maine people around the state todiscuss the ACA's importance to their lives.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/on-eve-of-healthcare-enrollment-period-kickoff-king-joins-legislation-to-make-insurance-more-affordable-for-young-adults,"On Eve of Healthcare Enrollment Period Kickoff, King Joins Legislation to Make Insurance More Affordable for Young Adults",2019-10-31,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. One day before the beginning of the Affordable Care Act's 2020 Open Enrollment period, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) helped introduce legislation that increases access to healthcare for young Americans. The Advancing Youth Enrollment Act would improve affordability while maintaining Affordable Care Act protections and access to essential services; as a result, nearly 5 million uninsured young adults could be eligible to receive additional financial support to help reduce their monthly health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Many young people may think they don't need to worry about a serious health problem but that's simply not the case. An unexpected illness or injury can strike anyone, at any time, which is why it's so important that we ensure young Americans have access to health insurance that protects them from medical or financial ruin, said Senator King. By making sure they have coverage when emergency strikes, we can help our young people withstand crises and continue to build their lives. As a young startup founder in Maine, I went without health insurance for two years because it felt like a luxury compared to other pressing expenses, said Maddie Purcell, founder of Fyood Kitchen. The constant, low-level worry from knowing I wasn't adequately covered was exhausting. I'm grateful to Senator King and his team for supporting the Advancing Youth Enrollment Act so that others in my position won't have to choose between quality health coverage and getting their careers off the ground. The Advancing Youth Enrollment Act would increase the value of premium tax credits for young adults ages 18 to 35 years old, which would result in more financial support to help them afford quality health coverage. Importantly, this protects older adults and those with pre-existing conditions from facing higher costs or seeing their current tax credits reduced. Under the Advancing Youth Enrollment Act, a young person enrolled through the marketplace would see their cost for a silver plan go down by about $55 a month, or about $650 a year. They would pay $98 a month for a silver plan instead of about $153 a month. In addition, no one would lose coverage for having a pre-existing condition, nor would they have to forfeit essential health benefits provided by the Affordable Care Act to make their policies more affordable. Senator King is a vocal proponent of efforts to protect and improve the Affordable Care Act, which has helped millions of Americans access healthcare. In May, he announced his support for a Senate resolution rejecting the Department of Justice's (DOJ)decisionto uphold a Texas Federal Judge'srulingthat deems the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. In July 2018, Senator King joined a group of his colleagues to introduce a resolution that would haveauthorized the Senate Legal Counsel to interveneinTexas v. United States, and in December 2018 he joined a group of Senate colleagues to call on President Trump tocondemnthe resulting decision in the case. He has also fought the Administration'svarious attempts to sabotage the health care law,urged Maine people to sign up for health insuranceduring the shortened Open Enrollment period, and met with Maine people around the state todiscuss the ACA's importance to their lives.This year's shortened Open Enrollment period ends December 15.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/vermont-fire-departments-awarded-more-than-2-million-in-federal-grants,Vermont Fire Departments Awarded More Than $2 Million in Federal Grants,2019-10-30,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BURLINGTON, Vt., October 30 Vermont's congressional delegation announced Wednesday that the Vermont Fire Academy and fire departments throughout the state have received more than $2 million through 16 federal grants.The awards are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, which helps fire departments, fire academies, and EMS agencies obtain critically needed equipment and training to better protect the public and first responders. This year's AFG grants will help departments purchase equipment including air packs, vehicle extraction tools, and a fire truck, and it will also fund paramedic training.Vermont's first responders are some of the most dedicated public servants we have. They keep our communities safe, answering the call at all hours of the day and night, and they put their own safety on the line in doing so. We are pleased that these federal grants will help departments secure the updated equipment they need and deserve so that they can continue to provide these vital services, said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.).The federal grants were awarded to:Putney Fire Department, $181,510Burlington Fire Department, $162,273City of Rutland Fire Department, 47,317Williston Fire Department (in partnership with Essex Rescue and Colchester Rescue), $305,209Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety, Vermont Fire Academy, $124,585Peru Fire Department, $62,039Bethel Volunteer Fire Department, $124,286Stamford Volunteer Fire Department, $9,524Springfield Fire Department, $95,595Newbury Volunteer Fire Department, $106,286Grafton Firefighters' Association, $65,238Essex Junction Fire Department, $141,071Thetford Volunteer Fire Department, $118,065Readsboro Fire Department, $85,714Poultney Fire Department, $136,333Rupert Volunteer Fire Department, $264,762The next AFG application period is expected to open in December. In preparation, FEMA's grant specialists will be hosting workshops in Vermont and online webinars this fall.Each workshop is approximately 2 hours long and provides information on the AFG programs, what is new for 2019, and tips to develop and submit a successful application.The following workshops are planned:Tuesday, November 5th, 6:00 p.m.Williston Fire Department645 Talcott Road, WillistonWednesday, November 6th, 6:00 p.m.Vermont Division of Fire Safety Central Office1311 U.S. Route 302 Suite 600, BarreThursday, November 7th, 6:00 p.m.Vermont Division of Fire Safety (Vermont Fire Academy)93 Davison Drive, PittsfordMonday, December 2nd,6:00 p.m.Pownal Rescue Squad22 Ladd Brook Road, PownalTuesday, December 3rd, 2:00 p.m.Online WebinarAudio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852#URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/Wednesday, December 4th, 7:00 p.m.Online WebinarAudio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852#URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/Thursday, December 5th, 10:00 a.m.Online WebinarAudio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852#URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/For more information about AFG and to sign up for email updates, please visithttps://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/vermont/delegation-release-vermont-fire-departments-awarded-more-than-2-million-in-federal-grants,Delegation Release: Vermont Fire Departments Awarded More than $2 Million in Federal Grants,2019-10-30,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Delegation Release: Vermont Fire Departments Awarded More than $2 Million in Federal Grants Wednesday, October 30, 2019 BURLINGTON, Vt., October 30 Vermont's congressional delegation announced Wednesday that the Vermont Fire Academy and fire departments throughout the state have received more than $2 million through 16 federal grants. The awards are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, which helps fire departments, fire academies, and EMS agencies obtain critically needed equipment and training to better protect the public and first responders. This year's AFG grants will help departments purchase equipment including air packs, vehicle extraction tools, and a fire truck, and it will also fund paramedic training. Vermont's first responders are some of the most dedicated public servants we have. They keep our communities safe, answering the call at all hours of the day and night, and they put their own safety on the line in doing so. We are pleased that these federal grants will help departments secure the updated equipment they need and deserve so that they can continue to provide these vital services, said Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.). The federal grants were awarded to: Putney Fire Department, $181,510 Burlington Fire Department, $162,273 City of Rutland Fire Department, 47,317 Williston Fire Department (in partnership with Essex Rescue and Colchester Rescue), $305,209 Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety, Vermont Fire Academy, $124,585 Peru Fire Department, $62,039 Bethel Volunteer Fire Department, $124,286 Stamford Volunteer Fire Department, $9,524 Springfield Fire Department, $95,595 Newbury Volunteer Fire Department, $106,286 Grafton Firefighters' Association, $65,238 Essex Junction Fire Department, $141,071 Thetford Volunteer Fire Department, $118,065 Readsboro Fire Department, $85,714 Poultney Fire Department, $136,333 Rupert Volunteer Fire Department, $264,762 The next AFG application period is expected to open in December. In preparation, FEMA's grant specialists will be hosting workshops in Vermont and online webinars this fall.Each workshop is approximately 2 hours long and provides information on the AFG programs, what is new for 2019, and tips to develop and submit a successful application. The following workshops are planned: Tuesday, November 5th, 6:00 p.m. Williston Fire Department 645 Talcott Road, Williston Wednesday, November 6th, 6:00 p.m. Vermont Division of Fire Safety Central Office 1311 U.S. Route 302 Suite 600, Barre Thursday, November 7th, 6:00 p.m. Vermont Division of Fire Safety (Vermont Fire Academy) 93 Davison Drive, Pittsford Monday, December 2nd,6:00 p.m. Pownal Rescue Squad 22 Ladd Brook Road, Pownal Tuesday, December 3rd, 2:00 p.m. Online Webinar Audio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852# URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/ Wednesday, December 4th, 7:00 p.m. Online Webinar Audio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852# URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/ Thursday, December 5th, 10:00 a.m. Online Webinar Audio: 800-320-4330; PIN: 174852# URL:https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r1_2019_afg/ For more information about AFG and to sign up for email updates, please visithttps://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-urge-administration-finalize-ban-of-flavored-e-cigarettes,"King, Colleagues Urge Administration Finalize Ban of Flavored E-Cigarettes",2019-10-30,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) joined with 25 Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address the growing epidemic of teen e-cigarette use by removing non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes from store shelves nationwide. In September, the Administration announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would quickly finalize a compliance policy preventing the sale of unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettesincluding mint and menthol flavorsthat are popular among children; however, there has been no movement on this policy in the months since. We have long advocated for this action and were encouraged that the Administration had finally decided to act. As of today, however, the FDA has neither finalized nor announced when it will finalize the compliance policy and is reportedly considering significantly weakening this policy by exempting mint and menthol products, which your agency's own data have demonstrated are incredibly popular among children, wrote the senators. While the Administration continues to permit the sale of unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarette products, each day more children are becoming e-cigarette users driven primarily by flavors. We strongly urge the Administration to fulfill its promise to clear the market of all unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes including mint and menthol flavors immediately. The senators also expressed their concerns over reports that the FDA is considering exempting mint and menthol flavors, despite its promise to include them in the compliance policy. In the past year, e-cigarette use has increased by more than 75 percent amongst high school students, largely fueled by the appeal of products with flavors like candy, fruit, mint and menthol. Nearly two-thirds of youth that use e-cigarettes use mint and menthol products. The full letter can be read below or downloadedHERE. +++ The Honorable Alex M. Azar II Secretary U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Azar, We write with significant concerns about the continued delay by the Trump Administration in issuing a compliance policy to address the terrible epidemic of e-cigarette use among children. After years of delay and inaction, which fueled this epidemic, the Trump Administration announced on September 11, 2019, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intended to finalize a compliance policy in the coming weeks that would prioritize the agency's enforcement of the premarket authorization requirements for non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes, including mint and menthol, clearing the market of unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarette products.We have long advocated for this action and were encouraged that the Administration had finally decided to act. As of today, however, the FDA has neither finalized nor announced when it will finalize the compliance policy and is reportedly considering significantly weakening this policy by exempting mint and menthol products, which your agency's own data have demonstrated are incredibly popular among children. While the Administration continues to permit the sale of unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarette products, each day more children are becoming e-cigarette users driven primarily by flavors. We strongly urge the Administration to fulfill its promise to clear the market of all unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes including mint and menthol flavors immediately. It is imperative that the Administration promptly finalize the compliance policy. E-cigarette use among children continues to rise at an alarming rate. Approximately 20 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes in 2018, which is more than a 75 percent increase in use from 2017. Furthermore, high school students who used e-cigarettes reported using them more often in 2018 than in 2017. E-cigarette use among middle school students increased nearly 50 percent from 2017 to 2018. This appetite for e-cigarette use by children has been largely fueled by the appeal of non-tobacco flavors such as fruit, candy, and menthol or mint. There are no recent signs that e-cigarette use by children is decreasing: preliminary data from the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey shows a continued rise in youth e-cigarette use. Although the full scope of the dangers remains uncertain, it is well-known that e-cigarettes pose a serious health risk to youth. On October 11, 2018, the Washington Post published an op-ed by you and then-FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. In it, you acknowledged that the steps we have taken thus far are not enough, noting that e-cigarettes have been the most popular nicotine product among American teenagers since 2014; nicotine is highly addictive and can harm brain development; and children who start on e-cigarettes are more likely than non-smoking peers to end up using traditional tobacco products. You stated you were actively reconsidering our policy under which certain e-cigarettes particularly the products with flavors that might appeal to children can remain on the market .In the year since, the epidemic has worsened, and we have learned that e-cigarettes are associated with a nationwide outbreak of lung illnesses, some of which have resulted in death. On September 11, 2019, you joined President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Acting FDA Commissioner Norman Sharpless in the Oval Office to announce your intent to finalize the compliance policy removing unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes from the market. You stated the Administration's intent to clear the market of flavored e-cigarettes to reverse the deeply concerning epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that is impacting children, families, schools and communities, and Acting Commissioner Sharpless noted that finalization of the compliance policy will be an important step in ongoing work to ensure e-cigarettes are not marketed to, sold to, or used by kids. With each day, more children continue to be lured to e-cigarettes by flavors such as fruit, candy, and mint or menthol. We are therefore deeply troubled that there is no final compliance policy more than six weeks after the Oval Office announcement. Instead, the FDA provides assurances that the agency is working as quickly as possible to finalize a compliance policy.It is increasingly unclear what the FDA's final compliance policy will look like. The Trump Administration is reportedly considering allowing mint and menthol flavors to remain on the market even if and when the FDA does finalize a compliance policy, despite nearly two-thirds of kids who use e-cigarettes using mint and menthol flavored products. This is unacceptable. The Administration has already delayed action for far too long to address this public health crisis. Further fueling our concerns, on October 25, 2019, news reports indicated that this reconsideration follows warnings from President Trump's campaign manager, Brad Parscale, that a policy removing flavored e-cigarettes from the market could backfire in the 2020 election and that Trump supporters who use e-cigarettes could abandon the president if he follows through on a ban.We are outraged that the President appears to be playing politics with children's health. Because of the ever-increasing epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that has been fueled by flavors that include mint and menthol, we implore the Administration to finalize a compliance policy removing all unauthorized, non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes from the market immediately. It must not bow to industry or political pressure at the expense of the public health. If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Andi Lipstein Fristedt with the HELP Committee Staff at (202) 224-7675.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/to-promote-health-and-cut-insurance-costs-king-stresses-importance-of-federal-workplace-wellness-programs,"To Promote Health and Cut Insurance Costs, King Stresses Importance of Federal Workplace Wellness Programs",2019-10-30,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) announced that he has joined two of his Senate colleagues to urge the federal government to evaluate the effectiveness of federal workplace wellness programs. Senator King joined Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in reaching out to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to emphasize the benefits of programs that encourage healthier lifestyles, reduce risks of chronic diseases and cut overall healthcare expenses. In their letter, Senators King, Cardin, and Van Hollen urge the GAO to assess the availability, participation and impact of these programs in our federal workforce. The burden of chronic disease is not just hurting individuals, but is also contributing to the rising cost of healthcarewhich has put a strain not only on family budgets but also on employers, wrote the senators in the letter. The average premium for employer-sponsored coverage for a family of four now exceeds $18,000, and employee contributions exceed $5,500 annually. According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), the average emergency room visit cost $1,003 in 2016; almost 10 times the cost of a visit to a family physician. As noted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Worksite health and wellness programs help employees modify their lifestyles and move toward an optimal state of wellness,' continued the senators. As the nation's largest employer, it is essential that the federal government utilize workplace wellness programs strategically. Compared to private companies, the federal government is in a unique position as a steward of taxpayer dollars, and thus should actively seek ways to minimize cost and maintain healthy employees. According to OPM, federal agencies are encouraged to develop and sustain programs that address the current and future needs of their employees to produce the healthiest possible workforce. Senator King is a champion for prevention policies across the board including advocating for the benefits and financial efficiency of proactive and preventive healthcare. Earlier this month, he hosted a panel discussion in Bangor with local healthcare providers and public wellness experts on the best ways to use prevention strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. As a follow-up to the event, Senator King also focused his monthly Inside Maine podcast on the same topic. In May, Senator Kingintroduced the Preventive Health Savings Act of 2019, which would direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive healthcare, including health screenings. Under current law, the CBO only measures the budgetary impact of legislation in a ten-year timeframe; in contrast, the Preventive Health Savings Act would allow Congressional Committees reviewing healthcare legislation to request up to two additional ten-year projection windows to provide a better understanding of the legislation's long-term effect on the nation's healthcare spending. In March, Senator Kingintroduced the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which incentivizes healthier living by allowing Americans to use a portion of the money saved in their pre-tax health savings accounts toward qualified sports and fitness purchases such as gym memberships. Also in March, heintroduced legislationto help seniors and individuals with disabilities navigate the complex web of federal home modification programs; by investing in small changes like grab bars in the shower or a ramp in place of stairs, these Americans can reduce the risk of a serious fall that brings major expenses for both the individual and the Medicare and Medicaid systems. In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last November, hehighlightedthe importance of pursuing preventive healthcare measures to reduce overall healthcare costs for service members and veterans. The full letter can be downloaded HERE or read below. +++ We write regarding the high cost of healthcare in this country and with the knowledge that the leading causes of death and disability in the United States are both preventable and responsive to workplace interventions, and request that the Government Accountability Office conduct a comprehensive investigation into the state of federal workplace health and wellness programs. In the United States, 70 percent of the total disease burden is made up of preventable or postponable illnesses, and 99 percent of the adult U.S. population has at least one of seven cardiovascular health risks that lifestyle change can often alter: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood glucose, unhealthy weight, tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet. Additionally, a Stanford University study from 2015 found that more than 120,000 deaths a year, and roughly 5 to 8 percent of annual healthcare costs, may be attributable to how U.S. companies manage their workforceswhich would make it the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. The burden of chronic disease is not just hurting individuals, but is also contributing to the rising cost of healthcarewhich has put a strain not only on family budgets but also on employers. The average premium for employer-sponsored coverage for a family of four now exceeds $18,000, and employee contributions exceed $5,500 annually. According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), the average emergency room visit cost $1,003 in 2016; almost 10 times the cost of a visit to a family physician. With 151 million U.S. adults in the civilian non-industrialized workforce, the workplace is an ideal setting to improve population health. Many private companies recognize the impact of the social environment in the workplace on health, and are implementing programs that, in some cases, show a reduction in medical costs of approximately $3.27 for every dollar spent on workplace wellness programs. While the methods of intervention can vary, many programs often include health education, nutrition services, lactation support, physical activity promotion, screenings, vaccinations, traditional occupational health and safety, disease management, and linkages to related employee services. There is substantial evidence, gathered over time, that well-designed and implemented (utilizing best practices) wellness programs can improve the health of participants and minimize health risk factors that could lead to health problems and chronic conditions. In one study of a company with over 100,000 employees, the company saved $535 in annual medical costs of wellness program participants compared to the sample group between 2002-2008. As noted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Worksite health and wellness programs help employees modify their lifestyles and move toward an optimal state of wellness. As the nation's largest employer, it is essential that the federal government utilize workplace wellness programs strategically. Compared to private companies, the federal government is in a unique position as a steward of taxpayer dollars, and thus should actively seek ways to minimize cost and maintain healthy employees. According to OPM, federal agencies are encouraged to develop and sustain programs that address the current and future needs of their employees to produce the healthiest possible workforce. Given this, we would like GAO to address the following questions: (1) What workplace well-being and wellness programs do federal employees currently have access to? What is the level of participation? (2) What resources and support systems are made available to managers and persons in positions of leadership to implement programs to support the health of employees? (3) How does the federal government collect data on the efficacy of workplace wellness programs? (4) To what extent has the federal government evaluated the effectiveness of its expenditures on workplace wellness programming, considering such factors in employee health and satisfaction such as productivity, absenteeism, and retention? Thank you for your attention to this important issue.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-demands-improvements-to-lead-exposure-screening-for-children,King Demands Improvements to Lead Exposure Screening for Children,2019-10-29,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today joined a group of his colleagues in urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to take additional steps to support children affected by lead exposure, including increased prevention, screening and treatment efforts. In a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, Senator King and 16 senators requested an update on how CMS plans to address demonstrated gaps in data pertaining to blood lead level screenings and urged CMS to renew its commitment to ensuring appropriate lead screening for children at risk of lead exposure.A study by the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting showed that from 2003 to 2013, an average of 130 Maine children per year were diagnosed with lead poisoning with the effects focused on children from low-income families. Childhood lead exposure remains a serious public health challenge for communities across the country, the senators wrote. With Medicaid serving as an essential health coverage source for the nation's children, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plays a critical role in the prevention, screening, and treatment of children affected by lead exposure. Decades of research demonstrate that lead exposure poses a serious and grave risk to the health of children, the senators continued. Lead exposure can lead to serious health consequences including a lifetime of disease and behavioral challenges. Even as rates of lead poisoning are falling nationwide, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that children in at least four million households across the United States are currently exposed to high levels of lead whether from paint, contaminated soil, water, toys, or other household items While we were encouraged by the steps CMS took in 2016, it is clear that more needs to be done to increase screening rates, emphasize prevention, and facilitate early intervention. Current federal law requires blood lead screening as appropriate for age and risk factors for all children enrolled in Medicaid, including lead screenings at 12 months and 24 months of age. However, because the data is incomplete, CMS is impeding its own ability to address lead poisoning prevention. Lead exposure can lead to serious health consequences, including a lifetime of disease and behavioral challenges. Even as rates of lead poisoning are falling nationwide, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that children in at least four million households across the United States are currently exposed to high levels of lead, from sources including paint, contaminated soil, water, toys, or other household items. In 2016, CMS took a number of actions aimed at improving blood lead screening and testing for Medicaid-eligible children, including the collection of data to try and help ensure the delivery of blood lead screening. However, data on statutorily mandated blood lead screenings remains incomplete. As a result, it is unclear how many children at risk of lead exposure are actually receiving required and needed blood lead screenings in accordance with federal requirements and CMS policy. Full text of the letter to CMS can be found here and below. +++ Dear Administrator Verma, Childhood lead exposure remains a serious public health challenge for communities across the country. With Medicaid serving as an essential health coverage source for the nation's children, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plays a critical role in the prevention, screening, and treatment of children affected by lead exposure. Accordingly, as we enter National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, we write to receive an update on the steps CMS is taking to address demonstrated gaps in data pertaining to blood lead level screenings and urge CMS to renew its commitment to ensuring appropriate lead screening for children at risk of lead exposure Decades of research demonstrate that lead exposure poses a serious and grave risk to the health of children. Lead exposure can lead to serious health consequences including a lifetime of disease and behavioral challenges. Even as rates of lead poisoning are falling nationwide, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that children in at least four million households across the United States are currently exposed to high levels of lead whether from paint, contaminated soil, water, toys, or other household items. For twenty years, federal law has required blood lead screening as appropriate for age and risk factors for all children enrolled in Medicaid. Such screenings are covered under Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit with all children covered by Medicaid required to receive blood lead screenings at 12 months and 24 months of age. In 2016, CMS under the previous administration took a number of actions aimed at improving blood lead screening and testing for Medicaid-eligible children including the collection of data to try and help ensure the delivery of blood lead screening. However, despite this progress, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) (GAO-19-481), data on statutorily mandated blood lead screenings remains incomplete. For example, while the blood lead screening data reported annually by states to CMS provides basic information on the number of screenings performed, it does not identify the number of beneficiaries who received blood lead screenings. As a result, it is unclear how many children at risk of lead exposure are actually receiving required and needed blood lead screenings in accordance with federal requirements and CMS policy. This is unacceptable. Progress in addressing this public health crisis will continue to be stifled without significant leadership from the CMS and other federal agencies. While we were encouraged by the steps CMS took in 2016, it is clear that more needs to be done to increase screening rates, emphasize prevention, and facilitate early intervention. While CMS has concurred with the recommendation in the 2019 GAO report regarding the need to collect accurate and complete data on blood lead screening for Medicaid beneficiaries, to our knowledge, CMS has not identified any concrete steps to meet the recommendations included in this report. In order to better understand how CMS plans to address the gaps identified in the 2019 GAO report related to blood lead screening and the specific steps CMS plans to take to address this issue, we ask that you please respond to the following questions: 1. What specific actions has CMS taken or plan to take to address the issues and recommendations related to blood lead screening included in the 2019 GAO report? 2. What steps has CMS taken or plan to take to assist states with planning improvements to ensure complete and accurate reporting of data on blood lead screening? 3. What actions has CMS undertaken or plan to take, in collaboration with the CDC or other federal agencies, to develop improved methods of capturing data related to Medicaid beneficiaries who receive blood lead screenings? 4. In addition to working with the CDC and other federal agencies to improve lead screening data reporting, how is CMS working with Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies or Head Start programs on ways state agencies can coordinate and partner to identify and screen at-risk children? 5. How is CMS engaging with state Medicaid agencies, managed care plans, health care providers, and other stakeholders to improve the rates and associated reporting of mandated blood lead screenings? What engagement, if any, has already occurred and to what result? 6. Moving beyond the importance of screening, how is CMS working with other federal partners, states, and others to ensure early intervention for children with confirmed elevated blood lead levels? 7. What, if any, additional support or oversight authority from Congress does CMS feel it needs in order to ensure the prevention, screening, and treatment for children impacted by lead exposure? We request a response to this letter no later than November 30th, 2019. Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with CMS on this critical public health issue.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-highlights-the-importance-of-cyber-security-in-defense-cloud-technology,King Highlights the Importance of Cyber Security in Defense Cloud Technology,2019-10-29,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), questioned Dana Deasy, nominee for Chief Information Officer at the Department Of Defense (DOD), on whether there are security risks associated with storing sensitive information through cloud technology. Senator King alsoquestioned Deasy on the process through which the recent Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract was awarded to Microsoft, given suggestions by President Trump that he would intervene to prevent the contract from being awarded to rival company Amazon. Later in the hearing, Senator King questioned Mr. Deasy on frequency of cyberattacks on DOD infrastructure and ways to bolster cybersecurity. Let me ask you a question about the cloud that was touched on earlier. People in Maine have approached me and said, why are we going to the cloud? You put everything in one place, doesn't that increase vulnerability?' [Mr. Deasy,] you talked about the three systems you saw in Afghanistan, said Senator King. One of the reasons our election system was not successfully attacked in 2018 is that it's so diffuse. It's state, local, it's someone described it as a hairball. It's very hard to penetrate. It seems to me, if you have the cloud and everything's there if it is penetrated, it's a bonanza for the adversary. Assure me that we're not making a large-scale mistake here, by concentrating all of our assets in one place, hoping that it's entirely secure, but, if it isn't, it's a disaster if it's penetrated. The hearing also featured testimony from Lisa Hershman, nominee for Chief Management Officer at the Department Of Defense, and Robert Sander, nominee for General Counsel at the Department Of The Navy. During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for functional and effective cyber policy, and deterring cyberattacks on American elections and everyday life. Senator King and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced theSecuring Energy Infrastructure Act, which waspassed by the House of Representatives in Julyas part of their version of the NDAA. The legislation alsopassed the Senatein the upper chamber's version of the NDAA, and is expected to be included in the final bill once it passes through the House/Senate conference process. In late May, Senator King alsocosponsoredtheElection Security Act, which would require voter-verifiable backup paper ballots and provide election security grants to states for cyber improvements and audits. Earlier that month, he highlighted thefactors that could lead to election cybersecurity issues to members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the commission who provide best practices when certifying voting machines. In March, Senator King sent aletterto the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requesting information about NERC's efforts to protect the United States' bulk power system from supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly those posed by vendors from Russia and China. In a February hearing, Senator King emphasizedthe need for urgent action, and questioned NERC President and CEO James Robb about the dangers of foreign equipment in America's energy grid. As co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Senator King leads the Commission's effort to develop a comprehensive national cyber policy with specific policy recommendations to implement and prioritize this approach. This work will culminate with a public report and rollout, including briefings with the congressional committees on defense, intelligence, and homeland security discussing the CSC's findings and recommendations.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/its-time-for-billionaires-to-pay-their-fair-share-in-taxes,It's Time for Billionaires to Pay Their Fair Share in Taxes,2019-10-28,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,VT,Bernard Sanders,S000033,www.sanders.senate.gov,,,legacy,"It's Time for Billionaires to Pay Their Fair Share in Taxes We are facing levels of inequality not seen since the Gilded Age of the robber barons, where the top one-tenth of one percent owns about as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. The richest 400 billionaires pay lower taxes than everyone else. In my view, this obscene inequality in wealth and political power is not compatible with a democratic society. I am proud that Rep. Jimmy Gomez is leading three dozen members of the House in introducing the For The 99.8% Act to tax today's dynasty trusts and curb their power, while raising trillions of dollars for the essential programs we need as a country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/in-october-podcast-king-stresses-preventive-healthcare-with-leading-experts,"In October Podcast, King Stresses Preventive Healthcare with Leading Experts",2019-10-28,2019,2019-10,Independent,House,ME,Angus King,K000383,www.king.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, the office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the October edition of Senator King's Inside Maine podcast, with this edition focusing on preventive healthcare policies. In this episode, Senator King first welcomed Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), who discussed the importance of creating incentives for prevention-oriented healthcare at a national level. In the second segment, Senator King spoke to Dr. Lori Parham, the state director at AARP Maine, about preventive healthcare efforts at a state level, particularly around Maine's aging population. Both guests were featured panelists at Senator King's panel discussion on prevention in Bangor earlier this month, which brought together local healthcare providers, public wellness experts and Maine residents to discuss the best ways to use prevention strategies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Americans pay the highest per capita costs for healthcare, but our health outcomes don't reflect these investments we all too frequently wait for symptom to arise, instead of staying ahead of health threats. Clearly, something about our approach isn't working, said Senator King. It's important that legislators and the medical community alike shift our mindsets to address health problems before they get serious because the cheapest and safest medical procedure is one that doesn't have to happen in the first place. Dr. Parekh and Dr. Parham are leaders in shifting how we discuss healthcare expenses and improve public health, and I am grateful that they joined me to share their expertise on this subject. Senator King has made preventive healthcare one of his top priorities in the Senate, introducing legislation and convening leaders to discuss how we can be proactive to both improve healthcare outcomes and reduce national healthcare spending. In May, Senator Kingintroduced the Preventive Health Savings Act of 2019, which would direct the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to more accurately reflect the cost-savings of preventive healthcare, including health screenings. Under current law, the CBO only measures the budgetary impact of legislation in a ten-year timeframe; in contrast, the Preventive Health Savings Act would allow Congressional Committees reviewing healthcare legislation to request up to two additional ten-year projection windows to provide a better understanding of the legislation's long-term effect on the nation's healthcare spending. In March, Senator Kingintroduced the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act, which incentivizes healthier living by allowing Americans to use a portion of the money saved in their pre-tax health savings accounts toward qualified sports and fitness purchases such as gym memberships. Also in March, heintroduced legislationto help seniors and individuals with disabilities navigate the complex web of federal home modification programs; by investing in small changes like grab bars in the shower or a ramp in place of stairs, these Americans can reduce the risk of a serious fall that brings major expenses for both the individual and the Medicare and Medicaid systems. In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last November, hehighlightedthe importance of pursuing preventive healthcare measures to reduce overall healthcare costs for service members and veterans. Dr. Anand Parekh is the chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center, where he focuses on the areas of aging, prevention, and global health. He is also an adjunct professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and is an adjunct assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. Before joining BPC, Dr. Parekh served for ten years at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he worked as deputy assistant secretary for health from 2008 to 2015. At HHS he developed and implemented national initiatives focused on prevention, wellness, and care management. Dr. Lori Parham is the state director at AARP Maine, where she manages personnel, finances, facilities, and communications. In her role, she is also the lead advocate and spokesperson for AARP in Maine, a state with 230,000 members. She oversees the implementation of both state and federal advocacy campaigns, and facilitates strategic partnerships in the local and state private and non-profit sectors. She has helped nearly 60 Maine communities join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities, which provides resources so people can stay in their homes. The Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King's work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King's podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month. The link to the October podcast can be found HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z